Return of the Blog Bat Around - Details on How To Participate

Ever since I started SCU about two years ago, I have always touted the community we have built as the reason why blogs are so important to the hobby. Now is our chance to show our chops and really give the world outside our network a view of what we are all about.

Last year, after thinking of ways to bolster the blogger network, I settled upon the Blog Bat Around, or a singular topic weighed in upon by everyone who wanted a shot at it. No limits, no scruitny, no reason not to participate. After a handful of them were done on multiple sites, it kind of died off due to a lack of direction. Now that baseball season is in full swing and blogs are receiving more attention than ever, I think its time to try it again.

The way it works is I will post the topic below and you will have a specific time frame to post your response. After the deadline, pending any acts of god, I will compile the links, do short writeups on all of them and post them on this site for everyone to click on. If you want your article included, all you have to do is comment with the link or send me an email with it.

Here are the rules if you havent seen this before:

-This is an open forum, anyone may participate at any time. I will not discriminate, nor will I leave you out if we dont agree. If you use your post as a personal attack against me or any of the other bloggers, I will not include it.

-Please make your article at least semi-relevant to the topic. You can be as creative as you want, but keep the general topic in mind. If its about Book Value, you can go on a relevant Beckett rant, but dont do a product review of Topps Heritage, or something similar.

-Keep your article PG or PG-13, as I want the most people to be involved.

- Please give your article a title, and make it easy to find when you give me the link. If you want your full name included and not just your blog title, put it in there somewhere.

- Give us something to read, so dont give me 2 sentences and call it a day. Make this a normal post, as you would want your readers to see it as a normal part of your blog.

- You do not have to include the topic in your post.

- Please comment somewhere on the site or email me the link to your article with any special instructions.

- I will not search out links, so if you want it included, it is your responsibility to get it to me. Comments on the bat around post make it easiest for me to compile - FYI.

Deadline:

You will have one week to post your response, and comment with the link or email it. This means on Sunday the 18th at midnight, I need to have it for the article to be included in the first post. I will add yours if you do it late or forget, but it will go at the bottom.

Topic:

The Ultimate Shopping Spree - after some discussion on Twitter, it seems as though people want a go at this topic.

Here is what we are going with:

Remember those days on Nickelodeon where they would hold contests for their version of a kids' ultimate shopping spree? They would let the winner loose in a Toys R Us for however long and let them keep what they could fit in the cart, right? Well, if you were given $50,000 and 15 minutes on ebay, what cards/memorabilia would you buy with the money? Break it down card by card, and give us a price and a reason for what you are buying. Not everyone would go out there and buy a Joe Jackson cracker jack, but some people would. So, with that, what would you spend the mother lode on? Happy buying.

Have fun with this one guys, Im expecting some great stuff across the card blogger network over the next week. If you have any questions, shoot me a line or ask one of the bloggers who has been around for a long time. Hopefully we can have a huge amount of participation, and in the meantime show how the blogs have become the new number one source for hobby info and commentary.

Two Quick Announcements

Guys, I wanted to make you aware of a few quick announcements for the next couple of days.

First, tonight at 9pm PST, be sure to check out Rob (of VOTC fame) and Doug on their live show where I will be on to discuss the recent Upper Deck scenario and what it means for the hobby. They have a great show and have other giveaways and guests scheduled. You can check out the show here, and dont hesitate to listed to the previous episodes too.

Second, coming on Monday, we are going to jump start the blog bat arounds again. This means if you have a blog, it will be a chance to post your thoughts on the topic this time around. For the last four or five, we have usually gotten some great turn outs, and I encourage you to participate if you have the means to do so. It is also a pretty great way to get publicity for your site, just check in to get instructions on what to do. Its been a long time since we have done one, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to rejuvenate the idea.

Here is the link for the first and second blog bat arounds done here on SCU.

Thanks!

The Sixth Blog Bat Around

Thanks again to everyone who participated in this edition of the Blog Bat Around, it is always awesome to read the collective posts of everyone involved. This time I messed up completely, this should have been up two days ago, my fault completely. Either way, this time was still cool to read inspiration for the blogs you read on a daily basis. I know I learned quite a bit of stuff about some of you that I didn’t know, and it was quite fun to do so.

Here was the topic for this time through the order:

All of the people who are participating in this have a blog, or at least something similar. For this question, I just want to know about the reasons you do what you do. Why do you blog? What made you choose Sports Cards as your topic of choice? What got you started? What has been your favorite post from your own work?

Here are the responses from around the Card Blogger Network.

Sports Cards Uncensored - My post as I am host.

Sports Card Info - SCI was started as a resource to collectors on which cards not to buy, and has turned into a resource on everything cards. He loves the interaction from the collectors who read the blog, and I agree that is a great part of being involved. Plus, he said, that its always nice to catch a scammer, one of the best things in the CBN for sure.

White Sox Cards - Steve started blogging after reading about a site in a magazine, but became addicted to the community aspect of it, and quickly met a lot like minded people who helped him out. Of course, the joy of writing about something you love is a huge part of it for Steve, but as a White Sox fan, that has to be pretty tough to endure, haha.

Night Owl Cards - Night Owl is a writer who likes to blog just like myself, only he does a much better job of it. He mentions that it was the newest innovation in writing that got him to start to pass time by blogging, and it’s the craziness of some of the weird cards of the 70s and 80s that inspire him to keep going. The examples provided are hilarious. Airbrushing is not our friend indeed!

Beardy's Card Blog - For a NKOTB, Beardy wrote a novel on his inspiration for blogging, totally mirroring a lot of the great reasons many of us blog. He talks about something that has become commonplace on the CBN - trading - and I think that has been a great add on to being a blogger. His credo of "If you write it, and have decent pictures, they will come", is pretty much 100% correct. He also has a love affair with a person we all tend to put on a petestal, ourselves, and that explains many of the things you read here too.

Capewoods Collections - Capewood has a cool top ten, just the way we like it, with pictures! I think he has great reasons for blogging, opinion giving, highlighting his collections, lack of shops in the area, all of which are things that people experience quite a bit. I think that the pictures were distracting at first because I wanted to play where's waldo with the numbers, but a great post when you stop looking at the cards.

Blue Heaven - For Ernest, like some of you, blogging was a stumbled upon utopia of online diaries. He saw how easy it was to do and was determined to write about his favorite team. He has been a different type of blogger than some of the other team sites out there, someone who focuses on the sport aspect as much as the card aspect, and he has highlighted some great posts to check out as well.

The Other World - Dan is a lurker, something I love to be too, and finally started frequently updating his blog earlier this year. He says he can go through site evolution with subject matter changes, defintely something I want to hear about. Dan also mentions being shy, a trait I would never attribute to a blogger, but he did want a place to share his interests. I agree.

Thoughts And Sox - Another person who stumbled on the blogs through links, and has started a site based on his Red Sox fandom. He is a trader blogger, so if you have some Red Sox, Im sure he will take them off your hands. I never knew how big of a practice it was to trade with the other bloggers, but that is a great idea.

Paul's Random Stuff - Like SCU, Paul's blog was started due to message board participation, his was originally about autos TTM back in 2004. He has branched out lately, im sure because the message board he started from is no longer in existence, and because he likes to associate with other people in the hobby.

Mark's Ephemera - Mark blogs for the people, and loves those comments. He likes writing and definitely has a passion for the subject matter he covers. He may not be the best wordsmith (his own words) but he is always happy to offer his opinion. I felt the same way when SCU first started, so here's to keep pluggin along Mark, its never bad to add your voice to the fray.

Wax Heaven - If there is a blog out there we all read, its Mario's, but I was surprised to learn why he does some of the things he does. After being spurned by the big evil, he has found new goals in making the execs at the big three notice his criticisms, as well as hopefully taking heed. He also wants to inform as well as show his distaste for fugly ideas for cards.

Cardboard Junkie - Dayf rushed to get his post in at the last minute, a week before it was due. Thank god for preparation huh? Funny enough, his current blog was not the first one, and he sure seems to be self depricating about his past posts. We all love Cardboard Junkie, even though sometimes he weirds us out with Spongebob references. Dayf has had some personal setbacks, as many of us have lately, and we are glad he didn’t let it affect one of my favorite blogs.

bdj610's Topps Baseball Card Blog - JayBee started as another lurker on a message board over at Topps. He started the blog as a way to enjoy his collection and to share his "stars" with other people. It doesn’t hurt that his Sports Card Blogroll has been great for many fledgeling blogs, and that the cards arent the only star of his site.

Card Buzz - Laurens blogs about cards being the last link to a past childhood, and I feel that this is a reason that many people blog as well. Although the site started per a now defunct board, it has now become a reflective way for Laurens to share a love a collecting. Of course, other sites have played a part in shaping the blog, but the favorites on Card Buzz are always the reflective posts.

Acheiver Card Blog - Motherscratcher loves weird movies, and also loves weird cards. His dad made him get his cards out of the basement one day, and he wanted to know something about a hobby that had long passed him by. After googling the current state of the hobby, he had some originally negative experiences but eventually started blogging to get answers to his questions as a returning collector.

Shot Not Taken - This blog was originally started as political/current events site, but that idea was canned due to boredom. Since then, blogging has been like joining the conversation, and the current topics are a result of that. An enjoyment of collecting has taken the blog past the original limits of the previous topic, and we are glad it has.

Wrigley Wax - As another team collector and returnee to the hobby after being away, its always nice to see people who decide to get on the blogs and start writing. He understands that people have unfavorable opinions about Cubs fans, but he still enjoys sharing his opinions. He originally started after answering that little voice in his head, and the ability to write from work is a plus without a doubt!

Houston Card Collector - Mr. Astro has been a person that has been very involved in the comments of many blogs and even stopped collecting for a period. Now that he is back, he has had some great success and continues to write because of his love for all things houston sports and the hobby.

Indians Baseball Cards - I got lost in the story of the many incarnations of this site, but his story from back in the beginning of the internet's history was interesting to read. I had a Tripod page too, but it was dedicated to stuff totally unrelated, I think its always a triumph when card blogging extends so far back in one's life.

Okay, thats all I see for right now, if I missed your link, please let me know so I can add it. As always, I am looking for someone to host next month's venture, preferrably someone with a larger readership. If you have the means, please let me know. Thanks again to all the people who participated.

Due To Act Of God - One More Day For The Bat Around

Luckily for those of you who have not posted your Bat Around, an act of God smote my internet last night, and I was unable to get the Bat Around put together. This means that ill give you until tonight to get your posts in, and the Bat Around will be posted first thing on Tuesday.

Please post your links in comments somewhere if you havent already, I will unfortunately not have the time to go track them down.


Thanks for your participation!

Bat Around Reminder and New Blog Participation Idea

This will serve as your reminder to get those posts up over the next two days. If you have already written your post and not included the link in a comment somewhere on the blog, please do so immediately.

Hopefully the participation will climb, and we can get a good survey of the blogs. This is really our chance to shine, as I have seen first hand what the rest of the industry thinks of people who write based on their love for the hobby rather than for money, and for some reason it isnt pretty. Considering the topic at hand, this should be a great show.

On another note, it may be in our best interest to start thinking about creating a publication distributed via email list in a possible PDF format. It has been successful in some of the hobbies I also participate in, and could help us get traffic and messages out to the public domain in a one stop shop each month. Because we do what we do without the interests of our ad providers in mind, we could be as objective with our reviews and our commentary as possible. Because there are no examples in the mainstream hobby media of a realistic depiction of the hobby being presented, this could be the chance for people to get the info they are looking for.

If you have experience and would like to help out, let me know via the link above. All are welcome, just an idea I have been tossing around.

Blog Bat Around Entries Not Due Until NEXT Thursday

FYI, you still have a whole week to write your BBA posts. People seem to have that confused, so please do your best to make THAT deadline, as yesterday was just a regular blog thursday.

Thanks for all the awesome posts so far. Its becoming a big show of force to tell people that blogs have power of community too.

Keep em coming!

Through The Order Again: Details For The 6th Blog Bat Around

Its that time of the month again, and I think Ill take the lead on this round of the BBA. I am of the ilk that think that the others have done an amazing job promoting this, so I will be passing this around again once this round is over. If you arent familiar with the BBAs, where have you been? I kid, here are the rules and links to the other incarnations of this.

- This is an open forum, and anyone can participate at any time. I will not discriminate, nor will I leave you out if we don’t agree.

- Please make your post at least semi-relevant to the topic. You can be as creative as you want, but keep the general topic in mind. You don’t need to answer all of the questions in the topic, but your post should address what kinds of products you’d like to see the card companies produce.

- Keep your post PG or PG-13, I won’t censor it, but this is necessary since we’ll have a vast audience, which might include kids.

- Give us something to read, so don’t just write two sentences and call it a day. Make this a normal post, as you would want your readers to see it as a normal part of your blog. Given the great entries that we’ve seen in the past, I don’t think this will be a problem.

- Please give your post a title, and mark it so it’s easy to find when you give me the link. If you want your full name included and not just your blog title, put it in there somewhere.

- Please comment on this post or email me the link to your post so that I’ll know about it.

Submissions are due by next Thursday at midnight, and on Friday they will be posted for the world. If you are late, yours will be added to the bottom of the post, so be sure to get it in as quickly as possible.

Here is the topic for this time:

All of the people who are participating in this have a blog, or at least something similar. For this question, I just want to know about the reasons you do what you do. Why do you blog? What made you choose Sports Cards as your topic of choice? What got you started? What has been your favorite post from your own work?

Again, posts are due by next Thursday the 14th at midnight. Post questions if you have any!

Blog Bat Around IV: Investing and How To Work The System

First, before I start, I want to send a big thank you to Patricia over at Dinged Corners for taking on this round of the Bat Around. I hope it is awesome. Please check out their site for more takes on the topic they have chosen about holding cards and who to collect. I also want to thank Paul from Sports.Cards.Life. for the insaneulously sweet graphic header.

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For some reason, many people look at the hobby as a way to invest or make money, and really, that is a pretty dumb notion. Usually, they buy case after case after case, and the majority of the time, they cant even come close to making their money back. Of course, that doesn’t stop them from trying though. Other people try to get on board with raw vintage cards, and try to grade them to make a profit. I doubt that works. The only way I have seen it work, albeit in a minimal gain fashion, is through prospecting in baseball, and sometimes in football.

Really, the practice is simple. Do your homework on a draft class, pick your guys, and buy in lots, all until you have a huge collection of a guy(s) who no one but the prospectors have a good idea about. Then, on top of that, maybe buy a few cases of Chrome Draft and see if you can get some nice stuff of the rest of the class. Diversify. When you have your pile, you send to BGS to get them graded, and hopefully the arbitrary douche gods will give you a few 10s or 9.5s. Then you wait.

As soon as the guy makes his debut in the big leagues, you sell as quickly as possible. Whatever you cant sell, you sit on until he does something. That way you can make more money if he turns out to be a good player. Now, this is a very high risk venture, but with guys like Hanley Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, and a few others, it can also be high reward. The problem with most people who want to try it is that they don’t want to wait to make their money. They want a quick fix, and they cant run the system the way that it needs to be run. There are also people who don’t really get the fact that prospecting IS a risk, and they chastise people for even trying. I don’t practice it, nor do I have the funds to try, but I have seen it work to perfection quite a bit. The people who are the best at it are the best at looking at the stats, interpreting how that will translate, and then choosing VERY wisely with their guys. Others who just do it to do it, don’t really grasp the whole nature of selecting the right player. They usually fail. Epically.

Now, the reality of the industry is this, brace yourselves, THERE IS NO MONEY TO BE MADE IN PLAYERS WHO HAVE ALREADY "MADE" IT. Don’t go buy yourself a ridiculously expensive Pujols card and expect to make any money off of it. Even if he does break every record in the book, its not going to appreciate all that much. I mean when you spend 1500 on a high grade RC, another 100-200 is a minimal gain when you consider how long you would have to hold it.

Really, it comes down to this simplistic view: If you don’t like the crap you are collecting, and you are only doing it to make money, go somewhere else. There is no reason to hold out hope here. Its pretty obvious to a select few people that investing in cards is crap, but there are waaaaaaay too many people who cant see the forest for the trees.

The Fourth Blog Bat Around - Dinged Corners

I am so glad that its bat time of the month again, and Patricia from Dinged Corners has graciously agreed to host the Bat Around this time around. The topic and rules are posted on the site, I encourage you to go and participate.

Here is the topic for the fourth Bat Around:

Which baseball card or set currently available do you believe will be valuable in ten years? In other words, no matter what happens with the player(s) or industry going forward--injury, steroid accusations, drugs, gambling charges, the demise or ascendancy of Topps and Upper Deck--what single card or set do you believe is an absolute BUY and HOLD?

DO NOT POST THINGS HERE. GO TO DINGED CORNERS.

The Second Blog Bat Around

Wow, this thing has gotten bigger, if that was even a question before. I gotta say, I had more fun with this Bat Around than I did with it's dad, mainly because you guys have some awesome centerpieces. Hopefully we can keep it this size when Dave from Fielder's Choice hosts it next month. Keep on the look out, ill have a post here to make sure you guys know. Again, great job, it only shows what we are capable of, and you didnt even need to buy a stupid magazine to see what we are all about.

Without further adieu:

Sports Cards Uncensored - My experience with Kirby Puckett.

Bad wax - Chem has selected a 1909 Sammy Strang card as his centerpiece. I agree with him that the card reminds me of a simpler time when it was just a game. Its always cool to see pre-war cards too, because I wish I had some.

Stats On The Back - This post is worth reading because his centerpiece(s) are awesome. Just check out that Pat Sheridan card, just total Rambisosity of the Kurt variety.

The Easy Life - Steve has a really nice Marmol/Soto dual auto that he pulled as his focus, which I respect, because I could never pull anything even close to that cool.

Nennth Inning - Man, the Lincecum in this post is really, really nice, and could be the next card worth a ton from that set. Bailey is lucky because he picked up a potential high grade copy for next to nothing.

Padrographs - The collection of IP and TTM autos on this post is amazing, and yes, thankfully, Mickey and Minnie Mouse do sign through the mail. We havent confirmed if it is a ghost signer, but we think it is legit.

Pauls Stuff - Jeff Innis. Most of you havent heard of him, myself included, but Paul has a nice collection of Innis stuff. All your Innis are belong to Paul.

JB's Topps Blog - His centerpieces are the cards that finish his sets, and I feel your pain. For the record, the order I got the links is the order they are put on. Sorry bud.

Sports Card Info - Andrew's piece is a Willie Stargell ball, and ill tell you, I have a soft spot for personalized autos. I long for them, Andrew has them.

Chuck's Used Cards - Another prewar card, but this one is a biggie, a Ty Cobb T205. I am quite jealous despite the poor condition. Wow.

Saints of the Cheap Seats - This post is about something that I have myself, memories passed down from father to son. Danny's father passed down his auto book from the WWII era, and I must say I am thoroughly impressed.

Superfractor - I know that on the podcast he has mentioned all the nice Ortiz cards he has, but this one is ridiculous. Check out the post and see what an Ortiz centerpiece should look like.

Voice of the Collector - I dont think I have seen a nicer collection of amazing RC cards as in this post. The Ripken and the Ryan are amazing enough just to check this out.

Night Owl Cards - 1 post, 1 of the most colorful sets ever produced. He did trade a Hank Aaron for a Ron Cey, but at least, he was happy. I guess thats all that matters.

Sports. Cards. Life. - Still one of the better titled blogs of late, Paul talks about future conquests for a centerpiece as he has just started back into things. I hope he has a deep checkbook for those!

Garvey Cey Russel Lopes - GCRL talks about his Jim Lefebver card, and I spent like 10 minutes trying to pronounce the last name.

Dinged Corners - Lucy loves her Japanese Pokemon card, and her David Wright, "because." I cant argue with that. Although the lunchboxes from Patricia are really cool, I couldnt help but laugh at how awesome the thought processes of a child are.

Wax Heaven - Mario's site started out as Canseco Completist, he showcases the card that got him back into the game. Im sure we are all happy he found it.

Nachos Grande - A Reds card from dad is more than enough to spark a collection, Im glad a lot of people focused on treasured cards that may not be the most expensive ones they have. I agree with the post here, Dad is a great person to thank.

Need Mo Morneau - Dusty has a pic with Ryne Sandberg and I am in awe of people who manage to produce the pic that the auto came from. I almost like the pics better than the autos themselves. The auto he got from Ryne is nice, but the pic is my favorite.

BoxBusters - Game 4 ticket stubs are good in my book if you are a Cards fan, especially because there is nothing better than a WS won at home.

White Sox Cards - Steve still has the card from the first pack he opened, that is truly impressive, even if it is Alfredo Griffin. Also, I think this is the second post with that card in it that has been featured in a Bat Around? Are we starting a trend here?

Cardboard Junkie - Dayf has a simply awe inspiring Braves collection, and his vintage portion seems to be the best I have seen in a while. If you are cool with losing 20 minutes in gazing upon his cards, please click. You will be sucked in, I warn you, so devote proper time.

Trader's Cracks - Ryan has to have one of the biggest oddball Joe Carter cards out there. Its amazing that the card he focused on came out of a cereal box. Amazing.

Old School Breaks - The story behind this Hank Aaron card is awesome, please do yourself a favor and check it out. Like I said before, the connection between dad and son in this hobby is always underappreciated by the people who dont get what it means to be a collector.

Green Monster - Talk about a monster from Green Monster. That Ted Williams card is ridiculously sweet, and I have a feeling the rest of his Sawks collection is similar in awesomeness.

Thoughts and Sox - This post documents a really, really nice collection, and of course, more Ted Williams. I am so jealous as this collection displays some real doozies. Plus the Roe glove? Awesome.

Cardboard Addiction - Outside the box is the name of the game here, but it is cool that he has cards of the kids. I am thinking that would be something cool to give out at the first birthday. At least you have something embarassing to show at their graduation party.

Blue Heaven - What I would give to have been at that show. Koufax, Campy and company? I would give an arm and a leg. The picture that was signed is quite amazing too. Really cool story here.

Hawk to the Hall - Charlie talks about meeting Andre Dawson (naturally) and getting the centerpiece of his collection signed in person

Free Andy LaRoche - This posts talks about the collection as a centerpiece, and I agree on some parts. My IP and TTM auto collection itself is a centerpiece of sorts, so this falls in with the truth in my mind.

I Am Joe Collector - Wow, a whole wonderbread box filled with boxed sets, that rocks in so many ways. Add in the "YOU CRASH THE GAME" redemption set, and you get a winner.

Houston Card Collector - This post presents something that a lot of us go through when writing these posts. Is my centerpiece the most valuable card in my collection or is it the one that means the most. It may be both.

Acheiver Card Blog - Funny post. Tragically Motherscratcher died yesterday writing this post on his computer. May he rest in peace. Dibs on his blog!

Fielder's Choice - I thought it would be only fitting to end the second Bat Around with our host for next month. Dave has some pretty awesome pieces in his Mattingly and Longo collections, so be sure to see this post.

Wow, that was a blast and a half. Ill say this, after going through the order in two consecutive innings, we must be up 100 runs. I am still pissed that Padrographs missed the sign on the squeeze bunt in the second inning, though. Dammit, keep your head in the game!

Thanks again for participating, this is really a massive thing to get everyone together on one topic. We have shown, now, for the second time that the card blogs are the number one info source in the industry, not some magazine of dorks in Texas. See, I had to get one Beckett shot in there!

Same Bat Time next month, but different Bat Channel. Mark your calendars.

Blog Bat Around - Holy Crap This Is Going to Be Big

So far we are at 30 and counting, I have a feeling there are more on the way. Please remember to have them in by tonight, I have finished the write ups for the ones I got so far, so extra time will be given if you contact me first. Your post will be at the bottom, but it will be on there.

Thanks again for making the Bat Around awesome, I am so happy that we can organize something huge like this.

Reminder: Bat Around Articles Due Wednesday

For those of you who will be participating, your articles are due Wednesday, or they will not be added to the original posting, I will be working on the submitted articles first, and posting that, then yours will be added as soon as I have time, so please get them on time. It takes an unusual amount of time to get the whole post done, because blogger seems to poop itself every time I want to post something with 30 plus links, so please give me advanced time to prepare by being nice and submitting asap.

I have every link so far that has been emailed or commented on the site, so dont worry if you already have yours done. I also read most of the blogs, so I even did a courtesy to those who posted but didnt comment or email.

To get your link added to the Bat Around, please send a link to your blog's post, and I will add it. You can comment below, or email me at sportscardsuncensored@gmail.com.

EDIT: I MUST BE HIGH BECAUSE I THOUGHT TODAY WAS WEDNESDAY.

Blog Bat Around - Keep 'Em Coming

Guys, the bat around is coming along very nicely, and I even would go so far as to say the articles have made me want to go out and buy a few things just from reading about your centerpieces.

Please remember to have your submission done and posted on your blog by Wednesday so I can have time to do a write up. If you dont have a blog and want to write a post, I will be happy to host it on SCU for you. Also, maybe it wouldnt hurt to start your own place to write.

Thanks again for making this possible.

Details For The Second Blog Bat Around

Since the first blog bat around was AMAZING, I think its time that we move on to the second time through the order. Thank you to everyone who participated the first time, it was exactly what I wanted to see - discussion. If you dont believe me, I got more emails about that post and how awesome it was than I did the entire month before. Hopefully your blogs got some hits and readers off of it too. Regardless, please participate again to keep the discussion open.

Here are the rules if you are unfamiliar:

-This is an open forum, anyone may participate at any time. I will not discriminate, nor will I leave you out if we dont agree.

-Please make your article at least semi-relevant to the topic. You can be as creative as you want, but keep the general topic in mind. If its about Book Value, you can go on a relevant Beckett rant, but dont do a product review of Masterpieces, something like that.

-Keep your article PG or PG-13, I really wont censor it, but I think that to include the maximum amount of people, this is necessary.

- Please give your article a title, and mark it so its easy to find when you give me the link. If you want your full name included and not just your blog title, put it in there somewhere.

- Give us something to read, so dont give me 2 sentences and call it a day. Make this a normal post, as you would want your readers to see it as a normal part of your blog.

- You do not have to include the topic in your post.

- Please comment somewhere on the site or email me the link to your article with any special instructions.

Time:

The Second Bat Around will be posted sometime during Friday morning on the 19th of December. If you have not written your article by then, you are not banned, but your link will be at the bottom of the list. Please have your post to me by Wednesday the 17th at midnight at the latest. I thought one day was enough last time, but there were so many awesome pieces that it took me a long ass time. Either way, please post on your site, do not send me a word doc. If you do not have a blog but want to post, I will accept guest posts on this site.

Topic:

We all have blogs that focus on the hobby, but its few and far between where I get to see your favorite/best piece of your collection. It does not have to be a card or worth a million dollars, it just needs to be a part of your sports collection. Please post your favorite(s) on the post, and go from there.

Some questions you may want to answer:

How did you get it? How much did it cost? What is the value today? What makes this item the centerpiece of your collection? Would you ever sell it?

Also, with the enormous number of player/team collectors out there today, has the focus shifted away from obtaining a centerpiece to build around to becoming more of a quantity thing? Has the hobby created 1/1 monsters that dont focus on the sentiment and memories behind the cards? Do you attach memories to your favorite pieces?

Remember, Wednesday the 17th at midnight.

EDIT: This is the last Bat Around I would like to host. Hopefully we can get another blog on board for next time. I will advertise it here, so dont worry about publicity.

The Inaugural Blog Bat Around

Gents, this type of gathering of the minds has never really been attempted in our line of Blogging, and thanks to everyone, I definitely consider it a success. Blogs have always been the defacto source of opinion and commentary on the net, and just recently have they caught on with sports cards. Im happy they have.

When I first saw this idea on some of the other blogs I frequent, I was intrigued to get it going for the sports card community, mainly because its very tough to find eloquent and insightful commentary on a single topic without tons of "ur a homo" and "stop being an idiot" posts that you would get with the spurts of topics on a message board.

Also, with an open forum of commentary, we tend to get a lot of different perspectives from people who we may not encounter very often. Mario, Dayf and I may get tons of hits every day (Mario in particular), but for everyone of us, there are 10 who dont. Hopefully they will finally have a "mainstream" outlet here and on the future hosts of this tribal council.

Without further adieu, I will get on to the posts themselves. For those of you who have submitted, thank you, for those of you still working, please email me to get your link added as soon as possible. Remember, this is not a contest, and there is no winner, just a way to hear more voices in the fray. Please do your best to visit every link, I guarantee you it will be worth your while. I have not organized the links at any order, so please do not send me hate mail that yours is at the bottom, I just threw it together. Thanks, and lets begin.

Sports Cards Uncensored - Im not going to paraphrase my own post. Check out the others.

The Easy Life - Steve is a set collector who likes to build his babies from the packs he buys at local retail outlets, he has written a pretty good piece, and I would say I have to applaud him for sticking with it, mainly because of how difficult it is to build a set the way he does.

White Sox Cards - Most of you know this blog because he is a great promoter, but also because he has amassed a huge collection of a team that he loves. Check out his post to get a glimpse into the way that a White Sox collector can actually live with himself (just kidding, Twins still rule!).

Skating in Sand - Mr. Awkward Moment describes a lot of what new collectors go through when they come to/come back to the hobby, or what he likes to call "Overwhelmed." I think that is a perfect way to look at it.

Dinged Corners - Patricia has an awesome and unique blog and has an even more unique tag she has used for her habits: National Collector. Her, lucy and company have some really cool examples of their Asian player collection, Im sure that everyone will enjoy their explanation of a guy known for using a hankercheif on the mound. Weird in a cool way.


West Virginia Cards - Billy Suter talks about being a small town collector in his post, and I think that is a pretty tough existence in this hobby. Without a shop near him, its cool to see he has built up a gigantic 28K+ collection.

Paul's Random Stuff - Paul is a mets collector and an autograph collector, and I think he crosses over two spots that a lot of us are in, mainly collecting actual autographs and collecting one specific team, and then combining that into a nice collection. Its been a long time since the amazins and I feel his pain.

Cougar Cards - This post details one of the toughest types of collectors out there, someone who collects a college, rather than a certain pro team or pro player. What this means is a lot of prospecting and a lot of cross sport collecting. I give him props for pulling that off as well as he has.

Waxaholic - Captain Canuck is a newer type of set collector that has developed over the last few years, or the guy who gets tired with all the crap they put in a set to make sure that its an accomplishment when you are done. He is trying to live a non short print life in a short print world, good luck buddy.


Hawk to the Hall - Charlie has disappeared for a while, but comes back strong with his post on being a player collector of a retired star and being a team collector. Hopefully after this post, he can come back full strength.

Night Owl Cards - Night Owl is also a set collector and I got the anti-SP whiff from him too, he built his love off of Lou Thornton, and im sure Sweet Lou (I dont care if he isnt sweet, all Lou's are forever "Sweet Lous" to me), is proud. Night Owl is a guy I would love to sit down with and talk shop because he uses cards as a way to get in deep with the game. Learning is always key, especially in baseball.

Voice of the Collector - Two words: MAN CAVE. Awesome. Rob is a player collector with two kids, and Im sure a lot of you out there are in a similar position. He has to make choices that many make, and it was cool to see what his decisions have led to.

The Nennth Inning - This blog is really well designed and didnt hurt my eyes. Keep that in mind people. Either way, he is a player and team collector, and I know he has recently come into some money now that Lincecum has become Captain Firetosser for the NL. I identify with him quite a bit because my habits of collecting Twins and Mauer are similar to his with the Giants and Lincecum and company.

Need Mo' Morneau - The Morneau Monster needs more collectors and I was happy to see this blog come about. As the title of the blog suggests, he is not just a player collector, but a unique one. He is one of the collectors that collects a player that is chosen because he is a beast rather than because he is from the guy's hometown team. I was interested to read this.

Cardboard Addiction - Joe is something I thought I would see more of, but really didnt. He is more of a general collector with a tinge of Red Sox nation running through his blood. I think he has taken on a tough task in trying to put together the 52 Topps Set with the Mantle, but I wish him the best of luck.

Tribe Cards - Another central division rival, another awesome post. We all know he is a team collector first and foremost, but damn, he is also pretty damn organized. That was cool to see, we definitely need more shelf pictures around the sphere. I know there are some crazy people out there when designing their display.

The Fleer Sticker Project - Im not really sure how to describe this post, but he collects comics and therefore he is cool in my book. I want to say that oddballs are the focus here, but really there is much more that I cant really put into better words than he did. I really like the Wacky Package thing though, very cool.

BoxBusters - Team collecting is the name of the game, and he was inspired by one of the best to start collecting cardinals. This site is very nicely put together, so please check out the cool posts on team collecting, and of course, box busting.

Sports. Cards. Life. - Paul is the chief graphic designer for SCU and he finally started up his own blog. He posts about being quality over quantity collector just like myself, and I think its pretty cool that people are using this topic as a jumping off point for their blog's beginnings.

Garvey Cey Russell Lopes - My man GCRL has documented his life as a collector of Steve Garvey, the Dodgers, and more specifically the infield of the Dodger team he grew up with. He has explained something that I love, mainly that he aint gonna be givin up any time soon, and that is awesome.

Stats On The Back - mmosley goes over his collection in a way that was very easy to read. He first describes what he was and then what he is, and even goes into a list of what he collects. He gives himself a C+, I think that is modest.

Green Monster - Star is a man who collects sets and dabbles in team collecting, and I think he does a very good job of laying out his habits. I think he is part of a good chunk of the blogosphere that does the same thing, and I am starting to wonder why the manufacturers dont cater to them more often if there are this many. Good post.

Cardboard Junkie - Dayf labels his post as 'silliness' and I dont really know what else to say. He has been around longer than most, and is a self proclaimed collector of everything there is, so I have to give it up for that. He also posts some weird dragon images, and other stuff, so yeah, wow on this one.


Achiever Card Blog - Motherscratcher and his little urban achievers have a post about turning into a set collector after originally being a second worlder. He talks about a dilemma that a lot of people have with cleaning out old cards, I know my dad had to do the same thing.

MLB Collector - SBJ is a set collector with a death wish - just messing with you - he busts blaster and boxes trying to build sets of stuff he likes. Another Mets fan too, I found that interesting that he was. What happens when you mix a blaster with a Pedro game used? A trip to target for underoos and another blaster. Thats what.

Fielders Choice - Dave has been a favorite blogger of mine for a while, mainly because he is one of the only second and first worlders out there. As he puts it, he loves Heritage and Goudey, but also Ballpark Collection and Sweet Spot. Good read here, found out some stuff I didnt know.

Treasure Never Buried - JV is known for being a very good writer and I agree. He says he doesnt know what type of collector he is because he collects too many different types of things, all tied to memories from his life. I say he is a memory lane collector, and its really cool to read about.

Trader's Cracks - Ryan is one of the only non sport collectors in the Bat Around, and although he isnt exclusively non sport, he has a pretty good collection of awesome stuff. If you dont have an A-Team card, you arent cool.

Olagato House - Nichole collects all sorts of paper related stuff, and after reading this, Im not sure what kind of card collector is described in this post but I do know that a pretty avid collector is the name of the game here. I think its pretty cool what this blog is all about.

Padrographs - Rod collects everything Padres including a busty collection of in person style and TTM autos. He even hints at an A-Z type collection, and that is really an awesome feat. I like reading about people who get in on the IP/TTM auto stuff because its something we can all have fun with, and we all appreciate.

Thoughts and Sox - Another sawks team collector, and I gotta say, it even looks like a region collector too because it seems like he has a big collection of everything New England. Its always cool to see the way people get into this biz, and I guess we can all thank different people for it. I liked his story, check it out.

Awesomely Bad Wax - Mike's site is the place to go for TTM autos and prospect reports and his post is great. I dont have enough time to post a paragraph on it, so go check it out.

Bdj610's Topps Card Blog - its cool that Jay Bee gets to close this beast out for now, because he is the only "brand collector" in this thing. I loved reading about how he got into things, and man 42,072 is quite robust and quite down to the single! Wow. Be sure to go read this and finish up your Bat Around.

I think thats about it, and I must say it was a marathon of awesomosity. You guys came through bigger than I ever thought possible, and what we have is a great thing here. I would also like to thank all of you who gave me a new site to read, I have to admit, I hadnt been to every blog on this list. After, however, I wish I had.

There were so many responses, Im sure I missed at least one. If I did, please let me know.

Who's up for hosting next? Haha.

Details For The First Blog Bat Around - Please Read If You Are Participating

Disclaimer: You did not need to reply to the last post to participate. This is completely open.

I think there is enough interest to get this going, so here is what I would like to see happen. The first part of the details is pretty much the rules, the second part is the topic for the Bat Around, and that is open to your interpretation. Please make sure you do what you need to do at least partially, and I will make sure you get on the page for the finished product. I would hope that a lot of people contribute, and I think the more we get, the Merrier. Not everyone reads or likes this site, but I would still expect that they would want to participate, so pass the word along. Advertise on your own site if you would like, it is your article/post that will be up there, so the more people that read the Bat Around, the more people come to your site.

Rules:

-Please make your article at least semi-relevant to the topic. You can be as creative as you want, but keep the general topic in mind. If its about Book Value, you can go on a relevant Beckett rant, but dont do a product review of Masterpieces, something like that.

-Keep your article PG or PG-13, I really wont censor it, but I think that to include the maximum amount of people, this is necessary.

- Please give your article a title, and mark it so its easy to find when you give me the link. If you want your full name included and not just your blog title, put it in there somewhere.

- Give us something to read, so dont give me 2 sentences and call it a day. Make this a normal post, as you would want your readers to see it as a normal part of your blog.

- You do not have to include the topic in your post.

- Please comment here or email me the link to your article with any special instructions.

The first Bat Around will be posted sometime during Friday morning. If you have not written your article by then, you are not banned, but your link will be at the bottom of the list. Please have your Post to me by Thursday at midnight at the latest. Please post on your site, do not send me a word doc. If you do not have a blog but want to post, I will accept guest posts on this site.

Topic:

Most of us classify ourselves as some type of collector in this industry. Player collector, team collector, set collector, auto collector, first world, second world, among thousands of other labels. As you have navigated the hobby, what are the biggest challenges you face as that type of collector or label of hobby enthusiast? What have been your biggest successes/failures? What would you like to see the manufacturers focus on to make your type of collector flourish in the hobby? Feel free to provide blog examples, scans, poems, haikus, bar napkin messages, medical prescriptions, etc as complements to your posts. If you feel your type has been covered on another blog, tell us how you do things the same or differently. If you dont identify yourself as a type, explain why, or explain how you think of yourself. You do not have to answer any or all of the questions asked here.

Remember, thursday at midnight.