And then there were two

Where can you go and find box breaks, a prize closet and even a good old fashioned sale?  Just a Bit Outside, that's where.   Kyle is constantly working with different box break ideas.  He somehow manages to track trades, comments and box breaks and award points that give you a shot at goodies from the "closet".  He'll offer up extras from lots he buys for cheap.  

I took advantage of all three of these to add some Rangers to my collection.  JABO's 13th box break netted me some cool stuff.  

Cool stuff like this 2004 Topps Pristine Alfonso Soriano Key Acquisitions bat card.  Say that three times fast.

More cool stuff like this GQ Mike Napoli mini.

Even more cool stuff like this GQ Nelson Cruz Straight Cut mini.  Notice I didn't say Straight Scan.

I also bought a couple of 2012 A&G relics for the low, low price of low.

Ian Kinsler blue jersey relic.

The much maligned of late Michael Young jersey relic.

I think when I picked these next two cards from the prize closet, I was the leader on the point tote board.  Well, not anymore.

I picked up this Rocky Calmus auto for a certain Sooner collector I know.

I also added a 2002 UD Drew Meyer auto that I didn't have.  And to think, those were just free.  Kudos to JABO for the prize closet idea, but man o' man, I can't even keep my collection organized.  I'd be lost trying to keep track of all those points.

JABO's 12th box break was two boxes of 2012 Finest.  I never, and I mean never, buy Finest, so the chance to get in on a break was perfect for me.

I got one base Josh Hamilton.

I also got a couple base Michael Young's and this refractor.

I think there were 4 or 5 base Nelson Cruz's, but at least one was a refractor.  

Now many of you remember I pulled this card out of a A&G rack pack not long ago.  

It was the best card I've ever pulled.  Having a Yu Darvish auto was something I figured would just be out of the realm of possibility.  When Kyle posted the contents of the Finest break, I was shocked to see the following card.  

This is the refractor version, #39/198.  I'm still in shock that I have it.  Part of me wants to sell it, but the rest of me wants to keep it.

I think the rest of me is going to win this battle.

The Long Wait is Over

Thank the Lord, we finally heard from the doctor, and my wife does not have cancer. That's what she talked herself and me into.

I think I'll go relax for the first time in two weeks.

It does matter

I'm not asking you to vote for my post, Sweet Revenge,  in Nachos Grande's contest, but if you have time, go and check out the entries and vote for SOMEONE in each matchup.  There are some greats posts by some good folks.

Yep, I said folks.  Now, where is my walker?

2012 Topps Chrome: To Die For

I posted my two Chrome blasters yesterday and promised a look at the 3 rack packs I picked up with them.  The only difference in the two is that you get the now expected three orange refractors in the rack packs instead of the purple refractors in the blasters.  

I think it's going to be really tough to approach a complete team set this year.  The long odds on pulling any colored refractors means less quality tradebait and less chance to get the Rangers I want.  Oh well, the trials and tribulations of being a team collector right?  As my friend would say, this is a real first world problem.  

Value pack 1

I pulled one Ranger in the first value pack, Adrian Beltre.  You know, the same guy that hit three homers in his first three at bats last night.

Chase Utley, X-fractor Superman!

That's pretty much it except for the three orange refractors.

Holy Bison!  Is he yelling at the ball or the Giants for this latest series.  Ugh, the Giants.

I guess Michael Bourn really looks up to Jason Heyward.  By at least a foot.  (Really it's just 6 inches.  I checked.)

Speaking of Giants, here is the "Hair"ed one.  This one is headed to Arpsmith.

Value pack 2  

Chris Sale is having a pretty good season.  14-4, 2.72 ERA, 137 Ks.  This is the regular refractor, even though the scan makes it look a little like the sepia version.

One of the packs had two Rangers in it.

The pics of Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz are almost identical.

This Stephen Strasburg X-Fractor would have been a huge pull two years ago.  Can anyone explain to me how the Nationals are 30 games over .500?  Should we all be scared by this team?

On to the orange refractors.

It looks like Johnny Cueto is trying to mount that wave.

Oh Duda day.

Wow.  Norichika Aoki.  That's a mouthful.  I've never heard of him, but he's having a decent rookie season.

Ok, one more to go.

Value pack 3

Derek Holland is the final Ranger I pulled.  That should make you happy.  Now I'll need to trade for a bunch of these.

This is a pink Gio Gonzalez refractor.  Ok, it's really a regular Gio Gonzalez refractor, but it sure looks pink.

On to the oranges.  

Ha!  Arod is still trying to bring me down, but it's not happening you orange SOB!!

First Cueto, now James Shields.  The must be a pretty nice wave.

I've become a Rays magnet.  Matt Moore is making another appearance on this blog.

I saved the "best" for last.  I managed to pull one of the 1:24 die cuts.  I wish it was someone else, but this Tim Lincecum will be with the other one headed over to Arpsmith.  I have to say these things are amazing.  It's almost like a ninja throwing star.  Sweet.

That's the last of my 2012 Chrome.  The next time I show any Chrome, it should be something I traded for.
Maybe even a Die Cut Ranger if I'm lucky.

Sweet revenge

*This is my Round 3 entry for Nachos Grande's contest.  Thanks for reading.*

Adam smiled as he hung up the phone.  It was a long time coming, but he would finally have a little sweet revenge.  

It all started back in 1992. Adam was starting a new career as a freelance photographer.  He was assigned to shoot player photos of the Houston Astros during spring training.  A couple of the players found out it was his first time to photograph major leaguers and soon everyone knew Adam was a "rookie".   While Adam was lining up shots of Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, Steve Finley gave him what Adam would soon discover was the old "hot" foot.  As Adam danced around trying to shake the flames off his shoe, he knocked over his tripod and broke his camera.  Finley ran off giggling like a school girl, but Bagwell and Biggio chipped in and gave Adam enough cash to replace the camera.  

During spring training of 1993, Adam spent time photographing the Rangers, but in 1994 he was assigned to the Astros again.  No longer a "rookie", Adam was on the lookout for pranks, especially when it came to Steve Finley.  Despite his vigilance, Adam fell prey to Finley again during his day at the park.  Finley blew a bubble with his gum and put it on Adam's cap.  Unfortunately, it was a cap that Nolan Ryan had signed and given to Adam earlier that morning.  Adam didn't notice the gum until later that day and by then, it had stuck right on the spot Nolan signed.  Again, Finley didn't seem to care other than to have a good laugh at Adam's expense.  

1995 rolled around and Adam missed shooting spring training photographs due to being hospitalized with what was later diagnosed as "Hysterical Depression".  It came on suddenly when he was part of a focus group that saw a very early screening of Kevin Costner's movie Waterworld.  Apparently seeing Costner's character drink his own filtered urine was just too much for Adam to bear.  

Adam was fully recovered (although he would tell you he never really go over it) from his illness by the Spring of 1996.  He was happy to be assigned to photograph the San Diego Padres because he wouldn't have to see Steve Finley.  Unfortunately for Adam, during his illness he hadn't followed baseball and didn't realize Steve Finley was a Padre now.  

Adam was taking shots of the players with their name placards, standard practice to ensure each player was identified correctly.  As if he would ever forget Finley's face.  Adam kept an eagle eye on Finley, hoping against hope that he would escape the pranks this time around.  As Finley picked up his name card, he took a step toward Adam.  Adam reflexively took a step back without realizing Rickey Henderson was behind him.  Henderson was down on all fours and Adam was upended over Henderson's back.  As he fell, he must have pushed the shutter release on his camera because he caught Finley's rather effeminate celebratory dance and smile.  

Embarrassed, Adam quickly got to his feet, took his remaining pictures and left, hoping to never seen Steve Finley again.  Later, as he reviewed the photos to be submitted, he smiled when he came across a shot of Finley that he didn't know he had.  He quickly called his contact over at Score and asked if he could send over a "must use" shot. 

The call he received a couple of hours later was the source of his good mood.  Shortly after that call, a courier delivered a mock up of the card that would be released in the 1996 Score set.   

Adam finally had his sweet revenge on Steve Finley.  The shame of this card would lead Finley to retire from baseball.

Eleven years later.

Having fun at work!

I'm working a double shift, but we have a television in the office so I have the Rangers game on and it is great!

It's the bottom of the 4th inning and 8 straight Rangers have reached base against former Ranger Tommy Hunter, now of the Orioles.  Adrian Beltre hit his 2nd homerun of the game earlier in the inning and then...

Mitch Moreland hit his first career grand slam!  It was actually the second grand slam of his career, but the first one got washed out due a game with Oakland being rained out before it was official.

Way to go Rangers....you made the first part of this 16 hours a little more bearable.

2012 Topps Chrome: A Tale of Two Blasters

As I mentioned in my morning post, I'm losing my baseball card money job at the end of the month.  I received that news on Monday morning along with my final check.  Since I love Topps Chrome, I decided to spend the whole enchilada on Chrome if I could find it.  Find it I did.

I picked up two blasters and three rack packs.  I think if I had bought one blaster and opened it, I might have avoided Chrome for the rest of the year.  Fortunately, I bought the second one and it brought me back from the edge of the cliff.  

For your personal viewing pleasure, or displeasure as the case may be, here are the odds for the blasters, which have eight 4 card packs.  One of the packs is chock full of purple refractors.  

Refractors - 1:3

X-fractors - 1:6

Blue refractors - 1:300

Black refractors - 1:760

Sepia refractors - 1:930

Gold refractors - 1:1,525

Dynamic die-cuts - 1:24

Base card variations - 1:13,500

Autographs - 1:bazillion or something ridiculous like that.

Here is blaster vs. blaster comparison showing just the highlights.  

Blaster 1

The very first pack had this Brian Wilson X-fractor.  That's a kick in the family jewels.

The third pack revealed a Nick Swisher refractor.  As I was recoving from the low blow, this card was a knife in the back.

I celebrated like Jay Bruce to get a refractor that wasn't a Yankee or Brian Wilson.  Yay me!

Just when I thought the fight was over, I get double teamed by a Curtis Granderson X-fractor.  That's not a fair fight and Topps knows it.  I was about to open the purple refractor pack and praying that it didn't have a Yankee.

Cat hair and all, at least Alcides Escobar is a Royal and not one of those other teams.

High fives all around, it's a Diamondback.

Indians aren't Yankees.  Unfortunately, the joy at not pulling one of them is wearing off because I'm realizing the blaster isn't going to have any Rangers.

Rounding third on blaster #1 with an Eric Hosmer purple refractor.

If you didn't read the odds I posted above, the chances of you getting any color other than the guaranteed purple from these are not good.  I've seen reports on Blowout of some hot blasters containing packs with purple refractors.

After blaster #1, I was a little sick at my stomach knowing I still had another $50 of this stuff to open, but open it I did.

Blaster 2

The first card in the first pack was this base Leonys Martin.  Blaster #2 wins the battle already.

The second pack gave up a Josh Hamilton refractor.  Throw away your score cards, this fight is over.

Pack 3 made it a runaway victory for blaster 2.  A Yu Darvish X-fractor was more than I could have hoped for at this point in the box.

Not even a Jaime Garcia refractor could take the shine off this box.

Now for the purple pack.

Ha ha!  Arod, you can't bring me down!!!

I know this guy hit a homer last night to beat the Phillies.

Matt Moore helped the Rays complete the 4 game sweep of the Angels so I have to like him, right?

A purple play at the plate is icing on the cake as blaster #2 comes to a close.  Overall, I'm happy with Chrome as always (except for the 2010 burrito factor).  I'll post the results of my rack packs too, but I don't think I'll be buying any more Chrome this year.

Not unless I can get another cushy baseball card money job.