I was in a Target on Saturday.
That's a big deal, because I haven't been inside that store in more than a month. Some of that has to do with having no money, and some of that has to do with possessing no cash. To illustrate how long it's been since I've been in Target, here are some of the card products that were there Saturday that were not there just over 30 days ago:
1. Topps Lineage
2. Bowman Platinum
3. Topps stickers
4. Obak (baseball and football)
5. Topps Chrome
Plus a number of assorted non-baseball products that do not hold my interest.
This is why it annoys me when people complain that there's nothing new to open. More than five products came out in the last month. That doesn't fit my definition of "nothing new."
Since it was my first time standing in that aisle in too long, I decided to go the variety route. I grabbed two discounted packs of 2008 Upper Deck X, a discounted pack of Documentary (yeah, I know), three packs of Allen and Ginter, two rack packs of Lineage, and one rack pack of Topps Chrome.
I ignored the Obak. I like history, but these cards bore my eyes. I also skipped Bowman Platinum. Like last year, I bought one BP rack pack. Unlike last year, you didn't see it. That's how little I care about BP. And, sorry, I'm not bringing stickers to any checkout clerk at Target. It's bad enough that they say "just the cards?" Yes, your sunglasses are too expensive, jerk-off.
But the other cards I bought made me happy. Nothing special, but it's been a really, really long time. It's been such a long time that I'm splitting this up into two posts. I'm saving the Topps Chrome for tomorrow, since it's all new and shiny.
Ready to see some cards you've already seen before?
All right, let's go:
2008 UPPER DECK DOCUMENTARY (1 pack)
Cost: $1.59
Brief critique: My views on this haven't changed. Great concept butchered all to hell.
Best card of the bunch: You're looking at it.
What makes it so damn fascinating: I didn't know these All-Star stamp Documentary cards existed. But the best part of this card -- EASILY -- is the fact that Justin Duchscherer has his very own card of him screwing up in the All-Star Game. "Duchscherer gets tagged." Isn't that nice? Ma and pa are proud.
Other interesting cards: It's Documentary and I didn't get any Dodger cards, so nothing to see here.
2008 UPPER DECK X (2 packs)
Cost: $3.18
Brief critique: I was a little too hard on X back in the day. The 2009 set definitely looks better than 2008, but pointless concept aside, they're not bad-looking cards.
Best card of the bunch: Torii Hunter, Xpotential to the Third Power.
What makes it so damn fascinating: I need to get in touch with The Angels, In Order. I'm really piling up some Halos lately.
Other interesting cards: No Dodgers again. I pulled the diecut of Cano and Roy Oswalt, and an Xponential 2 of Brian Roberts.
2011 TOPPS ALLEN & GINTER (3 packs)
Cost: $8.97
Brief critique: Much better than that horrid blaster I bought the other week. The only doubles I received were short-prints (ouch). But at least I didn't pull that freakin' Gregory Infante card again. I have five of those things.
Best card in the bunch: Matt Holliday black border mini.
What makes it so damn fascinating: I never have trouble pulling Cardinals. Which should fascinate madding.
Other interesting cards: I pulled the Jim Thome Hometown Heroes card -- a card on Rhubarb_Runner's want list -- five hours after I sent Rhubarb_Runner's card package in the mail. Oh, well. Thome gets to stay here in the Northeast.
2011 TOPPS LINEAGE (2 rack packs)
Cost: $9.98
Brief critique: It's still not the greatest product, but I do have fun opening it. There were rookie trophies all over these two packs.
Best card in the bunch: Albert Pujols 3-D insert.
What makes it so damn fascinating: It's a prehistoric version of a Sporflics card! I wonder if Marie has this card yet? If so, I'm sure I can trade it almost instantly.
Other interesting cards:
That is a '70s crowd if I ever saw one.
The Hall of Famers are the best part of the base cards.
Oh, and what's this?
Wait ...
I think ...
I see ...
a ...
M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-mini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An illegitimate '75 mini. But it's a mini. The team name color is all wrong. The green-yellow border on the '75s had red letters, not yellow.
So those are the highlights of some of the packs I bought Saturday. I'm saving the Chrome for tomorrow, because Chrome thinks it's fancy and special.
Even though I haven't had much cash lately, I have dug enough coins out of the driver's seat of my car to buy some cards online over the last month. It really is more efficient and cheaper. But it's also not as fun. I really missed going to the store and ripping packs. I don't think I'll ever quit that. I've cut down on it a lot, but I'll never quit it. It's just too much fun. And this hobby should be fun, right?
Part 2 tomorrow.
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