TTM autographs received: Ron Reed

The former big league pitcher signed my cards in about a week for a $20 donation - Reed was a multi-sport athlete, playing in the NBA for 2 seasons, before focusing on sticking in the major leagues for good.

Featured autograph - Rusty Kuntz

Rusty Kuntz may not be a memorable player on merit but his unfortunate name makes him sort of a cult baseball player - I've always wanted a 'Rusty Kuntz' autograph for my collection and was finally able to get the Kansas City Royals coach to sign a card for me when his team came to play the Angels this year.

Image grabbed online and added 6/12/13 - see what I mean about his name being a punch line? LOL

2013 Topps Series I blaster recap

I've read complaints about not being able to pull any game-used / autograph cards out of 2013 Topps blasters - but with the potential for pack searchers to pull their chicanery, hits shouldn't be the important thing to come out of any retail break.

Commemorative Patch pack
#RCP-16 Don Mattingly - there is a chance I might not pull one, but the commemorative rookie card patch relics make picking up 2013 Topps Series I blasters appealing.

Pack one
#240 J.J. Putz
#214 Curtis Granderson
#88 Jamie Carroll
#CH-39 Jim Thome - Chasing History insert
#213 Alex Rodriguez - Walmart Blue parallel
#75 Barry Zito - Walmart Blue parallel
#235 Jake Westbrook
#314 A.J. Ellis

Pack two
#8 Ryan Braun
#37 Max Scherzer
#10 Adam Jones
#270 Manny Machado
Million Dollar Chase code card
#68 Colby Rasmus - Walmart Blue parallel
#201 Jonny Venters - Walmart Blue parallel
#419 Brian Bogusevic

Pack three
#20 Kevin Youkilis
#225 Will Venable
#CTC-20 Roberto Clemente - Cut to the Chase die-cut insert
#TM-49 Matt Kemp - 1972 Topps Mini insert
#302 Aaron Hill - Walmart Blue parallel
#200 Scott Downs - Walmart Blue parallel
#165 Ramon Hernandez

Pack four
#15 Dustin Pedroia
#331 Jose Reyes
#40 Chien-Ming Wang
#CD-19 Yu Darvish - Chasing the Dream insert
#191 Chris Capuano - Walmart Blue parallel
#227 Jose Altuve - Walmart Blue parallel
#251 Sean Marshall
#299 Darwin Barney

Pack five
#105 Freddie Freeman
#16 Andre Ethier
#119 Chris Davis
#330 Ryan Raburn - the blonde bonus babee...awesome outfield action card.
#CH-15 Willie McCovey - Chasing History insert
#70 Todd Frazier - Walmart Blue parallel
#126 Dan Uggla - Walmart Blue parallel
#167 Luke Hochevar

Pack six
#52 C.C. Sabathia
#81 Clayton Kershaw, R.A. Dickey and Johnny Cueto - 2012 NL ERA Leaders
#266 Albert Pujols
#192 Javier Lopez - Emerald parallel
#36 Jered Weaver - Walmart Blue parallel
#123 Jemile Weeks - Walmart Blue parallel
#212 Eric Chavez
#188 Brian Fuentes

Pack seven
#137 Edinson Volquez
#269 St. Louis Cardinals - 2012 NLDS Game 5
#304 Kyle Drabek
#TM-9 Adam Jones - 1972 Topps Mini insert
#80 Ryan Zimmerman - Walmart Blue parallel
#11 Yu Darvish - Walmart Blue parallel
#262 Kevin Correia
#190 Daniel Descalso

Pack eight
#34 Felix Hernandez
#29 Adrian Beltre
#83 Darin Ruf
#CC-8 C.C. Sabathia - Calling Card insert
Million Dollar Chase code card
#55 Tim Lincecum - Walmart Blue parallel
#33 Cliff Lee - Walmart Blue parallel
#162 Kyle Seager

Pack nine
#233 Edwin Jackson
#112 Mark Reynolds
#290 Tom Layne
#CH-32 Brian Wilson - Chasing History insert
#147 Ivan Nova - Walmart Blue parallel
#320 Michael Young - Walmart Blue parallel
#292 Matt Thornton
#51 Jonathan Broxton

Pack 10
#47 Howie Kendrick
#72 Gerardo Parra
#23 Jemile Weeks
#CD-9 Devin Mesoraco - Chasing the Dream insert
#281 David Hernandez - Walmart Blue parallel
#134 Jake Arrieta - Walmart Blue parallel
#226 Derek Lowe
#146 Kyle McClellan

Featured autograph - Ron Jackson

I'd gotten former Angel Ron Jackson's autograph at least once or twice when he was a coach for the Boston Red Sox through the mid 2000s - but I had a couple of Angels cards ready when he threw out the first pitch before an Angels game last Thursday night.

I ended up getting a 1984 Topps card signed during the game - I like the 'Papa Jack' inscription and while he seemed a little distracted [he was talking with what seemed to be a good acquaintance], it seemed like he was a happy mood to sign autographs.