Card shop finds - Topps 5x7 cards

These oversized cards are pretty ugly with grainy old-school photos from the late 1970's - I leafed through a stack of them to see if I can pick any featuring former MLB players I can reasonably expect to run into in-person next year.

I've learned my lesson not to get 'junky items' signed if I have chances to prominent retired / active players - but for players who were minor stars / rank-and-file guys, I'll try and look for 'oddball' cards, just to change things up from getting the typical cards signed.

Fred Lynn is the most prominent out of the four and he's a former Angel - I might have to get him at some sort of paid signing, but I'll just carry the card with me when I go to an Angels game and hope he shows up for something like some Angels alumni.

Randy Jones does sports radio down in San Diego and participates in various things associated with the San Diego Padres - spring training maybe an option to get him if he is doing something with the team.

Roy Smalley is currently a broadcaster with the Minnesota Twins - though I actually remember him in the mid 1990's as an in-studio analyst for Baseball Tonight.

Rick Manning is currently a broadcaster with the Cleveland Indians - I might have gotten him in the mail years ago, but don't remember getting him in-person.

2011 Topps Update Value Box recap

2011 Topps Update Value box [$10.98 each at Walmart] - a break from the 'featured autographs' I've posted in the last several days.

These are popular on the Blowout Cards forums since they were marked down to $10.98 - these maybe of good value if you resell the code card(s), the Bryce Harper bonus card and maybe pull a decent card in the packs.

BCE-1 Bryce Harper bonus card - I'm not sure how many variation of the Harper card are out there, but this one looks like the red refractor version.

#TDG-12 Mike Schmidt Topps Diamond Giveaway code card - I redeemed a 1978 Topps Randy Jones #56, which was redundant because I got another copy of the exact same card signed through the mail four or five years ago.

2011 Bowman Chrome hobby pack
#BCP 138 Tyler Moore
#BCP 132 Melky Mesa

#36 Miguel Cabrera - refractor

#17 Curtis Granderson

2011 Topps Update eight-card packs

Pack one
#US-221 Jamey Carroll
#US-295 Wilson Ramos
#US-9 Jose Iglesias
#US-150 Adrian Beltre
#US-178 Jason Bourgeois

#KC-123 Bert Blyleven - Kimball Champions insert
#US-62 Jason Marquis
#US-53 Koji Uehara

Pack two
#US-135 Grant Balfour
#US-69 Gerald Laird
#US-190 Alexei Ogando
#US-168 Bruce Chen -
#US-105 Joel Hanrahan - gold parallel serial #'d 1779/2011
#US-271 Eric O'Flaherty - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-316 Justin Upton
#US-20 Adrian Gonzalez

Pack three
#US-48 Scott Hairston
#US-213 Louis Coleman
#US-171 Matt Lindstrom
#US-149 Omar Infante

#TDG-27 Victor Martinez - Diamond Giveaway code card; got a 1971 Topps Woody Woodward #496
#T60-133 Tris Speaker - Topps 60 insert
#US-18 Robinson Cano
#US-259 Andre Ethier

Pack four
#US-182 Ronny Paulino
#US-183 Carlos Peguero
#US-209 Rubby De La Rosa
#US-240 Blake Tekotte
#US-110 Edgar Renteria

#US-296 Bobby Jenks - Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallel
#US-299 Robinson Cano
#US-75 Gio Gonzalez

Pack five
#US-11 Jason Pridie
#US-217 Elliot Johnson
#US-286 Rich Thompson
#US-279 Trevor Plouffe
#US-317 Craig Counsell - Liquorfractor

#T60-121 Pee Wee Reese - Topps 60 insert; looks like infield practice perhaps with Jackie Robinson lurking near him.
#US-154 Cliff Lee
#US-268 Yadier Molina