Baseball cards will get me to Target or Walmart under only three circumstances.
1. The first cards of the year have arrived.
2. Heritage has arrived.
3. Allen & Ginter has arrived.
That's it. For purchases of any other baseball card product, I am in the store already, either buying something else or being dragged through it by significant others.
But today, for some stupid reason, I went to Target/Walmart because I thought there might be some 2012 Heritage there. I knew very well there wouldn't. This is the first week that Heritage hit select store shelves but my area of residence is never a "select area."
So, there I was, in the card aisle that I shouldn't have been in in the first place, ready to spend money.
I spied one lonely blaster of 2012 Opening Day. Unlike last year -- when OD featured those cool Stadium Lights cards and I actually had a reason to buy it -- there is no reason for me to buy OD. But the blaster was only $10.48 and I can't resist blasters that aren't $19.98. So, I bought it.
Opening Day is always much cheaper than Topps flagship and I don't know why. Is foil really worth $9.50 extra per blaster? I suppose it's the fact that there are more cards in the base Topps set. More inserts, too. Please don't tell me it's entirely because of foil stamping.
Anyway, I'm going to list the cards that I pulled out of the one-and-only OD blaster I'll buy this year. I won't show many of the cards, because most are images we've seen in Series 1 already. But if there is a card that hasn't been in Series 1 and you'd like to see the image, let me know, and I'll update this post when I get a chance.
The blaster wasn't a total bust, as you'll see. But the complete lack of Dodgers made me ill.
Here we go:
PACK 1
176 - Geovany Soto, Cubs
Love the non-foil
110 - Scott Rolen, Reds
164 - Nyjer Morgan, Brewers
FS-3 - Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox, Fantasy Squad
Here is one of the inserts. As you can see, even Opening Day can't go entirely without foil.
66 - Adam Jones, Orioles
91 - Jayson Werth, Nationals
144 - Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
PACK 2
139 - Trevor Cahill, Diamondbacks (photoshopped)
43 - Angel Pagan, Giants (photoshopped)
49 - Melky Cabrera, Giants (photoshopped)
It's a photoshop trifecta!
ES-16 - Joey Votto, Reds, Elite Skills Player
You can't read the foil that runs up the left side. It says "On-Deck Preperation." Each of these Elite Skills inserts has a phrase describing some aspect of the game. It's actually a nice-looking insert set.
174 - Brian McCann, Braves
96 - Chris Carpenter, Cardinals
16 - Torii Hunter, Angels
2012 Topps stickers ad
PACK 3
94 - Doug Fister, Tigers
97 - David Price, Rays
124 - Grady Sizemore, Indians
SC-3 Dan Uggla, Braves, Superstar Celebrations
9 - Chris Young, Diamondbacks
145 - CC Sabathia, Yankees
39 - Michael Cuddyer, Rockies (photoshopped -- not too bad)
PACK 4
131 - Scott Baker, Twins
152 - Neil Walker, Pirates
179 - Zack Greinke, Brewers, blue parallel (I just saw another blogger pull this very same card)
M-20 - Swinging Friar mascot, Padres
He looks like a member of the Flinstones.
149 - Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox
142 - Tommy Hanson, Braves
69 - Tim Lincecum, Giants
PACK 5
127 - J.P. Arencibia, Blue Jays
48 - Adrian Beltre, Rangers
FS-4 - Robinson Cano, Yankees, Fantasy Squad
ODS-5 - Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies, Opening Day Stars
This will be headed to hiflew.
162 - Ricky Romero, Blue Jays
63 - Pablo Sandoval, Giants
64 - Dan Haren, Angels
PACK 6
125 - Matt Cain, Giants
13 - Bobby Abreu, Angels
210 - Freddie Freeman, Braves
ES-17 - Joe Mauer, Twins, Elite Skills Player (title says "Throw Out the Runner")
206 - David Freese, Cardinals
62 - Ervin Santana, Angels
60 - Adam Wainwright, Cardinals
PACK 7
133 - Sergio Santos, Blue Jays
119 - Ricky Nolasco, Marlins
25 - Eric Hosmer,
SC-4 Geovanny Soto, Cubs, Superstar Celebrations
151 - Johnny Cueto, Reds
27 - Chase Utley, Phillies
No number - Carlos Lee, Astros (the card has no number on the back at all. Just a blank black space where the number should be)
PACK 8
216 - Jason Kipnis, Indians
86 - Jon Lester, Red Sox
71 - Ian Kennedy, Diamondbacks
M-21 - White Sox mascot
The White Sox's mascot is named "Southpaw," yet there is no reference to the name on the front and the write-up on the back is very vague.
How can you not get the rights to a mascot's name?
ODA-AE Alcides Escobar, Royals, autograph
An autograph out of Opening Day? First, one out of a discounted pack and then one out of Opening Day. I have no right to be proud of myself, but I am.
58 - Justin Masterson, Indians
31 - Evan Longoria, Rays
Stickers, stickers! ad
PACK 9
170 - Brian Wilson, Giants
150 - Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
24 - Brandon Morrow, Blue Jays
FS-5 - Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox, Fantasy Squad
188 - Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
34 - James McDonald, Pirates
212 - Daniel Hudson, Diamondbacks
PACK 10
136 - Justin Morneau, Twins
89 - Drew Pomeranz, Rockies
#108 - Roy Oswalt, Phillies, blue parallel
ES-18 - Mark Teixeira, Yankees, Elite Skills Player (Title says "Hold the Runner")
There are two current players that when I pull their card I want to get it out of the house as quick as possible. One is Brian Wilson, the other is Teixeira. Lucky me, I got both in this blaster.
93 - Tim Hudson, Braves
18 - David Ortiz, Red Sox
15 - Jeremy Hellickson, Rays
PACK 11
79 - Hanley Ramirez, Marlins
32 - Anibal Sanchez, Marlins
6 - Bud Norris, Astros
SC-5 - Joey Votto, Reds, Superstar Celebrations
103 - Mike Leake, Reds
61 - C.J. Wilson, Angels (photoshopped)
26 - Drew Stubbs, Reds
And that's the end.
Three Reds in the last pack and no Dodgers.
Two Joey Vottos and two Geovanny Sotos and no Dodgers.
Four Diamondbacks and no Dodgers.
This is why I'm buying less and less at the store.
Can't beat the thrill of pulling a surprise auto, though.
Like always, any and all Opening Day cards are up for trade. I just can't get that interested in this set.
Now, if Opening Day came out before Topps base, we might have something there.
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