2012 Bowman Chrome blaster recaps

2012 Bowman Chrome blaster [$19.99 each at a random Target] - went on a Target / Walmart run for 2012 Bowman Chrome the week it came out, I blew $60 on two blasters and two value packs; my friend's lone blaster purchase had a Trevor Bauer autograph redemption while his boss must have bought 10-15 boxes and at least three hobby boxes.

Xfractor bonus pack
#124 J.P. Arencibia
#BCP 122 Felipe Rivero
#65 Jimmy Rollins

Pack one
#102 Ike Davis
#FG-JSE Jean Segura - Futures Game insert

#BCP 165 Carlos Valenzuela

Pack two
#94 Brandon Phillips
#BCP 176 Aaron Brooks
#99 Jarrod Parker

Pack three
#BCP 111 Rob Rasmussen - refractor parallel

#BCP 182 Gregory Polanco
#93 Hunter Pence

Pack four
#66 Alex Rodriguez
#BCP 191 Danny Winkler
#75 Jemile Weeks

Pack five
#48 B.J. Upton
#LIM-TB Trevor Bauer - Legends in the Making insert

#BCP 199 Gabriel Lino

Pack six
#32 Jayson Werth
#BCP 205 Kenny Faulk
#47 Andrelton Simmons - Bryce Harper cameo

Pack seven
#83 Justin Masterson - refractor parallel

#BCP 2011 Domingo Tapia
#24 Kirk Nieuwenhuis

2012 Bowman Chrome blaster [$19.99 each at another random Target] 

Xfractor bonus pack
#174 Ryan Braun
#BCP 144 Blair Walters
#4 Jeremy Hellickson

Pack one
#BCP 147 Joel Caminero - refractor parallel

#FAS-PJ Buster Posey / Tommy Joseph - Franchise All-Stars insert
#147 Michael Young

Pack two
#206 Justin Morneau
#BCP 139 Lane Adams
#155 Ichiro

Pack three
#21 Brad Peacock
#LIM-TB Trevor Bauer - Legends in the Making insert

#BCP 152 Roberto De La Cruz

Pack four
#34 Chipper Jones
#BCP 168 Willy Garcia
#187 Jeremy Hefner

Pack five
#29 Jose Bautista - refractor parallel

#BCP 179 Narciso Mesa
#199 Wily Peralta

Pack six
#62 Shin-Soo Choo
#BCP 190 Daniel Paolini
#217 Dustin Pedroia

Pack seven
#124 J.P. Arencibia
#BCP Donald Lutz
#BCP 200 Eduardo Rodriguez

Featured autograph - Sergio Romo

I think it was four or five years ago, hanging out in the morning at Scottsdale waiting for the San Francisco Giants players to come in during spring training - where I got Sergio Romo's autograph.

He was a fairly anonymous Giants player back then and maybe I got him maybe once or twice - I remember a young couple getting a photo op with Romo and I thought, 'oh how cute, these guys are getting a pic with a token member of the Giants - it's too bad at times, only the scrubs like Romo who bother to sign.'

Even though Romo was a set-up man for much of the 2012 regular season, the Giants leaned on him to shut the door in the postseason and he ended up closing out the 2012 World Series as a two-time World Series champ - it's kind of safe to say that things have turned out pretty good as Romo has carved out a nice little MLB career for himself.

Vernon Wells oddball card

I ended up going to the Arizona Fall League for a week to get myself autographs of prospects and some other minor league players - I picked this oddball card of Vernon Wells as part of an league promotion to honor an AFL 20th Anniversary Top 20 team.

The card stock is very thin and not as 'durable' as a regular card would be - I don't really care for cards like these because I don't see them as trading cards [they are little larger than a normal card] and more like fliers to throw away.

The oversized cards I ended up with are Wells, Sean Casey, Todd Helton and Jermaine Dye - it looks as if I got the 'meh' part of the giveaway promotion but oh well.

Featured autograph - Yoenis Cespedes

I feel like I've lost my way with this blogging thing, but here is an autograph I got in-person of Oakland A's star rookie Yoenis Cespedes - I thought he was good about signing autographs when there was opportunity for him to do so when the A's visited the Angels this past season, though he shortened his autograph from the beginning of the year.

Obviously Cespedes is starring in the American League Division Series right now - looking to help the A's even things up with the Detroit Tigers.

Quarter box finds

Any baseball card I can't get signed in-person or even through the mail are redundant for me - but I impulsively rescued these cards out of the quarter boxes at the card shop I frequent.

The 2012 Topps Finest cards were fairly new, shiny and features variety of all-star caliber talent - they make nice fillers for a baseball card collection I don't particularly pay much attention to at the moment.

2006 Topps Allen and Ginter Dan Johnson #66
2012 Topps Finest Alex Rodriguez #2
2012 Topps Finest Justin Verlander #10
2012 Topps Finest Ichiro #11
2012 Topps Finest David Price #21
2012 Topps Finest Troy Tulowitzki #25
2012 Topps Finest Evan Longoria #26
2012 Topps Finest Prince Fielder #30
2012 Topps Finest Ryan Zimmerman #32 x2
2012 Topps Finest Dustin Pedroia #49
2012 Topps Finest Chipper Jones #58
2012 Topps Finest Miguel Cabrera #70
2012 Topps Finest Joey Votto #80
2012 Topps Finest Starlin Castro #82
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Ian Kinsler #145
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Ian Kinsler #145 - making the throw is the SP variation.
2012 Topps Heritage Minor League Jesse Biddle #127
2012 Topps Heritage Minor League Pratt Maynard #167
2012 Topps Heritage Minor League Zeke DeVoss #182

Featured autograph - Kris Medlen

Featured autograph - Bobby Valentine

I got embattled Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine to sign two of my cards when the Boston Red Sox played the Angels at Angel Stadium a couple of weeks ago - he hasn't done himself any favors with his seemingly contrarian and abrasive demeanor but he's been turned into a scapegoat by the Boston Red Sox players, the media, the fans and maybe the people who hired him.

2012 Topps Chrome value pack recap

2012 Topps Chrome Value Pack [$9.49 each a Target] - not that I don't spend money on a blaster box or value pack, but I try to stay away from any retail much of the time I go into a Target or Walmart.

The worst part of this break was pulling three scrubs out of the pack of orange refractors - only to pull regular Chrome cards of the three same scubs.

Top section

Exclusive parallel pack
#194 Wily Peralta
#11 Ian Kennedy
#54 Ike Davis

Pack one
#9 Brian McCann
#57 Nelson Cruz
#194 Wily Peralta
#11 Ian Kennedy

Bottom section

Pack two
#118 Ryan Zimmerman
#8 C.J. Wilson
#54 Ike Davis
#90 Evan Longoria

Pack three
#99 Jemile Weeks
#6 Jon Lester
#130 Miguel Cabrera - refractor
#170 Jesus Montero - surface ding

Play at the Plate trade received

I received 2012 Topps Allen and Ginter's gold mini parallels of Erick Aybar and C.J. Wilson from Play at the Plate - in exchange for the two Texas Rangers ones I pulled out of a pack break.

Reading about the trade from his point of view, it sounds like he's made me out as a female - though I'm appreciative a trade was able to get done, just to avoid any possible confusion, I'd like to clarify that I'm actually a dude.

Featured autograph - Adrian Gonzalez

It's hard not to look away from what the Los Angeles Dodgers did in trading for the big contracts of Adrian Gonzalez, a hobbled Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett - as a Major League Baseball fan, all it tells me is sometimes there are just no rules as far what one particular team is willing to spend to bring certain players in.

It must be nice being a fan of an organization like the Dodgers right now - while my Angels are floundering in mediocrity, the Dodgers are primed to make a serious playoff run.

Featured autograph - Neil Walker

I bought a 4x6 photo of Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker as a minor leaguer on eBay five or six years ago and got it signed - Walker is having a fine year as part of an upstart Pirates team looking to have a winning season and get into the playoffs for the first time since 1992.

Mike Trout

I don't know what to say to praise Mike Trout even more - there maybe veteran position players like Albert Pujols and Torii Hunter, but they've been pushed aside as complimentary pieces as Trout has thrived as a superstar in his first full season in the Major Leagues.

However, the Angels pitching staff [minus Jered Weaver, Ernesto Frieri and maybe Scott Downs] needs a lobotomy - there is no better feeling than knowing even if the Angels' lineup scores a good number of runs [with Trout igniting the lineup] early in a game, the Angels pitchers trotted out on the mound will probably blow the game eventually.

Autograph request through the mail received: Devin Mesoraco

Devin Mesoraco c/o Cincinnati Reds [spring training] - the Reds rookie catcher signed my two cards, including a 2011 Topps Heritage 'setter.' I sent the request on 2/22/12 and my SASE with my cards signed snuck into my mailbox probably two or three days ago, on 8/15.

Featured autograph - Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is a Cuban outfielder baseball pundits knew little about when defected - because the organization can, the Los Angeles Dodgers still gambled and signed him to a $42 million, seven year deal to see if he can be an All-Star talent once he gets to the Major Leagues.

He made his Single-A debut for the Dodgers' California League team in Rancho Cucamonga last Tuesday night and I got his autograph - the autograph isn't great but he put his number '8' and put 'Dodgers' on my dummy card.

Before the game, Puig signed for about 10 minutes and then warmed up by himself out in left field for about five minutes, before running back into the dugout as the game was to start - obviously he speaks little English, but he was accomodating otherwise.

Featured autograph - Paul Goldschmidt

I picked this 2012 Topps Allen and Ginter's autograph card of Paul Goldschmidt as an impulsive purchase from a card shop for $10 - he is having a good sophomore season and I've never gotten his autograph in-person.

Autograph request through the mail received: Jordan Zimmermann

Jordan Zimmermann c/o Washington Nationals - maybe an unheralded pitcher in a starting rotation that maybe the best in the National League in 2012, Zimmerman signed my 2011 Topps Allen and Ginter card in blue Sharpie and didn't return the other card I sent; this request took about a month.

2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway Haul

I had 25 of 28 cards shipped through the 2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway Web site for about $16 - the highlights were probably the three die-cuts; the rest are cardboard curiosities that I had delivered for whatever reason.

The oldest Topps card in my Diamond Giveaway collection was from 1959 and the newest non die-cut was from 1985 - the three cards I didn't get shipped included a 1982 Topps John D'Acquisto #58, a 1987 Topps Don Sutton #673 and a 1988 Topps Kirby Puckett All-Star subset card #391.

2011-BB-DDC-DDC-10 Howie Kendrick 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
2011-BB-DDC-DDC-11 Jered Weaver 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
2011-BB-DDC-DDC-25 Vladimir Guerrero 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1959-BB-TS1-194-NA Jim Brosnan 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1960-BB-TS1-113-NA Bob Skinner 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1972-BB-TS1-504-NA Ed Spiezio 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1973-BB-TS1-513-NA Dave Marshall 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1974-BB-TS1-455-NA Tom Bradley 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1974-BB-TS1-512-NA Joe Lahoud 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1976-BB-TS1-213-NA Dave Heaverlo RC 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1976-BB-TS1-32-NA Danny Frisella 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1978-BB-TS1-19-NA Darrell Porter 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1978-BB-TS1-301-NA Buddy Schultz RC 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1980-BB-TS1-137-NA John Castino RC 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1980-BB-TS1-97-NA Bill Lee 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1981-BB-TS1-170-NA Ross Grimsley 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1982-BB-TS1-356-NA Denny Lewallyn 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1982-BB-TS1-77-NA Miguel Dilone 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1984-BB-TS1-189-NA Tim Conroy 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1985-BB-TS1-3-NA Dwight Gooden RB 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1985-BB-TS1-630-NA Tim Raines 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1974-BB-TS1-96-NA Jerry Hairston RC 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1973-BB-TS1-439-NA Eddie Fisher 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1975-BB-TS1-542-NA Pete Broberg 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED
1981-BB-TS1-709-NA ALAN TRAMMELL DP 1 07/17/12 SHIPPED

Order # 308490-1 Order Date: 07/02/12 0299EDI
Shipping Method - USPS

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

Weighing in on Ichiro

I've been thinking about Ichiro's last couple of years - he's nearly 40, he can't get on-base, doesn't run as much, doesn't hit for any sort of pop anymore and getting to the 3,000 hit milestone as a MLB player seems like a pipe dream at this point.

Maybe the flair is still there and perhaps a desire to compile numbers - but maybe the nail in the coffin may have been his trade from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees.

It doesn't compute anymore that is anywhere close to being a good player - it is sort of fascinating to see how he deals with what seems to be the tail end of his great professional baseball career, though it's sad that anything he good he does at this point seems to be a mirage and he's just seemingly hanging on after a 10-year period of metronomic excellence.

Featured autograph - Josh Hamilton

I got Hamilton to sign my 8x10 Photofile composite photo when the Rangers played the Angels this past weekend in Anaheim - even though he plays for a division rival, when the Rangers are in town, Hamilton is the guy to get since his stature in the game is larger than just your average superstar player.

He is treated as baseball royalty and actually getting his autograph in-person can be tough - with the number of people just wanting to reach out to him for a signature, shake his hand, take a photo op or tell him he is a role model.