Check Out My Pedros!

I mentioned last time, that my most recent COMC shipment had cards that hit a few of my different collection areas. Whenever I get a shipment from COMC, I like to try and add some Pedros to the collection. In this case, I found three that I was pretty sure I didn't already have.

This gaudy Topps 205 card here is quite a sight. Not sure the design goal here. Let's take a tiny Pedro. jersey, and surround it with such a hideous yellow border nobody will even notice. Doesn't scream "great plan" to me. Of course, I also voluntarily acquired it. 

This one I like MUCH better. Sure, the jersey peice is still tiny. Maybe even smaller than the other one. But, it's fit into the design a thousand times better. Almost like a gallery. 

Now, this might be the coolest card I've seen in a while. The picture makes it look like it's die cut, but it's not. There's a triangle on the bottom that's hard to see. No matter, though. It doesn't detract from a card combining Pedro and Tom Brady! The card name "Keys to the City" certainly applies. I also love that this card came out in 2002-3. Pedro was, of course, well on his way to legend status. But he had not won his championship yet. Brady, on the other had, had just won the first of his seven super bowls. He could have ended up being anything. Who could have guessed they'd both be some of the greatest players ever in their sport?

And, there they are. Three more Pedros to add to the collection. 

Do you have a favorite?

2018 Topps Big League Gold Pedro Martinez

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As a nod to the Gold Together activities going on this month to help raise awareness of the leading cause of death by disease in children, I thought I'd contribute several "gold" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month. Here's the last one.

Let's talk about this card of my all-time favorite player...

I'm generally not a fan of cards of players produced after their career ended. (Other than one the next year as a sort of recap.) It seems so unnecessary. It also changes the focus of card collecting from baseball fan to team or player fan. If I collect the 2018 Topps set to catalog the 2018 or 2017 season...this card has no place in it. Pedro wasn't on the Sox in 2018 and the stats on the back don't tell me anything about 2017. But, as a Pedro Martinez collector, I need to have this card. At least this one is pretty.

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If you are able this month, or any month, to support the Gold Together efforts, I highly recommend you consider a donation. You can follow the the link to the American Cancer Society here.

Support their efforts to be Gold Together!

Check out My (Pedro) Cards!

Not long ago I mentioned that I decided it was finally time to request another shipment from COMC. I previously showed off the baseball cards from the shipment...except for the Pedro cards! Whenever I have a shipment pulling together, I always try to add a few Pedro cards for the PC. With so many Pedro cards out there, it's easy to find plenty I on't have. This seems like a good way to add to the collection. What's I get this time?

Let's have a look, shall we?

A couple fancy card with the Finest and the Gold Label. I like the look of the Gold Label that year. It's very elegant without going over the top, which is a flaw I think the Finest has.

Of course the problem with so many Pedro cards out there is that with all the sets and insert sets, I have a hard time keeping track of what's what. These seem pretty straight forward, though. The Gallery one I can go back and forth on. I guess it's a pretty elegant shot for a "gallery". But it still seems a bit out of place for the theme. Safe to say Leaf got it right adding him to a "stars" set.

A bunch of fairly non-descript cars here. The Topps 205 is probably the best of the bunch.

And more! For some reason the feel of this Gallery card makes more sense to me, even if the actual picture is much worse. Am I the only one who thinks that? Another Bowman's Best, but with a diamond instead of a circle. See? Variety!

And another Topps Gold Label! The border on the bottom detracts from the design for me. But, of the three fancy cards in this pic, it's still my favorite.

OK. What the heck is this mess? Topps Moments and Milestones? Does anyone collect these things? So, they picked a milestone. Is this case, it was Pedro's 313 strikeouts in 1999. They then made 313 cards of Pedro in the set, one for each strikeout. But, the only difference is the number. So, is the plan for me to actually complete the 313 card set? How boring would that binder be? Oh, and each card is serial numbered to 150. So, only 150 people can complete the Pedro set. Well, 150 minus 1 since they can't have these.

Or, these.

Or these. OK. So I may have gone overboard with these. Although, I'm now 3% of the way towards completing the Pedro set! Maybe I should try to complete the whole set numbered #36/150?

So, there you have it. The latest additions to my Pedro collection.

Do you have a favorite?

2021 Donruss Optic Blaster

Time for a different blaster this time. I had a box of these lying around, so figured it was time to give it a try. I don't usually love these unlicensed cards. But, in the constant search for cards, and variety, these can be a nice option. How did it go?

As you know, there's only one way to find out!

Here's the box. Apparently it's made by Panini. If only there was a way to figure that out.

And the packs, including the super special bonus pack!

So, people like to complain that the Topps monopoly makes them too comfortable to produce boring, uninspired designs. Or, maybe the fact that their only competition produces things that look like this implies Topps actually does a pretty good job design wise. I mean, really?

OK. This design is at least a little something different. And, it's always nice to add another Pedro to the collection. Although, the neon "Lights Out" seems like it's trying too hard.

And there you have it. Not the world's best box. But, it's always fun to open cards. 

Right? 

2020 Topps Update Blaster!

It's time to open another blaster! This time we'll go with 2020 Topps Update! I've had this one hanging around for a bit. With the way sportscards sell out so quickly, I find myself buying a few when I stumble upon them, and then opening them when the mood strikes. At this point you're probably no longer interested in this set. But, I'm writing about it anyway. So there. How'd I do? Let's see!

Here are the highlights...

As always, here's the box.

And the packs. Don't sleep on the special coin card pack!

See? A very nice card of Cody Bellinger with a coin type thing in it.

And not just any old Bellinger coin card. But, a rare, numbered Bellinger coin card. Once again, cards like these make me question my collecting hobby. My first instinct is that these are somehow "fake" memorabilia cards. They're not special coins. They're coins made to be put in cards. Why would anyone want that? And, why would anyone care if it's numbered? Then I often remember that all cards are simply cards made to be collected. Why am I so bothered by these? Why are "base" cards more "real" than cards with coins? Why do I like it so much more when those are numbered? Who am I? Why am I here?

The first Red Sox, an honest to goodness update card featuring Kevin Pillar.

I don't know why companies insist on putting Yankees players on my Red Sox cards.

A nice pink card of Nico Hoerner.

And it's numbered! Also, to 50! And, see? I don't mind the numbering on this base card. I don't understand my distaste for the coin cards. Am I the only one who feels this way?

Topps using past all-star appearances as filler cards in this set since the 2020 game didn't happen. I'm not mad about that. 

Especially when it means cards like this. I was lucky enough to attend this game, and will always love getting reminders of it. 

So, there's my blaster. Three Red Sox, and two cards numbered to 50. I'd say that's a good box.

How did you do?

2020 Topps Chrome Update Blaster!

I'll be honest, I'm not 100% sure when I opened these. I've had the pictures ready to go for a bit now. So, you may be bored at looking at these. But, it must still be fun to see what came it my box, right?

I thought so.

Let's check it out!

As always, here's what the box looks like. They've nicely shown me some key players I should be looking out for.

And here are the packs. Again, keep those players in mind!

He's not one of those players. He's even better. Again, with no All Star Game in 2020, Topps had to get more creative with their filler cards. Celebrating ASGs from the past is a great idea. Any time I can get another Pedro is a good time.

Another all-time great.

Another Red Sox legend! This time celebrating a prior home run derby. I did get cards of current players in the box. promise.

See? Not a Red Sox. Not a very exciting card. But, a fun insert.

Hey! He's on the box! That must mean he's a good pull...right?

And finishing it off with another legend. Not really I see the point of this insert. (Or, the Decade's Next one above.) I guess it's just trying to find ways to use the players they have. At least it's a decent looking design.

So, there's the box. Pedro and Papi were the clear highlights. 

How did your box go?

A Swing and a Trade Post

A few months ago I got a note from Swing and a Pop-Up saying he had some Red Sox dupes that I could probably use more than he could. I'm always willing to get new Red Sox cards, so I graciously accepted and a swap was made. I couldn't believe the generous pile that arrived at my door! Let's check out just some of the highlights.

The "Trading Places" card is funny to me. I don't remember that subset being all inclusive. So, the fact that they decided to make a card celebrating Mark Loretta changing teams seems like an interesting choice. The UD Masterpieces is another oddity. The whole idea of the set, I thought, was to make the cards look like classical paintings. The added inset seems out of place, even if I understand that they wanted to show off the ankle.

Jay Payton looks scared, to me.

Rickey Henderson was 43 years old with the Red Sox in 2002. He only saw limited action, but I remember being blown away by how he terrorized pitchers on the base paths. When he was on first, you could just feel the game change. I can't even imagine what that would have been like in his prime when he was stealing 100 bases a year. He should have been MVP every year. Sort of like Pedro. Always fun to get a card of his I don't have.

Nomar too. I know he has a TON of cards out there, but I have a ton of Nomar and Pedro cards in my collection so it always surprises me to find ones I don't have.

Look! Two more! I don't know if I've ever seen 2001 Opening Day before. That logo isn't exactly subtle.

More Nomars!

These are the Opening Days I'm used to seeing. The small logo making them basic duplicates of the base Topps sets. Can you even tell which one of the four isn't Opening Day?

Papi was supposed to be a utility guy and ended up a legend. Ball was supposed to be a legend...but wasn't.

A picture of Will Middlebrooks diving on a 2013 card. That, of course, reminds me of the terrible interference call on Will during the 2013 World Series. I don't like being reminded of that.

What did I JUST say?

That's better. Hard to remember a more dominant pitching performance than Beckett during the 2007 postseason. (Well, other than Pedro during every stretch of his career.) 

Always enjoyed the Bowman Platinum brand, even when it features Ryan Kalish.

A couple more Sox stars.

Love that Lester card.

And, of course, the Pedro card.

Not sure if there was a more overrated player during his tenure. For some reason Boston fans prefer dirt to talent. I may never understand that.

This set basically escaped me. So glad to be able to add some to the binder.

Way back to the early years of Topps Gold.

Even a little earlier.

Lots of pitchers. Some good, some not so good.

So, there are the highlights of an incredible shipment. I can't thank SAAP enough for sending them along.

Hopefully more Red Sox swings lead to line drives.