JD's Big Announcement!

Well, not really THAT big I guess, but for us, it finally gives us a path to follow in future collecting.

I have been emailing a few people back and forth and getting some advice about card collecting. The truth of the matter is that this can be a rather addicting hobby with each pack holding hidden treasure inside...so that being the case it can also be quite expensive as well!

Over the last month I have focused on collecting sets and subsets, and that will continue to be my main goal as long as the financial aspect is reasonable. I have to say that I have had the most fun with the Topps Flagship series this year and its wide variety of hits and classy subsets. I love the SP Legendary Cuts, but it has stuck me in the pocketbook. Nevertheless, I intend to complete that set THIS YEAR and reevaluate next year. I think Allen and Ginter are going to be fun like Topps Flagship was, but we'll see how involved I get in that.

But in the course of collecting for a set, I have amassed an amazing variety of cards from buying random packs from random years. If not for my compulsion to organize, I would have cards everywhere.

So my takeaway point for my first month of collecting is that it is impossible (and expensive) to try to collect everything. So I am happy to announce that I am narrowing down my parameters for collection needs.

You'll notice a pattern forming in my posts, that I often mention great cards of young pitching talent. I am drawn to these players because as Dennis Rodman once said in the Van Damme Flick "Double Team" What? You never saw that movie? Anyways he says "the best offense is a good defense" I love great pitching and I love the guys I see coming up through the system.

So I officially am opening the "Pitching Phenoms" wing to my collection. I am seeking out any and all cards for players like Yovanni Gallardo, Johnny Cueto, Tommy Hanson (on FIRE), Jon Lester, Tim Lincicum (EN FUEGO), Clay Buchholz (coming soon), Felix Hernandez, etc, etc. Of course I am still into collecting any and all Red Sox, and I do like some sluggers like Braun, Longoria, etc, but my main focus for now is on pitchers. I will add a new bar on the side mentioning my collecting interests now that I have some!

Thanks for a great first month everybody. While time consuming, I have had a blast and am amazed at the generosity of the blogosphere. Bring on July!