2014 Topps Series I blaster recap

I was going to pick up a 2014 Topps Opening Day blaster since I've seen a few random breaks and it looks like cheap fun with assorted inserts to be pulled - along with possible autographs and even image variations.

However, the guaranteed lure of a commemorative patch card along with two Target Red parallels per pack steered me towards my first 2014 Topps blaster instead - even though at first I'd actually bought a blaster without the Target red parallels inserted and returned the 'dud' blaster to look for a blaster marked as having the parallels.

It seems like the idea of continuing to pick up 2014 Topps unopened packs / blasters is something I'm still interested in even though I have all the base cards from 2014 Topps Series I - maybe because there might be inserts [or specifically parallels] to still pull that are a little different than just the base cards.

With the right 2014 Topps blaster in-hand and at home, I'm going through a 'detailed' break where I list the contents from the 8-card packs - as I flip through the cards, what I start noticing is most of the cards in middle of the packs all have at least one mashed corner; maybe the cards are packed too tight and 'can't breathe.'

Is pulling a 'bunch' of cards with at least one corner mashed considered merely a bad run [?] - it looks like I have to return most of the Target red borders and other inserts and maybe a few base since they don't look to great.

The best card to come out of the blaster was from the commemorative patch pack - I pulled a 2012 Topps rookie reprint of Yu Darvish [#RCP-16] and the card is nice, even though it looks like the prices for these types of cards have bottomed out on ebay.

I stayed away from 2014 Topps Series I blasters because I thought these reprint cards were redundant, considering these are similar to last year's rookie card patches - unlike last year's version, only the image is reprinted in a 'silk' cloth material, while the actual card design is integrated as part of the border that 'holds' the image.

Maybe I'll look for more of the rookie card reprints since they are not as bulky as last year's rookie card patches and it's not as cumbersome to have in-hand I guess - I still think I should have gone with the 2014 Topps Opening Day blaster.

Featured autograph - Joe Smith

Maybe the salaries for rank-and-file MLB players have bumped up with more money in the game - so a three year, $15 million commitment for someone of Smith's talents might not be unreasonable, though I wouldn't have been itching to sign a random guy with little upside.

Smith seems to be a reliever who doesn’t throw hard and doesn't close out games - maybe a smarter MLB team might find a way to acquire pitchers with some potential flailing around in the minors or veteran MLB pitchers who've bounced around, looking for another chance to pitch.

Topps Golden Giveaway - Rod Carew

My activity on the 2012 Topps Golden Giveaway contest site was sparse since it was harder to redeem actual cards from the code cards inserted in last year's Topps product - I turned a Rickey Henderson pull into a die-cut of Rod Carew and finally had the lone card sent to me for the $2.92 Topps requires for s/h.

2012 Topps Series II 72-card Walmart recap

This was one of two Christmas gifts from my brother - the other was a 2012 Topps Opening Day blaster box.

#488 Nick Swisher
#398 Buster Posey
#415 Rafael Furcal
#519 Gio Gonzalez
#476 Ramon Hernandez
#557 Zack Cozart
#452 Robert Andino
#624 Gerardo Parra
#588 Mark Ellis
#413 Frank Francisco
#396 Yoenis Cespedes
#616 Tyler Pastornicky
#657 Dave Sappelt
#423 Colby Rasmus
#427 Rafael Dolis
Topps Pennant Florida Marlins info card
#561 Freddy Sanchez
#377 Brandon Inge
#454 Michael Cuddyer
#498 Joey Votto
#524 Martin Prado
#381 David DeJesus
#493 Ryan Madson
#428 Jordan Schafer
#438 Juan Uribe
#572 Hiroki Kuroda
#394 Bryan LaHair
#516 Charlie Morton
#591 Aubrey Huff
#347 Craig Gentry
#397 Hector Noesi
#656 Carlos Santana
#546 Matt Thornton
#625 Tommy Hunter
#515 Willie Bloomquist
#373 Carlos Gonzalez
#425 Carlos Zambrano
#349 Tim Lincecum
#417 Carlos Pena
#509 Travis Snider
#348 Alfonso Soriano
#405 Nathan Eovaldi
#353 John Mayberry
#660 Yu Darvish
#379 Sergio Romo
#391 Rod Barajas
#584 Daric Barton
#445 Ramon Santiago
#646 Francisco Cervelli
#459 Eric Surkamp
#602 Alejandro De Aza - Golden Moments parallel
#ACA-14 Willie Mays - A Cut Above insert
#GM-19 Craig Kimbrel - Golden Moments insert
#CD-24 Troy Tulowitzki - Career Day insert
#TM-59 Cliff Lee - 1987 Topps Mini insert
#GGC-19 Derek Jeter - Golden Giveaway code card; unlocked a random coin and another free code, which unlocked another useless coin.
#511 Ervin Santana
#483 Alex Gordon
#339 Clayton Richard
#617 Jimmy Rollins
#633 Chris Narverson
#526 Casper Wells
#632 Joe Nathan
#593 Marco Scutaro
#520 Ryan Adams
#430 Felix Hernandez
#410 Jeff Locke

#460 Thomas Field
#390 Taylor Green
#338 Jose Constanza
#604 Juan Abreu
#396 Yoenis Cespedes - blue parallel
#657 Dave Sappelt - blue parallel

2012 Topps Series II 72-card retail hanger box recap

I impulsively picked one up from Target after being inspired by this post on another card blog - the one per box Golden Giveaway code yielded a Rickey Henderson die-cut card, which was a nice surprise.

So I hear Delmon Young got into some trouble recently

My best guess was Young was in his own world, probably inebriated - a panhandler was cloying around his space, unsavory, un-PC things get said when people are under the influence and things happen. When bystanders try to break things up, he gets in a bigger altercation that gets him arrested.

Maybe lost in the message is that Delmon can be the most laid back, chill guy under most circumstances - but he's no Josh Hamilton.

The media and fans will always assume the worst and short of what they really want to call him - Young's already had some history of immaturity, dating back when he threw a bat at an umpire in the minors, so anyone with Google will find all sorts of stuff said about him you wouldn't say to his face.

Even if Young has been a disappointment under most circumstances as a former No. 1 overall pick - he is still a professional baseball player with some stature, one who needs to get some help before he finds himself completely irrelevant.

2012 Topps Series I blaster recap

I picked a blaster of 2012 Topps Series I from Target though I keep saying to myself - 'even though I've 'sworn off' eBay during the last several months, I can probably pick up different assortments of 2012 Topps cards [complete sets, complete insert sets, team sets, lots, etc] for about the same price as this lone blaster.'

Commemorative Patch pack
#HS-DM Don Mattingly

Pack one
#141 Brandon Belt
#195 Ben Zobrist
#GM-26 Paul O'Neill - Golden Moments insert
#GF-20 Mike Moustakas - Gold Futures insert
#175 Jared Hughes
#80 David Price
#255 Scott Rolen
#243 Justin De Fratus

Pack two
#174 Yadier Molina
#18 Jose Altuve
#GG-13 Willie Mays - Golden Greats insert
#98 Domonic Brown
#213 Alex Avila
#244 Sergio Santos
#109 Mariano Rivera - All-Time Saves Leader
#156 2011 NL Wins Leaders - featuring Ian Kennedy / Clayton Kershaw and Roy Halladay

Pack three
#7 Mickey Mantle
#84 Brian Matusz
#111 Kevin Slowey
#TM-37 C.C. Sabathia -1987 Topps mini insert
#GGC-5 Matt Kemp - Golden Giveaway code card / unlocked a Roy Halladay virtual coin
#42 Drew Pomeranz
#199 Adam Dunn
#113 Craig Kimbrell - checklist

Pack four
#38 Felipe Paulino
#25 Neil Walker
#296 Brayan Pena - Golden Moments parallel
#TT-15 Bob Gibson / Roy Halladay - Timeless Talents insert
#221 Luke Gregerson
#12 Wilson Ramos
#269 Jason Vargas
#128 Lucas Duda

Pack five
#236 Jose Tabata
#CW-5 Jay Bruce - Classic Walkoffs insert
#GM-10 Prince Fielder - Golden Moments insert
#205 Justin Masterson
#56 Geovany Soto
#143 George Kottaras
#231 Dexter Fowler
#170 Jacoby Ellsbury

Pack six
#256 Mat Latos
#145 Billy Butler
#116 A.J. Pierzynski
#GG-5 Lou Gehrig - Golden Greats insert
#GS-9 Willie McCovey - Gold Standard insert
#24 Ike Davis
#104 Brett Anderson
#53 St. Louis Cardinals - 2011 World Series Game #7 featuring Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman

Pack seven
#200 Miguel Cabrera
#246 Bud Norris
#TM-23 Dustin Pedroia - 1987 Topps mini insert
#GF-10 Craig Kimbrel - Gold Futures insert
#222 Chris Coghlan
#110 Mark Teixeira
#48 Wade Davis
#91 Active AL Home Run Leaders - featuring A-Rod, Jim Thome and Jason Giambi

Pack eight
#85 Jason Heyward
#144 Marlon Byrd
#31 Brent Morel - Golden Moments parallel
#50 Adrian Gonzalez
#318 Erik Bedard
#68 Jason Hammel
#29 Active NL Wins Leaders - featuring Livan Hernandez, Roy Oswalt and Randy Wolf
#90 Adron Chambers

Pack nine
#163 Justin Turner
#307 Vance Worley
#203 Jeff Niemann
#GM-3 Derek Jeter - Golden Moments insert
#192 Active NL Home Run Leaders - featuring Chipper Jones, Albert Pujols and Andruw Jones
#282 Ryan Raburn
#105 Paul Konerko
#292 Ben Revere

Pack 10
#140 Troy Tulowitzki
#GG-55 Hank Aaron - Golden Greats insert
#GGC-6 Albert Pujols - Golden Giveaway code card / unlocked a Stan Musial virtual coin
#108 Albert Pujols
#237 Russell Martin
#40 Tom Milone
#23 Cory Luebke
#208 Mike Leake

2012 Topps Casey Kotchman #289

I want to make a joke that I've lost track of where former Angel phenom Casey Kotchman is going to be playing in 2012 - it looks like he'll be playing for the Cleveland Indians after a 'bounce back' season last year.

I like the 2012 Topps card because it features Derek Jeter as a 'Bonus Baby' - a search on Getty Images confirms Jeter's cameo appearance on Kotchman's card.

The actual image used used for the card

Related image that confirms the Yankee baserunner's identity

Related image

My first 2012 Topps Golden Giveaway code card - a Wade Boggs digital coin

I picked up a 72-card box of 2012 Topps and this was what I redeemed with my one per box Golden Giveaway code card - hopefully I'll be able to redeem a future code card for an actual card I can have delivered.