2013 Bowman Platinum blaster recap

I was looking to see if I'd pull an autograph or something even though I still say I'm paying way too much [about $20 plus tax from a Target] - to pick up 32 random cards per box.

An idea for Topps is to perhaps label the backs of the cards to identify which parallel sets they are from - the base cards are shiny and maybe confused for parallels but besides that, I have to guess and look up cards I pulled if I suspect if they are more than just base cards.

Pack one
#BPP 99 Luis Sardinas
#41 Gio Gonzalez

#36 Stan Musial - Blue Sapphire insert
#53 Freddie Freeman

Pack two
#BPP 91 Michael Wacha

#4 Norichika Aoki - Ruby parallel
#84 Jackie Bradley Jr.
#BPP 25 Anthony Rendon

Pack three
#BPP 93 Richie Shaffer
#BPP 55 Adrian Beltre
#CES-JM Joe Mauer - Cutting Edge Stars insert
#BPP 42 Kyle Zimmer

Pack four
#66 Salvador Perez

#BPCP 13 Taijuan Walker - Chrome parallel
#97 Chris Sale
#BPP 23 Carlos Correa

Pack five
#BPP 43 Tyler Austin

#63 Jason Heyward - Gold parallel
#8 David Freese
#BPP 31 Albert Almora

Pack six
#BPP 5 Zack Wheeler
#BPP 72 Billy Butler
#TP-TW Taijuan Walker - Top Prospects insert
#BPP 9 Billy Hamilton

Pack seven
#BPP 62 Kyle Gibson
#2 Mike Trout - Blue Sapphire parallel
#15 Carl Crawford
#BPP 17 Danny Hultzen

Pack eight
#81 Derek Jeter

#BPCP 5 Zack Wheeler - Chrome parallel
#29 Mariano Rivera
#BPP 92 Gavin Cecchini

2012 Bowman Platinum blaster recap

2012 Bowman Platinum blaster break [$19.99 each at a Target] - I like the refractor foil board finish of the base cards though perhaps I prefer, a lighter, brighter design.

Pack one
#11 Jose Reyes

#BPP 24 Starling Marte - looks like it has a refractor finish
#54 Evan Longoria
#71 Tim Hudson

Pack two
#17 Tyler Pastornicky
#62 Alex Gordon

#BPP 19 Brett Jackson - looks like an X-Fractor
#86 Ryan Zimmerman

Pack three
#75 Kevin Youkilis
#BPP 71 Zach Cone

#CES-1 Ichiro - Cutting Edge die-cut insert; the left hand corner of the back is creased.
#98 Freddie Freeman

Pack four
#83 Devin Mesoraco
#BPP 86 Cory Spangenberg
#26 James Shields - Gold parallel
#92 Wilin Rosario

Pack five

#78 Jered Weaver
#BPP 16 Billy Hamilton
#TP-JM Jake Marisnick - Top Prospects insert
#40 Ubaldo Jimenez

Pack six
#50 Josh Beckett
#BPP 98 Jordan Swaggerty
#34 Ryan Braun
#26 James Shields

Pack seven
#64 David Ortiz
#AP-TC Tyler Collins - certified autograph; blue ink on card

#35 Joey Votto - Ruby Red parallel
#10 Carlos Gonzalez

Pack eight

#16 Mike Trout
#BPP 92 Bryce Brentz

#89 Hanley Ramirez - Emerald parallel
#3 Liam Hendriks

Featured autograph - Billy Hamilton

Billy Hamilton of the Bakersfield Blaze signed my 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League card last Sunday - in about two seasons, he has stolen about 200 bases.

I can't really explain the impact of Hamilton's base stealing feats, so perhaps this article from the Hardball Times - may put things into some context as far as the value of stolen bases and what Hamilton has accomplished so far.