Welcome to the 8th year of my annual threads tracking my baseball additions throughout the year! Links to previous years:
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
2017 |
2016 |
2015
One change that I'm making this year is in addition to sharing my pickups, I'm also going to be using this thread as a space to share some hobby thoughts and other things that are on my mind over time. I'm keeping that very free form and open ended, but in general, I think I'll enjoy being able to think through some various topics as they come up and articulate them. I have come to enjoy some YouTube channels that share this type of collecting commentary, and I've considered doing the same, but for now I think I'll keep it in text form here. Hopefully others can get something out of it as well. But if nothing else, I think it will be a fun little addition to my year in collecting and hopefully spark some conversation here and there
I like to kick off this thread each year by listing out my goals for the new year. Here's what I came up with for 2023:
1. Keep doing what I've been doing
I found it a little difficult to come up with new tangible goals for myself this year, and in thinking through why that is, I realized it's because I'm pretty content with how I collected in 2022. The shortest way I can sum up how I collect is simply collecting what I like, and not worrying about much other than that. There are so many distractions, noise, and drama in the hobby today, and voices telling you what you should/shouldn't do, what products or players are good or bad, and so on. And some of that is helpful to hear. But for me, the true essence of the hobby should always just be picking up cards you like. Simple as that. That takes several forms for me, and of course the focuses can change periodically, but at the end of the day, if you just collect what you like and don't worry about what you "should" do, what others are doing, and especially not if you can make some money or not, that's a formula to have a really good time with the hobby. So all that said, I think I did a good job about collecting how I wanted to in 2022, and I pretty much just want to keep that going this year.
2. Complete version 2.0 of my website
This goal has been a work in progress for a few years now. V1.0 of my site has been done for several years too, and it's great, but I've been working on some enhancements that will take it to the next level. V2.0 basically entails cataloging all Twins cards and entering them into my database up front (before getting a copy of each card). This is a massive undertaking to inventory the entire history of Twins cards 1961-present, but it makes everything else so smooth. V1.0 does not have cards preloaded, as I am entering in cards as I acquire them. Switching to the preloaded V2.0 allows for easier adding of cards when I get something new, along with much better and more consistent want lists. I currently have all Twins lists typed up from 1961-2022, and I've been working through auditing each checklist and loading the final version to my site. That piece is done from 1961-1970. It's a long, long process, but the payoff will be worth it.
Once that is complete, I will have a few more admin functions to create/modify that bubble up while working through that process, and then I'll need to convert all of my PC data from V1.0 form to V2.0 form. That will take some time, but shouldn't be too difficult. And once I'm done with that, then all I need to do is stay up to date with inventorying new releases as they come out over time. My website has been a labor of love for a long time now, and polishing up the next major iteration of the site continues to be a top long term goal for myself.
3. Bump up complete Twins sets on the priority list
This is prompted by buying a few Twins complete sets from some recent products in 2022. As I open very minimal wax these days, I'm not getting many single base cards in anymore, and it's a little annoying to pay shipping costs for individual base cards. I realized there are plenty of sellers out there that put together team sets for just a few bucks. I really enjoyed getting a few base sets (i.e. flagship, update, GQ) checked off in one swoop from a seller that had each listed for just a couple bucks, and it was a good cost effective way to bang out some easy Twins wants. This year, I'd like to periodically do the same
The other component of this is prioritizing my 1960s Twins Topps sets a little bit higher, too. The vintage sets are really cool, but I've noticed I tend to put them on the back burner in exchange for modern stuff of the guys I grew up watching and are currently active today. Makes complete sense and I'm not upset about that, but I would like to make more of an effort on filling out my vintage Twins sets too. I realized there is really only one bigger card in that Twins base Topps project (Carew RC), there will be a number of $10-40 cards in there as well, but it shouldn't be as expensive or difficult as I may have unconsciously been thinking it may be. Hoping that making this a visible goal for myself here in this thread will help keep the Twins from the 60s Topps sets on my mind and a little more of an active focus in 2023!
4. Think about what my long term goals are
As I stated above, I am pretty content in the hobby right now. But at the same time, I find myself thinking a fair amount about what I actually want to get out of this long term. This is one of the reasons why I'll be putting some brain dumps of my thoughts on different things over time, as there are a lot of topics within this idea that I'm sure I'll be thinking through, and it'll be helpful to spell them out and share with the public. I have a few ideas of things that would be really cool to do in/for the hobby long term - One thing that I'd really like to do is become a well known resource for other Twins collectors looking for information and such on various Twins cards. My website goes hand in hand with that and I'd love to get it to a point where the Twins checklists and set information is publicly available beyond just for my use behind the scenes. Elsewhere, I have an idea for a collecting project that I don't think has ever been done before, and potentially could open up an avenue to writing a book about it one day if that ends up being a route I want to take. I have a couple of cool ideas, but I do still find myself thinking from time to time stuff like "why do I actually enjoy this stuff?", or "what's the point of all this?", or "what are my actual goals?". All of those are big questions that won't be answered in the short term, but I think it's great to actively engage with those types of things and be proactive about making sure your version of the hobby continues to be what you'd like it to be, and I'm hoping I can continue to find more clarity on all of that as I move forward
----------
We gotta share some new cards in this initial post, too! I have a few cards that I've added to my collection already in the new year:
The first addition of the new year was a 2022 TCU Refractor /299 of Jose Miranda. Miranda had a really great rookie season and has a really bright future. His prices have been strong out of the gate, but I've tried to pick up a few here and there and he's definitely someone I'm chasing
The second is another exciting 2022 Twins rookie, a 2022 Independence Day /76 of Jhoan Duran. This dude has absolutely electric stuff and should be a perennial All-Star. I always find good bullpen guys really fun to collect, as the money in the hobby generally doesn't care about them, leaving a lot of really good cards available for great price points. Like Miranda, Duran is someone I don't have a lot of cards of yet, but another subject I'm definitely keeping an eye out for
And lastly for today, a 2003 Home Team Advantage Mauer/Morneau. This card is one of my favorites of all time, having 2 of the best Twins players in franchise history and 2 of my personal favorite players from before either of them hit it off in the majors. In 2021 I was able to complete the full rainbow of this card from Topps Chrome, and now the rainbow from flagship is a top bucket list goal. I am down to just needing a black /52, which is a pretty tough one. But I love all versions of this card, just so cool to me to see some all time great Twins together on a card as prospects
