Stuff I need but don't want to open

 

I've been involved in a few of Nachos Grande's group breaks over the last few years. They come in handy for a team collector like me.

I'm at the point in my collecting journey where there are more card sets that I don't want to open than I want to open. Way more. Way, way, waaaaaaay more.

That's where Chris' group breaks come in. Honestly, his motto should be "Opening Product So You Don't Have To." 

So, last week I received my Dodger-card spoils from the most recent group break (or last two recent -- my memory is shot). I'm happy to say that about 40 percent of the cards were needs. That's very good for me. I almost didn't sign up for the most recent break for fear I'd come away with 10 needs and pay for a bunch of dupes.

I'm not going to show all the cards. I'll limit it to a top 10, though none of this is in order. And you'll see why I'm glad Chris is opening this stuff and not me.

 

1. 1998 Pacific Online Bobby Bonilla gold-letter parallel

 

Announcements that sets like Pacific Online are being open set off warning bells. Even though I wasn't collecting at this time, I've managed to complete the team set (and it's massive). All I'm looking for are parallels like this, which don't come along that often. So, yay, Bobby Bo Gold!

 

 

2. 2003 Bazooka Adrian Beltre

Another set without a lot of team wants. Bazooka's simplicity appeals to some collectors and I'm sure the price is right, but, like Total, the look does not excite me. Fortunately, the last card I needed to finish the team set was pulled.

3. 2021 Topps Big League Mookie Betts Highlights

At the time that Chris opened this box, we were all celebrating the arrival of the ridiculously delayed 2021 Big League. All of these cards are old news now -- some for me, too, as I landed a handful of the Dodgers before these cards arrived. But it was good to almost finish off the set, FINALLY. This card features Mookie Betts pilfering a home run/extra bases from future teammate Freddie Freeman during the 2020 NLCS.

 

4. 2021 Topps Big League Los Angeles Dodgers Highlights

Big League allowed me to celebrate the Dodgers' World Series title from 2020 long into 2022!! ... This is a disaster of a celebration shot. Can we get somebody smiling? It looks like someone is getting mugged by a gang of toughs.

5. 2021 Topps Big League Cody Bellinger, Highlights, orange parallel

One last Big League card. The only base Dodgers card from this set that wasn't pulled was the base version of the parallel above, which shows Bellinger robbing Tatis Jr. in the NLDS (what a wonderful moment). ... Oh, about that ding in the upper corner, that was not a shipping issue, that was all me. More on that later.

6. 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter Chrome Max Scherzer

Allen & Ginter Chrome is now a thing and I am so sure that it should not be a thing that I will never open a pack of this. But it's nice that somebody else will. It's good to get another card of Dodgers short-timer Mad Max.

7. 2021 Topps Allen & Ginter Chrome Tony Gonsolin

Also, it's nice to get another card of Tony Gonsolin since Topps is adamant about not showing a card of the official All-Star pitcher in 2022 (He's 11-0, Topps!) until the Update set. At least I think he will be in the Update set.

8. 2022 Panini Donruss Will Smith, Career Stat Line parallel

Will Smith cards are about to go up in price, if they haven't already. So it's nice to get a parallel, even if it's one of Donruss' 40 million parallels.

9. 2022 Panini Diamond Kings Jackie Robinson and gray-border parallel Jackie

Lumped two together. These are notable as Jackie Robinson is a base-set short-print. Panini Diamond Kings has been doing this base-set SP nonsense for quite awhile, but it just started irritating me in the last couple years. The only reason I've opened any packs in the last three years is there was a pandemic and at one point, it was all could find online in terms of cards to open.

10. 1998 Pinnacle Zenith Paul Konerko, Impulse parallel

Chris opened a box of '98 Zenith -- this is exactly the kind of product that requires a proxy opener. No way I'm going to touch a set that challenges you to rip up its cards.

But fortunately he pulled three of the 5x7 Dodgers and I already had two of them. You know what that means -- I get to tear up some cards to get to what's inside!

This is the first time I had done this and my inexperience cost me with the first card, the Mike Piazza.

After a timid rip, I wasn't finding any sign of a card. I didn't know how far down I had to rip, and I guess I ended up ripping too much.

Oops. Juan Encarnacion never had a chance. Actually, it serves him right.

So let's try again with Raul Mondesi.

I tried to feel around a little better for the card inside this time.

 

OK, that's a more successful tear. I can see the back of the wee-card peeking out!

 

That's the Big Hurt!

That's a pretty good pull from one of those.

I was actually hoping for a Dodger. There are five Dodgers in this set and I don't have a single one (I do have one of the inserts oddly). I don't know how uncommon these cards are but I do know I am not ripping up the Konerko for a shot at a mini Dodger.

 

Speaking of damaging cards, I was hauling my group break spoils to the card room and I dropped the entire lot onto the floor.

I knew there would be casualties -- hardwood floors throughout the house, you guys. Fortunately, all I could find dinged was the Bellinger Big League card I mentioned and these two dented Bazooka silver parallels, which really took the brunt.

There's a lesson for you out there: First, do not make extra thick cards. Ever. Second, do not listen to the home decorating experts and real estate agents. Hardwood floors are evil.

I also want to show these cards before I go. It's the 2020 Heritage High Numbers Dodgers!

These cards were held hostage for what seemed like years while Chris waited for his 2021 Big League shipments to come in as the High Numbers set was included in the same order. I tried to hold off from buying any of the High Numbers Dodgers, it was tough, man! I did get a couple, but all of the above were new. Heck the cards are so old, Alex Wood has been pitching for the enemy for two years!

 

Oh, and Chris opened a lot of Gypsy Queen, and that's a set I'm on record as saying for the last seven or eight years as something I will never open again.

So out of the above sets I showed, the only ones I would have opened willingly was the Big League and the Heritage High Numbers.

But I still need a way to get my Dodgers. Thank goodness for proxy openers.