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My mission to avoid buying Bowman is progressing very well


As you know, I'm not a Bowman guy. I don't buy a lot of Bowman. But each year, for the last few years, I've tried to sample a couple of packs at least, just to see what I am missing.

After a few go rounds of that, I decided that I'm not missing anything. It's still a pack of cards in which I've never heard of half of the players, and on the other half, I don't care because Bowman's designs never do anything for me.

Last year, I cut my ridiculous habit of buying cards that bore me to one pack.

This year, I'm trying to cut it to none.

I'm doing an excellent job at it. I haven't looked at Bowman even once when I've been in the card aisle. And I don't think I'll look at it again ... ever. Well, at least in years when the "it" rookie of the year isn't a Dodger.

The stupid part of all of this is that I still want Dodger Bowman cards. Because I have a sickness. A disease. It really needs a name. Something like, "Teamcollectoritisophiliatoma".

Others see this disease written on my face -- or at least written on my blog -- and because either they have the same disease or, even worse, they enjoy buying Bowman, they're sending Bowman Dodgers to me.

So, even though I haven't even noticed a pack of Bowman this year -- couldn't even tell you who's on the wrapper -- I have this:


That's a whole bunch of 2014 Bowman Dodgers. I even recognize most of them.

These are all from reader Dave, who sent me a whopping package that I'm sectioning out bit by bit here (I'm saving the best for a special day -- a borderline historic Night Owl Collecting Moment kind of day).

But Dave isn't the only one to send me 2014 Bowman Dodgers recently.


Those are a few more from Robert of $30 A Day Habit. Two of these guys are probably never going to show up in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. The guy on the right may never again, either.


That's an insert of prospect Joc Pederson. I asked for this card in particular. The Dodger whiners on Twitter love this guy and can't wait for Crawford or Ethier or Kemp or all of them to disappear so Pederson can take over. But, of course, if that happens, in five years they'll be squawking about Pederson. Every prospect isn't Ted Williams, fellas.



Robert also sent some Gypsy Queen minis from a couple years back. That's the old fifth starter Ted Lilly.



And, look! A family of Dukes!

I have both of the Snider minis already (regular and red GQ back), so back to the orphanage they go!

(Wow, that took an ugly turn. Actually, I'll be happy to send them to a loving home, just give me a shout).


And, yes, I'm still accepting relic cards ... of Jeff Kent.

And I thought I had a problem with Bowman.


These Bowman cards came from Max from Starting Nine. Yes, you just saw them with the bunch Dave sent. What can I say? Things happen.

The good side is that there are so many current sets that I'm not collecting that people have their choice of wants to fill:



Two Archives cards from Max. Wonder if they're posing with the same bat?



Max also went back in time for this '86 Leaf card.


I also received this awesome thing.

I don't know exactly what it is other than it is the fantastically named "AuthenTicket" and that it is from SilverStar, which also made the ghostly hologram card of Strawberry the same year.

The write-up on the AuthenTicket is wonderful, too. Strawberry "authored" "majestic moon shots". I need to do a blog post on crazy write-ups on cards someday. Or at least start writing like that.

After all of that Bowman, I have no idea how close I am to completing the 2014 Dodgers list. It'd help if I actually looked up a checklist for some sets this year.

But I'm getting increasingly lazy in updating want lists with current sets. In fact, I think I might be suffering from a disease in that area, too.

I think that's called "Idontcareaboutyourlame2014setsitis".

Comments

Stack22 said…
Joc Pederson is the best player I've ever seen come through Albuquerque, and it isn't close.
night owl said…
I'm assuming you weren't around to see Greg Brock come through Albuquerque, which is my point.
Tony L. said…
And the reason that everyone gets excited about prospects is the same phenomenon as you see in any city where the starting QB isn't Peyton Manning/Aaron Rodgers/Tom Brady -- everybody loves the second-string guy because he has that unknown quantity.

I've heard great things this year about Joc Pederson, too, but there has to be a reason that there are 39 prospects ahead of him -- even in Bowman's book -- coming into this season.
Stack22 said…
Never heard of Greg Brock, but .310 avg, 44 HR, and 138 RBI in the PCL back in '82 with the Dukes? Jesus, how have you not posted on that guy, still too disappointed with the let down?

I didn't trade the Oneonta Yankees for the Dukes until '99, so Marlins years aside, he's the best the Duke/Tope I've seen. He made it up the hill to the 428 sign in center the other night to try to make a play on a ball with time to spare (ball was too far gone), flys around the bases, plays with moxie, can even bunt, and has a ton of pop. Please, trade him to the Yankees. Andre Either and Kemp have another decade left in them.
Fuji said…
Those Authenticket cards were really cool. They were paired with a standard sized hologram card and sold in the early 90's. I have the first series set that I found at a flea market a while back. It included players like Rickey Henderson and Nolan Ryan. This is the first time I've seen the Darryl Strawberry. I guess I need to see the other cards I need for the set.
GCA said…
I suffer from several ailments, CouldCareLessAboutRookiesosis, CardsAren'tFinishedWithoutLogosplasm, and BaseCardsAreValidedema.
Robert said…
$30 a day habit? Wow, have I gotten that bad?

Glad to see that the cards arrived safely...