Behind These Cardinal Cards

Our latest bubble mailer to hit the doorstep at Cards on Cards central comes from Lonestarr of the not-quite-Kelly-Clarkson-themed Behind These Hazel Eyes. It's been an interesting summer for trading. I have quite a few packages still lined up to post about and yet I feel like I haven't done nearly enough trading. I'm somehow gaining cards instead of reducing the glut, even though I've barely set foot in stores lately and haven't been to a card show in a couple of months.

Jaime Garcia may not be the best pitcher in the National League as it sometimes appeared early this season, but he's making a very strong case for future ace of the staff if Adam Wainwright can't return to pre-surgery levels. There's nothing to suggest Wainwright won't come back at 100%, though. I would be really sad if he didn't. This particular Garcia card is one of those goofy green parallels that is serial numbered to 450 copies. Why 450? That seems like such an arbitrary number.

Deryk Hooker is one of the prospect arms in the Cardinals system that makes you think that the Cardinals have plenty of prospect arms. I don't hear his name mentioned in the same conversations as Shelby Miller or Carlos Martinez, however.

Did I just dream this or did I see the Angels using these unis as throwbacks the other day? I seem to remember feeling very old all of a sudden. The Edmonds collection is in good shape right now, but it could still use some work. I don't have anything he's autographed, for starters... not that autographs are all that important to me.

Here's the centerpiece of the trade and something that instantly becomes one of the gems of my collection. Although after doing an eBay search it seems that Musial bat relics in this particular set are quite common right now, I am still in awe of this card. Does Topps really need to do the same framed autograph and memorabilia thing in all of their sets lately, though? I guess they found something that clicked and decided to run with it. This looks nice, though.

Lonestarr also hooked me up with a giant 2010 National Chicle box loader of Johnny Mize. I did consider scanning it, but I realized it wouldn't look any different than a regular card once posted here.

Thanks again to Lonestarr. If anyone else wants to help me out with this glut of excess cardboard, please let me know. I'm sure I can find something to take off your hands in return.