2012 Topps Heritage Mike Trout #207

I had no doubt the Angels were going to pay their franchise player - what else is there to say other than with the way Trout has built himself up as an all-around player, he'll continue to having lasting power through his mid 30s when he is supposed to be getting old and declining.

As far as Trout cards, I'll keep the ones I pull or stumble upon, but don't really go looking for ones to pick up since his better cards are always in demand - maybe two or three years ago, this particular second-year card was probably worth $3, but interest had picked up and it caught my attention.

I remember having a fling with trying to build the 2012 Topps Heritage set off loose pack / blaster breaks but lost interest soon enough - after the fact, it's easier to start with a hand-collated set purchase on eBay.

I didn't find a Trout among the 150-card box that housed my loose Heritage set-build from seven years ago - to scratch the itch, I had to get a copy even if it meant paying the going rate for a graded '9' example of his first Heritage card.

Newest Angels pick up - Cameron Maybin

The Angels traded minor leaguer Victor Alcantara for the veteran outfielder who has played in the big leagues for parts of 10 seasons - I still have a couple of certified autograph cards squirreled away from when Maybin was regarded as a top prospect with the Detroit Tigers.

However, Maybin never lived up to the hype and has only put together a modest big league career - the best case scenario for Maybin is to play in 130-140 games, while showing enough good things [with the bat, as a base runner and defender] to get some long-term contract offers somewhere else.

Featured autograph - John Buck

I got this autograph in-person when Buck was still with the Seattle Mariners early this year - Angels starting catcher Chris Iannetta has had a strong season [.372 on-base / .415 slugging] at the plate, but Buck sort of gives the Halos a veteran catcher as an option to rest Iannetta, when Hank Conger hasn't done much.

Bobby Abreu

Supposedly the former Angel is looking to make a comeback after playing in the Venezuelan winter league recently - the fact that he's just about 40 years old makes it doubtful that he makes any sort of impact.

If an opportunity was given and he took full advantage to play in the Major Leagues in 2014, maybe he'd still be able to get on-base with his superior batting eye - but maybe the ability to hit the ball with authority on a consistent basis will not be there for a team that needs some pop off the bench or as a fourth outfielder/DH.

I used to like Abreu in the early to mid 2000's not because I saw him play or anything on a regular basis [until he landed in Anaheim perhaps] - but because he put up metronomic numbers, his cards were easy finds out many quarter or dime boxes and may have been worth hoarding as perhaps he'd be a potential Hall of Famer one day.

Featured autograph - Tommy Gregg

At times I try to find about the signing habits of players and coaches to at least account for guys with certain quirks - from players / coaches with limits [i.e. maybe signing one or two cards at a time] to guys who won't sign certain cards for whatever reason.

The thing I learned about Gregg is he will not sign Atlanta Braves cards - I was really hoping to get my lone card of his signed during my Arizona Fall League trip, but since it's a Braves card, so I didn't even bother.

Just just to say I got him though, I had Gregg sign a 2012 Topps Heritage Kansas City Royals team card - since he is the hitting coach for their AAA team in Omaha.

Gregg's Major League cards picturing him in a uniform other than the Braves - include his 1988 Donruss #203 and 1988 Score Traded #69T.

He also has a 1988 Fleer Update #U-113 - maybe Gregg won't sign a Braves card, but he'll sign one of his cards that pictures someone else.

Though Fleer did have the correct picture for Gregg in the 1989 Fleer set as shown above - cue the semi-racial remark about how stupid Fleer was to put a picture of a black player on a card of a white guy.

Longshots make their debut with Angels

Josh Hamilton, Sean Burnett, J.B. Shuck, Brendan Harris and Mark Lowe made their Angels debut during the team's 13-inning 3-1 Opening Day win against the Cincinnati Reds - I have all but Shuck's autograph somewhere to account for and will try and get his autograph in-person.

It's a long season, but hopefully Shuck, Harris and Lowe can contribute to the Angels over the course of the year - not just be players who end up getting sent down or cut sooner than later, never to be heard from again.

Featured autograph - Jason Vargas

I got new Angel acquisition Jason Vargas to sign two or three cards at the end of the 2012 season when the Seattle Mariners were in Anaheim - while I would have liked to see what Kendrys Morales might have done in his second full season after coming back from his horrific injury in 2010, I guess there was some flexibility to make a move for a No. 4 or No. 5 starter like Vargas.

Vargas isn't great, doesn't throw particularly hard, but hopefully he can throw around 200 innings and in the process - nail down enough quality starts for the Angels without getting banged around [served up 35 home runs this past year] too much.

For the Angels, Mark Trumbo probably starts the 2013 season as primary designated hitter - with Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton and maybe Vernon Wells on the short list of Angels players who can also DH if needed.

Where is Albert at this point?

With the emergence of Mark Trumbo as a potential All-Star, at times I wonder if the Angels needed Albert Pujols - by his sheer accomplisments alone, Pujols makes the Angels brand better; he never takes a play off, run the bases well, plays defense adepty and still has the ability to change any particular game.

On the other hand, he's put up pedestrian numbers in the first half of 2012 and has been a disappointment of sorts- I'm always checking to see his numbers on ESPN.com, wondering if his numbers are going to be in line with what he's put up with his old team.

I'm still kind of wondering where is that prolonged streak when he carries the team for two or three weeks at a time - I'm hoping he finishes up with some strong numbers but at times I feel like I've got more confidence in other guys putting up numbers.

For Pujols to 'salvage' his first season in Anaheim in the second half - he is probably going to have to put up an MVP run in the second half and do a combination of the following.

- He needs to have a couple of 10 home run months and at least five multi-home run games - at times it seems like his ability to crush the ball on a regular basis has been sapped and it would be cool to see him tee off on some pitchers.

- He needs a long hitting streak [maybe 20 or more games] - I haven't really seen where Pujols has been consistently great, so he needs to be on a roll where he's pushing his batting average up to about .300 and make it seem like he's getting hits in 15-20 consecutive games.

- He needs to push his on base percentage closer to .380 and his slugging percentage closer to .550 - those might not be vintage Pujols numbers in those areas, but if he gets to putting up an .930 OPS, it's a reminder that he is still in the mix as of the top commodities in Major League Baseball.

Featured autograph - C.J. Wilson

I hadn't gotten Angels starting pitcher C.J. Wilson's autograph at all in the 2012 MLB season but was finally able to catch him as he signed before a game during the Angels last homestand - Wilson was on the phone, apparently talking to a local high school pitcher named Kyle Twomey while signing autographs.

As Wilson took items to be signed - he told the fans waiting to congratulate Twomey for being drafted [by the Oakland Athletics].

Random thoughts - Barry Zito

Barry Zito has enjoyed a string of resurgent starts in the first month of the 2012 season - its not like I've followed his playing career religiously, but I remember him as part of the 'Big Three' [with Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder] for the Oakland Athletics back in the early 2000's.

Since he's been with the Giants, Zito's either been a sore free-agent disappointment or pitched as well as a No. 4 starting pitcher can - while being paid as a No.1.

I do want to say while he always had a sort of unique persona off the field - it was moving to see his relationship with his ailing father in last season's Showtime documentary about the San Francisco Giants.

2012 Topps Heritage retail jumbo pack recaps

2012 Topps Heritage 16-card jumbo pack [$5.29 each x2 at Target] - I'm tempted to look for Heritage when it first comes out because it's popular with collectors as a [set-building baseball card product] and I don't want to miss out [even though I'm not likely to build the set].

In most years, Topps Heritage just doesn't do it for me and I'm not inclined to pick up anymore of it after securing a jumbo pack or two, maybe a blaster or two or three - maybe I'll try to look for the young players [maybe less than two years MLB experience] and 'recent rookies' within the set, guys who don't have have a run of multiple base Heritage cards [like veteran players] over the years.

First pack

Top section
#386 2012 Rookie Stars - featuring Jesus Montero, Andrew Brackman, Austin Romine and Dellin Betances.
#295 Cory Luebke
#409 Jair Jurrjens
#320 Zack Greinke
#346 Santiago Casilla
#15 Darwin Barney

#335 Bobby Abreu - I assume the cartoon on the back was sacrificed to put Abreu's entire MLB career stats.
#172 Yadier Molina
#218 Tigers Twirlers - featuring Jose Valverde and Justin Verlander.

Bottom section
#265 2012 Rookie Stars - featuring Adron Chambers, Steve Lombardozzi, Tim Federowicz and Brad Peacock.
#281 Jason Marquis
#51 Alex Gordon
#90 Joey Votto
#26 Scott Baker

#480 Carlos Gonzalez - SP
#23 Ned Yost

Second pack

Top section
#181 Brent Morel

#392 Tribe Thumpers - featuring the backside of Asdrubal Cabrera and Carlos Santana.
#215 B.J. Upton
#418 Johnny Damon - I assume the cartoon on the back was sacrificed to put Damon's entire MLB career stats.
#341 Ryan Madson

#BF-SK Sandy Koufax - Baseball Flashbacks insert
#270 Nate Schierholtz
#321 2012 Rookie Stars - featuring Nate Spears, Corey Brown, Drew Pomeranz and Adron Chambers.

#247 Jarrod Parker

Bottom section
#146 Mike Napoli
#319 Adam Jones
#232 Kevin Youkilis

#290 Albert Pujols
#399 Mike Minor

#43 James Shields - Stick-Ons insert
#13 Philadelphia Phillies Team card