Rethinking Ginter

Back in , I was excited. I figured that even with the Topps MLB Monopoly/Exclusive License, they would at least give this one set to the collectors. Visions of dinosaurs, national flags and fierce animals (along with some unheard of, and yes, unnecessary add-ins), code breakers, classy relics and autos, rip cards...this was going to be the set of the year.

Of course, it's a 2010 Topps set, so there is scandal.

I could care less about the Strasburgs...by 2013 he'll be the guy everyone pulls in every pack (Chipper, Josh Johnson, Jorge).

World's Greatest Wordsmiths? Meh.

National Animals? Sure, but I'll grab a complete set off eBay for $10 by the end of October.

The base cards bother me. When I first saw the David Wright & company from the sell sheet back in...whatever month that was, I was excited. Some cards look great (Hawpe, A Gonz, Aaron Hill), but I wouldn't be suprised that 20% of the semi-stars cards are re-used photographs (Ricky Romero from 2009 Topps, Vernon Wells, Andy Pettitte from 2009 A&G, and ever Pujols from a previous Topps set). Seriously, how do you recycle an Albert Pujols image?

One bright side is that there is an amazing insert set known as Monsters of the Mesozoic. I want these, so if you do not, trade them/sell them/donate them to me. I have quite the affinity for dinosaurs and prehistoric beasts (dinosaurs are not even the coolest prehistoric creatures (see also: Castoroides ohioensis or the Meganuera genus).

So, my goal at completing this set, as was originally planned months ago, is pretty much cancelled. Also, my patience for Topps is quite thin at this point. This blog may become more modern hockey and junk baseball wax blog with some MLS/EPL cards mixed in.

At this point, Topps sets are just becoming parallels of one another. Same players, pictures. Different touches and borders.

Mini-Jo! 2009-2010 UD Champs Blaster

Yesterday, in the draggin-ons of the Upstate NY evenings (though, a very pleasant one), the girlfriend thought up the idear to head to Target in Cicero. Sounds good, I thought. I hadn't bought cards in over a month (I think).

So we saddled up, and went to Target.

Interestingly, I may have caught some pack searching in progress, along with the dopes young kid, of course. (Why do they always bring the kids to show off their scum.) However, I was in no place to scold this man, as he did not purchase anything and left quickly after I showed up. Not to mention the credibility I would have lacked whence the searcher noticed the $.75 pair of women's underwear I was grasping as m'lady was visiting the bathroom. Such as it goes.

Anyways. The guys and his kid left, and I looked over the paltry selection of cards during the dead time between key releases.

'10 Topps Heritage? Pass. Flagship blasters...loose T206 packs, rack packs of the previously listed brands and of course the insufferable Bowman.

Then, in the blasters, this ugly guy staring back at me:
On cardboard, of course. But still, very cool packs. I was actually pumped to see that there were only two blasters remaining, and only six packs left out of the 24 from a retail box. This means somebodies buying these, and damn well they should be. Here's why...

Excellent base set. Pretty simple design, very hockey design. Those who follow hockey cards will know what I mean.

I really enjoy the parallels. I pulled 5, even though the box of 12 packs states parallels at 1:4, so I made out big time there. First, "green", or as I like to called them - Seafoam.
I didn't realize the seafoams were parallels until I had them all stacked up at the end and Craiggy was sticking out.

Love the yellow. These are apparently one-per-box, or 1:24 as far as I can tell. So this Havlat is kind of a hit for a blaster.

And of course, there are minis, seeded 1:1.

Basic.

Historical Figures. I could do without these.

Newbs. Glad to get my favorite rook from 09-10.

Natural History.

RAWROSAURS.

...and Mini Threads! Mini-Jo! This was a pleasant surprise. I was pumped, even though it's Tomas Vokoun. Anyways, this is an absolutely perfectly done relic. Tiny swatch? Throw it on a tiny card! Sepia-tone that shit! Give it a cool name like Threads! Great cards...mediocre player selection on these.

Overall, this is THE BEST blaster I have EVER purchased. Now, I rarely buy hobby boxes, and spend the most of my cash on blasters, so I buy a lot of them. The real cool thing is that this is the first memorabilia hit I have ever landed from a blaster in which one is not guaranteed. So, yeah. Go snatch some of these up, whether through loose packs, blasters or a hobby fatty. These are well worth the money, and 100x greater than their Goodwin Champions counterparts.