2011 Topps Lineage blaster recap

2011 Topps Lineage blaster box [$19.99 at a Target] - I've been curious about this product and with all sorts of hobby breaks that have trickled out at a couple of the sports card forums I visit [Freedom Card Board and at Blowout Cards], I was hoping to see the retail versions of this new Topps product out on the shelves.

I kind of want to bust a a full hobby box of 2011 Topps Lineage - but the good chance I might pull a Jason Motte, Fernando Rodney or David DeJesus autograph card as one of my hits from a $90 box terrifies me.

I think Topps Lineage a product you fall in love with during a particular year - then end up forgetting about when the next year rolls around, except to realize you spent a boatload of spending money on these cards because they were 'neat or something.'

I stopped at a Target and grabbed one blaster box I did see [no loose packs or 'racks'] - with a game-used relic card guaranteed per box

The bonus hit in the blaster boxes sweetens things up a little bit - though GU / memorabilia / relic cards are not quite the hits people are looking for these days.

I ended up pulling a Clayton Kershaw mini 1975 Topps relic - using an 'old-school' Topps design adds some novelty to what would probably a common pull otherwise.

The relic card is in a cello wrapper by itself - as opposed to being inserted in one of the packs.

Pack one - eight cards per pack / seven packs per blaster
#49 Matt Kemp
#94 John Smoltz
#85 Al Kaline
#68 Alexei Ramirez

#138 Prince Fielder - Diamond Anniversary shiny parallel
#187 Justin Verlander
#182 Frank Robinson
#154 Fergie Jenkins
#1 of 4 2011 Topps Lineage checklist

Pack two
#62 Adrian Beltre
#54 Alfonso Soriano
#87 David Ortiz
#NNO Derek Jeter - 3D insert; were the Angels really going to have a ceremony to honor Jeter for some reason or another?
#168 Delmon Young
#104 Miguel Montero
#123 Andre Ethier
#134 John Danks

Pack three
#100 Babe Ruth
#8 Francisco Liriano
#15 Curtis Granderson
#30 Chase Utley

#83 Adam Wainwright - Diamond Anniversary Platinum Diamond sparkle parallel

#146 Freddie Freeman
#158 Monte Irvin
#175 C.C. Sabathia

Pack four
#43 Victor Martinez
#59 Duke Snider
#70 Carlos Santana
#135 Tim Lincecum - 1975 Topps mini parallel / wish Topps would have replicated the 'original backs' and also perhaps made these parallels on Heritage style cardboard.
#190 Bert Blyleven - maybe I would have preferred stats instead of a blurb on the back of these cards, though I like the backgrounds seemingly color coded by team.
#73 Kosuke Fukudome
#196 Ichiro - part of the Topps All-Rookie subset?
#143 Miguel Cabrera

Pack five
#83 Adam Wainwright
#93 Roy Oswalt
#58 Gordon Beckham
#28 Aramis Ramirez - Diamond Anniversary shiny parallel

#18 of 20 J.P. Arencibia - Lineage Rookies
#137 Johnny Bench
#129 Jason Heyward
#113 Trevor Cahill

Pack six
#50 Lou Gehrig
#47 Lance Berkman
#38 Chris Carpenter
#24 Tsuyoshi Nishioka

#TV 4 Ryan Zimmerman - Venezuelan parallel
#106 Cy Young
#151 Johnny Damon
#195 Chipper Jones - part of the Topps All-Rookie subset?
Pack seven
#12 Elvis Andrus
#2 Derek Jeter
#19 Larry Walker

#128 Vernon Wells - Diamond Anniversary Platinum Diamond sparkle parallel
#186 Mel Ott
#171 Ryne Sandberg
#165 Jose Reyes
#157 Wandy Rodriguez
#4 of 4 2011 Topps Lineage checklist