The right box

 

For the first 8-9 years of this blog, I'd say until 2017, I could play a certain card aisle game and everyone reading -- certainly most card bloggers -- would understand.

 

This is because blogging about cards still reigned, and also because buying retail was the default purchasing option and hadn't been overrun by flippers. But most of all, you could play this game because every single time you went to the card aisle during that period -- well, most every time -- there was plenty of product available.

 

We didn't know how good we had it.

 

Now, moments like I experienced on Friday are a treat. I stopped by the local Target card aisle after running a couple of other errands that had built up all week. This is the same Target card aisle that has been devoid of baseball card product all season -- basically since the middle of last year. (The closest Walmart is even worse).

 

But Friday I was greeted by a full two shelves of baseball cards for sale. At top, four hooks of Archives three or four hangers deep. On the second shelf fully stocked blasters and hanger boxes of Heritage. Also, somehow, three blasters of the new Bowman product, which made me think I got lucky and the stocker had just stocked.

 

Obviously I have no use for Bowman and Archives lost its effectiveness after the first go-round. But with plenty of Heritage available, I could play the game: PICK THE RIGHT BOX!

 

You know how it goes. You can't pick just the box closest to you, you have to sit there and gauge each box's energy. I selected the third box in on the right side. But with the hanger box I just picked any old one.

 

 

I paid for that lapse. So many dupes! This is what was new to the collection. The number of border parallels in Heritage continues to be ridiculous, even though Clemente is a nice pull. TJ Friedl is a short-print and I need two of every Dodger so Snell doesn't qualify as a double.

 

As for the blaster -- first, 26 bucks for that thing. This is why the few card bloggers left aren't visiting the card aisle as much. Secondly, a solid amount of dupes, too, though not as bad. I've managed to not let that bother me though. Having finished the last two Heritage sets, I know that's going to happen and have accumulated a fair share of 2023 and 2024. I expect the same for 2025.

 

Not the most exciting crop of players in the blaster, too. Garrett Mitchell is another SP. As for the Dodgers pulled -- nothing new, just ones I can redirect to the main set project. Still, a little disappointing.

 

 

 A rookie cup is the only real highlight of this group of needs.

 

 

The final grouping. A nice Vladdy All-Star and Lowe is another SP. The Aaron Judge is my first time pulling one of the Player Icon insert cards. It's a pointless and slap-dash effort but I guess player-collectors could be happy/annoyed?

 

 

I did pull a decent chrome -- my second All-Star Guardian chrome after pulling Steve Kwan earlier. I've accumulated a good amount of chromes -- I think these are easier pulls this year.

 

But nothing here indicated that I had selected the right box. In fact, it wasn't until the seventh pack of the eight in the blaster that I knew.

 

 

THE RIGHT BOX!!

 

Now, you may need to be a Dodger fan to understand. After all it is just another border parallel that I complained about above. But there are certain players that rise above that and when one of those players is on your team, then it's additionally special. Ohtani is also a guy that is collected by a lot more than Dodger fans, which makes it difficult for team collectors who like to have all the cards of the players on their team. So -- HA, HA -- I got one!!

 

I won the game.

 

Maybe I'll have a chance to play it again. ... If I have $26 to blow.