Update Post With Some $30.00/Week Stuff

One of these days I will get back to posting a little more regularly, and possibly even to posting about other things than my maildays.  Things have been busy at work.  I'm preparing for a trial right now which could settle on Monday.  Maybe.  There have been a few trades trickling in, mostly through the forum, but now and then through other means.

Here are the recent pickups:

The gold cards all came in one trade:

1.  2011 Topps Gold Jed Lowrie.  Boston has had a bad track record with trading for closers lately.  Jed Lowrie is the first such mistake as they traded him to the Astros for Mark Melancon.  Melancon struggled in Boston before being traded while Lowrie finally broke through as an every day player.  He still has trouble staying healthy, but he is a solid player when he is.

2.  2012 Topps Gold Daniel Bard.  Bard will be attempting to resurrect his career with the Rangers next season.  It's been a rocky road since Boston tried to stretch him out into a starter.  Such a shame.

3.  2012 Topps Gold Erik Bedard.  I was underwhelmed by this trade when it occurred.  Boston gave up four minor leaguers to get him.  Stephen Fife and Tim Federowicz have been the only ones to make the Majors and they have not been real impressive, yet.

4.  2012 Topps Gold Clay Buchholz.  Hopefully he can stay healthy next season.  The rotation needs him.  Especially if he pitches as well as he did in the early part of 2013.

5.  2013 Topps Update Gold Stephen Drew.  He still does not have a job.  I would not mind seeing him back in Boston, but not at the expense of Xander Bogaerts and Will Middlebrooks.

6.  2010 Topps Gold John Lackey.  What a great comeback season he had last year.  Hopefully it continues.

The two blues were acquired in another trade.
7.  2014 Topps Wal Mart Blue Will Middlebrooks FS.  Middlebrooks had a rough 2013 but he seems ready to go for 2014.  If he fails, Garin Cecchini is ready for a shot.

8.  2014 Topps Wal Mart Blue Jonny Gomes WS.  Gomes had a number of great moments in 2014, from hitting two walkoff home runs to his three run home run that eventually won Game 4 of the World Series.  He's a great teammate too.

The following four red cards came from Jimmy who contacted me about a trade recently on the blog.  He sent these:

9.  2013 Topps Target Red David Ortiz.  Just give him his contract extension already.  He deserves it.  He is the Red Sox.

10.  2013 Topps Target Red Ryan Dempster.  Dempster shockingly retired earlier this year.

11.  2013 Topps Target Red Jonny Gomes.  Nice to add a couple Gomes cards recently.

12.  2013 Topps Target Red Joel Hanrahan.  Yet another failed closer trade.  Boston gave up on Melancon too early and he really broke through for the Pirates.  They also lost Stolmy Pimentel in the trade.  Hanrahan save three games and then broke down.  Ouch.

Thanks Jimmy!

Two more packages to go:

The next two cards were picked up from Robert from $30/week Habit.  Robert, I will have something in the mail for you soon.
13.  2014 Topps Before They Were Great Jim Rice.  Nice thick card stock here.  This is a neat card.

14.  2014 Topps Upper Class Dustin Pedroia.  His wrist should be healed so he should have a little more power this year.

Thanks Robert!  After my trial, I will get something together.

The next seven are from another forum trade.
15.  2008 Topps Wal Mart Dick Perez Josh Beckett.  Beckett had some great seasons for Boston, but his salary was too high to keep him around.  I have some fond memories of him, but it was time to move on.

16.  2014 Topps 1989 Mini David Ortiz.  Another Big Papi.

17.  2014 Topps Upper Class Jim Rice.  Couldn't they find another picture here?

18.  2014 Topps All Rookie Cup Team Jim Rice.  See?  Here's another picture.

19.  2014 Topps Wal Mart Blue Junichi Tazawa.  He is finally getting some cards.

20.  2014 Topps Wal Mart Blue Clay Buchholz.  Another Buchholz.  I now have over 100 different cards of Clay.

21.  2013 Topps Emerald Ryan Sweeney.  Sweeney was acquired in yet another bad deal for a closer.  He and Andrew Bailey were picked up for Josh Reddick, who has become a good player, and Miles Head.  Sweeney did very little in his time in Boston.