Sets I'm Currently Attempting To Assemble

Here are the sets I'm currently working to put together ('97 UD SPx Duo View Hockey is not shown as I do not have any cards in that set, but I am interested in building it!!!). If anyone has any cards in these sets and is interested in trading, let me know. I have a number of cards in each of these sets. I would like to complete a couple of these by the end of the summer. If you are interested in trading, send me an email to Hoopography@yahoo.com or leave a message on the Hoopography Facebook page. Thanks!

         '98 Metal Universe Titanium                                      '97 Upper Deck SPx Cornerstones

            '98 Ex Century Dunk N' Go N                                '98 Topps Finest Mystery Test Refractor

                          '08 Upper Deck SP Rookie Edition Auto's                                         '97 Fleer Ultra Court Masters

                                   '97 Upper Deck SPx Holoview Heroes                                   '99 SPx Rookie Auto's

                                '96 Jam Session Showstoppers                                       '97 EX 2000 A Cut Above

                                                  '97 & '98 Big Man On Court                   '98 SPx Hardcourt Holoview (Football and Basketball)

                                                              '97 SPx Promotion                                                   '98 SPx ProMotion 

                                                             '98 SPx ProMotion                                                '97 SPx Cornerstones

NY Yankees Pitcher Phil Hughes In The Hoopography House: 2007 Upper Deck Masterpeices RC Auto

2007 Upper Deck Masterpeices
Phil Hughes RC Auto

In my never-ending quest to add some New York Yankees auto's to my collection, I picked up this UD Masterpeices auto of Pinstripe's pitcher Phil Hughes off the Bay a few weeks ago. Hughes has had an up and down career thus far. Injuries last year derailed his development from a back of the rotation starting pitcher to a solid middle of the rotation starting pitcher. I am hopeful and encouraged that the once first-round pick can be a good pitcher in the bigs, if he can only stay healthy this year.

Like many collectors, I have always enjoyed these Upper Deck Masterpeices and Chronology cards. They look great and you've got to love the on-card auto's. This is a nice addition to my PC and will make the Yankees games that much more fun for me. Happy collecting and… "Enjoy Every Crack of the Bat".

So What Do I Do With This Now?: '08 Bowman Chrome Jesus Montero Blue Refractor RC

2008 Bowman Chrome Jesus Montero RC Blue Refractor #'d /99

As an avid sports memorabilia collector and Yankees fan, I decided a few years back to start collecting a Yankees prospect. I wasn't sure who that prospect would be, so I did a bit of research. I talked to other collectors, I read all the MLB prospect ratings and decided on Jesus Montero. Yeah, I know… big surprise there. In truth, I wanted to collect Austin Jackson, but the Yanks traded him just before I could pick up any of his cards. That was a lucky break for me I guess, since we all know it's no fun collecting a guy for your favorite team who ends up getting traded the next year.

So you can imagine my dismay when I heard about Montero being traded a couple months back. I do think my pinstripes made the right baseball decision, but the front office brass obviously weren't keeping my trading card collection in mind when they made the trade.

So basically, I have a card that looks great. I love the blue refractors, but I'm not sure I'm going to hold on to the RC. The whole idea of buying this card for me was to follow Montero as he came up through the minors and contributed to the big club. I know Montero is still one of the hottest young bats in baseball and he could become a big star, but you may see this one in my Trade Bait Album sometime soon.

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy The Smell of that Spring Training Grass". Actually, scratch that. Have you ever seen a baseball field after professional baseball players are through with it? Those folds are disgusting. Guys are spitting who know what every five seconds. Grounds keepers are throwing manure and pesticides everywhere. With all the half eaten sunflower seeds on the ground, you would think they were getting ready to produce sunflower oil. It's a mess out there. How about this…, "Enjoy Every Crack of the Bat".

Paul O'neill In The Hoopography House: 1998 Precious Metal Gems #'d/50

1998 Paul O'neill Precious Metal Gems #'d/50

Since I'm so excited for the start of the MLB season, I had to pick up a gem of one of my favorite players of all-time, Mr. Paul O'neill. The only thing cooler than the surface finish on this Precious Metal Gems card is the intensity O'neill had to win. Without coincidence, that's why Mr. O'neill is my favorite MLB'er ever.

Happy Collecting and Get Ready to… "Enjoy Every Crack of the Bat".

Russell Martin In The Hoopography House: 2007 UD Black Lustrous Auto

2007 Upper Deck Black Russell Martin Lustrous Auto

With the start of MLB right around the corner, I'm getting the baseball card itch. What's the best remedy? Well… the best remedy is to scratch it, and I did that with this UD Black Russell Martin auto. Martin is the former young and talented L.A. Dodgers catcher. Unfortunately for the Dodgers and their fans, Martin has not performed up to the success he enjoyed earlier in his career. Because of that, he was not tendered an offer by the Dodgers.

My New York Yankees took a chance on Martin and his previously injured hip (torn right Labrum). The Yankees organization is loaded with catchers and catching prospects, so the signing by the Yankees of Martin was a bit of a surprise. However, the 28 year old has shown promise in the past. Hopefully, the change of scenery will prove to be the remedy to get both Martin and the Yankees back on track this upcoming season. 

Happy Collecting and… "Enjoy Every Crack of the Bat"

Poll: Who Will Make The Baseball Hall Of Fame?

Dave Winfield and Don Mattingly are amongst a few of my favorite Yankees ever and are certainly revered by many other Yankee fans. Although "Donnie Baseball" is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Winfield is, and this card is the only card I have that features a Yankee who is in the Hall. Cards of guys like Ruth, Berra, Mantle, DiMaggio and Gehrig cost a bit more than my price range can handle, so this Mattingly/Winfield jersey card is the best I've got for this post.

Basically, I want to know what current New York Yankees or Yankee prospects you think will eventually be enshrined in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame when their career(s) are over? You can vote for as many players as you want. If there's a player or prospect not included in the poll, feel free to add in the comments section. Thanks for reading and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Poll: Will Derek Jeter Have A Resurgence In 2011?

Sweet, sweet acetate!

Derek Jeter is coming off of his worst statistical season in his 16 season MLB career. With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in under a month (28 days), I'm starting to get excited about the upcoming MLB season. One of the biggest questions for my favorite team is whether Derek Jeter can bounce back from a season in which he batted .270, hit 10 hrs and stole 18 bases. Also, despite winning a Gold Glove, 2010 saw a diminish in Jeter's range at the shortstop position.

So the question is, what type of season is Jeter going to put together this year? The poll options consist of some of Jeter's best and worst season averages. What do you think?

- Make sure to checkout the card contests/giveaways I'm holding to try your luck at winning some free Panini cards (click here).

The Winter Meetings Have Got Me Thinking Baseball

'85 Star Company Reggie Jackson Set (Front)

'85 Star Company Reggie Jackson Set (Back)

Here's an item I picked up well over a year ago that I was waiting for just the right time to post. With the Baseball Winter Meetings finishing up, I thought it was as good of a time as any to finally post this 36 card set. Plus, I like how the larger images look on the site.

I pride myself on having a solid knowledge base on the sports memorabilia and trading card hobby, but to be honest, I really don't know very much about this set. Sure, I know all about the Star Co. and their regional releases from the 80's and very early 90's. I'm also well aware of Mr. October's exploits. However, I'm not really sure why these cards were produced as perforated threesomes. If anyone has any info to shed some light on the set, that would be great. I paid just under $5.00 including shipping for the set and am happy to add it to my collection. Here's an eBay listing that shows all twelve sheets from an open set.

As for the Winter Meetings, news is coming out that the Yanks are talking with Cliff Lee as you read about a seven year deal. With the Red Sox coming in late last night and signing Carl Crawford, the signing of Lee is imperative for the Yankees.

- Question: I'm sure there will be more moves and signings to come during the remainder of the MLB off-season, but how did your team do during the Winter Meetings/off-season thusfar?

Poll: Is The Reported Offer By The Yankees To Derek Jeter Insulting, Spot On Or Simply Way Too Much?

1997 Flair Derek Jeter Hot Gloves

As a New York Yankees fan myself, I would like to see Jeter back in pinstripes next season. I would like to say… at the right price, but money doesn't really matter when you print as much of it as the Yankees seem to print. However, that doesn't mean I want the Yankees to throw A-Rod money at this smoldering free agent fire.

Although I am a Jeter fan and appreciate everything he's done for the franchise, I'm a Yankees fan first. The truth of the matter is that the 36 year old shortstop had his worst statistical season of his illustrious 15 year career. In 157 games last season, Jeter hit .270 with 10 HR's, 67 RBI's and 18 SB's. For a bit of a shortstop reference point, Ian Desmond of the Washington Nationals hit .269 with 10 HR's, 65 RBI's, 17 SB's and made a whopping $400,000. Ok, whopping to you or me, but the Yankees have reportedly offered Jeter $45,000,000 over three years.

There's no questioning the intangibles Jeter brings to the Yankee lineup and clubhouse, and those should be worth something. Are those intangibles worth more than $14,600,000 a year? Not likely, but here's the thing. This is the New York Yankees and Jeter will continue to be a productive player. I don't think he's going to have as poor of a season as he had last year. Actually, I think he'll bounce back with a very respectable .288 BA, 12 HR's, 85 RBI's and 15 SB's. Those are very productive offensive numbers for almost any shortstop in the MLB today. Despite the best efforts of the AL Gold Glove, Jeter's defense is a liability in the field and will need to be addressed over the longevity of any contract he agrees to with the Yanks. The truth of the matter is, the Yankees offered Jeter far more than he's worth on the field and took into account what he means to the team off the field. I think he and the Yankees will eventually agree on a three year deal worth about $60,000,000. To date, Jeter has earned $182,830,000 from MLB contracts alone. I think another $45 or $60 million is fine.

So what do you think? Is the reported offer by the Yankees insulting, spot on or too much?

- Fun Facts: Here's a list of the top 35 MLB earners of all-time: (click here).

Who Should Be The Yankees Full Time Catcher Next Season?

So the Yankees recently stated that longtime catcher Jorge Posada will most likely be relegated to DH duties next season. I've been asking for this move for about three years now. It's not that I dislike Mr. Posada, but lets face it, he's pretty horrible behind the plate. This is a move that's been a longtime coming. So the question is, who should the Yankees put behind the plate next year as their full time starting catcher: Jesus Montero or Francisco Cervelli? 

Cervelli            or            Montero

Mail Time and It's A Good One: Yankees, Bills, Auto's, Ref's, Patches!!!

I'm always excited about any new cards I'm able to add to my collection, but I'm really pumped about this recent haul. I normally don't buy this many cards in a week, but I was able to get a few nice deals. Auto'd cards are always great and there's a few of those here, but the bright red Precious Metal Gems Smith card certainly is an eye catcher. So without any further ado, here are a few of my recent eBay conquests:

'10 Francisco Cervelli Topps 206 Auto

'95 Juwan Howard Topps Finest Ref.                                 '08 Marshawn Lynch UD Heroes Auto 14/25

'04 Winfield/Mattingly Upper Deck Ultimate Dual Materials 30/60 

'04 Lee Evans UD Ultimate RC Signatures 150/250      '97 Bruce Smith Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems 18/150              

Poll: What's The Yankees Biggest Need?

(1997 Upper Deck SPx Cornerstones #'d/500)

So with the World Series over, it's time to get back to the important stuff. Like what the Yankees need to do to get back in the Series next year. The Yankees recently resigned Manger Joe Girardi to a three year deal, so what's the Yankees most urgent need this offseason to get number 28?

The Yankees Essential Credentials Collection

No question, last night's come from behind win by the New York Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS was exciting for this Yankees fan. Hopefully the Yanks and Phil Hughes can pull out another win to take a two games to none lead back to the Bronx.

With a big Game 2 to be played today, I felt the urge to post a few of my favorite E-X Essential Credentials Yankees cards. The E-X Credentials sets feature one of my favorite card designs ever. I love the bright colors and up close player silhouettes. These cards are a combination of paper and foiling on acetate card stock. Truly one of the coolest insert sets of the 90's.

('98 Bernie Williams E-X Essential Credentials Now #'d 9/74)

('99 Paul O'neill E-X Essential Credentials #'d 16/44)

('98 Andy Pettitte Essential Credentials Future #'d 72/73)

Poll: Which Yankees Slugger Has Had A Better Career Since Leaving the Texas Rangers?

There's no question that both Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez have put up some big numbers in their careers. Teixeira has been a defensive gem at first base winning multiple Gold Gloves ('05, '06 and '09) and A-Rod has been one of the preiminant power hitters at the plate. It's ironic that both will be facing their old team in tonight's ALCS game 1 against the Texas Rangers. So who's had the better career since leaving the Rangers?

Poll: Which Batter from this Yankees/Red Sox Quad Jersey Would You Want Up in the Bottom of the 9th?

(2008 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection Quad Jersey)

In lue of the Yankees/Red Sox series double-header today, I have a little poll question for readers. Which player from this '08 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection Quad Jersey card would you want up to bat in the bottom of the 9th of an A.L.C.S. game 7 down by one and with two outs? For the purposes of this question, let's assume/consider each player in their prime.

Hoopography Top 25 Countdown: #11

The top 10 in my Hoopography Top 25 PC countdown is in sight, but for now, number 11 sure is a good one. My favorite New York Yankee is Mr. Paul O'neill. He was a glue guy on those World Championship teams of the mid and late 90's. He could do everything from driving in runs and playing a great right field to scaring Gatorade coolers around the Majors. O'neill's intensity is legendary. Yankees' YES Network announcer, Michael Kay, razzes O'neill from time to time in the both about his outbursts and cooler incidents. I loved that fiery attitude O'neill brought to the diamond every day. That's why he's my favorite all-time Yankee.

There aren't a ton of O'neill inserts or auto's out there, but there are a couple nice ones that I'm currently chasing. This 2000 Upper Deck SP Buy Back auto is one of the best O'neill cards out there and is numbered 70 of 142. This is also the second O'neill card on the Top 25 countdown. I'm a huge fan of buy back auto's. I love getting the separate UD matching Holo COA that comes with these. It's almost like two cards in one.

I apologize for the scan being a little fuzzy, but I didn't want to take the cards out of the case. The foiling on the left side is notorious for easily chipping. I know O'neill is not the most sought after Yankee to collect, but I thought the $15.25 including shipping I paid was a steal. In truth, I would have paid a lot more for this card. I think every collector has a player or two they're willing to over pay for and O'neill is mine (along with like 5 others).

I had a tough time not ranking this card in the top 10 of the countdown, but there was some tough competition. Stay tuned for my favorite top 10 cards in my collection and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

Poster Review: Converse "Hit Man" Don Mattingly Poster

"Donnie Baseball" is one of the most beloved Yankee and MLB players of the past 30 years. He could do it all at first place and in the batters box, and did it right. The 1985 AL MVP played for the New York Yankees from 1982 - 1995, but never played in a World Series. Despite that dubious distinction, Mattingly had an exceptional career with a .307 batting average, 6 all-star selections, 9 Gold Gloves and 3 Silver Slugger Awards.

So with all that hardware, which ballot did Mattingly get selected to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame on? His first ballot? Maybe his second? Actually, Mattingly has not been enshrined into the Hall and it doesn't look like he'll get in any time soon. The man known as the "Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball" has receive an average of 13.43% of the votes needed in each of the years from 2007 - 2010. A player needs 75% of the votes to get enshrined. Many detractors feel Matting was only great for a short period of time as injuries took their toll. They also site his lack of team success referring to the Yankees going to the post season in only one of Mattingly's MLB campaigns (1995). Others feel Mattingly's numbers speak for themselves as to his greatness and reference his .417 batting average in the '95 ALDS.

I'm a bit partial to any Yankee great and hope to see Mattingly enshrined down the road.

As for the Converse "Hit Man" Poster, it's a classic. This is one of the gold standards or "white whales" for poster and Yankee collectors alike. At the time, Converse was one of the largest sneaker and sporting goods companies in the world. It wasn't Nike and Reebok or Nike and Adidas, it was Nike and Converse. Converse had the likes of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bernard King and Don Mattingly under contract during the mid-80's. They were truly a juggernaut, and created one of the best posters the industry has ever seen.

The "Hit Man" poster is iconic and collectors know that. Many of the posters were used and it's difficult today to find one in mint condition. They do pop up on eBay (click here), but typically command a hefty price tag. If you do find an original mint condition poster, good luck as you'll no doubt have fierce competition on e-marketplaces like eBay.

Although Converse came up with a great campaign for Mattingly with the "Hit Man" poster, their business relationship did not last. By the late 80's Mattingly was a passenger on the Nike express. Here's a Footlocker commercial with Mattingly donning some Nike gear:

(RSS and third party site readers, click here to view video/media)

So, did you have a Don "Hit Man" Mattingly poster on your wall as a kid or even today, and do you think Mattingly should be enshrined in the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame?

- Can't get enough poster reviews, click here to read previous Poster Review posts and… "Enjoy Every Bounce of the Ball".

I have Refractoritis!!!

As you all know, I have a great appreciation for various trading card technologies and designs. Lately though, it seems I've caught a nasty case of Refractoritis. Think it's not a true illness? Checkout the symptoms below. These are some of the various refractors I've managed to add to my collection recently.

So I certainly have a nasty case of Refractoritis, but is there a particular set, player or trading card technology that has infected you?