Then and now

I pulled this numbered, colored parallel of Stephen Strasburg from 2011 Bowman a couple of days ago.

You might remember that I pulled a numbered, colored parallel of Strasburg from 2010 Bowman last year.

There are a few similarities between the pulls. Both are Strasburgs. Both are from Bowman. Both are numbered parallels. Both were purchased at Walmart. Both were purchased in the month of June.

And that's where the similarities end.

Shall we contrast and compare?

We shall.

This Strasburg came out of a rack pack.

This Strasburg came out of a blaster.

This Strasburg is numbered to 495.

This Strasburg is numbered to 999.

I pulled this card while sitting at my computer desk and chuckled to myself.

I pulled this card while sitting in my car and yelled something really loud.

I waited two-and-a-half days to post this card.

I posted this card less than two hours after pulling it.

This card is sitting on my desk sans top loader or penny sleeve, with a water glass sweating dangerously nearby.

Not only was this card protected by every instrument we have available in the hobby today, but I would actually eye it periodically like it was going to sprout legs and walk away.

There are 3 versions of this card on ebay right now. One for $14.95 BIN (good luck with that), one for $2.99 BIN, and one for $5 (no bidders yet).

I sold this card for 95 bucks. Probably could've gotten more for it if I was a little quicker at getting it up for bid.

At the time I pulled this card, I had no idea what Strasburg was doing. I still don't. He could be climbing glaciers in the Arctic for all I know.

At the time I pulled this card, every man, woman and child was required to know the exact movements of Strasburg at all times. It was on end-of-the-year high school exams. If you got the question wrong, they'd flunk you back to first grade.

This card received 27 comments when I posted it.

This one will probably receive 3, one of which will say "why are you showing us this washed-up has-been?"

And that's the difference between then and now.

I know comparing Strasburg and Bryce Harper isn't really fair. But I also know I would think about Strasburg and the difference a year makes before dumping a truckload of cash on Harper.

But you fast-and-furious types do what you like. You always do.