SUPER SHORT PRINT from WAL-MART one box break!!!!

 2020 TOPPS UPDATE HANGER PACK

My last post showed all the rookies that I pulled in my pack.  Here is the highlight from the box!!!

Thats correct, a SUPER SHORT PRINT Ronald Acuna Jr.....   I thought the card was odd because it does not show Acuna Jr's face at all, when I looked for it on ebay I discovered it was a SSP and pretty rare.  According to the box you will only receive one of these in every 262 packs!  You can tell it you have a short print by looking at the code at the bottom on the back of the card.  Normal cards will have a code that ends in: 041588.  Any other number and you need to investigate.

I hate ROOKIE Pitcher Cards!

 2020 Topps Update Hanger pack break post #1....

So I opened a hanger pack of Topps Update, retail cost $9.99 at Wal-Mart..  I know many of you won't believe that because retail cards are very rare at the moment, but I swear it is the truth..  anyway..   The good news is I pulled 13 Rookie cards...  The bad news.....  They are all pitchers......

Maybe I will take some photos of the rest of the cards.... 

My Least Favorite Card? P2020

 Worst purchase ever?

2020 has been a wild ride, and sometimes being a player collector sucks.  I haven't been picking up every Henderson possible, but I did get roped into Project 2020 this year.  I am missing the VIDES version, but have broken the bank and purchased the rest.  I think this one has to be the worst Henderson card that I have ever spent money on....  What was I thinking?

I think the only purchase I made this year that was worse was all the one ply TP during the great spring shortage!

Almost $1,000 per box? $83.33 per pack rounded to the nearest penny?.......

 What happened to card collecting being an affordable hobby?

2020 Panini Prizm NFL Hobby Jumbo boxes are being released in a couple days....  What do you think the price per box is going to be?  Will it be under $1,000  I cannot believe I am even asking this.  What happened to $1 packs.  Heck when I started collecting packs were $.40....  When will the card companies price everyone out of the hobby????

Update:  These boxes went on sale today, 12/4/2020 for the low low price of $999.95 and sold out within an hour!  WTH...?????  They were under $1k, but just barely.....

Unexpected Rays!!

A few weeks ago a package arrived in my mail box from the author of Night Owl Cards.  Seems like he was up late looking through his piles and piles of Dodger cards and must have come across a few Rays cards that he had no use for.  Being the kind blogger that he is, said Night Owl then stuffed them gently into a padded envelope and sent them to me here in the Sunshine State.  The Closet is very greatful!!!!  Here is a look at what showed up!!!!

First a couple of Crawford cards.  After a lot of back and forth on the matter I think I am going to continue to collect CC cards.  Even though his move to the Red Sox has made his cards a little more pricey on Ebay, I still really like Crawford's game.  He has really struggled in bean town this year, but should turn it around before the season is over.

The Owl also threw in a couple of odd ball Hendersons.  I really like the 70's inspired baseball card mag cut out.  Check out the back below.  

The investment advisor suggests BUY, BUY, BUY the Henderson Rookie at $150.  I wonder what they advisor is doing now?  I bet he is recommending Bryce Harper cards.

The ladies love LONGO and so does this blogger.  The Rays really missed him at the beginning of the year.  The Rays will only go as far as Mr. Longoria bat takes them this year.  Their offense is very streaky and Longo needs to keep it glued together.

BJ Upton, what a pleasant surprise you have been this season.  You have been playing pretty hard, picking up some clutch hits.  Must be a contract year!

Desmond I dont remember seeing you play on opening day?  Were you really there?  

I did not know who this was until I received this card, but apparently this is who the Rays are hoping will be their starting catcher at some point in the future.  After reading the info on the back of this card I have become a huge fan.  Justin is an Indiana native who was born in Muncie, Indiana at the same time I attended Ball State.  He also has been know to "DOMINATE AT TABLE TENNIS"  I hope to see you  at the Trop soon Justin.

And last but not least 80% of the Rays starting pitching staff.  4 out of 5 not to bad!!!  Shields 2011 Topps Opening Day, Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann surrounded by wood grain, and a tiny little David Price... so cute.

The lesson learned, all you bloggers, is if you have a bunch of these "Rays" cluttering up your collection and you want to unload them, there are plenty of us out here who will gladly take them off your hands.  Thanks again Night Owl Cards.

The Card Addict

TOPPS SKETCH CARDS ARE BACK!!!

I was worried that the 2011 version of TOPPS may have dropped the "SKETCH" card.  However after a little searching on EBAY this week I was able to locate a few 2011 SKETCH cards.  Not only did I find a few, turns out they are some great looking cards!  I am not sure I like the direction they are going with re-creating older cards, but I guess it goes go with the anniversary theme.  Here are some pictures of the cards that have already been sold or are currently listed on EBAY.....

The Rays are going to miss you Joaquin.  Thanks for a great year in 2010!

This is one bad mama jamma.  Love the '73 feel and look of this card.

Great looking card.

Classic Killebrew

One of my All-time favorite cards re-drawn UPSIDE DOWN???

Still very sweet.

YAZ!!!

Not so sure about this one...  looks unfinished to me.

Sweet piece of artwork.  Doesn't look like Vladdy, but a really cool card.

This is really cool....

I really like these 1/1 pcs of artwork, and if you don't have one in your collection yet I highly recommend you go out and get one, you will not be disappointed.

The Card Addict

Just the beginning!

I am not the first, and I will not be the last to post a break in the 2011 Topps collecting season.  In case you were wondering I bought two loose packs and a blaster from Wal-Mart.  These are the results of the first pack....

Paul Konerko.....  watching a looping single land softly in front of an unknown center fielder!

Christian Guzman....  turning a double play!

James "Big Game" Shields....  Only three cards in and I pulled my first RAY!!!!!

Rays Team Card...  Garza and Pena are now both Cubs....  Shoppach and Longo are still here though!

Pedro Ciriaco....  RC for the Pirates

Ryan Braun....Wal-Mart Exclusive Blue Diamond card.  Ryan could be Brendan Fraizers stunt double if the baseball career doesn't work out.

Babe Ruth TOPPS 60... Decent looking cards. However for some reason I do not like getting Ruth cards in new product.  Seems to me you should only be able to get a Ruth card by shelling out a lot of dough.

History of Topps  1994 moves from Brooklyn to NYC.....   Is that why ever year they put a Derek Jeter gimmick card in the set?

Evan Longoria Topps Town....   I hate Topps Town and not even Longo looking at a long fly ball out can change my mind.

Jhoulys Chacin...  Look at all the fans in those red seats....

Chase Utley...  Great card, up on his toes, love the score board in the background.

Carlos Gonzalez...  The 2010 NL Batting Champ...  197 Hits...  Monster Year, can he do it again?

So there is my first pack of 2011...  If you read this post all the way to this point you deserve a shot at a prize.....  So here is the contest......

The first person to comment with the name of my first Rays card from 2010 will receive:

1 Random Wax pack and 20 cards of the team of your liking.  You can guess as many times as you like, but only the first one will count, so make it a good one. If you poke around a little on this blog you will not need to guess.... Thanks for reading and good luck.

THE CARD ADDICT

UGH!

I just threw up in my mouth a little bit!

The Card Addict

Kyle Farnsworth?

Good bye.......Free agents
Carlos Pena
Carl Crawford
Joaquin Benoit
Randy Choate
Dan Wheeler


Soon to be good bye.....
Alfonso Soriano
Grant Balfour


Good bye traded core players:
Jason Bartlett
Matt Garza


Hello?
Kyle Farnsworth????


Really?????


The AP is reporting that Kyle "gas can" Farnsworth and his 12 year
lifetime 34-55 record are headed to the Rays.  Please tell me that the
Rays are not really thinking about adding this head case to the roster. 
Especially if the 
money that are reporting can be believed....  


$3.25 million per year????  What????


As a newer Rays fan.... since 1999....  I understand not signing the
free agents, and I have actually kind of liked the trades we have
pulled off.  I know our bullpen is going to be our weakest link in 
2011, but Kyle Farnsworth?  


Note to Joe....  Keep the all the electric fans out of the dugout.... 
and lets hope Kyle spends some of his cash on obedience 
school for his two Bulldogs!!!


At least he can fight!!!  Do you need an enforcer in baseball?

The Card Addict

Carlos Pena or Evan Longoria?????

Here is another auction for a confusing sketch card:  CLICK HERE!!!

To me it looks like Carlos Pena, however the owner of the card has it listed as Evan Longoria!!  What do you guys think.

I have never seen Longo hit left handed, but I guess it is possible.............

THE CARD ADDICT

Who is this SKETCH Card?

As I was checking EBAY today to see what new Carl Crawford cards, that I cannot afford, were listed I came across this listing.  The seller thinks this is a Carl Crawford sketch card.  I am not so sure.  Either the artist is not very good at capturing the essence of Carl, or this is someone else.  I am leaning towards Desmond Jennings.  What do you think??????

THE CARD ADDICT

Blue,Gold and......Copper????

Here are a few recent pick ups.  Like I always say I am a sucker for serial numbers!!!

2010 Topps Gold Carl Crawford 1156/2010

2010 Topps Opening Day Blue Carl Crawford 1831/2010

The backs, is anyone else mad about the cheap looking numbering this year on the back of the Topps product.  What happened to the embossed gold foil?  What happened to the gold foil?  These are some lousy ink jet printed serial numbers.  They are a little smaller on the Opening Day card as you can see in the scan, which I think looks a little better by the way.  I still think it is garbage that Topps has gotten cheap on these parallel cards this year!!!!

2007 Topps Copper Aki Iwamura 55/56

I remember when this came out in '07 you could not touch one on ebay for less than about $40.  I got this one for less then $5 shipped.  Good things come to those who wait!!!!!  I never understood why COPPER would be more rare then the gold, but I guess that is the way they wanted it.

The Back....  Notice the gold foil stamping....  Classy!!!!

Well that is all I have time for tonight.  I still have to get these up on my Zistle.com account.  Please voice your opinion of the way Topps is doing the serial numbers this year.  I think it sucks!!!

The Card Addict

100th post celebration

I decided for my 100th post I was going to treat myself to a break of my all time favorite baseball cards.  1986 Donruss!!!  I imagine the main reason I love these cards is because I really started collecting cards around the time these were hitting the stores.  In 1986 the Topps cards were kind of boring but the Fleer and Donruss products were both in my opinion great looking cards.  However I have always preferred the look of the '86 Donruss.

So last week I decided to search Ebay and see if I could pick up an unopened box of wax.  What I found instead was these beauties.....

Thats right 6 unopened rack packs.  The auction started at $9.99 with free shipping.  I bid $9.99.  As you can see I won the auction.  I know what you are saying to yourself right about now....  and yes I probably could buy a complete set for $9.99 + shipping but that is not what I did.  I bought 6 unopened rack packs.  What can I say?  I am an addict.

Here are the highlights of the 1986 Donruss break!!!!  Wish me luck!!!!

Pack number 1

  

Andres Galarraga-Rated Rookie

Goose Gossage-Diamond King

Rickey Henderson-HOF

Wade Boggs-HOF

Lou Whitaker-sweet LOU!!!

"OIL CAN" Boyd- the glasses plus the embroidered jacket = Awesome

Steve Carlton-HOF

Harold Reynolds- Before TV

Dennis Eckersley-  Awesome photo

Pack number 2     A little SCARY or maybe I should call it HAIRY!!!!

No stars in this rack, but check out the mid eighties hair!!

Don Aase-  I would like to introduce you to the man groomer

Lynn Jones- I am surprised you don't see that hairy animal on your upper lip with those glasses!

Von Hayes- This style seems to be making a comeback... all the young whipper snappers are wearing it like this!

Bob Stanley-  Is that a barber pole your staring at?

Nelson Simmons-  That is one sweet natural fro!!!

Sammy Stewart-  That is not!!!

Pack number 3

Carlton, Kirby, and Fred...  What else needs to be said?

Pack number 4

Frank Viola-  Nice action shot here

Steve Garvey- as a former Cub fan Garvey in a Padres uni makes me physically ill

Tony Gwynn- hitting machine

Dale Murphy- Did anyone else play for the Braves in the 80's

Darryl Strawberry- THE STRAWMAN

Joel Guzman-  Who is rating these rookies????

Todd Worrell-  Rated Rookie

Pack number 5

Where is my Canseco????

Kirk Gibson- Before THE home run!

Ken Griffey- Before JR.

Nolan Ryan- sweet card

Tom Foley- future Rays third base coach

Hal McRae- future and former Rays coach

Fleet Feet-  Willie and Vince, hey Willie do you have something in your eye?

Juan Nieves- Rated Rookie??

Cory Snyder-  At one point in history this was a very hot card!!!

Last pack #6

Pete Rose- all time hit leader

Kirby Puckett- Double

Ken Griffey- Still before there was a JR.

Nolan Ryan- Still bringing the heat

John Habyan- Rated what?

Mike Woodard- Rated who?

Jose Canseco- the second to last card I pulled in this break!  I think I will take this to the local mall show this week and sell if for $30-$40 bucks....  if it was only 1989 again!!!!

Marty Clary- Nice jacket Rook!

So there you have the 6 rack packs that helped me celebrate my 100th post.  Not bad for the cost of one jumbo pack of 2010 from my local shop!  

The Card Addict

99th Post.... Check out the Don-Sanity!!!

Before I collected Carl Crawford, but after I started collecting Rickey Henderson, DON MATTINGLY was my favorite player.  A fellow Hoosier with the most bad ass hair in the MLB.  Donny Baseball was my idol.  I have since learned to loath the evil empire, but back then I ran around my neighborhood every weekend checking to see if any of the kids I traded with had Mattingly cards.  It was one of the best times of my life.  

Recently Upper Deck lost a court case and the ability to produce baseball cards.  Although I am not a huge fan of Upper Deck it was nice having a choice when it came to which product to spend my money on.  Back when most of these cards were made we could pick between a number of companies as you can see.  Some of them had a license to use the logos and some did not.  I always wanted my Don's to have the Yankee logo, but I did trade away a lot of Gooden, Strawberry and Canseco cards to score most of these.  I hope you enjoy my random 99 Don-Sanity.

Do you have any of these cards in your collection?  If you do which one is your favorite?  Leave a comment.  I would love to know someone looked through the Don-Sanity!

THE CARD ADDICT