I began collecting baseball cards again in mid-2007, a good 4-5 months before creating Wax Heaven. While I was a complete newbie to the hobby, I did know enough to get a box of Bowman Chrome with the hopes of pulling a Gold Refractor and/or a nice autograph. In the end, I didn’t pull a Joba or a Lincecum and my Gold Refractor was of a guy named Vasili Spanos, a 27-year old “prospect” for the Oakland A’s.
As weeks and months passed I sat on that card hoping that somehow he would turn his career around so I could use it to make a big trade or make a killing on eBay. Unfortunately, neither one happened and a month ago when I went Online to see what Vasili was up to I was shocked to find out he was out of baseball.
The next day I put his Gold Refractor on eBay with hopes of making at least $5 out of it. In the very final day it sold, for a whopping .99 cents and so my days of prospecting came to an end. The very same day Vasili signed a contract with the Florida Marlins and he was shipped out to Jupiter, Florida to play with the Jupiter Hammerheads.
Today we are making our way to Jupiter for some good ol’ July 4th baseball fun with the goal of getting Vasili to sign my base Bowman Chrome and possibly for a photo with the Infamous Tatiana. So far this season in 25 games with Jupiter, he is hitting just .256 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI but anything is possible and perhaps someday he might join the Florida Marlins.
You never know…
I met Vasili last summer when I went to Midland, Texas for a few days to watch the Rockhounds (Double-A). He seemed liked a great guy. Hope it works out for you.