NY Mets Pitching - Ugh

Fantasy League Baseball 2009

I belong to one Fantasy League. It was started last year at work. I finished poorly last year. I was optimistic about this year. I thought I knew what I was doing. Ha. Here's my line-up:

Dioner Navarro, TB C
Joey Votto, Cin 1B
Orlando Hudson, LAD 2B
Kevin Kouzmanoff, SD 3B
Orlando Cabrera, Oak SS
Chris Getz, CWS 2B
Mark DeRosa, Cle 2B, 3B, OF
Daniel Murphy, NYM OF
Chase Headley, SD OF
Randy Winn, SF OF
Travis Hafner, Cle DH
Emmanuel Burriss, SF 2B, SS

Tim Lincecum, SF SP
James Shields, TB SP
John Maine, NYM SP
Matt Garza, TB SP
Mike Pelfrey, NYM SP
Edinson Volquez, Cin SP
Jon Garland, Ari SP
Ian Snell, Pit SP

Not bad in the pitching department. Not sure what to expect with my line-up.

Don Zimmer

Greg @ Nightowl Cards did a post on a Don Zimmer card he received. In the post he mentions that Zim is a Dodger. I beg to differ. One of the teams Zim played for was the original 1962 NY Mets. I say he's a Met. One of the great things about going to Rays games is seeing a legend like Don Zimmer. He's usually got someone's ear. Last year, during the Rays playoffs I saw him talking with Cal Ripken, Jr. One of the best pictures I've ever taken was this one of Joe Torre and Don Zimmer during a Spring Game in St. Pete between the Yankees and Rays.

First video post

A cereal box break of 2009 Topps Series 1 and a couple of ebay packages of Topps NY Mets cards.

Another Trip to the flea market

Another trip to the flea market this weekend. My friend, Mr. Bill, was not in. The Going out of Business sign still hangs there. I went around to see if anyone else was selling cards. I picked up a number of older Topps NY Mets. Here's what I got:

My wife asked me if I would organize and move some of my cards so that the "office" space was a little neater. She allowed me to buy a couple of notebooks and I've been sorting cards most of the weekend. Jeff@cardjunkie posted a quick post on the cards I sent him. I enjoy watching cards I've sent being opened on-line. I've got tons of recent doubles, e-mail if you need something.

I have been out bid on a number of cards that I had my eye on on e-bay. That's a bummer because I want to finish my 2008 Topps Stadium Club. I'm a little peeved that a card I bought two+ weeks ago hasn't arrived. I've e-mailed the seller a couple of times. Has this happened to anyone else? I'm sure I'm not the first. What did you do? Is a trip to Judge Judy (a hero of mine, so be nice) in order?

I need to get rid of some cards

I've published a list of cards I have for trade here. If you're looking to trade e-mail me or post a comment.

I never published the cereal box break I did after Team USA beat Puerto Rico. I tested the waters but chickened out. Maybe in the future.
Here are the inserts:

Chrome Refractor: Babe Ruth
Topps Turkey Red: Cole Hamels
Legends of the Game: George Sisler
ToppsTown: Evan Longoria

Honestly, if I finish the whole set I'll be happy but, I really would be satisfied just collecting all the Chrome Refractors and Legends of the Game from this series.

I'm just 11 cards away from finishing the 2008 Topps Stadium Club set. This should include the caveat that I'm not looking to collect all the variations. That would be crazy. Very Crazy. (If anyone is or has done this I would love to hear about it. I've collected a few autos, one beam team (that I traded), many 1st days, and some other variations. I've enjoyed collecting the set and will do so again.

I spied some Topps Heritage packs in Wal-Mart on Tuesday, but opted to buy the Topps cereal box instead. I have a feeling that since I'm such a new collector and already so far behind, starting yet another set would break me. I'm going to hold out.

"Going out of Business"

The last time I was up to visit Mr. Bill at the Flea Market he told me he hadn't been doing well and had been in the hospital for nine days. He's got diabetes. His health is deteriorating. He obviously has other ailments. He had told me a few visits ago that he was going out of business. He would sell everything he had in stock and call it quits, but that could take a year or more. He said he would put together a box of Mets players for me.We talked some more and I bought a box of Lenny Dykstra commons from him. He's the guy who sold me the Mets autograph photos.

I hadn't been up to visit Bill in almost a month. His booth was closed today. The plastic blue tarp was pulled closed. Then I noticed the big yellow sign hanging below his sign. "Going out of Business." I walked down the aisle. Very sad. I went to visit another vendor. Gene is also an older gentlemen. He said, "Bill probably wasn't feeling well." I bought three packs of 1989 Fleers. We talked for awhile about the state of baseball and how lousy of a commissioner Selig is. I'll have to wait until next Saturday to find out how my friend is doing.