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But will we be buying Gypsy Queen in three years?


I'm sure a few of you retail hounds have noticed that blasters of 2008 Upper Deck Timeline have reappeared in Walmart.

It's been three years since UD put out this set and I'm still tempted to buy packs or blasters every time I see it. I'm wondering if in three years time when I see marked down blasters of 2011 product, if I'll be even half as intrigued.

I really like the Timeline set. I've said that many times. I'm also half-heartedly collecting the whole thing, which is the proper way to collect this set. If you try to collect it wholeheartedly, you'll blow through the ceiling fuming over how you've pulled another Chase Utley base card for the 52nd time. And then you'll have to call the fire department and be all embarrassed.

I bought one discounted blaster a few weeks ago, and the only thing keeping me from buying another one (besides the "no money" excuse) is the fact that 2011 Heritage is still amusing me.

Fortunately, others have found Timeline to their liking, too. One of those people is Johnny at Cards From the Quarry.

He recently sent some Timeline cards off my vast Timeline want list.

Let's take a gander:


Eugenio Velez is now a Dodger. I am unsettled by having so many former Giants on the Dodgers (although I think the total is only two). I'm not totally convinced that they're not spies.


This card of Pronk splitting a bat in two is awesome. I'll bet the ball didn't even contact the bat. He just swung and the bat broke into two pieces. Amazing.


Timeline may be timeless, but it is also sooooooooo 2008. Remember when Johnny Cueto was all over the blogs in 2008? Some goof-off even had a counter on his sidebar that kept track of when he was going to receive his Cueto autograph off a redemption.

But it's not just Cueto. Have a look at these other players stuck in 2008:


Micah Hoffpauir. I don't even know what he's doing now. But I know what he was doing in 2008. Residing in every pack that I bought.


Ian Kennedy. I don't know how many times I had to hear this guy's name in 2008. As usual, the great YES propaganda machine had everyone in the state believing he was the savior of the rotation. And, as usual, when a Yankee player gets traded somewhere else, that's the last you ever hear of him again.

Yes, I know Kennedy was a regular part of the Diamondbacks' rotation last year. But Arizona pitchers don't get nearly the amount of press as New York pitchers.

Aside from the Timeline needs, Johnny also sent a couple of Dodger items.


Leave it to a Rockies fan to have this card. It took me a long time to realize that this was a card I needed for my collection. I think Eric Young played for both the Dodgers and the Rockies 12 times apiece.


Finally, a super-foily Andre Ethier Icons card, which is numbered and everything.

I sort of begged for this card, which is a bit embarrassing, because nothing that comes from Icons is worth begging over. Not even those Letterman things.

I don't expect anyone to pick up a discounted Icons blaster. But I'm glad that there are people still buying the occasional Timeline blaster, despite the short-print hell that the set is. The funny thing is, I'm still trying to complete three sets from 2008 and Timeline seems like the easiest one of the three to complete.

I might be closer to finishing 2008 Heritage, but I can never find that set in stores anymore and tracking down the last few of those SPs through trades is almost impossible.

I'm closer to finishing 2008 Stadium Club, too, but you know what Topps did to that set. The few people who actually completed '08 Stadium Club have been so scarred that they receive their food on trays pushed through a metal slot in the wall.

So, I'll just stick with my plodding Timeline ways, thank you.

I think I'll eventually complete it. Probably right around the time that Gypsy Queen starts appearing in those $11.99 blasters in 2014.

Don't think it won't happen.

Comments

Nathan said…
I really don't understand timeline...like for example why is Pronk a prospect?

(actual question, not sarcasm)
night owl said…
That part of Timeline didn't make much sense. But I still like the set.
hiflew said…
Glad you liked them and I liked the set, but I just couldn't bring myself to deal with SO many short prints.

BTW, don't ever consider it begging to get a Dodgers card from me. I am always more than happy to have one less Dodger. :)
Community Gum said…
You probably won't see discount blasters of Gypsy, because I never see any Topps stuff discounted, only in repacks.

Micah was a AAAA type player, and I think already 28 or so when that card was made. He's now getting ready to start his first season in Japan, alongside all-time single season hit leader Matt Murton (former Cub).
--Jon
Nachos Grande said…
I'm really close to having the Timeline set complete as well. I'm sure you've seen my list, but if you haven't, I do have a fairly large list of doubles available: http://fanofreds.blogspot.com/2009/08/2008-upper-deck-timeline-for-trade.html

I only need the following: #214, 228, 232, 235, 248, 262, 274, 276, 279, 288, 300, 302, 304, 308, 332, 334, 336, 337, 339, 340, 341, 345, 356, 361, 363, 366, 373, 374, 375

29 cards out of 330, not too shabby...
Offy said…
I busted a couple of boxes of Timelines right after returning to the hobby. It's definitely a fun break and I love the retro designs. I just wish that they hadn't duplicated some of the designs between this set and the SP Rookie Edition set that I also love.

I think I might have some of the only mint condition die cut cards from this set. I sent back a bunch of the cards with the double roller marks and got back a bunch of flat cards. I should send them off to PSA and make them 1 of 1s.

This is a set that I'd like to slowly chase as well. One of these days I've got to go through what everyone has available for extras and then dig out some nice stuff to send them in return.