Up first is a 2014 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph #12 of Abraham Almonte, formerly of the Seattle Mariners and now the lightning bolt of a center fielder for the Indians. Ever since the almighty Almonte debuted for Cleveland, he has played above expectations and has been one of the sparks pushing the Tribe into playoff contention. Despite being considered short for a center fielder (he's a stocky 5'9 and 210 lbs), he does a more than admirable job out there and his bat has been instrumental to the Indians offense. In 29 games with us he's batting .267 with a .324 OBP and a .505 SLG, and a very respectable .829 OPS. He currently has 3 HR and 19 RBI with 9 walks.
I'm a big fan of the 26 year-old Dominican and I hope he can use the rest of this season to stamp his mark on the team and cement a spot on the 2016 roster. This card set me back just $1.50, which is a steal for a beautiful on-card auto.
We come to the main event now, a card I've wanted for some time. It's a 1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. card, PSA graded to a Mint 9. This is the first sealed PSA card I've bought, and I am hoping to add a few more in the future, as they look great.
Ken Griffey Jr. was the first baseball player I ever knew. When I was very young, my brother came back from a trip to the States with a Rawlings Ken Griffey Jr. glove and I saw his printed signature in the pocket of the mitt and always wondered who he was. When I started to take a serious interest in baseball I thought back to my glove and remembered the name, and ever since I wanted to get one of his cards.
Now most fans go immediately for his his iconic 1989 Upper Deck rookie card but I actually prefer this Topps card as far as overall appearance goes. His Upper Deck rookie has him sporting a bit of a goofy grin, whereas I think his Topps card has a better, more serious pose. I don't care that these were mass produced and have little to no value; that's not why I collect these cards.
It cost me $7.55, which makes it my most expensive card in my collection to date, but I was happy to pay that for a PSA card. It's one of, if not the best, looking cards in my fledgling collection.
I don't know if I'll be buying any more cards this season, but if I do I'll make sure to share them.
No comments:
Post a Comment