Awesome night card, pt. 99

I went out and bought one of those new Wal-Mart value box things over the weekend. That's because I always have to do what all the other kids in the neighborhood are doing.

But I'm not going to crab about how this is another way for Topps to make money. Of course it is. Why do you think Topps exists?

I quite enjoyed the variety box. It's more interesting to me than a blaster. And it costs 5 bucks less.

As you know the boxes include one hobby pack of A&G, six packs of Topps Series 2, a million card giveaway card, and a special refractor. I'll show the refractor first because I found it the most boring:

Ironman Cal. Nothing wrong with that. Like all good refractors, you can poke your eye out with the corners. But I think I'm a little worn out on exclusive refractors.

The Howard-Hamels night card above was one of the cards out of six Series 2 packs. I also received three of the last six cards I need from Series 2.

Fortunately, this was one of them. I am so embarrassed when the last player I need to complete a set is someone I don't know:

Potential trader: "Whose the last guy you need?"
Me: "Uh ... Logan ... um ... On-DROO-zek, uh, ON-dru-sek, uh, On-dru-SEEK. ... Um, that Reds guy."
Potential trader: "Loser."

Happily, I've heard of the last three guys I need: Jordan Zimmerman, Luis Castillo and Derek Holland.

I did receive my guaranteed Million Card Giveaway code card. But I also pulled two other MCG codes out of the six packs. That made me giddy with anticipation.

I was so giddy that I brought the codes to work and redeemed them there. I'll never do that again.

I got junk with all three cards. Even Yaz failed me. I purposely waited until two-thirds of the recently redeemed cards were 1960s and 1950s cards. But I redeemed two cards from the '80s that I have already.

And I redeemed this card. A 1994 card isn't great, but at least it's a card I didn't have, and it is the card of Carter immediately after his World Series home run. So that's a little cool.

I still have Carter in my portfolio. I don't have the other two because I packaged them together to receive a late '70s card I don't have:

Got to love a player in a banana suit.

I saved the A&G hobby pack for last, because I had seen some hits come from those packs.

But there was no hit to be had. Even the mini card was something I had already. There were just two base cards that I needed:

Willingham and Wolf. Wuvwee.

Fortunately, the value box did come with a hit. It was in the first Series 2 pack that I opened, which was a surprise. Hits from base retail packs are a complete oddity for me.

That said, I believe I may have struck upon the junk hit trifecta:

1. It's a Rockie
2. It's a sticker auto
3. I'm pretty sure that signature is not in English. Or even of this planet.

Oh, and I found out the same day I pulled the card that Morales had just been called up from the minors.

Jackpot.

Still, I shouldn't complain. A hit, two A&G cards I needed, three of the final six Series 2 cards I needed, some Mamma card needs, three tickets to the most thrilling ride of the 2010 card season, the Million Card Giveaway Rollercoaster O' Cards, and a Cal refractor.

I do like variety.

(EDIT: I am watching the Cubs-Reds on TV 2 hours after posting this and who comes to the mound? Logan Ondrusek. I know how his name is pronounced now. Baseball can be serendipitous!).