Night Owl Cards

Remember this? Chances are you forgot about it as soon as you saw it on this post . I don't blame you. People have busy lives. Even collectors. We're supposed to send someone a pack of cards just because he whines about having no money? Well, yes, I guess this really is a thing. At least to the person who thought it up. I'm not sure what I did to get on Crackin' Wax's good side. Yes, I did send topher a Frank Viola autographed card once. And, yes, I was his first-ever winner of BoBuBingo. But really he seems to do a lot more worthwhile things with cards than I do. While I just babble about cardboard, he actually raises money with it. Man of action vs. Man of inaction. But today I opened the mail and my Night Owl Cards Appreciation Day thank you card fell out. Awwwww. Nothing says you're grateful quite like pretty colors and puke. And, of course, next out of the package was what the day is all about: One pack of 2013 Allen and Ginter. Th...

I fear that there is one thing that will eventually make me stop following major league baseball. It won't be interleague play or shaving cream shaming rituals or robot umps. It will be the amount of money that baseball players are making. I've never been one to begrudge the money that major leaguers make. While my father openly mocks the cash players receive, I understand that they're entertainers and entertainers in successful businesses are paid handsomely. We can holler about the injustice of teachers, doctors, scientists (or, god forbid, journalists ) not receiving what they're worth in comparison, but we live in an entertainment, consumer-driven society. So although the amount of money a long-innings relief pitcher makes in one year repeatedly blows my mind as I bounce checks over a simple monthly bill, I get it. Big leaguers are paid what the market will bear. I understand. But I don't like what it's doing to everyone else. They obviously can...

The other day I received my Dodgers from Crackin' Wax's two-box Heritage break. I was lucky enough to land the Dodgers for both boxes, which means I pretty much can stop buying 2013 Heritage for the rest of infinity. Here is most of my haul: It's actually a good thing that I did buy a couple of rack packs before this break because somehow Crackin' Wax didn't pull a Don Mattingly card out of two boxes, yet I got one out of a rack pack. But I am very, very pleased to be done with pursuing short-print cards of Andre Ethier, Adrian Gonzalez and Matt Kemp. As I've groaned about before, there are four Dodger SPs in Heritage this year. Now, all I have left to chase is Hanley Ramirez. There are probably some stupid inserts and parallels, too, but we're not talking about that now. What I want to talk about is what appears to be Heritage's obsession with eyes in this set. Or it could be my obsession with eyes, but you can be the judge of that....

Next week will be filled with commentary about this year's Hall of Fame class announcement. Who got in, who didn't get in, what idiots everyone is, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It's the bitching season. The Hall of Fame arguments are tired. I'm sick of them and have been for longer than I've been blogging. I'm not thrilled with everything the Hall did and does, but I can't possibly work myself into a froth about it. What I can critique and still find interesting, however, are card sets! Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!! I recently received some free cards from Crackin' Wax through his excellent "Take My Cards" feature. He busted open some Panini Cooperstown and then let readers claim some cards. I, of course, claimed any Dodger that moved, and ended up with quite a few. I've already weighed in on my thoughts about Panini's set. It has nice content. Hall of Famers, all. The design is OK. The inserts, for the most part, are nice. The pho...

A couple of relative newbies to the group-break hosting experience are teaming up to offer a two-for deal. Join Fantastic Catch's group break , and get a buck off of joining Crackin' Wax's group break . Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. And I know what you're saying. So how come you're not joining then? Well, nosy Nelly, not that's it's any of your business, but I'm reserving my card money for very specific card wants at the moment. I can't say more than that. It will all become clear in the weeks to come. But right now, I just don't have any extra cash for group breaks. What? You have another question? When am I going to host a group break? Ho-ho! What a question! I don't ever plan to host a group break. I have too many expectations and demands on me as it is. Ain't no way I'm going to be responsible for people's card gambling habits. Plus, you have never seen "please join my group break" begging n...

As the resident hater of Gypsy Queen, I suppose people are waiting for me to fall off the wagon and announce that I've purchased two cases of GQ because I confess I just love the stuff so much ! It's so BEAUTIFUL. Well, first, I don't hate any set. Hate is too strong a word for cards. Except 1992 Donruss. Sorry, '92 D, I really, really, really hate you. Burn in the ground you disgusting, putrid, vile set of horror. But everything else I measure in "like" and "dislike." Sometimes "love." I still dislike Gypsy Queen, particularly this year's version. And, no, I haven't bought any GQ since my first experience with a pack. I'm not even tempted in the card aisle. All I have to do is look at the price tag and I say to myself "$9.49 for THAT?" Yup, the chances of suddenly discovering random Gypsy Queen in my shopping cart is nil. But fool team collector that I am, I'm required to obtain cards from each and...

Dear Topps, Hi, it's Night Owl. Maybe you don't know me, but I'm thinking that you do. I know you aren't visible on the blogs like you've been on the Twitter, but that doesn't mean you haven't been checking us out. I envision you periodically strolling through the blogs to get a feel for what the masses are saying. You'd be stupid if you didn't. I mean most businesses pay good money to get this kind of feedback, and you get it for free. Perhaps you only tour the blogs to get a good laugh. You know, like ballplayers reading their fan mail. "Hey, Chipper, check out what this one said." Maybe you print out some of the posts and stick it on your dart board. Let out a little frustration when someone rips Opening Day or Triple Threads. I hear this one guy keeps trying to find the worst card of the year. I bet you love him. I'm thinking it goes a little like that. A little laughing and a little note-taking. And that's why I...

I'm a person who is well aware of his faults. No need for you to call attention to them. I know the rundown. I have the list. I check it daily. But even though I could start a blog on the topic, there are times when I come across a fault of mine that I never knew I had. Trading cards through the blogosphere has brought one particular previously unknown fault into focus, and here it is: I suck at pulling Minnesota Twins cards. You may think this isn't much of a fault or that it doesn't even fall under the definition of the word, but let me tell you: if you are trading cards with a Twins fan, it's a definite shortcoming. I don't know what it is. You may think it's because the Twins are a small-market team and the card companies don't feature as many Twins players. Well, then how come I have no problem pulling Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros? How do you explain my Carlos Lee temple o' cards in the basement? I most certainly pull small-marke...