Odds and Ends

Four cards to show off today, which will include a Hall of Famer relic.  

2023 Topps Chrome Gold Mini Diamond.  This card is serial-numbered to 50.  Yes, as I continue to work toward catching up, there will be a lot of Connor Wong cards coming.  I keep hoping he pulls out of his very deep slump, but it just does not happen.  I am very concerned about his future with the team.

Here is the Hall of Famer relic.  I have a Lee Smith relic previously, but it seemed very likely that he was wearing an air-brushed Cardinals uniform.  This one looks much more like a Red Sox uniform.  I need Billy Wagner to show up on Red Sox cards soon again.  I didn't get to watch Smith during his time with Boston as I started watching them the year after he was traded.  He was an active pitcher for several more years though and I always liked him.  I rooted for him to get elected every year.

Here is a small trade that included a nice Kevin Youkilis parallel and a buyback of Lou Clinton.  The stamp is in a really bad spot.  Clinton came up with Boston in 1960 and played parts of five seasons with the team.  His best year was 1962 when he hit 18 homers with a line of .294/.349/.540.  He also had ten triples.  The next season his slash line declined, but he hit 22 home runs.  In 1964 he was traded to the Angels for Lee Thomas and he later played with the Athletics, Indians and Yankees.  He never came close to this 1962 numbers though.