Top of the Stack: An Argyle Envelope

As many of us seem to be this time of year, I too have fallen vastly behind on trade posts.  My desk is covered with envelopes that I've tried to keep cards in so I can remember who sent me what.  This post actually is going to highlight one of my more recent trades, not because I like it any more than the others, but simply because I remember it with 100% certainty and won't mess it up.  I'll get around to the other trade posts soon... I just can't guarantee I'll have complete recollection.  

Today's cards come to you courtesy Greg over at Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle.  He was one of the very first bloggers I ever encountered and traded with back when I started writing last year.  He sent me some truly awesome cards back then and didn't disappoint this time around either.

Greg sent me a good number of cards featuring Braves pitching and seemed to have a particular interest in Tom Glavine.  Both of these cards are beautiful specimens.  I especially enjoy the second card featuring Glavine getting ready to take some BP.  This has always been one of my pet-peeves about modern baseball.  Over the years, pitchers have gotten worse and worse at hitting the baseball.  I think a lot of it has to do with the way pitchers are pampered today (especially in the college system).  Coaches are so afraid something is going to happen to their arms that they won't even let them swing the bat in practice.

I've heard of college coaches forcing pitchers to change batting sides because they don't want the pitcher's throwing arm exposed.  I myself throw right-handed and bat lefty.  I couldn't ever imagine doing it differently.  Everything else seems unnatural.

I guess that is part of the reason I love this kind of card so much.  It shows pitchers who are actually playing the game of baseball as opposed to only being used to throw 90mph (which Glavine can't do anyways).  I will forever be a National League fan because of this.  I love seeing pitchers swing the bat.

I was also sent a pretty cool 88 Topps of Ken Griffey Sr.  I'm sure I have this card floating around in the unsorted monstrous part of my collection, but I like this junk wax era card.  For an 80's era card, I think that overlay work with the Braves titling and Griffey's head is actually very well done.  Too bad if you disagree.

Greg also sent me a bunch of these.  These being 2011 Topps.  Now, I have 2011 Topps, but these are different.  I'm not sure if these are from some kind of "special" factory set or what.  I know that there are different types of factory sets out there (holiday, hobby, there's usually some featuring certain teams...), but I don't know if EVERY factory set is printed in this fashion because I've never actually busted one.

These cards all had "factory set limited edition" printed on them.  At least Greg was kind enough to send me quite a few of them, so I don't feel like this card is a complete oddball.

The real draw of the trade with these two beauties.  Greg actually initially reached out to me just with pictures of these two cards.  The rest of what he sent me was simply the kindness of his heart.

Aaron Northcraft has been floating around in the minors for a while now and I guarantee that sticker auto is from years ago.  He was part of the somewhat recent Justin Upton trade sending him to the Padres farm system.  He's not an especially touted prospect, so I don't expect overly much from him.

Lucas Sims is a much younger pitcher drafted in the first round of the 2012 draft.  He's currently in the top 10 of Braves prospect rankings within a completely loaded farm system.  Although he probably won't find his way up this year, he certainly appears to have a plus fastball with the "ability to hit 96 with athletic ease."

Thanks for the trade Greg!