3 Pack Break: 2010 Topps Opening Day Baseball

First, lets study the subtle differences behind the base set (on left) and Opening Day (on right). As you can see, the only major difference is the lack of foil and the Opening Day logo. Unlike previous Opening Day releases, the borders are the same color. That's one thing I didn't like.

Here's some more of the base cards.

3 packs worth of inserts. The Rolen is Opening Day's version of Topps Gold and are also numbered to 2010. That and the addition of unique Topps Attax inserts into this years set are a couple of big pluses.

The day that I bought these packs I realized that there was no 2009 Opening Day set! Since they skipped last year, I think they should have started fresh with what they're trying to do here, appeal to the kids. Maybe release a set of Topps MLB Marbles.. or Topps MLB Bicycle Spoke Cards. Topps SD Chip Cards?

Oh yeah, the Teixeira code is there for whoever wants it.

Future pack breaks:

• 2001 Topps Archives Reserve
• 2007-08 Fleer Ultra Basketball x2
• 2008 Upper Deck SP Baseball x3
• 2010 Topps Attax Baseball x2

Feel free to let me know which one you'd like to see next.

Pack Break: 2010 Topps Baseball Series 1 Hobby *HIT*

This is 1 of 3 hobby packs I picked up Friday hoping for a hit. Really I was hoping for a code card though.. which have been avoiding me over my last 7 packs.

And here's my hit. Nice card, but from a player I hardly follow. These are only running $1-2 on eBay right now. I plan on buying hobby as often as I can until I pull my first Hat Logo, Silk, or 1/1. Looking forward to a hobby box.

Future pack breaks:

• 1993 Upper Deck Fun Pack Baseball
• 2008 Upper Deck SP Baseball x3

Pack Break: 1988 Topps Leaders Baseball

I was rummaging through the bargain packs at Hoopla's in SW Portland a couple days ago for my 8 year old nephew and I to rip, and I picked up a couple of these and a couple of '93 UD Fun Pack. He thinks minis are so cool. So do I.. hehe. The cards measure about 2 1/8" by 3".

I recently watched Charlie Hough's start for the Marlins Inaugural Opening Day at Dolphin Stadium vs. the Dodgers with Orel Hershiser and Darryl Strawberry from iTunes for $1.99. Good Times. Except for Chris Berman. If Hough was still pitching, and I think he is somewhere in Japan, he would now be pitching at age 62!

There was no code to be found on the back of the sweepstakes card.

I really, really like the backs of these! How often did you see such bright colors and even a photo on the backs of cards in the 80's?

Future pack breaks:

• 1993 Upper Deck Fun Pack Baseball
• 2008 Upper Deck SP Baseball x3
• 2010 Topps Baseball Hobby

Feel free to suggest which one I do next.

My Million Card Giveaway Loot

Well it took Topps a little while but they pulled through and it seems traffic to the site is manageable and major kinks are worked out. I only had 2 codes but it took me several tries to unlock them during their heavy traffic phase.

My first one was a huge letdown. A 1990 Doug Rader MGR card. The worst of the worst. My second was decent though, and if I end up shipping cards to myself, I'd pay the 50 cents per extra card for this one. A 1987 Ryne Sandberg. I've already offered it up for trade through the respective hoops for any Darryl Strawberry or Ichiro that I don't own yet.

I'm looking forward to unlocking more in the future. It seems the odds are a tad better for cards from the 70's and even the 60's than I had expected.

Oh, and a reminder, don't forget to enter my contest! Entries are due at 1 minute after midnight on Thursday morning Pacific Standard Time.

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UPDATE!!

Not more than a couple of hours after I posted some trade offers for the Sandberg, a new Strawberry was waiting for me when I logged in again. The 1993 was probably my last choice for a Strawberry, but I still needed it. Now, hopefully someone will want the Doug Rader, right?

Box Break: 2009 Upper Deck A Piece of History Baseball Hobby

Yes, I picked Piece of History for my first modern box break since my return to this hobby. I'm really drawn to this set and I guess I'm one of few. I absolutely love the card design, the numbered parallels and the numbered inserts. The Historical Moments subset could have been done better but it has it's moments (historical moments).

The 16 pack box gave me 88 of the 200 card base set if I remember correctly. I pulled 1 Hollywood relic, an auto, a jersey and a ton of serial numbered beauties.

Up above are a few of my favorite base cards. The first half of the set from #1 to #100 are star cards.

Here's a few of the rookies I pulled. There are 50 rookies in the base from #101 to #150.

#'s 151 to 200 finish the set with the Historical Moments subset. These are some of the good ones...

...and some of the bad ones. I now own a turkey dinner trading card.

Here's the dreaded 20th Anniversary cards. I really made out extremely well with this box. 7 of 8 were sports related and the 8th wasn't a sheep or a virus!

Blue and green #'d parallels, and the Timeless Moments set. Check out the Lowell.. #'d 01 of 75!

Some more #'d inserts.

The auto..
The jersey..

And the Mike Meyers Goldmember costume card. I'm happy with this one.. my wife got a kick out of it. Im just glad it wasn't a redemption..

Once again, my set needs have been posted, and since I had purchased 2 packs of this stuff before the box, I have like 2 doubles up on my for trade list!

Blaster Break: 2009 Topps 206 Baseball

You know.. when my wife goes grocery shopping and I specifically ask for a pack of 206.. look what I end up with! A freakin' blaster! Jeez..

This will be a short and simple blaster break post... I only wanted a pack!

I already got a Mize which I showed in a different post, but this is the short print!
..hence the no-numbered back.

Here's the bronzes.

...and the minis.

If you're wondering why all the cards have stains on the back, they're printed like that on purpose.

Ok, now I think I have enough to post a want list. It should be up shortly.

Card of the Day: 2010 Topps baseball #80b Christy Mathewson SP

My first short print out of '10 Topps! Considering I didn't pull a single short-print out of all the '09 Topps I opened, this is bliss for me.

That last line of stats caught my interest so I had to investigate. Mathewson pitched his entire career for the Giants until he was traded to the Reds on July 20, 1916. His 1 and only outing for the Reds, the second game in a double header on September 4, was billed as the final showdown between two of the biggest names in baseball, Christy Mathewson and Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown. It must have been quite a show! Mathewson came away with a complete game win, giving up 8 runs to the Cubs giving up 10. It was one of the highest scoring games of the year for both teams.

Card of the Day: 2010 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes 20th Anniversary #BHA-10 Chipper Jones

While most of my 1 pack's worth of first impression of 2010 Upper Deck is pretty negative, one thing I like is the resurfacing of the Heroes brand as an insert set! I was actually hoping this would happen, just like I'm hoping for Stadium Club 20th Anniversary inserts in 2011 Topps. While the front of the card looks nothing like any past Heroes set I've seen, the backs are basically identical to the latest baseball version minus the logos.

Box Break: 1993 Action Packed All-Star Gallery Baseball, Extras For Trade!

I've been looking to buy a box of Action Packed for a long time now. And back in December, Kruk Cards was having a sale on some of their eBay auctions and it was 30% off of an already cheap price, so I bit! I love what I got too.

All of the Action Packed brand cards that I've ever seen were made the same patented way. 1 piece of card stock folded over and the ends meet in the middle of the back of the card. The player image on the front is raised, just like I've seen on Topps Embossed from the 1990's. Because of the way they're made, it's pretty hard to find even pack fresh cards that would grade a 10. Most of them have a little foil blemish, or a bit of white showing on the black rounded edges. So keep that in mind if you're wanting any of these.

7 cards per pack. 24 packs per box. 24-karat leaf cards randomly inserted (I pulled one). I got really close to 2 full sets. So after the 1st set and keeping 1 of each extra hall-of-famer for my hall of famer collection, that leaves me with quite a few doubles. These cards are cheap so hit me up if you want anything. I'll even trade 1-for-1 for anything on my set needs list. Whatever. Here's a list of what I've got available with the team they're representing for you team collectors:

3 Bob Gibson [stl] pictured

11 George Kell [det] pictured

19 Vern Law [pit]

20 Virgil Trucks [det] pictured

21 Mel Parnell [bos]

22 Wally Moon [stl]

23 Gene Woodling [nyy]

25 Mark Fidrych [det]

26 Elroy Face [pit] pictured

28 Dick Groat [phi] X2

29 Cesar Cedeno [hou]

30 Bob Horner [atl] X2

33 Gil McDougald [nyy]

34 Roy White [nyy] X2

35 Bill Skowron [nyy]

36 Mickey Lolich [det]

37 Minnie Minoso [chw] X2

38 Billy Pierce [chc]

39 Ron Santo [chc] pictured

40 Sal Bando [oak]

41 Ralph Branca [br. dodgs]

42 Bert Campaneris [oak]

43 Joe Garagiola [stl?]

45 Frankie Crosetti [nyy]

47 Maury Wills [lad]

48 Sam McDowell [cle]

49 Jimmy Piersall [bos]

50 Jim Lonborg [bos]

51 Don Newcombe [br dodgs]

53 Wilbur Wood [chw]

54 Carl Erskine [br dodgs] pictured

55 Chris Chambliss [nyy]

56 Dave Kingman [nym]

58 Bud Harrelson [nym]

59 Clem Labine [br dodgs] X3 X2

60 Tony Oliva [min]

61 George Foster [cin]

62 Bobby Bonds [sfg]

63 Harvey Haddix [pit]

64 Steve Garvey [lad] pictured

65 Rocky Colavito [cle] X2

68 Al Oliver [mon]

70 Al Rosen [cle]

72 Curt Flood [stl]

73 Willie Horton [det]

74 Rico Carty [cle]

75 Davey Johnson [atl] X2 pictured

76 Dave Kessinger [chc]

78 Bobby Shantz [phi a's or kc a's]

79 Herb Score [cle]

80 Boog Powell [bal] pictured

81 Rusty Staub [nym]

82 Bill Madlock [pit]

83 Manny Mota [lad]

84 Bill White [stl]

All from this scan are on the list above.

Here's an example of the back. I had always thought Garvey was in the hall until just recently!

And finally, we have the 24K gold foil insert. Not too much of a difference from the base set except the card number on the back is 12"G" and the foil on the front is... pure gold! I like this one so it would be tough for me to trade it away.

Six Pack Break: 1991 Upper Deck Baseball

Last month, Brian over at 30 Year-Old Cardboard posted a bunch of needs for his Darryl Strawberry player collection. He had a stack of unopened '91 Upper Deck baseball packs and was trading away a pack per card! This post was perfect for me because I love junk wax, err.. any wax for that matter, AND I have a couple of hundred Strawberry doubles stashed away for moments like these (to trade). I'm surprised I was only able to find 2 on the list. That's ok though because Brian also ended up claiming something from my trade bait post so in the end I came away with 6 whole packs. Here are the results:

Pack 1:
69 Dan Peltier Top Prospect
70 Greg Blosser Top Prospect
104 Felix Fermin
118 Steve Olin
217 Hubie Brooks
244 Cecil Fielder
291 Joey Cora
321 Scott Fletcher
385 Dennis Martinez
476 Jaime Navarro
483 Dave Lapping
506 Joe Orsulak
545 Bo Jackson
673 Matt Nokes
692 John Farrell
Indians Sticker


I just learned two things about Bo when I checked out his Wikipedia page. First, I didn't know he won the Hiesman Trophy in '85. Second I didn't know he played semi-pro basketball before returning to baseball after his injury.

Pack 2:
46 Sandy Alomar Jr. Indians Checklist
96 Bobby Thigpen Save Master
128 Jay Buhner
194 Carney Lansford
235 Tim Wallach
267 Lenny Dykstra
268 Bill Spiers
309 Milt Thompson
397 Steve Frey
407 Bob Kipper
452 Dwight Smith
569 Juan Agosto
582 Scott Sanderson
617 1917 Revisited
697 Wayne Edwards
Pirates Sticker


This 1917 Revisited card is perfect for my retro and alternate uniforms collection. I've lots of cards with players wearing these but not this team shot. Let's see how many names I can remember. I see Ivan Calderon... Ozzie Guillen I think... and Tim "Rock" Raines!

Pack 3:
50 Top Prospect CL
89 Kenny Williams
137 Brook Jacoby
185 Wally Backman
203 Lance McCullers
210 Raphael Ramirez
225 Travis Fryman
310 Bob Melvin
366 David Cone
464 Oscar Azocar
495 Bill Long
525 George Brett
526 Greg Vaughn
654 Alex Cole
674 Rafael Novoa

Some more powder blues. And yes, that is a giant piece of cat hair that he's running from.

Pack 4:

68 Kurt Miller Top Prospect

71 Reggie Sanders Top Prospect

103 Mackey Sasser

119 Alfredo Griffin

216 Doug Jones

243 Jim Leyritz

292 Bill Wegman

322 Dan Plesac

384 Adres Thomas

477 Marquis Grissom

482 Rex Hudler

507 Dana Kiecker

544 Kirby Puckett

672 Reggie Harris

693 Tim Leary

Pirates Sticker

Did you know Reggie Sanders played with a steel plate implanted in his ankle? It prevented him from making clean pivots as an infielder in the minors before he was moved to the outfield.

Pack 5:

49 Roberto Kelly Yankees CL

90 Marty Barrett

138 Candy Maldonado

184 Jody Reed

202 Bob Garen

211 Donnie Hill

224 Dwight Gooden

311 Luis Salazar

365 Steve Avery

463 Omar Olivares

496 Mike Jackson

525 George Brett

526 Greg Vaughn

653 Trevor Wilson

673 Matt Nokes

Indians Sticker

I wanted to show this one because of a little pet peeve of mine. Can you guess what it is?

Pack 6:

64 Brook Fordyce Top Prospect

75 Len Brutcher Top Prospect

123 Cory Snyder

200 CL

213 Jack Howell

239 Lenny Harris

296 Mickey Tettleton

326 Gregg Olson

380 Kevis Gross

478 Marty Clary

481 Lee Guetterman

511 Casey Candaele

540 Randy Ready

668 John Wetteland

688 Stan Javier

Indians Sticker

I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly. How now brown cow how now brown cow...

6 packs, 3 Indians stickers, 2 Pirates stickers, and 1 pack with no sticker. Curses Upper Deck!

And that is that! If anyone noticed, this place has a new look, hope it's ok. Plus I am officially back on the real internet, and not the mobile phone internet. It almost made me cry tears of joy. Going from blogging from a phone to a business class cable service is... nice! So things should be picking up around here.