The Future of the Pirates, In One Card

One of my informal collecting goals for this year is to acquire a certified autographed card from each of the Pirates projected Opening Day starters. I've already got several bench players, relief pitchers and role players, but I've had a hard time finding affordable autos of the young stars (McCutchen, Marte, Alvarez). Thanks to 2013 Gypsy Queen and the off-season, I've finally been able to knock one of these off my list for a decent price:

Marte is without a doubt one of the biggest, if not the biggest part of the Pirates future. The guy has all of the tools to be to a bonafide star, and times he already looks as if he is one. He also prompts some awesome calls from Pirates announcer Greg Brown, usually including the cheesy-yet-awesome exclamation, "MARTAY-PARTAYYY."

To hear that call and others, play around with this for a minute. I guarantee it will give you a chuckle.

I feel like Gypsy Queen autographs embody everything that a perfect card should have. Sharp action photography, a nice border, and sufficient room for an on-card signature.

Starling's inscription is a little violent looking and the centering is a little poor, but this card is actually better than many I've seen. For less than 10 dollars shipped, I will refrain from filing any complaints. This baby is a welcome addition to my Pirates PC.