Featured autograph - Brian Goodwin

Goodwin has been a solid addition so far for the middling 2019 Angels, getting an opportunity to stick at the end of spring training after Justin Upton got hurt - I got his autograph when he was in the Washington Nationals organization, playing in the Arizona Fall League in 2013, long before he was an Angel.

Featured autograph - Ji Man Choi

Choi has made the Angels Opening Day roster and while it is hard to guess whether or not he'll actually stick - may he get the opportunity to play a little bit and perhaps be a 'find' for the Angels.

Featured autograph - Grant Green

I've seen Green at the Arizona Fall League in 2011 and 2012, but got a couple of new cards [2013 Topps Pro Debut and 2013 Panini USA Champions] signed in-person about a week or so - before the 25-year old rookie got traded to the Angels in exchange for Alberto Callaspo.

Hopefully Green, can figure things out sooner than never and maybe in a few years - be another Mark DeRosa, a useful guy who can play a couple of positions with a decent stick at the plate.

As for the Angels, I have to be a fan, but the product on the field is unwatchable - there is a 'what you see is what you get' quality to the Angels, which is to say the way the team has been built over the last three years, there hasn't been the ability to go out and get players that add depth to the pitching staff or among the position players.

I don't know how much further the Angels will have to fall before hitting rock bottom, but seemingly each loss is worse than the last - the 'go for broke' trades during the middle of the year and big free agent signings of the last four or five years have torpedoed the ability for the team to bounce back as a legitimate contender.

I was for the Albert Pujols signing a couple of years ago, even when he is hobbled up now - but the Angels should have built a rebuilt a team through three or four players instead of throwing out money to Josh Hamilton last off-season.

Featured autograph - Mike Piazza

I told my friend I was going to drop a ball on Piazza at the Inland Empire 66'ers game Sunday night until I realized it wasn't that Mike Piazza - in all seriousness, it's not that confusing to figure out that 44-year old former MLB superstar catcher Mike Piazza would not be pitching [much less doing anything else] for a Single-A team in the California League, though seeing the name does throw people off for a moment.

The younger Mike Piazza is old to be a serious prospect in any MLB organization, but the Angels have held onto him for parts of five minor league seasons - so perhaps if he continues to show something [maybe as a swingman], he may get an opportunity to reach the Major Leagues at some point, even if it's only for a cup of coffee.

2013 Topps Pro Debut retail box

I read about a cheaper, 'retail' version of 2013 Topps Pro Debut and bought this on a whim [online through my phone] on the way home from a field trip three or four weeks ago - I don't think boxes are actually meant to be sold through big box stores but Topps made a cheaper option, presumably to cater for those who want the base cards for themselves.

I didn't do a pack-per-pack recap but on my sixth pack, I pulled a Yasiel Puig - so that probably paid for most of the box at this current time.

Out of the box break I got 192 out of 220 cards with no dupes - these are the 28 cards I didn't end up pulling

5 C.J. Cron
30 Anthony Alford
36 Adalberto Mondesi
37 Courtney Hawkins
55 Matt Magill
56 Bralin Jackson
66 Miguel Sano
73 Christian Bethancourt
81 Justin Nicolino
83 Shawon Dunston Jr.
104 George Springer
121 Kyle Lotzkar
124 Mark Montgomery
125 Javier Baez
129 Dorssys Paulino
151 Chih Fang Pan
153 Kyle Crick
158 Matthew Skole
166 Jorge Bonifacio
168 Chris Stratton
174 Jake Marisnick
179 Mark Bordonaro
183 Julio Rodriguez
186 Bryce Brentz
190 Trevor May
215 Hunter Morris
216 Keury de la Cruz
219 Joe Panik

Cards I actually pulled from some loose [hobby] pack breaks

36 Adalberto Mondesi
37 Courtney Hawkins
81 Justin Nicolino
83 Shawon Dunston Jr.
153 Kyle Crick
158 Matthew Skole
174 Jake Marisnick
179 Mark Bordonaro
190 Trevor May

The 19 cards I'm need to complete the set

5 C.J. Cron
30 Anthony Alford
55 Matt Magill
56 Bralin Jackson
66 Miguel Sano
73 Christian Bethancourt
104 George Springer
121 Kyle Lotzkar
124 Mark Montgomery
125 Javier Baez
129 Dorssys Paulino
151 Chih Fang Pan
166 Jorge Bonifacio
168 Chris Stratton
183 Julio Rodriguez
186 Bryce Brentz
215 Hunter Morris
216 Keury de la Cruz
219 Joe Panik

Besides Puig, I also pulled cards of guys like Byron Buxton, Anthony Rendon, Maikel Franco and others - 2013 Pro Debut retail is a fun, low end break if hunting for cards picturing top prospects, rank-and-file minor leaguers and the top prospects who've graduated to the Major Leagues in 2013.