However, I'm really looking for cards picturing players who are shown getting dirty - so there is an idea how a uniform gets soiled up.
Even though the 1993 Upper Deck card is from a 21-year old set - the image are still sharp and kind of in 'high definition,' unlike a comparable card from Topps for example.
Topps Chrome Update packs
Pack one
#MB-55 Brandon McCarthy
#MB-32 Jason Giambi
#MB-37 Miguel Cabrera - checklist
#MB-26 Bronson Arroyo
Pack two
#MB-25 Tony Sanchez
#MB-16 Adrian Nieto
#MB-28 Raul Ibanez
Red, White and Blue Pulsar Prizm bonus pack
#7 Aaron Brown
#4 Michael Cederoth
#34 Scott Blewett - Draft Class
Pack one
I thought I'd have to wait for six months or more for this redemption to be fulfilled - but it must have only taken a couple of weeks after I entered the redemption code on the Topps Redemption Web site, when I realized I had a card coming from Topps since I'd missed a Fed-Ex delivery at home.
I checked eBay to see if any Posada Strata autographs were live [there was at least a couple of them] and checked the Topps Web site - sure enough, my redemption was marked as shipped.
I'd missed the Fed-Ex truck once more though and was waiting around impatiently, intent on making the third time the charm - my father, who came home to grab his wallet he'd forgotten, ended up meeting the Fed-Ex guy at the door to sign for my package.
It's a fairly neat card and Posada was the Core Four guy whose autograph I never had a chance to get - so it's actually a nice addition to my PC.
The card was really thick where the layers of other cards used to build up this one thick card was visible - the autograph was signed with a Staedtler Lumocolor pen [as the case for most certified autographs] and while it's not as bold as a Sharpie autograph, it's clean.
I thought there surface area where the autograph / player images would be would be sort of die-cut, serving as a window to the relic swatch - but the area of the swatch is solid and I can't actually feel the relic material.
The second half of the repack was really full of it - I had a hard time picking out which cards to 'feature' as highlights.
1987 Topps Don Carman #355
1991 Upper Deck Terry Mulholland #426
1990 Donruss John Franco #14
1991 Upper Deck Gary Gaetti #731
1990 Upper Deck Randy Ready #404
1988 Fleer Harold Baines #391
1991 Donruss Devon White #150
1986 Fleer Ben Oglivie #497
1990 Upper Deck Mike Davis #258
1991 Topps Jeff Robinson #19
1991 Fleer Ultra Lee Smith #295
1992 Topps Dave Magadan #745
1992 Topps Mark Gardner #119
1992 Topps Shawn Abner #338
1990 Fleer Neal Heaton #468
1991 Score Don Slaught #610
1991 Upper Deck Bobby Thigpen #261
2013 Topps Series II
#410 Roy Halladay
#624 Justin Ruggiano
If I was an A's fan, I'd probably be sick to my stomach but Beane has to make moves - even if it meant sacrificing someone like Donaldson, who has a Twitter account that he uses to trade for his own baseball card and someone who really seems approachable for a big leaguer on a 'small market,' MLB team.
In return, the A's get back Brett Lawrie, who has been up-and-down with injuries - Lawrie's talent is intriguing but can he stay healthy for 130-140 games?
I think the A's let Lawrie stick at third base [where he has played most of his MLB career] - until top prospect Renato Nunez is ready to make the jump to the Major Leagues at some point late next season.
Lefty starting pitcher Sean Nolin might be a decent for at least a few years - a guy that can be plugged into the rotation as a No. 4 starter and contribute immediately next year.
I didn't know what a Kendall Graveman was before the trade and was surprised he reached the major leagues this past season - Graveman has put together some good numbers in the minors, but my best guess is that his upside is relatively limited [though might be useful if put into the right situations].
Minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto maybe the 'get' of the trade for the A's - though he might be at least a couple of years away, he's been able to hit a little bit and because of his youth, is bound to get better.
