Trade with "No Ones Going To Read This"

Today, I received a package I had been anxiously awaiting from Jeremy over at No Ones Going to Read This.  I sent some inserts to him in exchange for some cards that have reduced my want list for my 1980 Topps, 2009 Topps, and 2010 Topps Sets.  He also sent along some Royals cards and a card that I will feature in my new EMAW Series at a later date.

I was able to get my 1980 Topps Set wantlist down to 19 cards thanks to cards like Floyd Bannister and Reggie Smith.  Bannister had a good career but some may be more familiar with his son Brian, who I have watched pitched for the Royals the last couple of years.  Brian is currently continuing his career over in Japan.  Smith is one of those players that I don't believe gets enough credit.  In a career that spanned 17 years with the Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Giants, he hit 314 home runs and collected over 2000 hits with a career .287 average.  He played in 4 World Series finally winning one in 1981 for the Dodgers.

I was also able to knock a good number of cards off my 2009 and 2010 wantlists.  One of my favorite names in baseball, Marco Scutaro, was included with his 2010 Topps card.  My wife says the next dog we get she is going to name Scutaro.  I actually think it has a good ring to it.

Then to top it off, Jeremy included some Royals cards and one Kansas City Blues cards from the Obak Tristar Set.  This is the first card that I have from that set.  The old Kansas City Blues were one of the best minor league teams back in the day as they were a farm team for the New York Yankees.  In some ways, you can say the Kansas City Royals are also a farm team for any MLB that has money to spend.  Maybe the future will change that with the current #1 farm system in baseball.  "Moose" Skowron hit 31 home runs with 134 RBIs to win the 1952 Minor League Player of the Year Award.  The Royals include the 2007 Goudey Alex Gordon, the "next George Brett", that unfortunately has never lived up to the hype, and Reggie Sanders, a former Royal rent-a-player.  I also received three 2009 Allen & Ginter's mini cards of my current favorite player Billy Butler, my wife's favorite former Royal and current Athletic Coco Crisp (love the name!) and recently retired Gil Meche.  Meche was one of the Royals recent infamous free agent signings that we overspent on and never got much in return.  Meche has a couple decent years but battled injuries before retiring prior to this season and WALKING AWAY from $12.5 million.  I am glad my team didn't have to spend that $12.5 million for a bullpen arm this year, but how can you walk away from that much cash!!!

Thanks a lot Jeremy for this great trade!