Monday, June 23, 2014

2000 Topps Stars hobby box

Recently I found a hobby box from this obscure (to me at least) set. And lemme tell ya, it was a blast to open!
There were four different types of cards in the base sets.


Veterans


Rookies


Veteran and HoF "Spotlights"

These look like they would be inserts but they are part of the base set.


These HoF cards are also part of the also base set despite looking like inserts, and very cool ones at that.


Blue parallel #262/299


The set does contain hits but they are a very tough pull and I didn't get any. But that's ok cause the inserts are pretty awesome!





All of the cards in this set are beauties. Dave and Adam's has boxes right now for $35. If you've got the itch to bust some wax at a good price with some gorgeous cards I highly recommend taking advantage of this while it's still available. 

Sunday, June 15, 2014

2004 SP Prospects box

Recently I busted a box of 2004 Upper Deck SP Prospects. They're going for pretty cheap and with the promise of a few hits they seemed like a good deal. The box promised an average of seven hits. Two relics, four single autos and one multi auto.


Veteran base card design


Prospects base card design
Side note: These two guys were the only prospect names I recognized. The checklist is less than stellar.

And now the hits.




Hankins has toiled in the minors systems of the Pirates, Rangers and now Tigers. He's still pitching, currently for the AAA Toledo Mud Hens. At 30 years old his chances of making it to the majors are quickly growing slim. But he still has a shot.


Burns spent seven years in the Marlins system spending nearly all of it in Class A. He had short stints in AA and AAA in 2010 then spent part of the 2011 season playing Independent League ball before retiring.


Coultas spent six seasons in the Mets system never making it above AA. For his final two seasons he transitioned to pitching and put up decent numbers before retiring in 2009.


Steik only pitched in the minors for four seasons with the Padres and Tigers organizations. He never made it above high A except for a very short two game stint in AAA in 2004. 


As you can see, the prospect auto checklist is quite lacking. Current Bowman products blow this out of the water. But the last hit I pulled was quite a bit better.


This probably would have been a huge pull back in 2004. While Windsor never amounted to much, Harden was pretty good when he wasn't injured. And Huston Street is still one of the best closers in baseball.


Overall this was a fun box to bust with the number of hits it contained. Despite the lackluster checklist it was worth it for the price.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Sweet new addition

Recently I picked up a sweet new addition to my Braves PC via eBay. 


#5/5

2014 Gypsy Queen wood mini of the Braves future star catcher. 

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Beautiful Bowman Waves

I don't normally buy retail from a specific set after I start getting a lot of duplicates. But that's not the case with 2014 Bowman. Since my local Walmarts are very bad about keeping their shelves stocked with a variety of sets, and they haven't been stocking the repacks that I like, I've been having to stick to Bowman. Normally in this situation I would just hold off until they decide to stock something new. But Bowman...oh man..Bowman..It's like that girl you just can't get over. And it's not the base set. Sure there are lot's of great prospects in the set some of whom will make a big splash in the majors in a few years. But what I really love about Bowman this year is the inserts and parallels. A lot of people think the number of parallels has gone past overkill, but I love them.

Well today after work I went across the road to Walton's Cheap Ass Imported Plastic Crap to see if they had an Series 2. They didn't. So naturally I bought a Bowman rack pack. The first two packs were pretty good for inserts.



#318/500


But then for the last pack I tore it open and behind the first base card I saw orange. Lots of orange.

Orange Wave Refractor Hot Pack!!!!!

I'm not entirely sure what the odds of getting on of these are. I've seen some people get two or three hot packs out of only a few racks. And others who have said they opened 50+ racks without getting one. Still, I feel lucky to have landed one. Like usual the scanner doesn't do the cards justice. They're beauties in person.






Green Wave Refractor Parallel

#21/25

Pulling these cards was a thrill. Maybe even more so than pulling an auto would have been. This probably won't be my last Bowman purchase.


PS: I work with a guy that looks exactly like Toby Jones and I think of that video every time I see him.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Trade with a Movie Star

Well not quite. But Mr. DHoff of Coot Veal and the Vealtones does have the same name as a famous actor and his blog is awesome so close enough.

Anyways, recently Dustin asked if I would trade a Justin Verlander relic I'd pulled from a repack. We played email tag for a couple weeks and worked out a deal. He sent me an awesome trade package chock full of Braves cardboard excellence. The main centerpiece was two relics I picked out from his trade bait page. He added a whole bunch of cards of all my favorite Braves players, none of which I had surprisingly. The best two cards were of the sweet 70's vintage style. These were a welcome addition to my collection as I have almost nothing from before the mid 80s.


1972 Topps: 1971 NL Home Run Leaders

This also happens to be my first vintage card of the home run king.


1975 Mini

Another awesome addition to my collection. I know this set is a favorite among many collectors and this is my first.

Of course I can't forget the two relics that I chose in the first place.


Finally picked up a relic of the new Hall of Famer.


Not exactly a Braves card. But a Braves player nonetheless and my first Mike Minor relic.



Thanks for the great trade Dustin!!!

Monday, June 2, 2014

Many cards, few words : Bowman

I'm feeling overwhelmed by the number of posts and scans I have backing up. Usually when I get on the internet it's late in the evening, like now, after I get home from work. And I'm generally mentally drained. So in this post I'm going to share my recent haul from a hobby box, a blaster and a rack pack of 2014 Bowman. I'll let the cards speak for themselves.






Refractor 103/500


068/250


041/500


228/250


64/99


13/50


All of these from the hobby box were badly miscut.


21/99




164/250

Signing with his nickname, I assume. I like that.


Bowman is likely going to be one of my favorite sets in 2014.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Queen of the Gypsys

I know some people don't like Gypsy Queen. I'm not one of those people. Though I do understand. In large quantities it can get boring and repetitive. A poorer man's Allen & Ginter without all the cool stuff.

Well anyways, recently I picked up a 2014 GQ blaster at Target since my local Walmarts inexplicably haven't stocked it this year. I pulled the normal plethora of base cards, boring inserts and minis....ugh minis.

I shouldn't complain. I pulled these:


07/99


40/99


38/99


036/199


314/499


I don't think I've ever pulled that many numbered cards from one blaster. And good ones at that.