eBay Lucroy

In the weeks before Christmas -- and before I knew I was getting that huge dump of binders -- I wanted to give myself a baseball card Christmas gift or two as celebration for getting through the year. My wife set me a budget, and it took me through yesterday to finish off that budget (I bought the Brewers in Crackin' Wax's 2016 Topps Series 1 case break...which I think was the first time I found the Brewers available in any of the breaks there). That's not because it was some ridiculous amount, but rather because my Christmas gift waylaid me from finishing my ordering I was doing.

My first purchase was knocking a ton of cards off my want lists from the 1980s and 1990s thanks to Just Commons. It was my first ever purchase there, and it went okay. Their inventory system was off on some items that I wanted, but generally it was a good experience. It doesn't hurt that you get free shipping from them if you order $15 or more in cards either.

The other way I went about spending my budget was on eBay. For the first time in awhile, I decided to hit the auctions there to see what I could find. I focused on items I haven't seen elsewhere, and ended up with three items.

Let's match these cards up with some music from an artist I'm just getting into now -- Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. If you like a 60s soul sound, this band is up your alley.

I Need Never Get Old

The first song on their self-titled album is this one, and it echoes my feelings often. Lately, I've started realizing how long ago many of my big "milestones" in life were -- I mean, I've been out of school now for 17-1/2 years overall...21-1/2 since college....25-1/2 since high school.  It's crazy to me. I'm not an adult. Not yet. I'm still trying to figure out what I'll be when I grow up.

That existential life question goes well with this big card:

It's a 5x7 version of the photo variation of Lucroy (a card that I still don't have in its normal size), and it's serial numbered as #1 of 10. It wasn't that expensive -- in fact, the damn photo variation regular card seems to go for more.  I wonder why that is, other than people chasing the photo variation for a complete set or something. Why does Topps persist with these variations?

This segues well into the most played song by NR&TNS:

S.O.B.

This song would not have felt out of place at a sock hop in the 1960s...well, except for the title and the liberal cursing in the song and all. But damn, it's catchy.  

So, this is some die-cut variation of the Lucroy Allen & Ginter card from 2015. Apparently, these die cuts were released in special packs at the National Convention last year. I've yet to go to a National Convention. I'm thinking I might aim for Cleveland, because that is one of the few major American cities I have never visited and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a place I'd love to visit.

Wasting Time

I can often be a sucker for a well-played folky ballad, especially one with a steel guitar. I mean, if I'm in a wistful mood, I can throw on "Melissa" by the Allman Brothers or "Anodyne" by Uncle Tupelo, and I'm instantaneously in a quiet, contemplative mood. This song reminds me a fair amount of Uncle Tupelo -- definitely a grungy, dirty song with real feeling to it.

Quite unlike my final Lucroy eBay purchase:

The Lucroy "First Home Run" Medallion didn't come as cheaply as I would have liked, but it's shiny and heavy and metal and man Jonathan Lucroy is going to get traded soon I'm sure of it.

That said, maybe the grungy song with feeling makes sense.

Right, Uncle Tupelo?

Thanks for stopping by.