Nice Cards!

Doozy is the word of the day.

Sometimes I get ready for a trade post and have a hard time picking some cards to scan, because they're all so great. This was one of those trades. Chunter sent me a doozy of a package full of Cardinals and player collection goodies and... did I mention it was a doozy? Some serious "wow factor" going on here.

I have very few of the Topps short print variations that they started including in the base product beginning in 2009, so I was really happy to see this. Gibby's shadow looks like a cane, like the kind they'd hook you off the stage with if you were bombing out there.

It's hard to tell, but this is actually an Xfractor parallel from the Bowman Platinum Prospects set. Carlos Martinez should figure prominently in the Cardinals plans in 2014. This year. I can finally say this year!

This is one of those hanger-pack exclusives, Walmart style. There's usually nothing great about "Walmart style", but when it eradicates a special card need of mine, I'm all for it.

I have a few copies of Matt Holliday's regular Topps rookie card, but this is my first Chrome version. Nice!

It's another rare base set variation! This one looks very colorized.

Here's hoping that Jaime Garcia also figures prominently in the Cardinals plans this year. When healthy, he's been a very good pitcher.

Here's a shiny purple version of what may become one of the key Cardinal rookie cards of this era. There's been some rumblings about Shelby Miller's health among the rumormongers these days, however.

I didn't get into Gypsy Queen at all this year, but this is one of the nicer insert designs I've seen come out of that product.

Finally, Erin received a handful of cards for her player collections, including this blue Tulo Heritage parallel. Not bad!