Blog Bat Around: Oh, Oh, Oh, It's Magic (Infinity Wars BBA)

Long time, no post. I've been busy, as usually seems to be the case. Personal stuff, work stuff. Blah blah blah, same as always. I want to post regularly, of course, but life gets in the way. However, I think I'll have some more time most weeks through June, so I should be back in a routine soon.

Meanwhile, it's time to tackle a new Blog Bat Around. Via Fuji, this idea comes from Matt at Diamond Jesters. As Fuji explains, the idea comes from Avengers: Infinity War... a movie I've yet to see. But see it or not, you'll get the idea:

The first question has some interesting side effects. Given my collection, I'd have to assume that all of my sets would now be half-complete. Or, would it be that half of my complete sets would disappear? If my sets were to become half-finished, that would essentially mean I'd have to just start over with all of them. (What's cheaper and easier, buying a full 1991 Fleer set or buying 400 commons of 1991 Fleer?) If half of my complete sets vanished, then I'd just have to replace them. For insert sets, either option would be about equal, as I've built them card by card. But for all of those base sets, this makes a big difference.

As for the type collection, I'd lose a ton of cards. No particular card in that collection is very sentimental to me, but I'd lose over 5000 cards. Only 1000 of those would be base cards, leaving 4000 parallels, inserts, hits, and oddballs to hunt for again.

I do have a few other collections that would require a lot of hunting to re-complete or at least rebuild to current levels. Those cards aren't sentimental in general, just a lot of cards and a lot of work.

But what would really hurt would be my personal and player collections. Or, specifically, those hits found in those collections. Many of them are replaceable, but it won't be cheap, or easy. Some of the non-sport cards rarely show up in auctions.

And then, all my Japanese cards and non-sport sets would be at risk. And what happens to all of the 1/1 cards in my collection? Do they completely cease to exist, being stricken from existence? Does someone else have them? Or much like cards damaged in a fire, remain on checklists but become forever unattainable?

Would I do it? Much like Fuji said, it would have to be a mint T-206 master set with all of the errors and variations (front and back). But it wouldn't be (just) for the nostalgia or rarity. It would be to sell it off. Heck, selling a Wagner alone would provide more than enough cash to replace everything lost and then some.

And with plenty of spending money from the other cards, I could really work hard to have a real type collection (as if 28% of all known cards in existence isn't real), and the other collections would be easily tackled. And retire. And spend the rest of my life traveling the world, sightseeing, watching baseball games, and riding roller coasters. Ah, wouldn't that be the life.

Okay, I'm greedy.

As for the second question. I only get one particular card, and a single (other) player's cards and memorabilia are erased from existence. Hmm.

The player is Al Verdel. He played for one single game for the Phillies back in 1944. One inning of relief - three batters faced, with a perfect 0.00 ERA and 0.000 WHIP. And he wouldn't hurt anybody's collection - other than a Wikipedia page and a line in the 1944 statistics books, he's basically forgotten. I would even bet that his family doesn't have his old glove or anything. (It would be nice to think they do, but I chose Verdel because I want to be a nice guy.)

Now, if you think that's cheating, give me any of these players who can't handle their attitudes. Bryce Harper, Rougned Odor, Jose Bautista, just to name a few. Yeah, they have big fan bases because they were hyped or had one clutch moment, but these guys should not be role models. They really aren't that good to begin with (Harper's leading the three with an average around .280... hardly superstar material). They're undeserved divas.

But what card? Again, greed comes into play. Give me every Honus Wagner T206. Or Ty Cobb T206. Or Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps. I'll sell them off and use that money to build my collection and, again, retire early, spending time traveling and enjoying life. I'm not going to hoard them, but just take advantage of the situation.

I also considered adding a truly unique card to my collection. I remember Upper Deck offering a custom cut-signature card about 10-15 years ago, and that would be cool. That gives me an idea for a future post... or even another blog bat around! But that'll have to wait.

Until next time!