Making the grade

A ways back, there was this little thing called the Ginter Code which elicited a prize of unfathomable proportions on the unsuspecting card world!! Not really, but doesn't it sound exciting?

As you may have read, the prize needed to be split in half, with both Nick and myself conducting a draft for the spoils. The major hangup on the split came with the one Michael Phelps card that came with the set. We had originally thought eight, since eight cards were produced for each and every gold medal that Phelps won. Further study of the prize description made this discrepancy clear "the winner will receive a full set of autos featuring each autograph subject". So basically unless MP jumped in the the ol cloning machine, he qualifies as one autograph subject. Well played, Topps.

So the only fair thing to do was sell the card. And for eight days the earth stood still as the fate of the card collecting world held its collective breath...again, not really. It was pretty entertaining though, but personally, I still think that the gold 1/1 auto's were cooler, and it trumped our card three-fold on sale price.

Nevertheless, the sale was complete and card send to the happy winner, and I was left with a small paypal credit that I felt needed to be reinvested in something decent, before I twiddled it all away on random packs and hobby boxes.

Then it hit me. This is the perfect opportunity to go after a card that I have always wanted, but have never been able to pull the trigger on. After a week of Scouring eBay, as well as a frantic final minute of bidding, here is the result...



2007 Bowman Chrome Tim Lincecum auto rookie! FINALLY a TL has found its way to Portland! I really wanted to purchase a card that I feel is primed to explode some day and I think that the ceiling is pretty unlimited for Lincecum. It would be pretty hard to de-value a back-to-back in first two full seasons Cy Young winner. I figure anything positive he does from this point forward should only bolster potential. This is my first graded card and represents a major pillar for Jacoby's future collection. I am absolutely thrilled to have this card!


Why did I scan the back of the card? Seeing as I have never laid my paws on this card before, I never knew this. Its really blurry and really tiny under his stat line, but apparently Tim Lincecum had a short stint with the Keizer Volcanoes. They are basically an independent league about 1/2 hour south of Portland. Had NO idea he ever played here, so I did a bit more research...

In his short stint at Salem-Keizer, Lincecum had two starts, totally just four innings, but struck out 10 batters and gave up only one hit and no runs.

So there you have it, just a stop down I-5 to keep his arm loose on his way to The Show!

Now I just need to jump in my hot tub time machine and go to St Louis to meet some prospect named Alberto from the Dominican Republic...I am told he has potential.