Four Letters And A Mystery

First, the mystery: I was browsing eBay and I stumbled across the Bowman autographed card below. If you look closely, you’ll see that it does not look like the signature says “David Bromberg” — in fact, with a little research I found that it is in fact Red’s prospect Robert Stephenson’s signature. Well, errors happen all the time (don’t they, Topps?), but the mystery comes in when I look at checklists for the autograph cards in 2011 Bowman Sterling Prospects (or Bowman Sterling MLB Future Stars, which ever name you choose) and this card is not listed. In addition, I’ve never seen another one listed for auction or sold on eBay, whether refractor or not. This card does not exist anywhere else that I’ve seen.

2011 Bowman Sterling Prospects Refractor #BSP-DB David Bromberg [154/199] (auto ERR)

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And now the four letters…which are of course, G, C, R, and L, and that spells GCRL, proprietor of Garvey Cey Russell Lopes. A package arrived with a nice minor league GU of Kyle Gibson, half of Donruss’ 1965 WS tribute Twins set, and a few other Topps and Bowman singles that I needed. All in exchange for Dodgers cards, which never really feel at home here on my desk and are always looking for a place to go…

clockwise, from top left: 2012 Topps Pro Debut Minor League Materials #MLM-KG Kyle Gibson (jersey); 2012 Topps Gold #111 Kevin Slowey [0188/2012]; 2005 Donruss 1965 Twins #16 Jim “Mudcat” Grant; 2013 Topps Chrome Update #MB-38 Kyle Gibson; 2013 Topps Pro Debut #175 Jose Berrios; 2005 Donruss 1965 Twins #26 Billy Martin

Thanks once more, GCRL!

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N-i-i-i-i-ice

First off, congrats to Brett Graves for being drafted by the A’s in the 3^rd round of the MLB Amateur Draft! They’re not the Twins, but they’re a quality organization.

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Within the process of trading on The Bench and “Gixen-ing” off of eBay, I’ve managed to pick up several nice (or “n-i-i-i-i-ice”) Twins cards.

I found a couple Twins collectors to trade with that netted each of us a healthy stack of cards we needed and just as importantly, enabled us to reduce our supply of duplicates that have built up. There are still a lot of cards left on the trade page, though.

On the eBay front, I added first AU cards for Kohl Stewart, AJ Pierzynski, second AU cards for Bert Blyleven, Joe Mauer, Gary Gaetti, Harmon Killebrew, and a couple serial #’d 1/5 AU cards.

clockwise, from top left: 2013 Bowman Sterling Prospects #BSAP-KS Kohl Stewart (auto); 2006 Topps Co-Signers #CS-42 Joe Mauer / Francisco Liriano (dual auto); 2004 Upper Deck Etchings Etched in Time Silver #ET-BB Bert Blyleven [045/375] (auto); 2013 Topps Heritage Minors Clubhouse Collection Black #CCR-AM Alex Meyer [38/50] (jersey); 1999 Upper Deck SP Signature Edition #AP A.J. Pierzynski (auto); 2005 Bowman Sterling #BS-TH Torii Hunter (bat); 2013 Topps Archives Fan Favorites Autographs #FFA-GG Gary Gaetti (auto); 1999 Hillshire Farms Home Run Heroes Harmon Killebrew (auto)

Also, some Perkins, Sloweys, and Kubels, Stewarts, Jones, and a couple 1-of-5, Santanas, Nathans, and Cracker Jacks, National Pastime, Leaf Certified Mirror Red, and Spectrum