300

No, not that 300.

I'm talking about a priority mail package from JayBarkerFan's Junk that had over 300 Rangers in it. I haven't checked the contents against my wantlists yet, but I'm sure he hit a good number of those with this package. I was going to scan all 300 cards and force feed them to you (no I wasn't). I just picked out 5 that caught my eye as I looked through the bags.




All I can say about this 1992 Bowman Dan Smith is wow. This has to be on the top 10 all time worst card list. It looks like a picture of some preppy college kid with a bad haircut. Smith pitched in 17 games over two years for the Rangers. He went 1-5. That's not a great career, but he has one more win than most of the rest of us.




This is some kind of contest mini card from 2003 Opening Day. It's about 3/4 the size of a regular card. I don't think I've ever seen these before.





Seeing as how I've been on a bunting card kick lately, I thought this 1996 Stadium Club Otis Nixon card would be appropriate. No, he's not bunting, but I have a story about a bunt Nixon put down...up in a game. I was at a Rangers game in 1995. I was sitting about 8 or 10 rows behind the Rangers dugout. Otis Nixon turned to bunt and the third baseman raced in to field the bunt. Nixon connected, but he didn't get the bunt down. He got it up...over the third baseman's head. The ball landed near third and rolled slowly into left. Nixon stood at second with the only bunt double I've ever seen in person. It was funny and great at the same time.




I like catcher cards. I like Pudge Rodriguez cards. This is not one of the great shots of Pudge, but it does show a play that you don't see too often on a card.




I'll end it with this 1997 Skybox Metal Universe Will Clark. These Skybox Metal cards always have some crazy backgrounds. This one has erupting volcanoes and it appears one of them is giving Will a hot lava enema. Sorry for putting image in you head. I thought is was funny.

Wes, thanks for the package. It was a blast to open and I'll be on the lookout for some cards to repay you.

Life and Baseball Cards

Real life can get in the way of enjoying this hobby the way it should be enjoyed. Work, family commitments, bills, they all take time away from this very important distraction.

Ok, I'm stretching a little bit, but as many of you have experienced, we sometimes have to put collecting on the back burner. I'm pushing back a little as those real life issues press in on me lately. I'm not ready to step away from the hobby just yet, but if you've read my profile, you know I've had those periods of hobby inactivity.

As long as I can keep trading and adding Rangers to my collection, I think I'll be ok. I recently added a whole bunch of Rangers to my collection thanks to Charley from Life and Baseball Cards.




Billy Sample's not too happy about all this negative talk about the hobby, but I think he's really concerned about the sloppiness of the scan on this 1981 Topps card.



Bobby Valentine could care less. He's just happy to be included in a trade post, not to mention having a job managing the Red Sox.




How about a little 2008 Tristar action. Elvis Andrus was a Myrtle Beach Pelican! You have to love minor league team names.




I need to check to see if I have all the Gypsy Queen Rangers. I'm sure I don't have ALL of the Gypsy Queen parallels, but this Ian Kinsler helps.




So does this Josh Hamilton.





Speaking of Josh Hamilton, here is a 2009 Upper Deck Game Jersey. I like when they use these blue swatches on jersey cards. It's so much nicer than the grey or white swatch. I'd like to see some more of the red jerseys used. Speaking of red jerseys, last season I was at a game and one of the gift shops had a red Josh Hamilton jersey from the 2010 World Series that was $3000. If I was one of those mega rich guys, I'd have that thing hanging in my man cave.




I like these silk cards, mainly because I have so few of them and they're low numbered. This is my third silk card, but my first of Ian Kinsler. It's the 2010 version and is # 37/50.




The last card isn't a Ranger card. It's an encapsulated, Topps Uncirculated 2003 Topps Chrome Brandon Phillips/Victor Martinez XFractor #19/57. This card was a surprise, but fits nicely into my catcher collection. Well, the huge chunk of plastic means it doesn't really fit, but you know what I mean.

Charley, thanks so much for the great package. It may take a little while, but I'll put something together for you.

Opening a package with a Tomahawk

Opening trade packages is fun.

Opening unsolicited packages of generosity is even funner.

Derek from Tomahawk Chopping sent over one of those "hey, I need your address because I've got some stuff for you" packages. Those are great because you know they'll have stuff you like in them. This was no exception.

Derek shared some Opening Day goodies with me and if you hurry over to his blog, he's got a good deal on some 2012 Heritage stuff too.




Good design is a key component of any card set, but good photography is the first thing I look for in a card. Opening Day definitely has some good photography. Take this Victor Martinez play at the plate. It could stand to be cropped a little less, but it's a good shot.




Here is another great photo. This time it's one of my guys, Elvis Andrus, in some play at the plate action. Elvis is young, but he's blooming into a star and I love his enthusiasm. It looks like the catcher is just a shade too late with the tag.





I showed some other Rangers bunting the other day, but Blalock and Young weren't really bunters. Elvis can bunt and this Elite Skills Player "Sacrifice Bunt" card highlights that skill. Elvis led the A.L. in 2010 with 17 sac bunts. He also had 13 bunt hits in 2010.

Derek sent over a bunch of other Rangers and catchers from 2012 Opening Day. At this rate, I won't have to buy anymore to complete the set. Thanks a lot Derek!

Heritage Schmeritage

All you fancy pants rich boys and girls can have your 2012 Heritage with it's big price tag. I'll take an $11 blaster of Opening Day. I'll be sharing the best card in each pack with you, my dear readers.

Pack 1



Superstar Celebrations: Nelson Cruz and the Rangers celebrate his 11th inning grand slam in game 2 of the ALCS. It gave the Rangers a 7-3 victory and a 2-0 lead on the Tigers.

Pack 1 also included an Alex Gordon Elite Skills Player and a Heath Bell parallel #534/2012.

Pack 2



Other than the annoying Opening Day knee patch on Asdrubal Cabrera's pants, this is a great shot.

Pack 3



My son has already claimed all the mascot cards. He likes these better than any of the other inserts.

Pack 3 also had a Victor Martinez Fantasy Squad insert.

Pack 4



Another Fantasy Squad card appeared in Pack 4. It is Hanley Ramirez in the highly photoshopped Miami Marlins uniform.

Pack 4 also had a Brandon Belt parallel #1634/2012.

Pack 5



This pack was all about the double play. Here we have Ian Kinsler on an Elite Skills Player insert (Turning the Double Play).

Pack 5 also included a cool shot of Dustin Pedroia turning a double play and a Michael Young card.

Pack 6




Here we have a nice play at the plate card featuring Jacoby Ellsbury. I'll do some research and give the gory details on this one if I can find out the exact play.

Pack 7



Another mascot card for my son, starring Mr. Met this time.

Pack 7 also had an Adam Jones Superstar Celebrations card. It's hard to believe, but it highlights the first walk-off homer of Jones' 6 year career.

Pack 8



Big Prince Fielder makes an appearance on an Elite Skills Player insert. What's the skill? Well, it's not stealing bases. It's the ever popular home run.

Pack 9




Yet another mascot card, this time Raymond from the Tampa Bay Rays. My son is raking them in now. We need the Rangers mascot to show up.

Pack 10



Wouldn't you know it, a Yankee insert showed up. This is the Opening Day Stars Robinson Cano. These fall 1:8 packs. You should get one in every blaster. The only two cards you probably won't get in a blaster is an auto (1:568 packs) or a printing plate (1:3226 packs). I know of at least one blogger who did pull an auto from his blaster though.


You may have noticed this post only showed 10 packs worth of cards even though the Opening Day blasters have 11 packs. Well, yours truly is a doofus and forgot to scan a card out of the last pack. The best card in the last pack was Clayton Kershaw's card. If you haven't seen it, it's a pretty nice picture. Sorry I can't show you.

By the way, I apologize for calling all you Heritage buyers names at the beginning of this post. I bought three blasters myself. I may even show the contents someday soon.

It takes a Community

The saying might be "it takes a village", but in my case, it's all about Community. As in Community Gum. The CG boys busted 5 Jumbo Cases...yes, I said cases, of 2012 Topps. As a regular follower, I was quick to jump when they offered up the contents of those cases for sale. They had some very nice Rangers from the break so while I didn't buy all the available cards, I did get what I could and I was happy to add to my collection and help them out at the same time.

The CG Boys managed to get 8 of the Rangers gold parallels.




I bought them all including this Josh Hamilton.


Jon and Andy hooked me up with a couple of the Gold Rush redemption cards too.




I'm not exactly sure why Mitch Moreland is included, although I like him quite a bit. I guess being in a couple of World Series will get you a little more exposure than normal.





Oh Nelson, if only you'd caught that fly ball!




One Rangers black parallel popped up too. It was the one I most wanted and it's #34/61.




This last card isn't a Ranger one, but I couldn't resist. It's one of the Nolan Ryan Retired Rings manu-things. These are pretty nice for manufactured relics. It's #248/736 and I still don't get the numbering.

I also picked up an Alexi Ogando Golden Moments auto redemption and a complete set of the 1987 minis. That means the ones I got in packs will be available soon. I'll try to get a list up for those of you still looking for some.

Thanks Jon and Andy! I appreciate the great cards. Is it time Series 2 yet?

You don't see that too often

The Rangers have historically been a no-pitch, swing for the fences kind of team. That hasn't been the case the last couple of years as the pitching has helped them to consecutive World Series appearances. Ron Washington is not above playing a little small ball now and then because he can generally trust his pitching staff to make a lead stand up.

Still, it's a little funny to see these guys bunting on cards.





Hank Blalock, 2003 UD Patch Collection. It looks like Blalock is a guy who didn't bunt often.





Michael Young, 2004 Topps Cracker Jack. I'm guessing Michael already bunted or else he'd have two hands on the bat.

The two bunting Rangers and a few other cards came courtesy of Johnny over at Cards from the Quarry.





Johnny knows I like presidential stuff, so he sent over this 2011 A&G Cabinet Card featuring LBJ and the National Parks. These things are a beast to store, but I love 'em.





I posted a more limited Tex auto earlier today, but this one is pretty limited too. I didn't take it out of the screw-down so the scan is awful. It's a 2003 Donruss Team Heroes Mark Teixeira auto #48/50. That's two nice/evil autos in one day so the team collector in me is pretty happy today.

Thanks for the cards Johnny. My son was pretty happy with the Smiths and Iannettas too.

Thanks to Fuji for the directions on how to subscribe to blog posts

Fuji, from The Chronicles of Fuji, commented on my post about the problem with not being able to "subscribe" to comments.

If you're using Blogger, he gave directions on how to add the "subscribe by email" feature. Here are the directions for those of you who might want to add this to your blog so us commenters can see other comments.

Step 1: Go to your blogger settings page.

Step 2: Find the "comments" tab and click on it.

Step 3: Scroll down to the part where it say "Comment Form Placement" and select "Embedded below post".

Thanks Fuji!