Felix Hernandez bends but doesn't break

Despite Mike Trout's two-run blast, King Felix struck out 11 Angels hitters in six innings of work on Opening Night - it's one damn game, but it looks like the Angels bullpen will blow again in 2014.

Ranking the 30 MLB teams on my watch - Seattle Mariners #25 of 30

The Mariners always had the 'cool superstars' like Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson and Ichiro from the 1990's through the 2000's - Felix Hernandez sort of falls in line with those guys, but even though the Mariners play in the same division as the Angels, it's kind of sad how the Mariners don't have anyone but Hernandez as a true superstar.

Starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma emerged as an All-Star performer this past season but because he plays for a mediocre Mariners team - his excellent pitching has been obscured.

2013 Topps Heritage blaster recap

I picked up a couple of blaster boxes [$19.98 each] and a jumbo rack [$5.97, already recapped] from a Walmart - I don't like the idea of the one-per-box blue border variation card because it's not unique; just another parallel created that doesn't add any value to these boxes...unless of course we fast forward to the future and realize only then that these cards were harder to find than others and some crazy collectors are willing to pay premium prices for singles from this parallel insert set...I don't think that is going to happen...

Pack one
#52 Jayson Werth
#153 David Murphy
#300 Jason Heyward
#392 Mike Baxter
#298 Buck Showalter
#71 Carlos Gomez

#428 Ryan Howard - SP
#216 Jason Kipnis
#202 Luke Hochevar

Pack two
#191 Anthony Rizzo
#119 Dan Uggla
#418 Bryan Morris / Justin Wilson - 2013 Rookie Stars
#127 Edwin Jackson
#244 Jon Jay
#100 Robinson Cano
#BF-BG Bob Gibson - Baseball Flashback insert
#95 B.J. Upton
#258 Michael Young

Pack three
#253 Sergio Romo
#348 Miguel Gonzalez
#63 Jason Grilli
#163 Gaby Sanchez
#201 Manny Machado / Dylan Bundy - 2013 Rookie Stars
#330 Johnny Cueto

#451 Jake Peavy - SP
#183 Fernando Rodney
#73 Steve Lombardozzi

Pack four
#280 Ryan Vogelsong
#399 Dale Sveum
#281 Adam Warren / Melky Mesa - 2013 Rookie Stars
#15 Drew Storen
#3 Gio Gonzalez / R.A. Dickey / Johnny Cueto / Lance Lynn - 2012 National League Pitching Leaders
#273 Matt Moore
#NAP-CG Curtis Granderson - New Age Performer insert
#226 Steven Lerud / Luis Antonio Jimenez - 2013 Rookie Stars
#7 Buster Posey / Andrew McCutchen / Ryan Braun / Yadier Molina - 2012 National League Batting Leaders

Pack five
#139 Sergio Romo / Buster Posey - Break Out of the Broom / 2012 World Series Game #4
#310 Mark Ellis
#251 Juan Nicasio
#42 Tommy Milone
#343 Daniel Nava
#214 Jean Segura
#TN-MD Eddie Mathews / Adam Dunn - Then and Now insert
#284 Yasmani Grandal
#142 Daniel Murphy

Pack six
#307 Dan Straily
#99 Tim Lincecum
#119 Corey Hart
#334 Kurt Suzuki
#93 Christian Friedrich
#206 Huston Street

#MM-DJ Derek Jeter - Memorable Moments insert
#61 Kirk Nieuwenhuis
#357 Ryan Hanigan

Pack seven
#349 Ian Stewart
#230 Mark Reynolds
#179 Justin Maxwell
#326 Geraldo Parra
#272 Matt Joyce
#160 David Freese
#458 David Price
#225 Jason Kubel
#49 Brett Jackson

Pack eight
#131 Dan Haren
#260 Drew Stubbs
#90 Joe Mauer
#87 Bruce Bochy
#176 Ervin Santana
#254 Nathan Eovaldi
#447 Felix Hernandez - Walmart blue border variation
#112 Jarrod Saltalamacchia
#224 Jamey Carroll

2011 Topps Heritage blister recap - my turn at-bat

I was wondering how to deal with the new 2011 Topps Heritage coming out - I'm not going to pick up a hobby box for $75-$80, but like a lemming I wanted to see what the 2011 Topps Heritage cards looked like in-hand.

I don't think I've really loved any particular year of Topps Heritage - maybe 2009 was the last year I really liked how the Heritage cards looked.

I understand they are supposed to mimic Topps' sets from the past, but perhaps I have to be a set-builder to understand the appeal of Heritage - when at times I find the cards dull and boring.

For now, I picked up a 2011 Topps Heritage blaster box and also a three-pack blister [$8.99 each at Target] - the blisters come with '3 exclusive black parallel' cards, which maybe the ideal lure for collectors looking for a non-blaster Heritage purchase.

Black parallel pack
#C30 Clay Buchholz
#C48 Chone Figgins
#C60 Will Venable

Pack one
#208 Rickie Weeks
#68 Travis Snider

#238 Ichiro
#165 Adam Jones
#199 Aroldis Chapman
#156 Hank Conger
#159 Joba Chamberlain
#209 Andrew Romine - is it weird that I imagine being a professional baseball player for the Angels, taking a baseball card picture like Conger and Romine do on their cards?
#153 Marco Scutaro

Pack two
#280 Hiroki Kuroda
#212 Roy Oswalt
#72 Philly's Men Up the Middle - Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley
#320 Jason Heyward
#NAP-14 Felix Hernandez - New Age Performers insert
#167 Wilson Ramos
#414 Jarrod Dyson
#266 Jose Ceda
#155 Brian Wilson - I love this card but everyone has seen it, haven't they? The card is awesome but perhaps Topps should have gone with an image featuring Wilson's trademark beard.

Pack three
#150 Miguel Cabrera
#38 Coco Crisp
#276 Darwin Barney
#65 Robinson Cano
#458 Ian Kennedy - SP
#137 Babe and Mgr. Huggins
#383 Daniel Hudson
#219 Jeremy Hellickson
#191 Ryan Dempster