Heritage after dark

 

 

 I've been dealing with an arm issue that is very similar to what pitchers encounter. On Wednesday I finally got myself to the urgent care, and after picking up a prescription, I went to Lowe's to scope out some garden fence to protect the new bathroom wiring in the attic from squirrels (long story -- and squirrels are evil).

After all of that, I figured I needed some kind of reward. The Target is right there -- as it often is when you see a Lowe's -- and, sure, I'll check the card aisle for the first time in three weeks. It's gonna be nothing just like every other time since early 2021, but you never know riii ....

Wow.

I haven't seen a shelf stocked like that in person in over two years.

I'm not going to speculate as to what that means. I'm half thinking that if I returned 12 hours later, it'd be all cleared out.

But I don't do those things like that.

 

That's all I took -- one rack pack of Series 1 and one blaster of Heritage.

I had told myself that I wasn't going to bother with a Heritage blaster this year after being underwhelmed with the 2022 set. But daily trials make you do funny things, and, heck, it wasn't like I spent $39.99 for 16 Panini cards. It's Heritage. Always a quality rip.

 

Still Heritage came with a price, too. The box rang up at $24.99 -- oof. 

So aside from the price increase, what was I going to say that I hadn't already said? I was pretty sure my thoughts would be the same. And with Heritage being out for more than a month now, I couldn't present anything that hasn't already been shown.

But I could show the cards after dark.

Why the heck not? People are always showing pack openings in their car. I've got to deal with seeing folks' half-drunk coffee and danish crumbs as they peel open packs, crumpled up garbage on the floor and, good lord, laps. I can show some cards in dim lighting.

Most of my card rips take place after dark anyway. So it's like you get an inside look at the night owl in peak pack-ripping form.

So let's do it ...

HERITAGE AFTER DARK!

Pack 1

#12 - Andrelton Simmons, Twins

#294 - Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks

#52 - Joey Votto, Reds

#31 - Mike Zunino, Rays

#144 - Willy Adames, Brewers

#366 - Eric Hosmer, Padres

#425 - Francisco Mejia, Rays

#362 - DJ Stewart, Orioles

#241 - Tim Anderson, White Sox

OK, maybe this wasn't the greatest idea. Those cards look awfully dim and grainy.

The Francisco Mejia card is a short-print. Short-prints arrive in packs with backs forward this year, which caused me to think it was some sort of variation. I was staring at that C/DH logo figure like crazy.

 

PACK 2

#120 - Jazz Chisholm Jr., Marlins

#209 - World Series, Game 6 (Soler's Home Run ...), Braves

#227 - Matt Manning, Tigers

#49 - Austin Hays, Orioles

#151 - Alex Kirilloff, Twins

#327 - Josh Hader, Brewers

#475 - All-Time Total Bases Leader, Hank Aaron, Braves

#71 - Rookie Outfielders, Henry Ramos, Diamondbacks; Greg Deichmann, Cubs; Brian Miller, Marlins

#344 - James McCann, Mets

 

I find myself looking suspiciously at the backgrounds now. One extra thing I'll say is I like that the full names are back with this set for the first time since 2019 Heritage. Seeing stuff like "Jazz Prince Hermis Arrington Chisholm Jr." is a tremendous hoot.

 

The All-Time Aaron is a nice get, too. A lot has been said about this subset. I'm happy Topps included it. They very well could have skipped it (like the manager cards). 

 

PACK 3 

#313 - Jonathan Villar, Mets

#223 - Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves

#44 - Aaron Judge, Yankees

#66 - Saves Leaders

#97 - Tyler Naquin, Reds

#331 - Blake Snell, Padres

#NF-9 - Bosphorus Bridge, News Flashbacks

#230 - Shane Bieber, Guardians

#386 - Mookie Betts, Dodgers

It's tough to draw comparisons to the photos in the 1973 Topps set because the Heritage images aren't quite the same and Topps has stopped matching card numbers with the original card and the "tribute" card. But I think the Shane Bieber comes closest to the Rich Hand card in '73.

 

PACK 4

#202 - NLCS, Bellinger's Blast, Dodgers

#12 - Andreleton Simmons, Twins

#294 - Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks

#367 - Cal Raleigh, Mariners

#364 - Franmil Reyes, Guardians

#112 - Ryan Vilade, Rockies

#369 - Tyler Anderson, Mariners

#291 - Manuel Rodriguez, Cubs

The mutant pack of the box. Not only are we seeing Andrelton Simmons and Zac Gillen for the second time -- what is this, 1991 Upper Deck? -- but there were just eight cards of the promised nine. But it will all correct itself in a bit.

Nothing about that Ryan Vilade card looks real. I don't know who he is either (a general theme for opening packs for about the last six years).

 

 

PACK 5

 

#177 - Luis Severino, Yankees

#238 - Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals

#68 - Home Run Leaders

#273 - Hoy Park, Pirates

#290 - Alex Wood, Giants

#73 - Rookie Pitchers, Zac Pop, Anthony Bender, Zach Thompson, Marlins

#NAP-4 - Shohei Ohtani, Angels, New Age Performers

#380 - Leury Garcia, White Sox

#192 - Emmanuel Rivera, Royals

The all-Marlins rookie pitchers card is fun, although there was nothing similar to that in '73 Topps.

PACK 6

#178 - Connor Joe, Rockies

#158 - Raisel Iglesias, Angels

#170 - Jeimer Candelario, Tigers

#361 - Elvis Andrus, Athletics

#189 - Yordan Alvarez, Astros

#107 - Kyle Farmer, Reds

#220 - Paul DeJong, Cardinals

#183 - Nick Solak, Rangers

#179 - Eloy Jimenez, White Sox

The Raisel Iglesias card is similar to the '73 Steve Barber card ...

... or the Ricky Clark card ...

... Who knows, card #158 in the 1973 set is the Astros team card.

PACK 7

#276 - Patrick Wisdom, Cubs

#397 - Gavin Lux, Dodgers

#102 - Mike Minor, Royals

#147 - Sandy Alcantara, Marlins

#226 - Brandon Lowe, Rays

#398 - Casey Mize, Tigers

#347 - Wander Franco, Rays, chrome refractor

#494 - Reynaldo Lopez, White Sox

#7 - Luis Urias, Brewers

#125 - Josiah Gray, Nationals

Yes, the pack that evens things out. Not only were there 10 cards in this pack, but also this:

I saw something shiny coming up and I said "please oh please not a Marlin because it's been a rough day already" and now I've made up the inflated cost of the box!

This is headed to ebay.

PACK 8

#114 - Ryan McMahon, Rockies

#38 - Chris Bassitt, Athletics

#268 - Griffin Jax, Twins

#260 - Nicky Lopez, Royals

#47 - Yasmani Grandal, White Sox

#254 - Eduardo Escobar, Mets

#BF-4 - Roberto Clemente, Pirates, Baseball Flashbacks

#117 - Jean Segura, Phillies

#269 - Vladimir Guerrero, Blue Jays

The first horizontal player cards in the box. Sheesh, that took too long!

I'm happy I pulled the Clemente insert. There was no card #50 Clemente in the box. I suppose Topps putting him in the base set means when 2024 Heritage comes around, Hank Aaron will probably be card #1 or something.

Now, let's get out of the dark.

There was nothing to speak of in the Series 1 opening. I pulled far too many dupes for something I've barely opened. Collation is still terrible and nothing Topps is in a hurry to fix.

But I did pull a card that allowed me to do this:

I pulled the incorrect Yastrzemski spelling in the Series 1 set to go with the correct spelling in the Opening Day set.

Mostly I bought these packs as, yeah, relief from the day, but also as a celebration that CARDS WERE BACK ON THE SHELF!!!

It's amazing how blasé we got about a sight like that for so many years. I will never take it for granted again, even as I take fewer trips to those same shelves.

And, once again, sometimes those retail rips can pay off.

 

(Blaster power rankings:  White Sox - 5, Rays - 4, Royals 3-, Braves - 3, Mets - 3, Marlins - 3, Brewers - 3, Reds - 3, Rockies - 3, Dodgers - 3, Tigers - 3, Twins - 3, Cardinals - 2, Orioles - 2, Mariners - 2, Angels - 2, Yankees - 2, Padres - 2, A's - 2, Guardians - 2, Pirates - 2, Giants - 1, Diamondbacks - 1, Cubs - 1, Nationals - 1, Blue Jays - 1, Phillies - 1, Pirates - 1, Astros - 1, Rangers - 1, Red Sox - 0

Overall blaster power rankings since 2017: Dodgers - 67, Astros - 55, Yankees - 54, White Sox - 53, Mets - 48, Braves - 47, Tigers - 46, Blue Jays - 44, Cardinals - 44, Red Sox - 43, Phillies - 43, Cubs - 41, Guardians/Indians - 39, Padres - 38, Brewers - 36, Reds - 36, A's - 35, Giants - 35, Angels - 34, Rays - 33, Mariners - 31, Pirates - 30, Royals - 30, Nationals - 29, Rockies - 29, Diamondbacks - 28, Twins - 27, Orioles - 25, Marlins - 23, Rangers 21)