outslugged

even though i was perplexed at how they managed to produce a set using topps' 1965 card design, i was on a mission to complete upper deck's 2003 vintage when it was released. at some point, i realized that right in the middle of the set there were about 30 short printed "3-d sluggers" cards featuring some of the game's best hitters. as a result, i consider my set to be complete even though i am missing the vast majority of those 3-d cards.

i still look from time to time to see if any of the cards i need are available, but they usually have pretty high buy it now prices attached to them. once in a while, however, i find them for cheap-ish. here's manny ramirez's 3-d sluggers card

that i bought for $4 shipped. and then i found jeff bagwell's card

on ebay with a $2.99 buy it now after establishing a saved search, and sammy sosa's card

soon followed at just over $6 shipped.

most recently, i added larry walker's card 

for about the same as the sosa.

i had also recently purchased barry bonds' card via sportlots, but the seller failed to include it with the shipment and i got a refund rather than the card.

with this recent activity, i am still 23 cards short of completing the set, although i continue to consider it complete even without all of the 3d cards.  there were 3-d cards in 2004 upper deck vintage as well, but i didn't bother trying to complete the full set. instead, i just focused on the dodgers.

while i've had the 2004 team set complete outside of the 3-d sluggers cards for a long time, i only recently sought out jeromy burnitz

and shawn green

to fully complete the set. it turns out that the 2004 3-d sluggers cards are easier to come by than their 2003 counterparts so i should have added them to the collection sooner.