Million Dollar Talents

Each year during the month of October, I show off only pink (and shades of pink like magenta, peach, etc) to help raise awareness of Breast Cancer, a leading cause of death for females in the United States.  

Due to my own financial situation this year I will not be able to make a donation for each (meaningful, non spam) comment left by those that follow the blog.  Once things settle down on the home front though I will be looking to make a donation in 2022 based on the comments left during this year's event.  Hopefully together we can help at least one woman get a much needed mammogram.  Early detection is key!!!

If you want to make your own private donation please visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  There is a donate button on the main page and it only takes a minute of your time.  Every little bit helps.

I have focused primarily on cards that only feature Andrew McCutchen on the card, but in recent years have also featured cards with a cameo appearance (either being seen on the card or as a name cameo on the back of the card).  In 2019, I created Falco Files which discussed players that replaced (Shane Falco Replacements movie reference) on an active roster, number worn, or trade.  I will also be showing some Cutch's Crew cards that show pink cards of players that have played with Cutch on multiple teams. I will continue to utilize these styles of posts as we celebrate the 5th Collecting Cutch Save Second Base event (I am no longer counting my first run on the Pirates Treasure Room I did back in 2014).

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate new celebrities into the event so today I am presenting

Today we are focusing on an actress/model all the way from India.

Anveshi Jain

She became the most googled Bollywood actress between 2019-2020 and this article gives insight to her rise in fame.

Rinku Singh was the first professional India born baseball player.  Him and Dinesh Patel were both signed by the Pirates in 2009 as part of the Million Dollar Arm talent search.  It became a Disney movie a few years back. 

Patel moved back to India, but Singh became a legitimate pitching prospect, reaching AA in 2012 throwing 72 innings and striking out 65 batters with a 3.00 ERA.  Injuries in 2013 kept him out of uniform, but after a healthy off season he was invited to Spring Training as a non roster invite.  Unfortunately it was discovered that Singh had elbow issues and would need Tommy John surgery.  He missed all of the 2014 season and was later resigned by the Pirates in 2015.  He pitched one inning in relief in 2016 (a scoreless one at that) but ultimately decided to hang up the spikes. 

He was very close to becoming the first India born baseball player in MLB.

Had he done that, his home ballpark of PNC Park would be a spotlight for one of the world's largest countries each time he took the mound.

Today Singh is signed to the WWE where he wrestles under the stage name Veer.

Besides Macho Man Randy Savage, can you think of any other former minor league baseball players that became affiliated with professional wrestling?

Do you have a favorite Indian food dish? 

Thoughts on Ms. Jain or Mr. Singh?

Cutch's Crew: Talk About a Full House

Each year during the month of October, I show off only pink (and shades of pink like magenta, peach, etc) to help raise awareness of Breast Cancer, a leading cause of death for females in the United States.  

Due to my own financial situation this year I will not be able to make a donation for each (meaningful, non spam) comment left by those that follow the blog.  Once things settle down on the home front though I will be looking to make a donation in 2022 based on the comments left during this year's event.  Hopefully together we can help at least one woman get a much needed mammogram.  Early detection is key!!!

If you want to make your own private donation please visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  There is a donate button on the main page and it only takes a minute of your time.  Every little bit helps.

I have focused primarily on cards that only feature Andrew McCutchen on the card, but in recent years have also featured cards with a cameo appearance (either being seen on the card or as a name cameo on the back of the card).  In 2019, I created Falco Files which discussed players that replaced (Shane Falco Replacements movie reference) on an active roster, number worn, or trade.  I will also be showing some Cutch's Crew cards that show pink cards of players that have played with Cutch on multiple teams. I will continue to utilize these styles of posts as we celebrate the 5th Collecting Cutch Save Second Base event (I am no longer counting my first run on the Pirates Treasure Room I did back in 2014).

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate new celebrities into the event so today I am presenting

Jodie Sweetin

She was born in 1982 in Los Angeles, California.  She would become a popular child actress on the TV show Full House, which takes place in San Francisco.

Seems appropriate to showcase someone with both LA and SF ties as we prepare for the big rivalry series.

After multiples battles with drugs and alcohol she got in the spotlight again thanks to her participation on Dancing with the Stars.

She then went to star in many Christmas themed Hallmark Channel movies.

It has been reported that the Full House actress did get some plastic surgery prior to the filming of Fuller House.

Oh well...

In the first season of Fuller House, the Netflix spinoff series, sees Stephanie Tanner meet up with Hunter Pence.

Pence was a fan favorite in San Francisco thanks to his leadership, heart, and hustle.  It lead to the Giants winning a pair of World Series in 2012 and 2014 thanks in large part to Pence.

Hunter Pence was a teammate of Andrew McCutchen with the 2018 San Francisco Giants, but also appeared as a member of the 2011 and 2014 National League All Star Team with Cutch.  He even appeared as a cameo with Cutch on a Jay Bruce 2011 Topps Update card.  Cutch and Pence are celebrating together, but Bruce is kinda getting ready for a fist pump by himself.

When Cutch was traded to the Giants he appeared at FanFest and did an absolutely remarkable and hilarious impersonation of Hunter Pence's batting stance.

You can view the complete video with Cutch's commentary by clicking this YouTube link.

I think Cutch enjoyed being a teammate of Hunter Pence.

Here is a 2018 pink mini numbered 2/25.


2018 Topps Mini - [Base] - Pink #47 - Hunter Pence /25
Purchased for $2.84 

I just purchased this card from COMC yesterday after a subliminal suggestion by AJ from The Lost Collector mentioning the show Fuller House in the comments.  Obviously I don't have it in hand yet and have chosen not to ship it yet due to the constant delays in shipping and my current living situation being what it is.

The card doesn't directly give a name cameo of Cutch on the back, but he is one of the 9 players the card back references.

Hunter Pence was always one of my favorite players when he was active.  I love the way he interacted with fans and he was an absolute fan favorite no matter where he played, even when he was a visitor.

Heidi Watney even got into the Hunter Pence sign craze but making her own while hosting Quick Pitch on the MLB Network.

Do you remember the Hunter Pence sign craze?

You may recall a few years ago I showed off this incredible patch card with patches of Johnny Cueto, Hunter Pence, and Andrew McCutchen.  

It's one of my favorite unlicensed cards in my collection. 

Did you like Full House (or it's sequel)?

It is safe to say that I know who Hunter is rooting for tonight.

Mini Monday: Feeling blue

I have been purging a lot of my non McCutchen cards lately.  In a way it's awesome because I am selling things that don't spark a general interest in why I collect, but it also has really made me realize that I have way too many cards in my collection.

Thousands of cards exist in my collection that I just don't have a connection with anymore.  Worse of all many of them aren't worth a lot of money.  How many Evan Meek and Ian Snell cards do you have in your collection?  I have too many.

I have never sold my cards via COMC, I've only ever bought using the site.  

Have you had any luck with it? What's the process like?  

I've considered listing lots of Pirates autographs for $10 on eBay but the shipping might scare people away.

What are some suggestions you have for selling off a collection of mostly $1-$5 autos of former Pirates? I'm talking about guys that aren't active and were never big stars.  Guys like Ian Snell, Paul Maholm, Chris Duffy, Jose Tabata...

I really appreciate any help you guys can provide.

The cards I'm not worried about selling are my McCutchen PC because quite frankly, it's not going anywhere.  

The blue on this 2016 Topps Mini really pops in the background, I just have terrible lighting at the in laws house.

The blue Topps Minis were limited to only 10 copies.

Pretty cool company that Cutch put himself in when he was the first Pirate to go to the All Star game 5 consecutive years since Roberto Clemente.  If it weren't for an All Star snub in 2010, he would have represented the Pirates six straight years.  

Unfortunately Evan Meek was that year's representative.  Oh Evan Meek, you were a great middle reliever for one season.  Why did I buy so many of your cards?

Who needs Evan Meek autographs?

This community is amazing!

So as many of you know, I am in the process of moving to what will hopefully be my final landing spot complete with my own man cave to display the Cutch goodies in proper displays.  

Because of living with the in laws as this housing market settles down and we can save some extra money, I have had my hobby mail go to my dad's house because I quite frankly don't feel like going to storage every few weeks.  He has basically become my personal PO Box for hobby related stuff.

Well about a month ago I got a Twitter message from the blogger "Rosenort" of the Rockies and Redskins based blog condition-sensitive.

He said he had a McCutchen card he didn't think I had in my collection and was willing to send it to me.

Bold statement as I have over 3,000 unique cards of Cutch, but awesome!!!!  I gave him my dad's address and had him send it to me.  

It's been a few weeks since I got the chance to catch up with my dad so over the weekend I stopped by after work to visit with him and he told me that I had gotten a few things since the last time I visited.

Cool.  I put them in my car and didn't think anything of it.

I opened up the package and found a Topps Now card holder inside,

instantly thinking it may be a parallel of a Topps Now card.

Some I have, many I don't. 

I opened it up and was immediately greeted with his signature card

which ranks up there with Fuji's for coolest blogging business cards.

Then I saw what he had sent me....

ARE

YOU 

FRICKING

KIDDING ME?

A 1/1 Andrew McCutchen printing plate from 2012 Topps Mini!!!!!

Yeah I am pretty sure I don't have this.

You win!!!!

For now

But rest assured I will find a way to repay you with a RAK (Random Act of Kindness)

In all seriousness, thank you so much to all of you who read this blog and think of awesome things like this to gift upon me.  It's amazing!!!