Dreams Really Do Come True

Trade Post From Johnny's Trading Spot

When the Angels won the Ohtani sweepstakes recently, I was stoked; a little reserved about the hype of his abilities, I’m giving it a wait and see, but stoked about the potential that’s there, and that he chose the Angels. With that came the realization that I’ll be needing his Angels cards for my team sets. With his first year or MLB rookie cards a hot commodity, and probably next to impossible for me to obtain, let alone afford, I figured I’d have to wait a year, and maybe I’d get a second year card in a trade from a nice blogger. I don’t buy as much product as I used to so that will also decrease my chances of a good first-year or rookie card pull for the phenom.

I remember when Mike Trout was coming up, all the hype about him and his potential, but I don’t recall Topps having an overly tight grip on his rookie card, or the public panic to clear the shelves of Topps product in search of them. I might be mistaken, but I seem to recall readily available and abundant 2011 Topps Update rack packs, so much so that I was able to pull at least 5 Trout rookies out of the around 20-25 rack packs I purchased over the course of several weeks. 

Another indicator Ohtani will be a hard pull is the way product including Aaron Judge's RC seemingly never even made it to the shelves around here, so I'm assuming there will no opportunity to pull Shotani cards. At least not this year.

So all this has me thinking I might never have an Ohtani first year card.

But wait.

There are bloggers out there, very generous bloggers out there, and one of the most generous just sent me this:

I had to email John and ask if this was maybe a mistake, if he accidently sent it to me.

No mistake, he said.

I don't know if this is considered a rookie card or not, but to me it doesn't matter.

To me it represents a card that I thought I might never have.

And it's a beaut!

I honestly don't know much about Topps Now, but I do know that I don't have the budget for Topps Now.

I'm just not sure about them, don't know what to think.

I'm old-school, you get the card you pull from the pack, you don't get to make them up as you go along. But now I'm beginning to see the niche for these, I'm beginning to kinda get it.

And this one is super cool.

I'm stoked to have it.

 Lemme catch my breath now.

John sent a team bag full of other great Angels cards including just about every one of Reggie Jackson's. Love that follow through.

A whole bunch of 2004 Cracker Jack, this sweet Tim Salmon Tattoo included.

A classic 2000 Fleer Tradition die-cut card of Jeff Davanon.

Great little 1985 Fleer sticker that also serves as a Sweepstakes card.

Wow John, super happy.

Thanks.