2012 Panini Prizm - three pack break recap #1 of 3

2012 Panini Prizm [$6 each x3 from a card shop] - these cards 'pop' a little more like Topps Finest cards than Topps / Bowman Chrome cards, though the lack of MLB team logos detracts from the cards' overall appeal.

Pack one
#84 B.J. Upton

#MVP 1 Craig Kimbrel - MVP insert
#82 Zack Greinke
#39 Adrian Gonzalez

#126 Paul O'Neill
#160 Sergio Romo - RC / I assume labeling Romo as a rookie was a goof that just wasn't corrected.

2013 Topps Turkey Red - two pack break recap

2013 Topps Turkey Red mini boxes [$19.99 each plus $9 s/h at Topps.com]

Pack one

#83 Craig Kimbrel
#10 Adam Jones
#33 Edwin Encarnacion
#82 Chris Sale
#17 Jose Reyes

#TRA-AC Andrew Carignan - sticker auto serial #'d 568/620
#94 Colby Rasmus

#59 Josh Hamilton
#42 Aroldis Chapman
#67 Mat Latos
#24 Joe Mauer

Pack two
#62 Ian Kinsler
#27 Yonder Alonso
#100 Stephen Strasburg
#87 Giancarlo Stanton
#43 Justin Upton

#TRA-SC Steve Cishek - sticker auto serial #'d 192/689; didn't I spell out the autographs I was going to pull with these breaks?
#34 Yasmani Grandal
#77 Anthony Rizzo
#92 Justin Verlander

#51 C.J. Wilson
#44 Joey Votto

2011 Rookies of the Year - some random thoughts

So Craig Kimbrel and Jeremy Hellickson were named Rookies of the Year in their respective leagues - I think my autographed in-person Hellickson card is already in a toploader somewhere and I had to go hunt down my autographed in-person Kimbrel card in my '2010 rookies' box.

I have no real problem with Kimbrel being ROY since it seems like he blew everyone away until the end of the season - when he showed some wear and tear.

I think in the American League, Mark Trumbo should have won even though I'd conceded - his .290 on-base percentage was simply too much of a black mark on the 25-year old.

Looking at it objectively, maybe Eric Hosmer was the best rookie position player in the American League and if he'd come up just a bit earlier in the season - would have been the guy going neck-and-neck against Hellickson for the award.