My Dormant Blog Comes Alive with a Topps Redemption!

Yes you read that correctly. I received a redemption from Topps! It's really possible- more on that to follow.

We all have our reasons for our week long blogging hiatuses. My reasons are no different than any you've heard or written about- work, school, significant other, other hobbies- etc. Therefore I will not bore you with monotonous details of my unexciting life. 

Although I haven't been writing, I've been actively reading and pursuing upgrades to my Pirates PC. As I've mentioned in previous posts, one of my unwritten goals for the year is to acquire a certified autograph of every Pirates player, however realistic that may be. I've made some awesome progress in the past few weeks:

First up is Gaby Sanchez from 2012 Topps GQ. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of Gypsy Queen auto's, mostly based on design. The blue ink on card and the fading area for the auto looks really smooth. I got this bad boy for under $5 shipped.

Gaby is currently the only true first baseman on the Pirates roster with a major league contract. He's a guy who mashes lefties (.333 in 102 AB in '13) but can't see the ball against righties (.204 in 162 AB), which evens out to a subpar .254 last year. He saw his playing time against lefties, and as a defensive replacement. Hopefully he can come around this year, as it looks like the position lies in his hand for now.

Next up is Clint Barmes from 2006 Upper Deck Artifacts, numbered to 800. Although this card is a sticker, it actually works quite well. The sticker itself is transparent and doesn't look entirely miserable on the card. It's also numbered which is always a bonus for me. This was right around $5 bucks shipped.

Clint's known as an excellent defensive shortstop with a below-average bat. He, much like Sanchez, is often inserted into the lineup in the 7th inning or later as defensive replacement. He's known as a great guy around the locker room and a true "veteran presence." If I reacll correctly, manager Clint Hurdle brought him to Pittsburgh after being impressed with Clint's character in Colorado.

Here's Russell Martin, 2007 Bowman's Best. A simple card for sure, but I don't ever mind that. I have some beef with those silver auto stickers, but it was the only affordable option for Russ. The sticker honestly doesn't look that bad because most of the card is silver anyhow. I grabbed this card for $10 shipped.

Russ is much more of a household name than the other guys, so I'll save my comments regarding his offensive ability. What I love about him most is his ability to throw out base runners. More importantly, the threat of his cannon prevents opposing teams from running on him in the first place. According to the 2013 Fielding Bible, Martin saved the Pirates 16 total runs last year. He was also runner up for the Gold Glove Award for his position. Not too shabby.

Lastly, a redemption came through from Topps- Gerrit Cole 2013 Bowman Platinum, Jersey and Auto /199. I actually bought this redemption back in the fall, and it came through in only four months, which I am NOT complaining about.  I picked up the redemption card for around $30 dollars, which seemed like a good deal at the time- and I have no regrets.

As for the card itself, it's nothing amazing. The jersey swatch is a simple plain white, and the auto is a sticker (boooo). I love the fact that it's a blue parallel numbered to 199, giving it some rarity. I also like how Cole is wearing number 75, which was his minor league number. He's been wearing 45 in the majors and most likely will continue to do so for the remainder of his career. Overall, a nice card.

Thanks for reading! 

Nate

Rippin' Retail

Christmas money = repacks. My local Target has a great selection of retail products, and I love to browse the isle whenever I have some extra cash. My selection this week was a Jumbo box retail pack made by Excell Marketing. Historically speaking, I tend to avoid these products. They're often packed with a bunch of gimmicky crap, but this one looked somewhat legit. As you can see below, it revealed a pack of 2012 Bowman Platinum. There's an identical window on the opposite side of the pack, showing 2012 Update. I also snagged two repacks of 2013 Update.

Here are all the packs within the box. Not a huge fan of Opening Day, but I was very happy to see two more packs of Topps products:

Moving on to the highlights:

One of the '13 Update packs had the Hairston emerald on the left, and the other had the Marshall. 

Same type of story from the 2012 packs.

The box was very generous with Bucco cards. Love the two Marte's.

 Aside from the four packs, there are 50 additional cards inside. Regardless of the sport you buy, the cards are typically a bunch of no names/semi-stars from the early 90's. This box was no different. Some of the cards were terribly warped, as seen above. This card almost looks like a half-pipe.

The pack of Platinum contained this very pretty Will Middlebrooks X-Fractor. The box promises a "Bonus", which must be this Albert Pujols Heritage Mini, because it was floating around the inside of the box. A nice touch, but the real bonus was inside the pack of 2012 Update...

The cardboard gods smiled upon me! The pack felt a little thick, and I was surprised it wan't a decoy. Getting a hit out of a repack is always a great feeling... even if it's a Carlos Ruiz All-Star workout jersey. 

All in all, a very successful purchase. This box alone has really changed my view on this type of product. If you haven't tried one of those retail boxes before, I'd definitely recommend it. I'm sure this wont be my last.

Everything here is for trade, like usual. Thanks for reading!

Early Present to Myself, Some Retail

During today's last minute holdiay shopping run, I had that itch to grab some repacks. I was browsing the card isle in Target, but just couldn't find anything that my head and wallet could agree on. I remembered a recent blog post that I read which highlighted some discounted repacks bought from K-Mart. I can't remember who's blog it was, but whoever you are, thank you for the inspiration!

There was K-Mart on my way home, so I stopped in for a peek. I was happy with what I saw:

Discounts indeed! It seems that baseball cards are generally one of those things that are very inflexible with their prices. It's rare to find sales or discounts on good cards, so these big red stickers instantly caught my eye. 

Small note about K-Mart's normal pricing: They're actually higher across the board, with  slight, consistent inflation. Single repacks were $2.29 rather than $2, jumbo packs were $5.79 rather than $5, blasters $21.49 rather than $20, etc etc. It seems K-Mart is the place to go for discount, but not much else.

Here's what I pulled from 2010 Topps S1 Jumbo:

Three inserts, all unique. I love the Bo Jackson reprint. I love all things Bo Jackson, really. What a freakish athlete. I also enjoyed the humor in A-Rod appearing on a "Peak Performance" insert. The phrase "peak performance" almost sounds like a steroid joke.

I was fortunate enough to pull the one card I really wanted, the Cutch RC. Next to him is a Kyle Phillips gold parallel /2010. Phillips is lifetime minor leaguer. To the right is Johnny Bench appearing on a nice turkey red insert.

On to the bonus box of 2008 Topps S1:

The box promises three gold bordered cards in a bonus pack, exclusive to K-Mart. While I haven't heard anything about  any of these guys in a while, these are still nice cards. I'm reallllyyy not a fan of the design of 2008 Topps, but the gold borders somewhat save it. All three cards are rookies, so no complaints here.

To the left is a mediocre looking Fausto Carmona insert. Carmona, now named Roberto Hernandez, signed a 1-year, 4.5 million dollar deal with the Phils last week. Honestly I had no idea this guy is still in the league until I looked him up. Once a 19 game winner, his lifetime record sits at a paltry 59-82.

Next to Mr. CarmonaHernandez is politician John Edwards... pre-sex tape. I literally laughed out loud when I saw this guy's face in a pack of baseball cards. Just look at that creepy "I just had sex" grin...

Rounding out the fun is two Buccos, of course. This Clint Hurdle base card actually marks the first of any sort of memorabilia I own of his. Although I'm not a fan of 2008 Topps, I've got to hand it to them for including the managers in the set, as these guys often go unappreciated.

So overall, nothing too crazy in these breaks. The jumbo pack was more rewarding than the more expensive box, interestingly. Some good PC additions for sure though, and for 9 bucks, certainlu can't complain!

Thanks for reading.

Trade with Alex of Chavez Ravining

Happy Holidays everyone. Between all the stress of the holidays, I'm happy to say that I've been able to balance things well this year and not drive myself too insane. I've luckily had some spare time, which I've spent organizing my collection and setting up trades.

Two weeks ago, a guy by the name of Alex contacted me because he was interested in a 2013 Topps Chrome Adrian Beltre Camo parallel that I had, #'d to 15. It's a gorgeous card, really. I have no affection towards Beltre however, hence it's placement on my trade bait. 

Before I get into the cards: If you haven't already checked out Alex's blog, titled Chavez Ravining, you must. It's an incredibly interactive blog and has quickly become one of my favorites. 

We'll kick it off with two Target red parallels. I was very pleased with all of the love that the Buccos received in 2013 Update, as well as the All-Star weekend. 

Another Alvarez Parallel from update. Seems like Alex has a knack for pulling Pirates! I was really excited about the Cutch parallel on the right, for two reasons: A. It's nearly impossible to get your hands on fairly priced Cutch cards, and B. I didn't purchase any regular Bowman this year, only Chrome.

To the left we've got a very nice David Price camo parallel, also from Update. I figured I'd lump him in with the Pirates because he'll definitely be signing with Pittsburgh by next week.

Just kidding. But I can dream. The Pirates have actually been mentioned as a "contender"for DP... where they'll get that kind of money remains to be seen. 

On the right is a Barrett Barnes auto from 2013 Bowman Inception.  Barnes is currently pegged as the Pirates #10 prospect. He's stuck behind some great talent, but he's only 22. It'll definitely be an uphill battle for Mr. Barnes to reach the show.

Finishing out the baseball cards are a Vlad jersey and a nice Will Middlebrooks parallel. I'm not necessarily a fan of Middlebrooks, but this is one of the sickest cards in all of 2013 Topps. 

I've always been a fan of Vlad, simply because he has no right arm but rather a cannon. He also opted against batting gloves which is nicely captured on the card.

 Finally, A nice big ol' Marc Gasol Jersey. I've mostly connected with baseball collectors, but basketball cards are a big part of my collection, so this was very welcome. The card isn't too special, except the fact that Marc seems to be doing some odd dance move with a basketball photoshopped in. It's a shame he's out this year, as one of the more exciting big men in the league.

Thanks again to Alex for the trade, and thanks for reading!

PC Upgrades from the Dime Box

Not the literal Dime Box, but my new pal Nick over at the blog Dime Boxes -- The Low-End Baseball Card Collector's Journey.

Nick enjoys the little things about cardboard collecting, like finding gems for just a dime. Luckily, Nick was in need of some parallels, and I had a ton lying around (and still do). After a good deal of bartering, we were able to settle on a trade. I sent him a small of stack of parallels and set needs, and he sent me some sick Pirates cards off of his trade list.

First off is a really nice Pedro Alvarez insert from 2011 Topps Opening Day. This set of inserts, "Stadium Lights," attempts to highlight the feats that players achieve in night games.

Which makes this one of the most ironic cards of all time, at least for this season. Here are Pedro's night/day splits for the 2013 season (day games on top):

Hense the nickname he earned this year, "Daydro."

Next to Pedro is a nice Jason Bay card from 2006 Bowman Originals. Blue Parallel numbered to 250. JB's up there on my all-time Pirate favs.

Continuing the parallel theme, we've got a gold beauty of Josh Harrison from 2012 Topps. And look who it is in the background! Daydro! He's even smiling, which is quite a rarity. Not a knock on him at all, I believe he's just an intense guy on the field.

The Jeanmar Gomez emerald is fresh out of 2013 Update. Jeanmar is at the top of the pile for the most underrated player on the Pirates this year. He started, relieved, and closed games.. and didn't give up many runs doing so.

Last but certainly not least is a 2010 UD Marlon Byrd auto. This card won't knock anyone's socks off, but neither will Marlon Byrd. I've been itching to grab an auto of his ever since joining the Buccos, so Nick came in clutch for me here. I'm sad to see him go across the state, but I will always remember his outstanding play on the North Shore, however brief it was.

Thanks again to Nick, and thanks for reading!

2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Hobby Box Break and Review

BASEBALL FANS! I have finally purchased a baseball hobby box! Since I've recently began to blog about my hobby, I've been reviewing only basketball cards. I've connected with many collectors, almost all of whom are baseball guys. Hopefully this will be refreshing. This was a sensational break for many reasons. I hope you enjoy!

 Here are the base cards, with two of my main men. These are really sharp cards. I was fortunate enough to pull almost all of the Pirates base cards in one box. I missed Burnett and Stargell. 

Manny Machado made a double appearance. On the left is his mini variation card, bearing that "RC" which we all love to see. On the right is his base card.

Moving on to the inserts! On top is an example of the Collisions at the Plate cards which highlight one of my favorite parts elements of the game. The lower card is part of the Sliding Stars set, with none other than my man Cutch! Gorgeous card.

To the left is the Dealing Aces insert, picturing Fantasy Baseball stud Matt Moore. To the right is the No Hitters insert.

 (L) Glove Stories insert, and also the highlight of Travis Snider's career. That wraps up the inserts.

(R) Paul Goldschmidt Blue Border Parallel, #ed to 499

(L) Josh Rutledge Green Mini Parallel. /99

(Middle) Russel Martin Sepia-Tone Parallel /50. This box was VERY generous with the Buccos!

(R) Ian Desmond Black Parallel /199

Here are my two relic pulls, two nice cards! Evan Longoria mini, and an awesome Paul Konerko jumbo, numbered to 25. I'm a bit burnt out on relic cards- they don't too much for me any more. The Konerko card, however, is a different story. This is a really neat card. On to the autos...

 (L) Anthony Rizzo Base auto. I love Rizzo's potential, and his signature is very attractive. Blue ink looks great.

(R) Wilin Rosario base auto. Not bad!

 

 A little bonus. Actually, a big bonus! I have never had the privilege of pulling a printing plate, and I couldn't ask for a better name for my first. It's interesting to think that I was booing this guy at PNC park just a few weeks ago for initially failing to select Pedro Alvarez for Home Run Derby. Now he's reason I have an awesome card. Thank you Mr. Wright!

REVIEW

Overall Design:  The photography is excellent- specifically the contrast. Topps did a superb job of blurring the backgrounds and making the players jump off the cards. Some of the poses are incredible.

Box contents: The base set is made up of 350 cards, and I've heard it's an awesome set to chase. A hobby box will bring you a total of 240 cards, so it's a great place to start. The inserts could also be fun to chase. As I mentioned earlier, I love the Collisions inserts. The Sliding Stars set is an interesting choice, because... all baseball players slide... but I guess there's only so much you can do! The mini cards also add an awesome element for collectors.

The Hits: The base auto set contains several mediocre players, and in my mind is nothing special. There are several other autograph sets however, and there's some huge names there. Lots of Trout, Justin Upton, Freese, Trumbo, etc. The mini relic cards are average, but there are other types as well, such as jumbos and triple swatches. The availability of serial numbered cards, parallels, and variation cards (or any combination of the three) make a box break very exciting.

Positives: Card design, availability of serial numbers, variety of hits, retired players mixed in, variety in checklist

Negatives: Some teams are underrepresented in base set. A tad bit pricey, but certainly not a ripoff. 

Design is very similar to past designs. I dearly hope they change it up for 2014.

Rating: 9 out of 10. Granted that I was pretty lucky in this box, this product is great nonetheless. It's a staple for Topps, and hopefully will be for years to come.

2012-13 Panini Crusade Hobby Box Break and Review

With my latest box purchase, I decided to keep my streak of buying 2012-13 Panini Basketball products. I promise, I'll review something else soon. This is one those "high(er) end" products, so you're basically just buying a box of hits. 

6 packs, 5 cards per pack. 3 Autos, 3 Memorabilia Cards, at hit per pack.

The box:

Shinnnyyyyyyy. 

The shininess can seen by the reflection of my hands/phone. I'm a card collector, not a photographer.

The base cards. Very nice cards. Panini makes it very clear that this is a CRUSADE card. Not sure how I feel about that huge banner. I do like the gold font.

Knight Court Insert. These come one per box. Very similar to the base. They seem to have little value on the secondary market.

Here are the first three Prizms that I pulled. These are the regular Prizms, and are really gorgeous cards. That Andrew Bynum on the left, whom I managed to decapitate with my lamp. He's accompanied by Nick Young and Marcin Gortat.

These are my other three Prizms, rounding out the total of six per box. These come in variety of Parallels: Red & Gold /99, Purple & Gold /49, Green & Gold /25, Gold /10 and Black 1/1.

 At the far right is Jared Sullinger, he fits in with his buddies above. In the middle is Draymond Green, Red & Gold /99. To the far left is Rasheed Wallace, Gold /10.

I'm not high on Green. I loved him in college but he lacks NBA size. The 'Sheed Gold card is a great pull. Very rare and very attractive card.

Here are the jersey cards, all appearing on inserts. The Paul Pierce card is awesome, I love the green swatch. Thomas Robinson has the skills to be a beast, but his character issues seem to outweigh his abilities. I'm not too familiar with Rick Mahorn but another nice jersey.

The three autos. At left, Festus Ezeli. Center, Buck Williams, Right, Quincy Acy. Nothing too impressive here. I love Ezeli's story, but not his NBA potential. Quincy Acy is in the D-League, I'm assuming he'll be overseas soon. Buck Williams was a fun player to watch, I'd say he's the highlight here.

REVIEW

Overall Design: The base cards are nice. The picture is sharp as ever with exceptional contrast. As I've said with previous 2012-13 Panini Products, I'm not a fan of how they throw a huge "PANINI" on the front of the card. It's over-branding. Beyond the base set, the other cards are excellent, especially the Prizms. Some of the nicest cards I've ever seen.

Box contents: There's only 30 cards per pack, so it would take some hunting to complete the base set. It's only 100 cards though, so do-able. The fact that each pack contains a hit is exciting. The Prizms are definitely the highlight of this set. The Prizm checklist is massive 300 cards, with all sorts of names mixed in- past, current, and future.

The Hits: It's definitely possible to hit the jackpot with this product. The Prizm cards are a hot ticket right now. The variety of parallel colors generates excitement, especially the Gold cards and Black cards. If you search the Gold Parallels on eBay, many sellers are asking over $100 for guys that aren't even big names. The black cards are obviously the big prize. The J.J. Redick Black 1/1 is listed for over $400 dollars on eBay, to put it in perspective. Yes, J.J. Redick.

Positives: Design, prominence of short prints, Prizm technology, players from various generations, number of hits guaranteed hits (6), chance for 1/1

Negatives: Autos are stickers, small number of total cards

Rating: 8 out of 10. This is a fun product. It has the high-end feel, but for right around 100 bucks, it's affordable high-end. Also a great way to get your hands on Prizm cards without actually buying a box of Panini Prizm.

As always, thanks for reading and please feel free to comment!

2013 Topps Basball Series 2 Jumbo Pack Break

Yesterday's routine stop at Target meant I had to grab a retail pack. I went wit a jumbo pack of 2013 Topps Series Two:

Since the pack was bought from Target, it guarantees 3 Red-Border parallel cards. A nice throw in. The highlights:

I pulled a total of five inserts. Above is three Chasing History inserts, which are sexy cards. As a Buccos fan, the Clemente card nearly made me faint. That's dramatic. But it's no every day I see him in a modern pack. The Strasburg Making Their Mark Insert is solid..

 Top left is another nice insert, Anthony Rizzo WBC. I had no idea he was from Italy, and it turns out he was born in Florida. His parents are from Sicily so I guess that qualified him. 

Those are the the three red parallels. No big names, but still, nice cards!