Package Barrage & I Get Cards from the Dime Box

My wife's parents came through town this weekend on Sunday, so we met them for lunch -- Mexican food, to be specific. I was stuffed and, as often happens after that, I skipped dinner. When we got home from the restaurant, though, I spent the next 9 hours putting together some packages to go into the mail.  So, if you live in one of the following ZIP Codes/cities, there's a package coming your way:

48005 (Armada, MI)
55419 (Minneapolis)
19713 (Newark, DE)
03801 (Portsmouth, NH)
76380 (Seymour, TX)
02766 (Norton, MA)
83605 (Caldwell, ID)
02919 (Johnston, RI)
13601 (Watertown, NY)
91770 (Rosemead, CA)
CT8 8BH (Westgate-on-Sea, Kent)
78235 (Orcemont)

And yet, I still have more packages to put together. But those will come, soon. 

Last week, I got an excellent PWE from Dime Box Nick. Nick and I have sent envelopes and packages back and forth over the past year or so, and Nick never fails to amaze.  This time, he sent me a note saying he was "bequeathing" his Ryan Braun collection to me. Since Nick is an old soul at heart, I feel like a song from the 1980s is appropriate here:

Not sure if you're into the Pet Shop Boys at all, but I certainly remember it.  Now, Nick did not limit himself only to Ryan Braun.  

But, since I'm in an 80s mood, how about some 80s songs to go with the cards Nick sent? These are all taken from a playlist I used to have on an iPod that's been reconstituted (sort of) on Spotify now.  I'm not sure how much these songs have to do with the cards, but we'll see how it goes as I go along.

Card 1, 2, & 3: 2007 Braun Allen & Ginter Mini & Mini A&G Back Parallel and Braun's 2008 Allen & Ginter Mini

Let's see...what song goes with a guy who came into the league seemingly as a superstar immediately and whose later work seems a bit ... uneven ... since his steroid supply was cut off?

Yeah, I gotta start with the boys from Waukesha, The Bodeans, and their hit from 1986, "Fadeaway." That's a video from a live show from the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee -- and man, I wish I had been at that concert.  Just great roots-rock that probably wouldn't see the light of radio today.

Card #4: Corey Hart 2008 Baseball Heroes Black Parallel 

Now, I could go with a Corey Hart song here -- yes, "Sunglasses at Night" might work, even if Hart is pictured in a day game without sunglasses -- but for me, a Corey Hart card talking about him doing good things reminds me of how injuries have sapped his abilities. Maybe Pirates and Mariners fans might agree with me after watching Hart's shambolic efforts at playing baseball over the past two years too, but Crowded House seems appropriate here.

Corey should stop dreaming and realize that he's had a good career but, "Hey now, hey now, don't dream -- it's over."

Card #5: Ryan Braun's 2010 Topps Wal-Mart Black Parallel

This one is easy.

Sorry, no AC/DC "Back in Black" (though that would work too), but rather Depeche Mode's "Black Celebration."  To be fair, I wasn't one of those goth kids back in the 1980s, but my musical tastes weren't that far off from being goth.

Card #6-10: 2008 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee Insert, 2008 Bowman Gold, 2008 Topps Turkey Red, & 2012 Topps Heritage Target Parallel

With so many Ryan Braun cards, I needed to group a few of them together for fear of running out of dubious analogies, songs, or readers.  So, an appropriate song for Braun's career?

Danny Elfman provided the musical scores for approximately half the movies released during the 1980s. "Weird Science" accompanied the movie by the same name. To be fair, I actually like the song "Dead Man's Party" more, but it doesn't fit here as well.

Cards 11, 12, & 13: More Ryan Braun: 2008 Heriage Chrome SN411/552, 2009 Topps Heritage Mayo Insert, and 2011 Topps Lineage Popup

God, I wish the Brewers could trade away Ryan Braun and his contract. I would be shocked if anyone would take it on, but it's fairly clear that either the steroids were keeping his thumb from feeling pain, the steroids destroyed his thumb's internal musculature and tendons, or that the cryogenic therapy on his thumb works only in small doses.  Braun has gone from being a .319/.391/.595 hitter in 2012 at age 28 to being a .266/.328/.466 hitter over his last 200+ games (876 plate appearances) starting at the beginning of last season. 

Yeah. The Brewers are pretty much wrapped being held hostage by that thumb and the contract to which it is attached.  God, it's going to be a long five more seasons.

It's more depressing than Goth music.  Just thinking about it brings Morrissey, Johnny Marr, and the boys to mind..."Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now."

Cards #14 & 15: Ben Sheets 2005 Donruss Elite and Studio

Sheets was a workhorse, so how about a favorite R.E.M. song from the 1980s?

I don't know why that song always was a favorite, but it was.

Card #16: 1992 (?) Robin Yount Sports Cards News and Price Guides #30

Let's close this post with the coolest card in the entire envelope -- a fantastic Yount oddball that doesn't even appear in the Beckett listings.  Such a great card deserves an upbeat song, but I have to admit -- I tend not to be a big fan of poppy, cheery, upbeat songs. It's not that I'm a dour person. I just find a lot of it to be very shallow and forgettable.  But, there's one song that I'm okay with here:

I mean, if the Outfield doesn't get you upbeat and singing along, what will?

Nick, I have no idea whether you like any of this music, but I do appreciate the cards greatly despite the Black Celebration of being Miserable Now!

$30 a Week spent $15 on me -- and Packages Hit the Post Office

Okay, maybe it was more.  $30 a Week Habit is one of my favorite blogs to read, and Robert is one of the genuinely good people that populates the blogosphere.  I was very surprised when I received a package from him recently, and I was even more surprised with what the package contained:

Straight out of the box came a 2011 Topps Chrome insert called "Vintage Chrome" of Prince Fielder. It is a nice, shiny card that I did not have -- and those are the best kind!  Then, there is the relic from the 2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes set.

And these were the cards about which I was least excited.

Why?  Because the other cards in the envelope hit my "Primary Players."

For instance, that is a gen-u-wine Ryan Braun Rookie Card from Fleer Ultra in 2007 along with a gold parallel Bowman Braunie from 2011.

But, my favorite card from Robert was not even a card:

I find myself liking the old Braves players' cards and items more and more as I get more of the current or more modern cards. I think it's just the awe of having an item of Warren Spahn that is just cool to me.  Spahn was a legend before I even was born. I think that's the lure of the retired players showing up in sets -- the legends' cards just feel more special.

As long as we don't get so many of them that they become commonplace.

Robert, thank you very much for these cards and the Collect-A-Book.  I really appreciate these.

Finally, I promised that packages have gone to the Post Office.  The following Postal Codes should have cards showing up soon:

97213
26505
75227
35750
76126
16101
48910
...and a package for which I had to fill out a Customs Form.  In triplicate.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!