People Actually Read My Words

I know that some folks do read my blog.  I have known this since I got my first few followers when I first opened up the Platter.  I always thought that my readers were all other bloggers in the card world.  Then, I got an email from Reader Steve.  Steve doesn't have a blog but enjoys reading about and collecting baseball cards.

I was so happy to actually receive a trade offer from a reader.  This marks a milestone in the Platter's history.  Steve got a bubble mailer full of cards from the New York baseball teams.  He sent me a nice mix of baseball cards featuring Japanese baseball players.

This is a nice looking vertical Ginter card of Kosuke Fukudome.  It almost looks like an unlicensed card that is trying to hide some MLB logos.  It would be hard to figure out what team is supposed to be featured on this card.

Steve also sent me a shiny Dice-K from last years Topps Chrome set.  2011 Topps Chrome is coming out shortly.  I hope that Topps has fixed the curvature problem that plagued last years set.  I have seen some pictures of 2011 Topps Chrome and it looks pretty good.  So, we shall see.

I don't really understand Fleer Ultra's subset called Lucky 13.  These cards feature rookies from that particular year.  I think that there is a store in my local mall that sells clothes from a company called Lucky 13.  That is what I think of when I get a Fleer Ultra Lucky 13 card.  I think of fat teens wearing tight Lucky 13 t-shirts to try and look tough.

This was the big hit of the package.  I had told Reader Steve that I didn't have anything to send him for this card but, he mailed it to me anyways.  The generosity in this community is superb.  Collectors are always looking to help out there fellow man.

Thanks for the trade.  I love having readers!

Bid Board Goods

About a month ago, I started going to a card shop called Valley Sports Cards in Tarzana,CA.  This shop was recommended to me by Dodgerbobble.  This shop isn't very close to me.  It takes me about a half an hour to get there.  But, the drive is worth it.

One of the better aspects of this card shop is the bid board.  People pin up some random cards on a wall once a week and you bid on the items.  Ebay style!  Except it's in person and interactive.  I even put some items up there to get a few extra bucks on something more fit for my collection.  Since, this shop is in Dodger territory a lot of people put up Dodger items for bidding.

A customer of the store posted up tons of 2005 Dodger Medallions.  These are metal, coin-like objects that are slightly bigger than a quarter.  The set includes Dodger legends as well as players on the dreadful 2005 team.

Gagne is my boy so, I had to pick this one up.  He has a nice drunken, lumber jack beard going on.  I hope Gagne gets a job with the Dodgers as a coach someday.  Gagne can teach the young ball players how to use roids yet still have a beer gut.

This is was the best medallion that I saw at the shop.  Yhency Brazoban was briefly the Dodgers closer in the mid-2000s.  He had 21 saves for the Dodgers in 2005.  Brazoban wasn't very effective in getting those saves but because the team was awful and had some injury issues, he was allowed to close.  He had a ERA of 5.33 and a WHIP of 1.40.  Not exactly dominating stuff.  His career fell down each year after 2005.  Brazoban had arm troubles and troubles with obesity.

The Dodger Medallions were kind of random to find.  But, I do live in a Dodger hot bed.  This graded Kaz Matsui is even more random.  This card is a 1994 BBM Matsui RC graded at a 10.  Awesome!.  I have never seen this card probably would have never found it in my life but, then here it was in Tarzana,CA.  This card makes me want to find more graded cards.  I hope it will be the vintage kind of card.