Potpourri for $200, Alex

This'll be a hodge podge post of updates that don't really deserve they're own post, hence the Jeopardy title.

First up, this is a last call for the Blaster Fantasy League. We hit my goal of at least 10 players (9 right now plus one who promised to join tonight) but there's room for two more if there is interest. The draft is set for this Saturday night so get in while you still can. Blasters galore and a chance to win a signed Ripken book. If you're not in the league, this will probably be the last you hear of it until prize time.

Next, I have added a new tab above listing my Opening Day wants. While you're at it, take a look at my 2013 Topps wants too. I'll be hitting a card show the weekend after next but I'd rather work out some trades.

I have responded to everybody who made a claim on inserts yesterday. If somebody wants me to take a look at their base needs for OD, let me know. Ty, my intended recipient, will be buying a complete set separately and doesn't need them.  If you missed yesterday's post, I have marked what's claimed but there's still a bunch there.

And finally, for visual interest, I picked up an autographed version of the Josh Vitters Spring Fever card.

This was the most plentiful of the 3 Cubs available, numbered out of 451. I'm not sure of the significance of that number but the Anthony Rizzo is numbered to 68 while the Andre Dawson is numbered to 51. Those are still commanding some pretty ridiculous amounts so I'm content with this one for now.

Spring Fever!

With Spring Training fully underway and games starting for all the clubs either yesterday or today, I thought I'd throw a friendly reminder out to those interested in joining my Fantasy Baseball League. The entry fee is reasonable and the prizes aren't too shabby, if I do say so myself. Click the tab up above for more details and sign up now!

With that out of the way, I thought I'd show off the latest additions to the collection. These Spring Fever cards are part of a 50 card set that was/is available in 5 card packs from your local card shop from 2/20-2/27 if you managed to pull this card from a pack:

I like to support local card shops when I can but my nearest participating one is about 45 minutes away. So I headed over to ebay to see what Cubs were featured instead. I managed to find one seller who had all 3 Cubs and therefore got a pretty good deal on them. They showed up in Friday's mail after having my best offer accepted on Tuesday so not too shabby.

I did manage to pull one of the redemption cards from my box a few weeks ago but thought it was just a pack filler and didn't pay much attention to it then. I may call the store and make the drive if they still have any of the packs available. I need to pick up some supplies anyway as I've been on a pretty big organizing kick this year. Don't want to lose any momentum!

In hand, the cards look somewhere in between what Collecting the Cubs showed off on Thursday and the scans I have below. The background is more blue like his photos, but they are refractory, hence the rainbow striping on my scans.

I like that each of the three players selected have their own story that ties into Spring Training. Josh Vitters is vying for a spot on the team at a pretty wide open third base. Anthony Rizzo had a great spring last year and after a little more Triple-A work was brought up mid-season and was one of the bigger highlights on an otherwise dismal season. And Andre Dawson joined the Cubs during Spring Training in 1987, the season he would go on to win the MVP award.

I'd like to pick up the signed versions as well but demand is high right now and the prices are on the overpriced side. Either it cools off and I'll grab them later or they dry up and I live without. I have autographs from all three of these guys already on other cards so it's not too big a deal if I don't.