Generous Saints

I have to say that I'm continually astounded by the generosity of other bloggers, readers and traders when it comes to both the packages I receive and the things I read about that others get. My only experience in through-the-mail bartering came back in my tape trading days, when I would trade cassette tape copies (eventually CDs) of live music with others via e-mail communication, and like anything else involving the internet or the public in general, everyone and everything was immediately met with a certain level of skepticism. Once such incredibly generous package came out of nowhere from Dan of Saints of the Cheap Seats, who I've traded with a number of times in the past. Unfortunately, I received this package almost a month ago, which just goes to show how behind I am.

Dan, I am still working on a package for you that probably won't measure up in any way to what you sent me, but will hopefully be fun for you nonetheless. I just mailed out another 4 baseball card packages today along with a Christmas thing, so that is probably the end for this year. I'm working on stuff for lots of people for the first couple of weeks of January, however, so stay tuned.

Here's a bat card of one of my favorite players ever, which is numbered 42 of 100. This card is absolutely perfect.

Here's a Chris Carpenter jersey card from 2008 Masterpieces, which will serve as a great companion to the 2007 Masterpieces Carpenter jersey card I bought at a card show a few months back.

This package has a gem hidden around every corner. Here's an Ozzie Smith card from this year's SP Legendary Cuts. I don't know this set at all, but I love this card.

Another Carp jersey card! And this one is numbered. Nice.

I also received a ton of the 1981 Topps cards missing on my want list, including all of the traded set cards. I don't think I had even held a 1981 Topps Traded set card prior to this. I think Bruce Sutter's card would be a candidate for Airbrushed Fridays simply because I don't really trust that bird.

This is easily the best looking card I've found of Will Clark in a Cardinals uniform, although you have to wonder about his bleak expression there. Maybe Will knew that he was going to walk away before the next season started.

An Izzy Chrome Refractor from 2008 Heritage joins the Chris Carpenter Chrome at the top of this post. I have a number of the Cardinals, both Chrome and Refractors, from this set, but I can't get enough of them.

There was a healthy stack of cards from the 2001 Fleer Platinum set which paid tribute to the 1981 design. DK is a favorite of mine.

This Fleer Tradition set paid tribute to a certain Goudey set, sort of. I confess to immediately being drawn to Kerry Robinson, whose role on the team was eventually taken over by So Taguchi. Not only did he share my first name, but for a time he also wore my favorite number. Eventually he started wearing 0, which I did not agree with.

Along with Ozzie Smith, Jim Edmonds and Darryl Kile, I collect Chris Carpenter cards that are not affiliated with the Cardinals in any way. To that end, if anyone has any idea what I should do with the numerous Scott Rolen Phillies cards I've accumulated, please let me know. Lord knows that Phillies fans have no use for him.

Finally, Dan sent a handful of cards I needed to fill sets, including the first two 2007 Turkey Red cards that I can add to my binder in a very long time. I'm now down to needing Mariano Rivera and almost 30 pesky SPs.

Thanks again to Dan. Please consider being generous to him in your next trade, or to everyone out there, really.