Anyone Want to Trade?

I'm looking for people to trade on the Diamond Giveaway.  I'm on the hunt for some 1969 and 1970 Padres cards.  Everything is pretty much on the table, save for the Gwynn DDC and my ultra sweet '64 Pete Runnels.  The last post worked pretty well with Jeremy.  Thanks, man!

Anything post-1973 will not be redeemed, so I'd like to get those cards a happy home, especially if it means an old Padre heading my way.  Just drop a comment!

Here's mah booty.  Look at it.  My booty.  Look.  

Perv.

Begging and Pleading

An FYI that the Diamond Giveaway site is back up and running.  Also, if you're trying to complete the 1973 Topps set, today is your lucky day if you've got a few hundred codes to enter.  Since last night, the Giveaway has unlocked only 1973 Topps.  I've completed that set, so I'll hold out on entering my lone remaining code.

Anyways, the Giveaway is set to end on December 31st (apparently).  From my original six codes and one gimme code, I've parlayed those seven cards into 33.  The whole make my way back to a '52 project has or is Dead on Arrival.  So, being a true Padres fan, I'm working on getting some 1969 & 1970 Padres.  I have a good start already at home on these team sets, but I'm always looking to land those cards in the 400+ range.

Take a look at what I've got, and drop a comment if you want to trade for something.  I do have three of those 1987 Ryans, and for some reason my 1983 Eddie Murray didn't show up on the picture.

Only thing I will not trade is that 1964 Pete Runnels.  I love that dude.

Thanks!
Doc

Why the Diamond Giveaway Site is Down

Posted this on the Topps Facebook page.  I wonder how long it will last?

Answer: Off the main page in less than one minute.  However, it did make it to their photo album.

"Topps, We Have a Problem"

Look what just greeted me this afternoon.  FINALLY.

Wow, actual acknowledgement of an "issue."  If you complain on Topps' Facebook Wall about the Giveaway site, your post will be deleted almost immediately.  I was beginning to think that the Topps Diamond Giveaway was being run by Iraqi PR dude during the Second Gulf War...

Diamond Givea…Server Error – Timed Out Application

Life is short.  Time is fleeting.  Time is even shorter until the Diamond Giveaway joins the Million Card Giveaway in the great cyber pasture in the sky.

This year marks the first time since 2000 that I last bought more than one pack of baseball cards.  The reason being my fascination with the Topps Diamond Giveaway concept, and my desire to hand collate a 2011 Topps set. 

Set wise, I’m two short of Series One, and oh, exactly 330 cards short on Series Two.  I haven’t bought a single Series Two pack.  Why might you ask?  Because $2 a pop for 12 cards is still mighty high for this Ebenezer, and with the exponentially decaying Giveaway site, I’ve been tempted not once to try and get another code card.

I figured with the site on the fritz, I’d just wait until Series Two hit the bargain bin and then finish the set.  I’ve never really been one to be on the forefront.  Case in point, my kids played Atari last night.  Seriously, Pitfall and all.

Yet, while I spin my icon, I mean wheels, fix the damn Giveaway site already, or extend the Giveaway to make up for the month plus snafu.  And while you’re at it, bring back this little feature…

 
If I have to keep individually turning down every 1987 Rich Yett trade for my DDC Tony Gwynn card, I’ll quit.  But I don’t want to quit!  I’m trying to redeem the 1969 Padres Team Set.  Please fix the site, or at least give us this option.

They Must be Out of Cubic Zirconia

Is this some grand conspiracy against me, or is anybody else having a Hades of a time getting the Diamond Giveaway site to work?  I can easily log in, but whenever I try to get to the trade screen, the dreaded cog of doom spins, and spins, and spins, endlessly into the event horizon.

 

If the cosmos align, I either end up at my requested destination, which is the same odds as the Astros winning the World Series next year, or I get the BIG RED LETTERS OF SYSTEM FAIL-I-TUDE.

 

I could theorize that the Topps ledger boys crunched their numbers and realized they're going to lose money on this gig, so they decided to have the Topps Techies monkey with the source code.  Or, the internets are full, which is a more plausible hypothesis.

 

Either way, it is quite frustrating, as time is running out and I am trying to parlay my 33 cards into something.  I started with six "who?"s and have scrapped up an additional 27 cards that are more to my taste.  

 

Anyone else having problems?  Anyone?

Diamond Mining - Part VII - Breakin' The Law

If you’re muttering Judas Priest lyrics after reading the title, you’re alright in my book.  Breaking the law, that’s exactly what I did this past weekend when it comes to the Giveaway.  No, I didn’t break the law, I broke my law.  I finally had enough of people offering me vintage goodness for 1987 wood grain horror.  And not just any 70s vintagey goodness, but pre ’74 goodness, series goodness.

Last Friday, after a long day of working in the yard, prepping the old house so it looks good to someone with deeper pockets than mine, I hit the Giveaway.  Opened up my offers and there it was, a ’73 Rico Petrocelli for my ’87 Ryan.  In the past, good old Thoughts and Sox has crossed my path several times in the Mine.  T&S is always on the lookout for Red Sox, and there it was, Rico Suave starring me in the eye.  Boom!  I pulled that trigger.

I immediately emailed T&S and told him I landed a ’73 BoSox if he wanted it.  Within minutes, I had an offer for a ’72 Kranepool In Action, done deal.  I next traded that Kranepool for a ’71 Nate Colbert (Go Padres!) and then immediately turned that into a ’70 Colbert.  So, in a matter of minutes, I’d gone from a run of the mill ’87 Nolan Ryan to some 1970 grey glory goodness card of Nate Colbert, a Padre at that.  Don't believe me, check out the now massive Diamond Mine Diagram!

But why did I break my rule of going one year back at a time?  I’ll rant why, because traders on the Diamond Giveaway are the stingiest freaks I’ve ever tried to trade with.  Sure, they’ll throw a 1992 Archie Cianfroco at you for your Tony Gwynn DDC, but as soon as you offer an ’87 Ryan for an ’86 Ryan, it’s like you b-slapped their mother.  So, after three weeks of no bites for my ’87 Ryan and my waning interest in the giveaway, I took that old cardboard.

And then I traded my way down to another ’87 Ryan, and turned that into a ’72 Chris Spier In Action.  psychedelic vintage, psyweet.  Two ’87s for a ’73 and a ’72 without the headache, methinks I’ve developed a new plan…

But, we’ll see if that plan works though because the DG is painfully slow at the moment.  I’ve been sitting on 108 trades for a while now, and it looks like the Trade Nazis are out in force.  Until next time, WAIT, I failed to mention I broke into the 60s.  Turned my ’74 Freddie Patek into a ’68 Tommy Davis.  If all I end up with is '68 Burlap, this experiment will be a success.

Diamond Mining - Part VI - Expansion Era

Late in the evening hours on Friday, June 3rd, the Diamond Mine practially exploded.  Everything had pretty much ground to a standstill, and very little trading had happened for a week or so.  That is until 9:00 PM EST.  I went into that day with seven cards and about 40 completed trades.  I ended that day with 17 cards and almost 70 trades.

Things started out with an extremely benign trade for a 1999 Alomar that yielded a 1998 Molitor.  In itself, not too exciting.  Both HOFers, but nothing spectacular.  Then IT happened.  I refreshed my trade screen and someone was offering 11, I said ELEVEN, cards for that 98 Molitor.  The first card showing was a 93 Mo Yawn.  Meh, I thought.  I expanded the selection and then saw more 93 Who's-thats, then I spied a 96 Pedro Martinez.  Ok, that alone makes it a doable trade for me.  Next I searched for the REQUIRED 1997 card to continue the mining adventure.  The last card on the page was a '97 Bobby Bonilla.  Bingo.

Not that the Bonilla made me take the trade, but it satisfied my quest.  I accepted the trade, and then immediately thought, "Why would someone offer 11 cards for a '98 Molitor?"  Then the horrifying thought that someone mistakenly selected "All" on the trade screen, and I just emptied someones cache.  I immediately felt remorseful.  I read the FAQ and saw you can't void a trade, so, I decided to make the most of it.

From that mess of 11 cards, I have turned them into a decent showing.  That one 1998 Molitor (which was originally a 2006 Andy Marte - who?) has become:

1996 Dennis Eckersley (HOFer)
1992 Lance Parrish (AS)
1992 Joe Orsulak (one of my all time faves)
1991 Carlton Fisk (HOFer - and winner of Night Owl's Cardboard Appreciation contest as the greatest card EVAR)
1993 Carlos Martinez (Haven't moved this one, yet - However, I do have my eyes on a sweet Dave Bergman, 700 Club Member Extraordinaire - WAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSUUUUUUPPPP)
1991 Roberto Alomer (HOFer)
1995 Tom Glavine (AS and future HOFer)
1999 Gary Sheffield (AS and future retired asshat)
2004 Richie Sexton (Haven't traded this one, yet)
2005 Ivan Rodriguez (AS and future HOFer if he isn't busted for Roids)
2008 Miguel "Am I 36 or 39?" Tejada

I must say that's NOT TOO BAD for a 2006 Andy Marte.  That's also a pretty good start to a pennant winning team.

As far as the other cards, I'm on the precipice of the 60s.  My 1971 Ollie Brown became a 1970 Manny Mota.  Nice.  And I also landed a 1972 Padres Team Card, which was originally a 1977 Rod Gilbreath.  Sweet.

Here is the new graphic.  It's gotten so big, I've had to splice it from two screen grabs.  Yikes.

One day, I'll lay out each "shaft" individually and let you vote on the greatest improvement, which I'm sure the 2006 Andy Marte will win.

Until next time, keep a look out for Uncle_Doc on your trade screen and keep me in mind...

Everything is Frosting Now

Pure dumb luck landed me the only card in the Giveaway that I had to have.  

Somehow, this guy...

Magically became this guy...

AND this guy...

And then both of those guys became the greatest hitter to ever play the game........... CAPTAIN VIDEO!

MINE

MINE

MINE

MINE

 MINE   

Everything at the Diamond Giveaway is Frosting Now

Diamond Mining - Part V - THE SHEER AGONY!

The frustration is setting in.  Not because I am unable to pull of any trades, but because people are offering me ridiculous cards for wood grain junk wax.  This morning I "had" to turn down two, count them, two '67s for a 1987 Nolan Ryan.  What, that Ryan is "worth" about a buck?  Judging by the sheer mass of '87 Topps I have at home, I am likely to have at least five of that Ryan card.

I almost accepted that trade this morning, but then I remembered my little quest.  One year backwards at a time.  I know I wrote the rules, but damn, this is insane.  I guess part of me is being weak and wanted someone to say, "Go ahead, break your own rules!  Don't be a fool and pass on vintage 60s goodness for 1987 WOOD GRAIN MASS PRODUCED TOPPS!"

What to do...

Back on track, the mining adventure has gone relatively well.  I think every "shaft" had a trade since the last update.  I even managed to trade an '88 Ryan for an '87 Carlton and an '89 Maddux.  The Carlton is floundering, but the '89 Maddux became the aforementioned '87 Ryan, so in the long run, I got what I wanted plus an extra card.

Here's the diagram.  Ooooh, all the pretty cards...

click to enlarge

I even traded away my Jair Jurrjens DDC for TWO DDCs.  Gaby Sanchez and Andrew Bailey.  Never heard of any of those three guys, but the Bailey card has been getting lots of offers.  I've put those two DDCs up for a Gwynn DDC.  I can dream, right?

Well, I'm still fretting as I type this post in notepad, so I can post it at work with "minimum" online big-brother supervised time.  I'll just come straight out and ask (if anyone cares), should I stick with my one year backwards at a time rule or just go for the oldest cards possible?

Diamond Mining - Part IV - 26 Trades and Counting

Last I left you, I was whittling my way backwards in time with two lowly cards.  I greet you today with six cards for trade in my Diamond Giveaway "collection (The Diamond Die Cut is not included in this experiment).  As the title suggests, I've now completed 26 trades with each trade being the current year for the previous year.  My "system" appears to be working, and I can't wait to share it when I've reached the conclusion.  

For the sake of space and loading a ton of pictures, I've created a graphic of what has been accomplished.  See for yourself.

 Click to enlarge

In short, here's the breakdown:

• 2002 A.J. Pierzynski has become a 1988 Nolan Ryan
• 1977 Rod Gilbreath has become a 1975 Dave Hilton
• 1974 Freddie Patek has become a 1971 Ollie Brown
• 1979 Jim Norris has become a 1976 Vada Pinson
• 2006 Andy Marte has become a 2002 Greg Vaughn
• 2009 Ervin Santana has become no one.  Nobody wants him!!  Someone hit me up for a 2008 Topps!

I almost did break the rules, though.  Apparently a 1988 Nolan Ryan is a hot item to some.  I've had offers of vintage 60s goodness for that card and had to turn it down.  Sometimes I hate that I follow the rules...

Drop a comment if you want to help out or just to wish me luck!

Diamond Mining - Part III - HOFers a'Plenty

I figure it is about time to update my Diamond Giveaway adventure, as I finally broke an almost week-long drought.  I woke up this morning and saw that I had a new card in my collection.

When I last left you, I was sitting on a 1999 Johnny Damon.  About a week ago, I thought I'd try and parlay that card from a possible HOFer into a sure thing HOFer.  I was not disappointed.  Mr. Looks like Jesus, Throws like Mary was resurrected into one of the best pitchers to ever grace the mound.  Mike Maddux's brother, Greg Maddux.  

I then was able to find an obvious Braves fan, who took my 98 Maddux and gave me my favorite player of all time, Tony Gwynn.  Sweeeeeeeeeeeet.  If I didn't already have that card, I may have balked at my project, but that 97 Gwynn was upgraded to a 96 Gwynn.  Even sweeter, except I can't stand the skewed face photo* on a 96 Topps.  * Insert numerous blog links to those who despise 96 Topps :-)

I sat on this 96 Topps card for almost one week.  No one would bite on my offer for a 95 Ripken or Gwynn, so I had to swallow my pride and go for a "lesser" HOFer.  As if a lesser HOFer is even possible?  That 96 Gwynn was immediately snapped up for a 95 Molitor.  Another awesome hitter.

So there I stand.  I've gone from a 2002 Pierzynski to a 1995 Molitor.  I've reach my first goal rather easily, and that is to have a HOFer, which in my mind is crucial to going anywhere in this Diamond Mining Adventure.  However, now I stand on the precipice of Junk.  I'm not looking forward to the next few trades because I fear they will be painful.  I can't wait to see what 1990 gem I land with all its dot matrix psychedelic glory.  All I know is that going from 86/87 Topps to 85 Topps is going to suck.  I fear I'll get hosed on that one.

Anyways, here's the visual breakdown of the trades so far:

 

Diamond Mining - Part II - Monkey Wrenched

Somebody just had to go and throw a monkey wrench into my Diamond Mining Adventure.  I have a gut feeling somebody read my blog and then search the 2000 Fred McGriff on the Giveaway and then offered me a trade.

Why else would somebody offer me a 1976 Topps for a 2000 Topps?

Man, dilemmas abound!  It's awfully tempting to pull that trigger, but it goes against what I was setting out to do, which is to "mine" back one year at a time.  I figured I'd have better luck turning McGriff into another star, then another, then another, and then possibly have a HOFer around 1987 or 1988.

If someone read this blog and offered this trade, I am flattered, but unless you can add a 1999 star or semi-star, I may have to decline.  Oh, the angst!  Man, I love me some 76 Topps, but I have them all.  Can Hale get me deep into the 50s or 60s, or should I continue plodding along year by year with the hopes the Crime Dog can eventually land me a HOFer around '87 or so, which I could parlay into an early 80s star, etc.

What should I do?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

UPDATE:

Well, time took care of this one for me.  The Hale offer was gone the next time I logged in, however, I was offered a '99 Johnny Damon, so I took that one.  Now I'm on the hunt for a '98 star...

Diamond Mining - Part I

I must say that I have been completely sucked into the Diamond Giveaway.  I can’t remember if I bought a pack of 2010 Topps last year, but if I did, I never got a Million Card Giveaway code, so I did not participate in the “Transmogrifier,” whatever that is.  Like I said, I’m hooked worse than riding the white horse.  The only problem is I have painted myself into a corner.  As I will eventually share, Crinkly Wrappers provided a HUGE chunk of my Want List.  I went from needing 227 cards down to a mere 60.

This is where the problem lies, I am now less likely to buy packs of cards.  Needing only 60 cards to complete Series One means it is easily attainable to do strictly through trades.  When one trades, one doesn’t buy packs.  If one doesn’t buy packs, one doesn’t get Diamond Giveaway Codes.  Oh, the irony.

 
Please don’t take this as a statement that I’m not grateful beyond measure as to Crinkly Wrappers assistance.  But now I’m like a junkie who can’t score his blow.  I did some quick math, and since I need only 60 cards, the odds of me pulling a card I need are low.  As we all know, Series One has 12 cards per standard pack at $1.99.  We can all reasonably assume that two of those cards are not base, so that leaves 10 cards per pack.  Since I already have 270 base cards, that means the next pack I buy, on average, will yield 1.8 cards that I need.  As that progresses, the odds get worse and worse and worse.

You see, I’m on a strict budget (self induced) and I can’t go throwing $2 bucks around to get two cards.  This is where Topps makes their money.  I’m sure they fiscally, secretly despise traders, but they know there will be some collector who spends exorbitant amounts of money chasing those last 60 cards.

Anyways, I’ve gone six days without buying a pack, and I feel that monkey slipping, but EVERY time I log onto the Giveaway, I have the tingle in my blood.  That little voice saying, “Come on.  It’s two bucks.  You could get a Code Card.  DO IT!”  Just like when I quit smoking, I get up and walk outside.

So, to make the Giveaway entertaining with my three virtual cards, I’ve gone on a quest.  Much similar to Play at the Plate’s MCG idea, I am on a Diamond Mining Adventure.  I’ve decided to take my 1977 Rod Gilbreath and 2002 A.J. Pierzynski, and turn them into the oldest card possible.  I’m not combining the cards to get one card.  I’m going one for one as far back as I can go.  How has it gone so far?  Painfully slow.

After four days of extremely reasonable offers, I finally took a step forwards, I mean backwards.  Rod Gilbreath became a 1976 Nate Colbert, one of my all time favorite players.  This trade shocked me, but I am elated.

Next, old A.J. had been giving me fits.  I was completely underselling him for any 2001 nobody.  No bites.  Then I thought I’d go for a star.  Not a superstar, but a star nonetheless.  And voila, it worked in less than 15 minutes!  A.J. morphed into a 2001 Fred McGriff and then immediately into a 2000 Fred McGriff.  Not bad, in my opinion.

 

So, after six days, I’ve mined backwards one year for one card and two years for the other.  Who knows what I'll do with that Jair Jurrjens Diamond Die Cut.  I’ve got until December 31st, so who knows what will happen.   

Finally, the moral of the story is: If someone offers you a 2000 common for a 1999 common, you may be making my day!

Dipping my Toe into the Diamond Giveaway

Finally, I am catching up with the times.  Goodbye yesteryear, hello 2011!

If you read my last post and made it alllllllll the way to the bottom, you would have read that I have been buying a few 2011 Series One packs.  A whole seven have made into my clutches.  Surprisingly, from those seven packs, I amassed one double, so I've made a reasonable dent in the Series One set (~20%).

Today, I found myself in a Target and noticed the four packs with a guaranteed Diamond Giveaway Code.  I thought, heck, I'm going to buy two packs anyways, might as well pony up for two more packs and get a code.  My FIRST CODE ever.

Ripped the packs and ended up with three codes total, plus some assorted inserts (No Dodgers, YES!).  Anyways, I moseyed on over to the Giveaway site and felt immediately OLD.  I read all the FAQ and then created an account.  I entered my first code and got a:

Joy.  I was immediately thrilled and let down simultaneously.  After all the reading I've done from last year's giveaway to this year's, I was mixed.  I was happy to finally get a card, and then befuddled at the Orange Horror.  I then found my next card and tentatively entered the code and got this:
 

Better.  Not awe inspiring, and I'm pretty sure I have at least three of these at home, but at least we are pre-86.  I figure some Braves fan will make an offer and it will likely be accepted.

Then I looked at my final code card, and thought "Should I enter it, or save it?"  Then I remembered you could see what cards had recently been pulled, and try to get into the good groove.  I saw the three most recent pulls and they were from the late 60s and early 70s.  Sweet, pull that trigger.  I entered the code and got this:

Whaaaa?  What in the world is that?  What is a Diamond Die Cut and WHO is JAIR JURRJENS?  I can feel the sun racing around to come up behind me again, Pink.

Anyways, I'm not sure if you can select a "user" to trade with.  Anyone know?  And if anyone has pointers on how to actually trade, I'd appreciate the 411 (hah, look at me, all trendy and stuff. LOL).

Finally, I need to get a 2011 want list up, as the four packs I got yielded at least 25% doubles.  Also, I really don't care for inserts, so I'll have to post that trade bait, too.