A Ginter Xfractor for Xmas!

Ha, sorry for the deceptive title; this post has nothing to do with A&G or Christmas. But here's a new player collection I've been working on...

Matt Ginter! (And can I say that I really love this style of Xfractor.. It's cooler than that boxy-vortex version Topps has been beating into the ground the past few years.)

Yes, Matt Ginter! On his career, he posted a 5-7 record with a 5.43 ERA over 96 MLB games back in the 00s.

He never really did anything all that notable on the field, and he's not from my hometown and never played for the Padres or anything.. so why single him out to collect?

Well, he's the only guy to play in the majors who was born on the same exact day as me. 

We're 37 today.

Call it narcissistic or some Freudian unfulfilled desire to be a baseball player myself, but I like collecting players with whom I have some sort of loose personal connection. Guys with the same first name as me. Guys who went to my high school. And now this guy who shares my birthday. I don't think I'm gonna go nuts with a huge birthday maxicollection like Sportscards From The Dollar Store's 2/14 binder. I'll stick to exact-match Matt Ginter for now. Anybody got some Matt Ginter cards to get rid of that aren't pictured above? Let me know about a trade! Most of his cards are from his time on the White Sox, plus a couple cards with Cleveland and Detroit.

In fact, screw it, here's a somewhat-complete checklist of his available cards:

o 2000 Birmingham Barons Grandstand #10 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Birmingham Barons Grandstand #31 Buehrle/Crede/Ginter/Rowand
o 2000 Black Diamond Rookie Edition #134 Matt Ginter JSY RC
o 2000 Black Diamond Rookie Edition Gold #134 Matt Ginter JSY (/100)
x 2000 Bowman #153 Matt Ginter RC
x 2000 Bowman Chrome #153 Matt Ginter RC
o 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractors #153 Matt Ginter
x 2000 Bowman Chrome Retro/Future #153 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Bowman Chrome Retro/Future Refractors #153 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Bowman Gold #153 Matt Ginter (/99)
x 2000 Bowman Retro/Future #153 Matt Ginter
x 2000 Bowman's Best #176 Matt Ginter RC (/2999)
o 2000 Just #235 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Just Black #235 Matt Ginter (/50)
o 2000 Just Gold #235 Matt Ginter (/5000)
o 2000 Pacific Omega #221 M.Ginter RC/B.Penny (/999)
o 2000 SP Authentic #161 Matt Ginter FW RC (/1700)
o 2000 SPx #196 Matt Ginter RC (/1600)
o 2000 Southern League Top Prospects Grandstand #10 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Team Best Rookies #234 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Team Best Rookies Bronze #234 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Team Best Rookies Gold #234 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Team Best Rookies Silver #234 Matt Ginter
o 2000 Ultimate Victory #96 Matt Ginter RC (/3500)
o 2000 Ultimate Victory Parallel 100 #96 Matt Ginter (/100)
o 2000 Ultimate Victory Parallel 25 #96 Matt Ginter (/25)
o 2000 Ultimate Victory Parallel 250 #96 Matt Ginter (/250)
x 2001 Bowman #413 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Bowman Chrome #303 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractors #303 Matt Ginter (/99)
x 2001 Bowman Chrome X-Fractors #303 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Bowman Gold #413 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Charlotte Knights Choice #11 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Donruss 2000 Retro #100 Matt Ginter SP (/2000)
o 2001 Donruss 2000 Retro Stat Line Career #100 Matt Ginter (/300)
o 2001 Donruss 2000 Retro Stat Line Season #100 Matt Ginter (/66)
o 2001 Donruss Class of 2001 #138 Matt Ginter (/1625)
o 2001 Donruss Class of 2001 First Class #138 Matt Ginter (/50)
o 2001 Donruss Class of 2001 Rookie Autographs #138 Matt Ginter (/250)
o 2001 Donruss Signature #243 Matt Ginter (/800)
o 2001 Donruss Signature Proofs #243 Matt Ginter (/25)
o 2001 Just Stuff Autographs #BA16 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Just Stuff Autographs Black #BAB16 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Just Stuff Autographs Gold #BAG16 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Pacific #464 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Pacific Extreme LTD #464 Matt Ginter (/45)
o 2001 Pacific Hobby LTD #464 Matt Ginter (/70)
o 2001 Pacific Premiere Date #464 Matt Ginter (/36)
o 2001 Private Stock #133 Matt Ginter SP
o 2001 Private Stock Gold Portraits #133 Matt Ginter (/75)
o 2001 Private Stock PS-206 Rookies #6 Matt Ginter (/125)
o 2001 Private Stock Premiere Date #133 Matt Ginter (/90)
x 2001 Private Stock Silver #133 Matt Ginter
o 2001 Private Stock Silver Portraits #133 Matt Ginter (/290)
o 2001 Pacific Retail LTD #464 Matt Ginter (/85)
o 2001 Sweet Spot #66 Matt Ginter SB (/1000)
o 2001 Upper Deck Victory #566 Matt Ginter
x 2002 Absolute Memorabilia Absolutely Ink #39 Matt Ginter
o 2002 Fleer #126 Matt Ginter
o 2002 Fleer Gold Backs #126 Matt Ginter
o 2002 Fleer Mini #126 Matt Ginter (/50)
o 2002 Fleer Tiffany #126 Matt Ginter (/200)
x 2002 Topps Total #471 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Charlotte Knights Choice #8 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes #131 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Atlantic City National #131 Matt Ginter (/5)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Autographs #131 Matt Ginter (/250)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Chicago Collection #131 Matt Ginter (/5)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Glossy #131 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Glossy Hawaii #131 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Hawaii #131 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Master #131 Matt Ginter (/20)
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Samples #131 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Samples Gold #131 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Stat Line #131 Matt Ginter (/37)
o 2003 Fleer Tradition #156 Matt Ginter
x 2003 Fleer Tradition Glossy #156 Matt Ginter (/100)
x 2003 Topps Total #311 Matt Ginter
o 2003 Topps Total Silver #311 Matt Ginter
o 2004 Norfolk Tides Choice #12 Matt Ginter
o 2004 Topps Total #434 Matt Ginter
o 2004 Topps Total Press Plates Black #434 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2004 Topps Total Press Plates Cyan #434 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2004 Topps Total Press Plates Magenta #434 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2004 Topps Total Press Plates Yellow #434 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2004 Topps Total Silver #434 Matt Ginter
o 2004 USA Baseball 25th Anniversary #68 Matt Ginter
o 2004 USA Baseball 25th Anniversary Signatures Black Ink #GIN Matt Ginter (/179)
o 2004 USA Baseball 25th Anniversary Signatures Blue Ink #GIN Matt Ginter (/42)
o 2004 USA Baseball 25th Anniversary Signatures Green Ink #GIN Matt Ginter (/2)
o 2004 USA Baseball 25th Anniversary Signatures Red Ink #GIN Matt Ginter (/22)
x 2005 Topps Chrome Update #18 Matt Ginter
x 2005 Topps Chrome Update Black Refractors #18 Matt Ginter (/250)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Gold Super-Fractors #18 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Printing Plates Black #18 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Printing Plates Cyan #18 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Printing Plates Magenta #18 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Printing Plates Yellow #18 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Chrome Update Red X-Fractors #18 Matt Ginter (/65)
x 2005 Topps Chrome Update Refractors #18 Matt Ginter
o 2005 Topps Total #669 M.Ginter/F.German
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Black Back #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Black Front #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Cyan Back #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Cyan Front #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Magenta Back #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Magenta Front #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Yellow Back #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Press Plates Yellow Front #669 M.Ginter/F.German (/1)
o 2005 Topps Total Silver #669 M.Ginter/F.German
x 2005 Topps Update #19 Matt Ginter
o 2005 Topps Update Blue #19 Matt Ginter (/1)
x 2005 Topps Update Gold #19 Matt Ginter (/2005)
o 2005 Topps Update Printing Plate Black #19 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Update Printing Plate Cyan #19 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Update Printing Plate Magenta #19 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2005 Topps Update Printing Plate Yellow #19 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2006 Pawtucket Red Sox Choice #14 Matt Ginter
x 2008 Topps Update #UH54 Matt Ginter
o 2008 Topps Update Black #UH54 Matt Ginter (/57)
x 2008 Topps Update Gold Border #UH54 Matt Ginter (/2008)
o 2008 Topps Update Gold Foil #UH54 Matt Ginter
o 2008 Topps Update Platinum #UH54 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2008 Topps Update Printing Plates Black #UH54 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2008 Topps Update Printing Plates Cyan #UH54 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2008 Topps Update Printing Plates Magenta #UH54 Matt Ginter (/1)
o 2008 Topps Update Printing Plates Yellow #UH54 Matt Ginter (/1)

(UPDATE: a red x indicates I've gotten the card since originally publishing this post.)

What's funny is that when I found the cheapest available Matt Ginter certified auto on eBay (above) and checked out the seller's other auctions to maybe combine shipping, I found a nice lot of twelve '73 Kellogg's cards for a decent price. I decided to throw it in my cart too, with the main pull being a Dick Allen card I needed.

I didn't even realize it at the time, but yes, it was a true Allen & Ginter purchase!

So once again, Allen & Ginter has made it tricky to search for a guy I collect. Try searching for "Matt Ginter" and you'll find a ton of A&G cards of Matt Kemp and Matt Cain. Gotta remember to add "-Allen", just like when I'm searching for Dick Allen, I gotta remember "-Ginter" or I'll be flooded with cards from the A&G insert set "World's Biggest Dicks". Nah, that was a joke.

Anyways, do you share a birthday will a pro baseball player? (You can check by poking around here at Baseball-Reference.)

And by the way, the most annoying thing about having your birthday on Christmas Eve is people always asking you if it's annoying to have your birthday on Christmas Eve. Otherwise, it's pretty awesome.

Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas.