Just to get the TTM machine going, where I may have some mail to look forward to - I dug out cards from the misfit Angels box, to put together and send out some recent requests.
Repoz was a serviceable player who was just a little above league average as a hitter [105 OPS+] despite a .224 batting average in 9 MLB seasons - though it wasn't in the major leagues, Repoz had a 5-year run as a slugger [122 home runs /.512 slugging] in Japan through the mid 1970s.
"One of your favorite cards from the 1960s."
For a period of time in the early 1990s, Ryan was everywhere and I still remember him decked out in his ranching / cowboy gear - on the front cover of this Beckett Baseball Card Monthly magazine.
Ryan's rookie card was a real big deal among collectors, whether or not it was realistic to own - it gained some notoriety when it was it accidentally sold at a card shop for $12.
I thought pulling any of Ryan's cards were worth its weight gold and even though he was in his 40s and really on his last legs of his distinguished big league career - the following highlights would have led anyone to believe the all-time strikeout king was simply ageless.
It looks like there were actually nine packs [instead of eight totals packs] in my blaster for a total of 81 cards - I didn't pull a Target exclusive 1968 game rookie insert, so I think I might have been somehow skunked with this retail box, but ended up pulling six short prints [usually pulled 1:3 odds].
Pack one
#220 Joe Mauer
#275 2017 Philadelphia Phillies Rookie Stars - feat. Jake Thompson/Roman Quinn
#61 Marco Estrada
#109 Chris Iannetta
#462 Jackie Bradley Jr. - SP
#227 Steven Souza Jr.
#7 2016 ERA Leaders - feat. Hendricks/Lester/Syndergaard
#180 Stephen Piscotty
#190 Tommy Joseph
Pack two
#55 Josh Phegley
#88 Kyle Seager
#101 Jose Iglesias
#267 2017 Milwaukee Brewers Rookie Stars - feat. Orlando Arcia/Brent Suter
#486 Ji-Man Choi - SP
#493 Sam Dyson - SP
#73 Nick Hundley
#47 Collin McHugh
#82 Leonys Martin
#96 Gerardo Parra
Pack three
#316 Kendrys Morales
#384 2017 Arizona Diamondbacks Rookie Stars - feat. Braden Shipley/Matt Koch
#97 Javier Baez
#93 Aaron Nola
#229 1988 Topps Jeff Musselman - Rediscover Topps
#26 Howie Kendrick
#352 Kevin Kiermeier
#12 2016 American League Strikeout Leaders - feat. Verlander/Archer/Sale
#16 2017 San Diego Padres Rookie Stars - feat. Manny Margot/Hunter Renfroe
#33 Jhonny Peralta
Pack four
#102 Richie Shaffer
#11 2016 National League Strikeout Leaders - feat. Scherzer/Bumgarner/Ray
#259 Ken Giles
#121 Jeff Samardzija
#482 Albert Almora - SP
#85 Brett Gardner
#279 Washington Nationals team card
#297 Ezequiel Carrera
#278 Jeurys Familia
Pack five
#348 Julio Teheran
#320 Jayson Werth
#310 Tyler Saladino
#266 Los Angeles Angels team card
#BF-BR Brooks Robinson - Baseball Flashbacks insert
#64 Russell Martin
#256 Matt Harvey
#184 Jeanmar Gomez
#178 James Shields
Pack six
#271 Jason Castro
#196 Brandon Crawford
#118 Travis Shaw
#156 2016 World Series - Game #5 - feat. Aroldis Chapman
#461 Mark Trumbo - SP
#137 Adeiny Hechavarria
#129 Colorado Rockies team card
#388 Yonder Alonso
#181 Corey Kluber
Pack seven
#59 Jose Peraza
#156 2016 World Series - Game #6 - feat. Addison Russell
#43 Arodys Vizcaino
#325 Chris Davis
#302 Khris Davis
#274 Nelson Cruz
#15 Logan Morrison
#9 2016 National League Pitching Leaders - feat. Scherzer/Lester/Arrieta
#92 R.A. Dickey
Pack eight
#233 Scott Schebler
#369 Robinson Cano
#175 Michael Saunders
#48 Seth Smith
#467 Gregory Polanco - SP
#291 Wily Peralta
#191 Alexi Amarista
#191 Zack Cozart
#158 Cubs Fly The W
Pack nine
#86 Danny Valencia
#292 Carlos Ruiz
#176 Brandon Phillips
#157 2016 World Series - Game #7 - feat. Ben Zobrist
#12 Jake Arrieta - 1968 Topps Game insert
#44 Eduardo Nunez
#91 Chicago Aces - feat. Lester/Arrieta
#343 Marcus Semien
#104 Carlos Santana
I do appreciate some 'old school' elements in baseball cards, so it's not like I don't get what these cards are about - I grabbed 7 random packs from a card shop and also a blaster box from a Target to see if I can get into these new cards for a little bit.
It may not feel authentic, but the thinner card stock is cleaner and the cards look fairly sharp - it seems like there was no effort to make the cards look like the originals, which may not be something people who collect Heritage seriously may like.
I read a little primer on the original 1968 Topps cards - but despite the inconsistent pattern scheme on the borders, I'm okay with the cards looking a little bland and maybe lacking a little imagination [just considering the cards themselves and not the wrinkles and gimmicks that come with a 2017 release].
The card backs are bright and bold - so that makes them easy to read.
I realize 1968 Topps wasn't a set that used facsimile autographs of the players as part of the design - so the fronts of these 2017 Topps Heritage cards look less cluttered.
Pack one
#280 Chase Headley
#283 Pittsburgh Pirates team card
#301 Martin Prado
#358 San Diego Padres team card
#NAP-14 Kyle Hendricks - New Age Performers
It's going to be another 19 years for 2036 Topps Heritage to come out featuring 'Today's Stars in The 1987 Design' - where pulling a buyback card from 1987 Topps would make sense, though I probably could have pulled any junk wax era card from this latest Topps promotion.
#77 Yadier Molina
#345 Jarred Cosart
#210 Carlos Rodon
#343 Marcus Semien
#104 Carlos Santana
Pack seven
#220 Joe Mauer
#275 2017 Philadelphia Phillies Rookie Stars - feat. Jake Thompson/Roman Quinn
#389 D.J. LeMahieu
Jeff Torborg c/o home - the former MLB player and manager personalized and signed two cards in black ink and kept a 2003 Topps I sent; this request was mailed 12/7/11 and received on 6/4/12.
Bob Locker c/o home - the former Major League relief pitcher from the 1960s through early 1970s signed my card in blue Sharpie in about two weeks.
I thought the 1980 Topps Gary Carter I ended up trading for this 1968 Topps card of Matty Alou was a keeper - but I think I may have been compelled to trade after seeing 10-15 trade requests seemingly every time I log in.
Most on the Diamond Giveaway site want my Vladimir Guerrero and Jered Weaver Diamond Die-cut cards from my portfolio - though it seems like it is the only cards offered are from the junk wax era, so I try not to pay attention to it.
I also got two throw in cards of little consequence - a 1980 Topps Joe Wallis #562 and a 1985 Topps Danny Ozark [manager] #365.
1968 Topps Bobby Knoop #271 - I got his autograph already but not on a baseball card I can easily file away in my Angels autograph box. He is scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the Angels 50th Anniversary on 8/18.
1968 Topps Tom Satriano #238 - he is the last scheduled former Angel to throw out a first pitch for the Angels 50th Anniversary on 9/26. It looks like he has been rescheduled to appear on 7/6 [which was a TBA date] instead of 9/26.
I also picked up a 1981 Topps Joe Rudi #701 for a quarter - I got his autograph at the 2000 National in Anaheim, but it was on a throw away ball of sorts I got during batting practice that I may not have discarded, but have long since forgotten about.He is throwing out a first pitch for the Angels 50th Anniversary on 9/24 and I want to get him on a card like Knoop - so I can file it away with the rest of my Angels' signed cards.