They say it's your birthday....

Yesterday was my birthday. How old am I? 42. What a non-significant number. But, a number of good things did happen to me on my birthday. Not big things. Just nice.

1) I got birthday cards from family members

2) My wife got the oil changed in my truck (I hate doing stuff like that) while she was out getting stuff to make me a birthday cake

3) a birthday cake shaped like a baseball

4) Watched the 1976 All-Star Game on mlbtv.

5) Had dinner at a great pizza place in N. Charleston (evo pizza)

6) Mets beat Astros 9-3 (really nine to one but K-Rod gave up a two run homer in the ninth. He hasn't had many save opportunities lately and is probably rusty)

7) Night Owl sent me a HUGE stack of 09 topps and some other Mets. Thanks Greg!

So, let's see what Greg sent, shall we?

41-2009 Topps Series 2 base cards from my want list. That's one card for each year I have successfully navigated :) With those cards (and a few I picked up at Target) that cuts my Series 2 want list in half.

Very thoughtful, Greg. Thank you.

Here is the other random Mets goodness.

A 2009 UD Johan Santana. Great photography.

A 1986 Topps Doug Sisk. The only card in the bunch that I already had. A reminder of

happier days for the Metropolitans.

Here are cards for sets I've started.

Tim Teufel. Another met from the good old days. I got Tim's autograph last year. (Or was it the year before? My memory is going). He was the manager for the Savannah SandGnats. Now he's the manager for the St. Lucie team.

Willie Randolph, Dave Gallagher. Did you know that both of these guys were born in NJ? Matter of fact, so was I. 42 years ago.

Dave Magadan. He was born in Tampa, FL. I already knew that. I spent my formative years in St. Petersburg, FL. That's right across Tampa Bay from Tampa. St. Pete is where the Rays play. NOT IN TAMPA. Sorry, I'm getting cranky in my old age. Magadan is the hitting coach for the Rays rival Red Sox. I saw him in the dug out at the playoff game last year, but was too far to get a photo.

Carl Everett was also born and raised in Tampa. I didn't know that. Carl now plays for the Newark Bears. He didn't play for the Mets for very long. There's a nice post about Carl on Paul's Random Stuff blog. I hope he doesn't mind me linking to it. (Paul, I mean, not Carl).

Finally, '09 Goudey D-Wright. He looks like some sort of alien. Still I like the card.

I will spend the rest of the weekend sorting and counting and collating and wondering what the

next 42 years will bring.

Dismal

I haven't posted in over two weeks. If you're a Mets fan, you'll understand. So, why am I posting on the day that brings disturbing news about a member of the Mets front office staff and another pathetic performance against one of the worst teams in baseball? Because my friend at Nightowl cards emailed to inquire about my 2009 Topps Series 2 needs. I sat down and did a survey of what I had and what I needed (as I watched another Mets loss).

The quick answer is; I need more than I thought.

The long answer is at this link.

Thanks to Greg.

BTW, Let's hope the Dodgers can keep on winning. I couldn't stand another season of the Phillies (or the Braves) in the WS.

Mail and Redemption

First off thanks to Jeff@cardjunkie.com. I sent him a handful of cards and he returned the favor by sending me a couple of NY Mets cards that I didn't have from the '09 Topps Series 2 collection. So, whether I decide to finish the Series 2 set or simply collect the Mets, I'm covered. Thanks, Jeff!

Next, I was searching e-bay for something (I don't even remember what I was looking up) when I ran across a Topps Red Hot Rookie, #1. It turns out it's Mets Rookie OF'er Fernando Martinez. I am doing this with my eyes wide open and will be rewarded after 30+ weeks with a shiny F-Mart card. By then he will no longer be a rookie, the Mets season will (thankfully at this point) over and I hope to be planning my return to Spring Training for the 2010 season.

30 Weeks!