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Finally, you have my undivided attention


Last month, I made 21 entries to this blog. That was an all-time low for me. Never in the seven-plus year history of Night Owl Cards had I been less prolific.

Today's post, on the final day of June, is No. 20 on NOC for the month. Welcome to a new all-time low.

I saw this coming a few months ago, and it doesn't have anything to do with a lack of blogging interest or cardboard malaise or anything like that. It's mostly because I have never been so busy during the life of this blog than the last two months. Multiple trips out of state for various reasons, graduations and other milestone celebrations, and year-long work planning projects coming to fruition, all conspired to keep me away from my beloved blog.

I knew they were coming. I knew I couldn't do anything about them. And I also knew that by the end of June, they would all be over.

It is the end of June. You now have my undivided attention.

Let's celebrate with a fat pack of Series 2!

Hey, wait! Come back!

Yeah, I don't like 2016 Topps, Series 1 or Series 2, any more than you do. In fact, it's a good bet I like it less than you. But new is NEW in the cardboard addiction world and I must sample. This will be my one and only Series 2 purchase. I'm actually annoyed that I couldn't find a loose pack, because I didn't even want to buy this much.

So let's see what kind of fog-covered photos are in the offing. It doesn't really matter anyway. You're just happy to have me back, aren't you?

Series 2:


#490 - Guido Knudson, Tigers

No idea. There will never be another flagship set issued for the rest of my life in which I know every player.


#457 - Nick Swisher, Braves

I don't know when Topps puts its Series selections to bed. Swisher was released by the Braves at the end of March. Really no need for a card of him.

#473 - Robbie Erlin, Padres
#456 - Gordon Beckham, Braves
#419 - Aaron Altherr, Phillies


#682 - Danny Duffy, Royals

Duffy offers up a prayer as the stadium fills with smoke.



#677 - Derek Norris, Padres

Nice shot of a Padres-Brewers game, a matchup you will never see on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

#673 - Justin Upton, Tigers
#572 - Marcell Ozuna, Marlins


#608 - Rick Porcello, Red Sox


#392 - Jon Singleton, Astros

#412 - Mark Lowe, Tigers


#617 - Justin Smoak, Blue Jays

Smoak swinging in a field filled with smoke!

#618 - Desmond Jennings, Rays
#374 - Zach McAllister, Indians
#466 - Marco Estrada, Blue Jays
#437 - Michael Lorenzen, Reds
#528 - Byron Buxton, Twins (future stars)
#533 - Jonathan Villar, Brewers


#563 - Lance McCullers, Astros (future stars)

We've reached the future stars portion of the pack. Way too many of these things.

#660 - John Axford, Athletics
#523 - Blake Swihart, Red Sox (future stars)


#BB2-2011 - Eric Hosmer, Royals, Berger's Best
#HH1 - Stan Musial, Cardinals, Hallowed Highlights
#RS-5 - Max Scherzer, Nationals, Record Setters
#MLBD2-18 - Felix Hernandez, Mariners, MLB Debut

Bunch of inserts that don't interest me.

Plus this one:


It's one of the 10-card 65th anniversary insert series that are retail only. This is the only Dodger, so that pleases me. It also allows me to do the following:


Those are the '52 Robinson tributes that I have. There actually should be 8, but I have no idea where the 1995 Archives Robinson is. Once I find that, I will grab one of the other ones that I KNOW is out there and Warhol y'all.



#657 - Johnny Giavotella, Angels

Some great, inventive photos, but the fog-effect really hurts things.


#471 - Kolten Wong, Cardinals

Mildly disturbing.

#681 - Joe Smith, Angels
#679 - Nate Jones, White Sox


#527 - Jordy Mercer, Pirates

Not really the card I want to see if I'm a Jordy Mercer fan, but I know I'm out of touch.



#438 - Paulo Orlando, Royals

This photo is cooler than the Gatorade Joey Gallo bath from last year's Update.

#602 - Keith Hessler, Diamondbacks
#398 - Cleveland Indians team card


#377 - Scott Kazmir, Dodgers

Yay! Last card is a Dodgers base card need!

Kazmir is featuring the "Chunichi Dragons" alternate cap that the Dodgers debuted during spring training. I don't really care for it, but that's inconsequential when there's money to be made.

Anyway, that's the only Series 2 pack break you'll see here. Any non-Dodger card is available or will be distributed in upcoming trade packages (yes, very exciting, I know).

I should be hopping on those trade packages in the coming days now that I have a somewhat reasonable schedule. No guarantees though. 2016 apparently is the year in which we MUST DO THINGS.

Comments

Stack22 said…
re: Swisher's inclusion, my feeling is that if you played the previous season, you should have a card in the set. For veteran players of any note, I feel very strongly about this. There should be a Topps card with full career stats as a bookend for a players cardboard career. I've always viewed the Topps base set as a sort of almanac for the previous season, rather than associating them with the current year.
deal said…
1) I like Stack22's reference to Topps as Almanac. It is a good way to look at baseball cards.
2) The Padres/Brewers Card is appropriate as I have mixed up cards from those two teams in 2016T a number of times
3) I have been to target a couple of times and they didn't have looseys of 2016T in PA either.
Zippy Zappy said…
Out of that lot the player I find interesting is Robbie Erlin. Former Rangers prospect who went to San Diego in the Mike Adams trade. Has a chance to be a really good back of the rotation starter in spacious Petco. Unfortunately his Tommy John surgery put him on the shelf for 2016.

As for Guido Knudson he was drafted by the Tigers back in 2011 and made his MLB debut last year but he was claimed off of waivers by the Pirates in the offseason. He was released by the Pirates like two weeks ago.
Commishbob said…
If you have no use for the Derek Norris, Danny Duffy and McCullers cards, I could use them for my fantasy BB binder. I have a few things coming your way this week (or next week if I get lazy).
ketchupman36 said…
First time poster, been reading your blog about a month or so.

Interested in trading for the Felix Hernandez MLB Debut card. If you're into the Dodgers I have a 2015 Topps Rainbow Foil team card (#478). That's what pops into my mind as far as similar vaule
Commishbob said…
Thanks G. Absolutely no rush.
Fortunately for us baseball fans, the "mildly disturbing" Kelton Wong action shot is a familiar occurrence.
I wonder what people from countries not familiar with baseball would think if they saw this card?
This card would be a good example for a post entitled "What were they thinking?" if you took out the baseball context.
The Swisher card is another example. Cropping out the bat in Swisher's right hand would lead an English subject to believe Swisher to be acting out a scene from Monty Python's Minister of Silly Walks sketch.
Big Tone said…
Hey It's Guido Knudson,Tigers rookie!In 2015 he struck out....Nah ,I don't who he is either.
Fuji said…
I never thought I'd say this... but Topps now needs to make one more 1952 Topps reprint of #42, because a complete page would be kinda cool.