Busting Some Birthday Packs

So, my birthday was over a month ago, and according to my sloth-like schedule, that means it's about time to post my loot. I took a bit of my birthday cash and went to the LCS in my hometown while I was visiting. They have a box of discounted packs from the early to mid 2000s. I usually just pick what looks interesting, and this time I decided to delve into Play Ball, which I'd never opened before.

Here was my first pack. Nothing too great, a numbered Nomar. I usually love art sets, but something about this design just seems kind of lazy. Maybe I just hate headshots. Dmitri's afro does look pretty cool in all of the anachronism of an afro mixed with a vintage design.

I was left with the same meh feeling as the first pack here, but, oh, what's this? A hit!

And a pretty nice one at that. I always liked Thome, and I love finding a stripe on my swatch-o-jersey. I like the GU design a bit more, but "Artist's Touch" seems like a bit of a stretch. Grainy paint filter, cheesy painter's palette, and what looks like grass drawn by my six-year-old niece on PC Paint does not a work of art make. Despite my griping, this is a pretty cool card.

I also picked up the last three packs of 2006 UD Update the LCS had, half-hoping I'd score a Pedroia rookie. I didn't, but I did land a nice Prince short print. In the first two rows, you get to see what this set is mostly made up of: managers and rookies no one's heard of. A fun set to rip if you don't mind mysterious rookie flops and old dudes sporting jerseys and guts.

Last up, here's what I got in a pack of 2004 Fleer Platinum. And what's that at the bottom? Could it be yet another hit? Let's take a closer look:

These Scouting Report cards are booklets that open up to reveal the arbitrary game-used scrap-o-whatever. It's actually a pretty neat design, and nice to see a set doing something different in a time when GUs were already getting bland. The only problem is this card features Rocco Baldelli, who no one seems to collect. Any Rays fans out there interested in this card?

Actually, everything on this post is for trade, except for the Prince Fielder short print. So let me know if there's anything you need.

What to Do with Your Padres

I took up  Rod  from Padrographs a while back on his trade pile of Tigers. I had Padres, he had Tigers, so we got to trading.

He sent over a ton of fantastic Tigers cards from this year's Topps. The '87 mini of Verlander is my favorite from this batch. Verlander showing off his floating baseball magic trick in his throwback uniform. And doesn't Verlander look different when the lower half of his face is obstructed?

He got me dangerously close to a team set, too. He actually sent me two of the Cabreras, and I couldn't figure out why he sent me a double, until I looked a little closer. One of them, the one pictured here, is a Gold Rush variation. I didn't expect to be picking up one of these, and it's much-appreciated. Like the Diamond Sparkle cards, these can be easy to miss. Sneaky, sneaky Topps.

Rounding out the trade, here are a few more random Tigers he sent along. The Gehringer Obak looks awesome. I might have to go chasing after some of these parallels.

I also recently traded with another Padres collector who writes the relatively new blog All the Way to the Backstop. Marcus and I have been having some good conversations, waxing nostalgia about The Clash and our punk rock days. The Clash, you know: the only band that matters. Always great to meet another retired punk rocker turned baseball card collector. I think there's a few of us out there. Honk/comment if you love Strummer!

Here's a little bit of what he sent along:

 

 

Some nice Tigers prospects and some Archives Tigers. I'm too cheap to buy this product, but thanks to the wonderful blogging community, I've been getting to enjoy this set. I love the '71 style Cobb.

 

Another product I'm too cheap to buy new is Heritage, but Marcus sent me some really awesome key Tigers, including Fister and Martinez parallels, and a sweet Fielder short print. The Best Verlander is a super shiny bonus.

 

Finishing up this trade, we have a gigantor Prince. What's Prince doing way up there? Signing a ball? Cleaning his gloves? Constructing a cloud? This is a great rookie card from one of my favorite Upper Deck flagship designs.

 

So, two great trades for a bunch of my Padres that were feeling neglected. Be sure to send your neglected Padres to All the Way to the Backstop and Padrographs. Both are fantastic traders. Thanks, guys.