Tuesday, March 12, 2024

2022 Topps Update Blaster Box Opening!

I like how Topps has taken the “Update” series and really found its niche. In addition to the new players on new trams concept, they’ve added in the “rookie debut” cards as well as all stars and combos. So, what was once a set made up of players you’ve never heard of and an occasional star that changed teams has become absolutely stuffed with stars and key rookies. In this case, I was able to get both. Bobby Witt Jr is definitely an up and coming star, while Corey Seager is just now coming off an MVP campaign. Great to be able to hit both in a single blaster.

How did this blaster go? I'm glad you asked.


As always, the box. Can't have you sneaking a peek at the good stuff via thumbnail.


And, the good stuff. Or, at least stiff. The yellow jerseys are growing on my, but they have a long way to go before I think they're not just bad.


Hopefully Devers will be delivering at the plate a lot this year. The Sox need him for their playoff push.


Right. Rich Hill was on the Red Sox.


As was Nick Pivetta, pitching quite well for the Sox.

So, not bad. I mean, you can't expect to get more Red Sox in a single box than that one. I guess no complaints.

If you want to see the rest of the box, go check out the opening on my YouTube video. And feel free to like/subscribe while you're there.

How did your box go?

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Check Out My Casas!

That's what COMC stands for, right? Because it's time for another COMC mailday. This one was very baseball heavy. Well, OK, it was almost entirely Triston Casas. See, it occurred to me that the Red Sox rising star wears number 36. How did I not have a massive collection of his cards? So, I decided it would be fun to collect the rainbow of his Topps rookie card. Or, maybe it's not a rainbow since I'm involving several brands. Basically, anything that looks like his base Topps RC. You'll understand when you see them.

Wanna see? I'm only going to show the Red Sox cards. There are other baseball, football, and basketball cards in the shipment. If you want to see everything, Check Out My YouTube video!

But, enough chatting, let's get to the cards!


We'll start it off with this Pedro 2008 Topps Moments and Milestones. I don't know if I really want to dedicate myself to these cards. But, always glad to add a Pedro...especially one with a big "36" on the front. 


Speaking of 36, let's roll with the Casas cards! Thankfully COMC adds a slip of paper saying what each card is. Otherwise, not sure I'd know this is his 2023 Topps Chrome refractor.


And here is his Topps Chrome pink refractor!


Switching to his regular Topps, but the Gold Star Parallel version.


And his Meijer Purple parallel.


Another set...his 1st edition. I don't even know what that is.


Followed by his Topps Holiday. Always love this set.


This is apparently his Topps Collector's Box Silver Pattern Foil. If you say so.


And this would be his slightly less interesting base rainbow foil.


Back to Topps Chrome for his Sepia refractor.


Best guess? That's his Topps gold foil.


This one might be his Topps Chrome Prism refractor.


While this one sure looks like his Topps Chrome Logofractor.


Which leaves this one as his Topps Chrome x-fractor!

And there you have it. Thirteen new Casas RCs to add to the rainbow. Wonder how many I can eventually end up with. I'm starting to just need the big boys at this point.

That may have to wait for the next shipment.

Which one is your favorite?

2022 Topps Stadium Club Blaster Opening!

Topps Stadium Club is known for its photography. Always has been. I’ll admit that, especially these days, it seems a bit weird to have a set dedicated to “the good pictures”. It was one thing when Topps was paying photographers and had limited choices. But if you can choose from every picture ever, why not always pick the best ones? I suppose the theory is that the base sets are “ID Cards” that just show the player as they are, while TSC goes for the artistic portrait versions? Whatever the reason, I’m a huge fan. I love making the picture the focus. I suppose that goes along with the player selection as well. The base set doesn’t have Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones or Dave Winfied, who we pulled in this blaster. It also has the hottest rookies like Julio Rodriguez…another pull. So, it’s a wonderful combination.

How did this blaster go? I'm glad you asked...


As always, here's the box. Why doesn't Pete Alonso get more hobby love? He plays in New York, and has more home runs the last five years than Aaron Judge. 


Look at this magnificent shot of Rafael Devers here. This is the sort of card Stadium Club is famous for.  I love how the foil information just hides itself and lets the photos take all the glory.

Believe it or not, that was the only Red Sox card in the blaster. At least it was a good one.

Of course, as I alluded to, the blaster had several non-Sox hits. If you want to see the rest of the box, go check out the opening on my YouTube video. And feel free to like/subscribe while you're there.

How did your box go?

Thursday, February 29, 2024

2024 Topps Fat Packs Opening

The first cards of 2024! Ok, well, the first cards of the 2024 baseball brand year. You get the idea. It's 2024 Topps! There’s nothing quite like opening the first back of a new base set. I really love the design of the 2024 Topps set. It has a more vintage feel, as opposed to going space age like several of the past releases. I know that "neon" may not scream "vintage" to prople, but I was getting tired of all the geometric shapes in gray steel. This has an older, simpler, feel to it. Even with the neon. It’s also nice that I haven’t read up on the checklist very much, so there were some fun surprises included. I had no idea there would be Grffey inserts, for instance.

How did the packs go? I'm glad you asked.


Here are the packs. If you're super observant, you'll see that they've already been opened. You'll just have to excuse my forgetfulness and trust that they are the right packs. 36 cards in each of these packs, which is obviously the perfect number.


The first Red Sox card of 2024! Kenley Jansen gets the honor this time. Jansen has been showing up on this blog a lot lately. I guess as last year's only all-star that's allowable.


A super shiny card of Enmanuel Valdez! No idea what parallel this is, but when a card is this shiny it's good to flip it over.


There we go, numbered to 199. Always nice to pull a card like this because I doubt I'd ever acquire it another way.

And there you have it. Out of the 72 cards, I pulled two Red Sox. Not bad, I suppose. I'm sure I'll be opening plenty more of this as the year goes along.

If you want to see the rest of the packs, go check out the opening on my YouTube video. And feel free to like/subscribe while you're there.

Open any of this yet?



Tuesday, February 27, 2024

2023 Topps Archives Blaster Opening!

I really like the Topps Archives brand. It’s a nice way to add variety to a set, both in design and player selection. You can get stars from years ago like Carl Yastrzemski, and the hottest rookies like Triston Casas. And the milti-design aspect to the base set means you’re never bored flipping through the packs. Just look at all the designs we had in this one blaster. I do wish the designs weren’t repeated quite so often year to year and brand to brand. I always thought Topps should have a system. Heritage keeps plugging along. The base set can have inserts sets of designs celebrating their 70th, 50th, and 30th anniversary. Archives can have 60th, 20th, and 10th anniversary. That way, a set wouldn’t be repeated for ten years, but every set gets to play along.

How did this blaster go? I'm glad you asked...


Here's the box, in case you're curious.


Here's a nice looking Devers. But, this is what I was talking about. Topps just did the '65 design as an insert set. Do we really need to see it again so soon in the Archives set? With so many designs to choose from?


The best card in the set, obviously. Hard to complain about Casas in the '56 design. But, still, '56 again?


The 2003 design is fairly rare, and so is Yaz himself. So, this one works for me.


Another '56. But, I mean, it's Nomar. Nothing wrong with this card.

So, all in all a pretty good haul. Lots of Red Sox representatives covering 60 years of Sox stars. Can't ask for much more.

If you want to see the rest of the box, go check out the opening on my YouTube video. And feel free to like/subscribe while you're there.

How did your box go?

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