'Teks from Tek and More

I was rather surprised when I looked at the checklist for the then-upcoming Topps High Tek set.  My all-time favorite Red Sox player, a player who did not have many cards even when he played, much less after he retired, was in the set.  I am talking of course, about Jason Varitek.  As much as I collect Sandy Alomar Jr., my Jason Varitek collection is perhaps even more impressive (you can see most of it here, although I have added several more cards since this post that are not here).  I have said it before, I may have the greatest Jason Varitek collection of anyone.  And I do not think that I am being arrogant when I say that.  I spent several years after my graduation from law school, when I had virtually no bills and was single, almost solely collecting Jason Varitek cards.  I have multiple 1/1s, patches, autographs, buttons, MLB logo patches, printing plates, and even a bat barrel.  There are only a couple of cards that I can recall losing out on that I was not able to add later (2008 Topps Allen & Ginter Mini Wood was the biggest one).  This was at the height of his career.  And none of those cards have gone anywhere else.  I have more Jason Varitek cards than any other player in my Red Sox collection (I do have more Sandy Alomar Jr. cards but he actually has more cards, on account of Varitek not having any Topps cards until 2007).  More than Nomar Garciaparra.  More than Pedro Martinez.  More than David Ortiz.  More than Manny Ramirez.  So I was excited that Varitek appears to be getting cards again.  It did not take me long to add some.

Of course there are a couple of other cards to show off from the day's mail too:

1.  Adrian Gonzalez.  From my wantlist and the utterly bizarre Donruss Back to the Future relic set.  This set featured Red Sox relic cards of Gonzalez, Yoenis Cespedes, and Jon Lester.  I was disappointed with the brevity of Gonzalez's Red Sox career.  After years and years of hearing his name connected to being traded to the Red Sox, they finally had him in 2011.  He was good, but not quite what was expected.  Then, at the trading deadline of his second year in Boston, he was gone.  It was frustrating.

2-4.  And here are the Tek Variteks.  I have the Green Rainbow parallel, the base card, and the base autograph card.  I don't see myself going hardcore after all of the variations of this, but if I add several for reasonable prices, I will be perfectly happy.

5.  Steven Wright.  And my most recent single-player Red Sox focus checks in with the pink parallel of his All Star card.  I am curious to see how he does next year.  He should be given a spot.