Pack Attack: 2011 Topps Retail (x12)

Everyone has seen 2011 Topps ad nauseum so I'll just show the highlights from the first batch of packs I grabbed:

Rick Ankiel Gold Parallel #392/2011: Can't complain about pulling a parallel of a PC player even if I'm not a huge fan of the photo. I'm hoping that Ankiel has a good bounce back year with the Nationals this season, but regardless of what happens, he's had a pretty remarkable career.

Ricky Romero/Aubrey Huff/David DeJesus Diamond Parallel: I love the addition of the diamond parallels to this year's Topps set. It's great to pull something shiny and they are reminiscent of some of the gaudy inserts of the 90's. I'm definitely going after the Mariners team set of these parallels. Outstanding!

Roy Halladay Diamond Giveaway Code Card: I was a little disappointed to only pull one giveaway card from 12 packs and even more disappointed when it turned into a 1994 Mike Schooler. Things only got worse though as I pulled another giveaway code from a different set of packs and that turned into: a 1992 Topps Mike Schooler!! Way too much school!! Still, I like the promotion, even if it doesn't seem to have as many good cards as last year.

Victor Martinez Topps 60 Game-Used Something: I guess I should be excited to pull a hit but Topps' language is so nebulous that the piece of "memorabilia" on this card could have been worn by me. Not only is it not from "any specific game, event or season" but it doesn't even metion that it was worn by Victor Martinez. I like the design but don't want to feel like I'm getting bamboozled by the shady practices of our only card manufacturer. Step it up Topps.


Overall Thoughts: It's Topps. It's good. I'll buy more. Thanks for looking!

Personal Collection Spotlight: Rick Ankiel

After Rick Ankiel's mammoth longball into McCovey Cove carried the Atlanta Braves over the San Francisco Giants last night, I figured it was a good time to dig out my favorite cards of this pitcher turned hitter and show them off to the blog world. Here they be:

2010 Topps Peak Performers Jersey: I pulled this card from a pack myself which gives it a special place in my collection which is good because it's a very regular looking card.

2001 SP Game-Used Edition Jersey: I got this beauty from the ever generous Kerry at Cards on Cards. Despite the fact that this set forever watered down game-used cards, I like it's straightforward, clean design.

2000 Topps Stars Autograph: A nice on-card autograph from Brian at Play on the Plate, this was an awfully hot card when it was released about 10 years ago. Has it really been that long sicne Ankiel was airballing pitches off the backstop?

2001 UD MVP Kerry Wood/Rick Ankiel Game-Used Bats: This game-used card is rather prophetic, as you don't often see game-used bat cards of pitchers. While Kerry Wood still doesn't know how to use one, Ankiel certainly does. Both of these players are in the playoffs this year too, although with different teams than on the card.

2000 Pacific Crown Royale Sweet Spot Signatures: The original Sweet Spot Signature (I'm looking at you Upper Deck) this card features a nice on-card auto of last night's hero. I miss Pacific--they were always cutting edge.

2001 Fleer Authority Diamond Cuts Game-Worn Shoe Patch: My favorite Ankiel card, I'll never understand why companies stopped producing game-used shoe/hat/glove/etc. cards and only make jersey and bat cards now. Did players stop wearing shoes? Get with it Topps.

Thanks for looking! Keep up the good work Rick!

It's a Birthday Miracle!!

So I found myself at Target on my birthday with some cash burning a hole in my pocket and grabbed a blaster of Topps Platinum and two packs of 2010 Topps. What was I supposed to do, buy underwear? I had already received some terrific birthday presents (tickets to the Mariners home opener! The Natural Collector's Edition Box Set! An authentic mid-90's Ken Griffey Jr. jersey!) so I wasn't expecting anything out the packs, but I was pleasantly surprised (to say the least). Here's the loot:

Rick Ankiel Peak Performers Jersey: Score! I never, ever pull anything out of the base set of Topps (though that's not why I buy it) and on this day I pulled a jersey card of one of my favorite players.

2009 Topps Platinum Percy Harvin RC Auto Patch #248/300: Seriously, if you like football cards at all and love pulling great hits out of blasters, do yourself a favor and grab some Topps Platinum. This beautiful card features a 3-color patch and nearly illegible auto of one of football's top rookies. I'm holding onto this one for a while.

So there you have it, some great cards on a great birthday. Coming up soon: two more box breaks. Stay tuned!

A Post-Vacation Trade with Teddy D.

I just got back from Hawaii and was happy to find a couple of trade packages waiting for me. The islands were as beautiful as described and I hope to get back there again someday. I actually found a card shop in Honolulu (the first time I had been in a hobby shop in abotu 5 years) and bought a few packs but didn't pull anything worth mentioning (a die-cut /100 from Donruss Elite was the lone highlight). Thankfully, blog reader Teddy Dzuiba, made up for my back luck with a package full of Mariners and M's prospects. Here's the loot:

2000 Bowman Chrome Rick Ankiel: Looking at Ankiel's stats on the back it's pretty evident that he was destined to be one of the best pitchers in all of baseball before the inexplicable wildness took over. His story never seizes to amaze me...who is going to play the role of Rick Ankiel when the movie gets made? Paul Walker? Matt Damon? Kevin Costner? I think we all know it's going to be Robert Redford.

2009 UD Sweet Spot Ken Griffey Jr: A sharp looking card of my favorite player but another unfortunate reminder that UD is done in baseball for the foreseeable future. I don't know about you, but I was pretty crushed by the news of the settlement.

2009 Choice Teddy Dziuba: Easily my favorite card of the trade, Teddy was a former Mets farmhand and was kind enough to personalize this card for me. Very, very cool. You can never go wrong with flattery in my book. A really unique addition to my collection.

Thanks for the great cards Teddy; they made the sting of leaving Hawaii a little less painful. I'll keep my eyes open for more Mets prospects and NY Giants in the future.

Last night on the beach.

This One's For (From) the Birds: A Trade with Kerry from Cards on Cards

My Pacific Northwest trading partner, Kerry from Cards on Cards, sent a great package of Griffeys, Mariners, Rick Ankiels and Stan Musials my way recently. The weather has been fantastic here lately after a few weeks of grey skies and these cards made my good mood even better. Spring Training just has a way of making things right in the world. Here are a sampling of the cards I received:

1991 Fleer Ken Griffey Jr/Barry Bonds: This card has it all; garish yellow borders, a small-headed Barry Bonds, a stadium I don't recognize (Wrigley Field?) and of course, Ken Griffey Jr. It sure is strange how differently their careers turned out.

1990 Topps Toys "R" Us Ken Griffey Jr: Believe it or not I never once visited a Toys "R" Us during my childhood. This card helps ease the pain, at least a little.

2000 Fleer Tradition Rick Ankiel Who To Watch: Since the time he was a young pitcher Rick Ankiel has always been one of my favorite players. I believed he was too talented to be out of baseball after acquiring Steve Blass Disease (or Chuck Knoblauch Syndrome) and sure enough he fought his way back to the majors as a hitter. A truly incredible player...I hope he has a strong season with the Royals.

2007-08 Fleer Kevin Durant RC: This card is a bittersweet reminder of the one year that Kevin Durant spent in Seattle as a Supersonic. I had the privilege of watching him play in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman at Texas, and though I could tell he was talented, I didn't think he would be ticketed for NBA stardom so quickly. He also owns the best current nickname in sports---"The Durantula". Please come back to Seattle, please!

2004 Topps Edgar Martinez All-Star Jersey: I like All-Star jerseys because they are at least somewhat limited (600-700 swatches?) and are tied to a specific event. I always give the Edgars I get in trades to one of my twin brothers and he is really starting to accumulate a nice collection of Gars. Martinez looks like he just smelled a fart in the photo.

Thanks Kerry! As always, any Cardinals I pull are headed your way. Good luck to the Blazers!

Play at the Plate's One Trade to Rule Them All

Recently I had the privilege of opening the greatest trade package in the history of First Day Issue. Brian, from the outstanding Play at the Plate, send me an amazing collection of cards in return for a couple of Rangers and catchers that I sent to Texas. I am constantly amazed by the generosity of everyone in the blogosphere and this trade really went above and beyond the call of duty. Here's a smattering of my favorite cards from Brian:

2000 Skybox Metal Ken Griffey Jr. Hit Machines: It doesn't get any better than a Griffey that's shiny and diecut. I am nearing 400 unique Juniors on my Zistle page, but there are plenty of missing ones that I still need to upload. Why did diecuts disappear, I loved these!

2001 Topps Ichiro Suzuki RC: Ichiro! This is only the second Ichiro rookie in my collection (the other is the Fleer Fanfest card) and a most welcome addition. I like the design of 2001 Topps, simple yet elegant with plenty of room for the photos.

2000 UD Century Legends Eddie George Parallel #97/100: Despite the fact that I have never been within a 1,000 miles of the state of Tennessee I am a loyal Titans fan for reasons I can't explain. Brian was kind enough to send some my way, including this sweet diecut of workhorse Eddie George, who announcers liked to call "a throwback".

1999 Donruss Steve McNair X-Ponential Power #194/2500: If you thought the last diecut was cool take a look at this! A sweet card of one of my favorite players of all-time, this insert reminds me of a beautiful and delicate dragonfly wing. It's incredibly thin and made out of some sort of plastic. Awesome.

1999 SP Signature Edition David Segui Auto: Before you laugh, don't forget that Segui did receive one vote for the Hall-of-Fame this year (probably from someone who didn't vote for Alomar). These on-card autographs are really sharp and Segui has an intricate if illegible auto. He spent two years in Seattle, compiling an even .300 average in 867 AB's (but hit only 28 HR's).

2001 Upper Deck MVP Kerry Wood/Rick Ankiel Dual Bat Card: I've always thought that game-used bat cards of pitchers are cool because, well, how often does a pitcher even use a bat? Few used one as well as Ankiel, which sure helped in his transition to the outfield. I hope he signs with a team I like, because I've always rooted for Ankiel.

2000 Topps Stars Rick Ankiel Auto: Schwing! A well designed on-card auto of my favorite pitcher turned hitter, this was my second favorite card of the trade (just behind the one listed below). I think I am drawn to Ankiel because his story parallels that of Roy Hobbes from The Natural, except with uncontrolled wildness instead of a gunshot wound.

2001 UD Gold Glove Ichiro/John Olerud Game-Used Ball: My jaw literally dropped when I saw this card. It contains a piece of game-used baseball from a Mariners game during the teams historic 2001 season in which they won 116 games (but of course, not the World Series). It's a nice swatch of ball that shows game use and a couple of stitches, and it's also technically an Ichiro rookie card. A winner all around and a card I will hold onto for a long time.

Thanks for everything Brian! I will do my best to match this amazing trade package. Expect to find some Rangers in the mail soon. Good luck Cowboys!