Dollar-store cards: is this the end?

Have you checked out the new "stats" feature on blogger yet? You can find out all kinds of odd-ball things about who looks at what posts and how they get to your blog and other great stuff.

Aside from it alerting you to the fact that the world is filled with strange people who happen to be looking at your blog, there are some enlightening items there. For instance, some posts that I wrote long ago are still popular in terms of views. One of those posts was the first one that I did on the dollar store near me that sells cards. I'm not sure why people are still looking at that thing from a year-and-a-half ago, but they is.

Back then, the store was packed with old cards from the '80s and '90s. Since then, it's been up and down, but mostly down. I still manage to find some adequate stuff for next to nothing, but there's less of it.

A few days ago I headed there because at this time of the year I'm poor. I needed to buy cards and be cheap about it.

There were fewer card bags hanging there than usual. And just about all I saw was basketball. You might as well hang Pokeman cards there for all I care about basketball. But after some searching, I did find a smattering of baseball card bags. Four to be exact.

I wasn't too enthused by what was offered in the bags, but for $2.31, they were worth bringing home.

I don't have the time for drawn-out post about the cards -- they're not worth it anyway. So I'm just going to list the ones that I bought that I didn't have already. If you count the number of cards I list and double it, that's about how many cards I brought home altogether (the dupes have already been filed away).

If, for some unearthly reason, you want any of these cards, let me know. They can be had for a single Dodger or two. Or maybe not even that.

Bag 1: 1987 Topps

Rick Burleson, Angels
Frank Pastore, Twins
Rafael Belliard, Pirates
Bob Sebra, Expos
Bill Doran, Astros
Rick Rhoden, Pirates
Dusty Baker, A's
Ben Ogilvie, Brewers
Steve Fireovid, Mariners
Dale Sveum, Brewers
Bob Kipper, Pirates
Dickie Noles, Indians
Dave Stieb, Blue Jays
Kevin Bass, Astros
Ruppert Jones, Angels
Charlie Hough, Rangers

Note: If there was ever a case of completing a set through apathy, 1987 Topps will be it for me.

Bag 2: 1992 Fleer Ultra

Bret Barberie, Expos
Ivan Calderon, Expos
Gary Carter, Expos
Archi Cianfrocco, Expos
Jeff Fassero, Expos
Darrin Fletcher, Expos
Marquis Grissom, Expos
Chris Haney, Expos
Ken Hill, Expos
Chris Nabholz, Expos
Bill Sampen, Expos
John Vander Wal, Expos
David Wainhouse, Expos
Larry Walker, Expos
John Wetteland, Expos
Bobby Bonilla, Mets
Sid Fernandez, Mets
John Franco, Mets
Dave Gallagher, Mets
Paul Gibson, Mets
Eddie Murray, Mets
Junior Noboa, Mets
Charlie O'Brien, Mets
Bill Pecota, Mets
Willie Randolph, Mets
Bret Saberhagen, Mets
Dick Schofield, Mets
Pete Schourek, Mets
Lance Blankenship, A's
Mike Bordick, A's
Scott Brosius, A's
Dennis Eckersley, A's
Scott Hemond, A's
Carney Lansford, A's
Henry Mercedes, A's
Mike Moore, A's
Gene Nelson, A's
Randy Ready, A's
Bruce Walton, A's
Willie Wilson, A's
Rich Amaral, Mariners
Dave Cochrane, Mariners
Henry Cotto, Mariners

Note: Not an entire team set for the Expos, but only eight cards short.

Bag 3: 1993 Stadium Club

Denny Neagle, Pirates
Scott Scudder, Indians
Lee Stevens, Angels
Tim Fortugno, Angels
Lance Parrish, Mariners
Jeff Tackett, Orioles
Craig Shipley, Padres
Ricky Trlicek, Blue Jays
Rich Amaral, Mariners
Scott Radinsky, White Sox
Travis Fryman, Tigers (members choice)
Bill Pecota, Mets
Scott Leius, Twins
Walt Terrell, Tigers
Kenny Lofton, Indians
Terry Steinbach, A's
Jeff Kent, Mets
Xavier Hernandez, Astros
Mike Morgan, Cubs
Tony Fossas, Red Sox
Ricky Jordan, Phillies
Bill Swift, Giants
Kyle Abbott, Phillies
Jim Eisenreich, Royals
Bryan Hickerson, Giants
Vince Horseman, A's
Moises, Alou, Expos
Robin Ventura, White Sox (members choice)
Rex Hudler, Cardinals
Mike Boddicker, Royals
Scott Ruskin, Reds
Pedro Munoz, Twins
Jeff Robulet, Twins
Eric Fox, A's
Rene Gonzales, Angels
Rafael Palmeiro, Rangers
Scott Bankhead, Reds
Trevor Wilson, Giants
Mike Flanagan, Orioles
Jeff Branson, Reds
Doug Drabek, Pirates
Tony Pena, Red Sox

Note: The only Dodger that came out of the 4 bags was in this one. An Eric Karros Members Choice. Had it already.

Bag 4: 1998 Bowman

Dante Powell, Giants
A.J. Hinch, A's
Marty Cordova, Twins
Mo Vaughn, Red Sox
Edgardo Alfonzo, Mets
Aramis Ramirez, Pirates
Justin Thompson, Tigers
Brett Tomko, Reds
Jason Kendall, Pirates
Jason Giambi, A's
Jeff Cirillo, Brewers
Sandy Alomar, Indians

Note: Bag was filled with dupes. I got 2 or 3 of almost every card.

You'll note there were no Yankees listed. Rarely are there Yankees in these bags. I think they're all removed ahead of time and sold for insane amounts of money to gullible fans of the pinstriped evil-doers.

I'm afraid to go back to that dollar store again. There may not be any baseball there at all. I'll give it a couple of months and see if it improves.

But if this was the end, it's been a great time.