Please Mr. Postman (A trade post) -- Returning the favor

Ever since I started blogging, I've gotten great joy out of sending cards to others that I think they'll enjoy.

Whether you get something in return or not is pretty much beside the point.

It's not that I didn't care about what I was sending when I dealt exclusively on online trading forums, but I tended to just think of what I was getting, rather than seeing the other side of the equation as well.

That's all changed since I entered the blogging community.

A couple weeks ago, I sent Robert over at "$30 A Week Habit" a couple of the final cards he needed for his 2012 Topps set.

He recently sent me an email saying he was going to "return the favor" by sending me the last four 2012 Topps Heritage base cards I needed, which arrived this afternoon.

Even though I'm not a "set collector" per se, I still get great joy out of receiving the last few base cards I need for my obnoxious amount of various player collections from any given set. Heritage is no exception. (I'll have some Gypsy Queen to chase as well in the next couple weeks.)

I'm just down to needing a few Heritage inserts...and the dreaded SPs. (Ugh.)

One of the four cards Robert sent was the above Aroldis Chapman. I know it's early, but I am praying that this guy doesn't turn out to be a bust. He's the most unbelievable pitcher to be unleashed onto a ballfield in my years of watching baseball. I enjoy watching guys like Jamie Moyer outthink the opposing hitters, but a 100+ MPH fastball is always a treat to see in action.

Hopefully he solves his control issues.

Before he hooked on with the Yankees, I assumed that Freddy Garcia was pretty much done with baseball.

He sure proved me wrong.

I wish card companies would make more cards of seasoned veterans that sometimes fly under the radar. Guys like Alex Gonzalez, who makes his cardboard debut as a Brewer in Heritage this year.

I'm glad Robert sent this one along, because it ties in perfectly with something I wanted to talk about anyways.

We all know that famous saying, "Anything can happen in baseball." It's true. I saw something happen in this afternoon's White Sox home opener that I'd never seen before.

I noticed that Miguel Cabrera was having a discussion with the home plate umpire after he stepped into the box in the top of the 1st. It turns out that he thought the batter's box was smaller than regulation size.

He was right.

They brought out the groundskeepers, erased the whole box, and drew a new, regulation-size one. Right in the middle of the game. It was an interesting 10-minute delay, resulting in the longest 1-2-3 inning I'll probably ever see.

I don't know how something like that could've happened, although I don't think it was intentional. (Unlike the Maury Wills incident.)

Much thanks goes out to Robert for putting the final nail in the coffin on my Heritage base needs!