2022 Topps Heritage Blaster!

Is it possible to open too many of the blasters? If you ask me, it's always fun to open packs...even if it is the same ones ober and over. Right?

Right?

How'd it go? Let's find out! 

Here's what the box looks like. Just in case you forgot...and care that you forgot.

And the packs. Eight of them is actually a pretty good number these days. As sad as that is.

And a great shot of Eovaldi staring down an imaginary batter. One this that just occurred to me, the Red Sox are missing their hedge. What happened to the hedge background that was on every Red Sox Heritage card for years? I miss it greatly.

Xander here seems be somewhere between "confused" and "intimidation". Like the photographer told him to scowl, but Xander wasn't sure who he was supposed to be scowling at. 

But, there you have it. Two Sox cards in the box. At least they're Sox stars.

How did your blaster go?

2015 Topps Update Series Throwback Variation

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 next one.

Let's talk about this card...

I guess I'll start off with a confession. This, apparently, isn't a "gold" card. While it does, to my eyes at least, have a gold border. It is apparently not gold. It's not numbered or anything. It's actually a gold-looking throwback variation of Xander's 2015 Topps update card, and is apparently a shortprint. When I did a quick search of the card because I was blanking on the year, I couldn't find it. I had no idea. Which is the problem, of course, with all the endless variations. I have at least three throwback variations from this set. How was I supposed to know they were rare?

Did you?

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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!

2021 Topps Stadium Club Blaster!

It's time for another blaster! Another 2021 Stadium Club one. It's been quite a while since I opened one of these on here. I wonder if there are different cards in this one. Only one way to find out, right?

Let's see how this one went!

Here's the box. I'm trying to decide how I like the recent trend of focusing on a single player on the box. On the one hand, it's clean and artistic. On the other hand...there are cards other than Christian Yelich in the box...right?

I mean even the packs have the same one player. Starting to wonder if this is a player set.

OK, we're safe. There's another player in this box! Great shot too. The ball is in the air. All of Chris Sale makes it in the shot. And the graphics aren't blocking any of the player. Near perfect.

Wow. This shot is near perfect as well. What a magnificent use of the horizontal orientation. On thing better would be if the name graphic were on the other side so it wasn't covering JD's thigh.

A third amazing shot. I guess this is a Stadium Club set after all. A wonderfully cropped show showing Xander's beaming smile. In this case, I don't mind Xander's missing legs. This shot does it all.

So, a better box than last time. But, that's not saying much. Three Red Sox cards with incredible photographs. Nothing too extraordinary though. Still always a fun box to open.

How did your box go?

2021 Topps Series Two Blaster Break!

It's time to open another one of these! I've been opening a few of the "big blasters" lately, but now we'll go back to the standard size. Does fewer cards mean less to talk about? Guess we'll have to see. You know what the cards look like, but not what I got this time!

Let's see how it went!

Yup. Remember the box? It sure screams excitement to me.

Same thing with the packs...in a creepy sort of way.

Red Sox all-star closer Matt Barnes. Here's hoping he finds that firm from the first half of last year. The Sox sure could use it. Nice use of the horizontal format with this shot.

This one too, naturally. I can just feel the joy oozing out from the sides of this card. Wonder which moment this one is capturing.

Xander in the throwback design. I'm on record as enjoying the throwback design, even if Topps does overuse them a bit. I'd just prefer variety...which I think the 2004 design provides, and that Topps not put a player in a design they've appears in before. Especially in that year's base set. So this works for Xander here. But, Topps shouldn't put Pujols in this style.

We got an all-star, and now the opening day starter. While this year didn't start the way we'd all prefer for Nate, I think we can all expect big things from him this year.

So, there's how it went. Nothing super exciting, but some fun Red Sox cards.

What did you like?

2021 Topps Fire Blaster

 Let's open some more cards! This is my first blaster of 2021 Topps Fire, so it was fun to be able to do. I've always enjoyed the Fire brand, so let's get going.

How did this one turn out? Let's see!

Here's the box. I will be sure to look for "autographed cards"!

And the packs. For a guy featured so prominently on the box and packs, I'd expect Pete Alonso's cards to be more popular.

Xander! When I first opened these packs, my first reaction was surprise. I thought Fire was a more premium brand. Is my memory off? Or, have things changed? Because the cards seem cheap and flimsy in hand. The design is just like all Fire designs, crazy shapes and patterns dominate the card.

A "flame" parallel of Arenado here. Basically, it';s shiny foil with a name in keeping with the "fire" theme.

While the "flame" name makes sense...not sure the "liftoff" one does. I guess flames and fire ignite rockets? This card is photographed properly. It really is that bland, colorwise.

There will come a time where I can stop getting this guy is sets. Right? Please?

Another bland insert. But, at least the "smoke" goes better with "fire". Not sure I need this, though.

And there we have it. The one Red Sox card is probably negated by the dang Jeter card. And I didn't get any of those autographs I was supposed to be looking for.

Better luck next time.

How did you do with yours?

2021 Bowman Blaster!

I feel like I've opened a lot of Bowman lately. That's certainly not a bad thing. After all, when most of the cards are people you've never heard of, it's good to amass as many as possible to hold onto for the future. You never know which one will be the good one in five years. 

Let's see how this blaster went!

Here's what the box looks like.

Apparently there are six packs in each box. At twelve cards per pack, that's actually quite a lot. These days.

OK, I know this guy. The Red Sox top prospect is on a speed course to the big club. Not sure why I never noticed before, but the Bowman design allows the photo to bleed over the border. I love it when that happens.

This guy I know too! Even if these packs are rookie hunts, fun to get a vet every now and then. Also interesting that the card design is a mirror image of the Kassas with all the design elements on the opposite side of the card. I also see that this card had two photo elements overlapping the border. 

And those are the best two cards in the blaster. Not exactly a hot box. But, two good Sox cards is a good blaster.

How did yours go?

2021 Bowman Mega Box!

Another chance to open one of these fun boxes!  

As I've said before, I love the variety these boxes present. I don't like that I haven't heard of most of the players, but I guess you can't have everything. How did the box go?

Let's find out!

Here's the box. So colorful.

And here's the variety I spoke of. Regular packs (Are we really calling those "paper" now?) and Chrome packs. Can't beat that.

A nice card of a guy who I hope big things for in the coming weeks. I know Bowman is supposed to be about the rookies, but it's always nice to get a favorite vet. It's the standard Bowman style design where it looks like a geometry homework problem. But, it's not supposed to be about the design.

Speaking of rookies, here's one of them. Maybe. I sort of lost track of him after the Sox traded him to Philly. He was a pretty high draft choice, so maybe there's a future there with the Phillies.

Another vet who needs to produce for the rest of October.

Yeah, it's a Yankee. But, it's a fun colorful insert. Not sure I understand the seed for a "futurist" themed set, but it's definitely shiny!

OK. Now we're talking. Casas has been tearing up the minors, and seems destined for stardom in the major leagues. Glad he's shifted from third base to first base, according to the card. The Sox already have a third baseman. Of course, they also have an up and coming first baseman. Hmmm.

So there's the box. A couple Red Sox favorites, and a peek to the future. For a box without any hits, not bad at all.

How did your box go?

2020 Topps Allen and Ginter Blaster!

It's time to open another blaster from Santa! This time we'll go with 2020 Topps Allen and Ginter! This set usually manages to be both fun and frustrating at the same time with the "unusual" subject matter cards being completely hit or miss. How'd I do? Let's see!

Here are the highlights...

Here's what the box looks like. 

Not a ton of packs, but that's to be expected.

The first Red Sox! Been a while since I got a Mo Vaughn card in a pack, so this was a nice surprise. Not sure what the qualifications are to make it into "longball lore" because it's not like Vaughn was David Ortiz. This card celebrates a home run in game 1 of the 1998 ALDS. A playoff game that I've already forgotten. The only home run of Vaughn's I remember is his game-winning grand slam on opening day that year.

A much more important home run was hit by this guy. While still not exactly Ortiz, he at least hit a home run to help seal a World Series clincher. I like the design of the A&G cards this year. I like the shadow effect making it look like the photo is placed on the card. Not sure it's sticking with the "old timey" feel the set is supposed to give of, but it's a nice clean design.

Of course, one of the problems with A&G is that a lot of cards look like this. Which, I suppose is part of that feel I was just talking about. Two Red Sox cards, and two cards of guys with bats on their shoulders. At least Xander has his on the other shoulder.

So, there you have it. A few Red Sox cards, including a blast from the past. I'd call this box a success.

How did your box go?

Homegrown by Alex Speier

The tagline for this book says it's "How the Red Sox built a champion from the ground up"

That couldn't be more accurate. This book follows the Red Sox behind the scenes starting with the 2011 draft. It follows the players drafted then, and acquired elsewhere along the way to the 2018 World Series Championship. Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and Jackie Bradley Jr (all key contributors to the championship) are followed in detail as the work their way through the organization to Boston. It expores how each piece contributed to a greater whole.

This book is absolutely fantastic. I had a hard time putting it down. As a Red Sox fan who follows the team pretty closely, this book opened my eyes to a whole new world of player development. It explored how relationships are built between teammates in the minors. It showed how each player handled their advancements, or lack of advancement. It saw each of them integrated into the major league team in their own ways in their own time. It showed how those introductions sometimes formed the players they would become. It explained what happened with the 2014 Red Sox, and how that played a part in what would become the 2018 team. No detail was missed, so you're able to get the whole picture behind the team. I've never read a book like this before. It was so good I'm sure I would have loved it if it was about any team, but I'm glad this one covered the Sox.

Rating: 4 bases

2020 Topps Heritage Blaster!

You may remember that the Easter Bunny was good to me this year, bringing plenty of card packs for me to open. This box represents the last one from that haul! I wanted to share it with you because, well, some of you might like it.

So here it is, a box of 2020 Topps Heritage!

I'm sure you've all seen plenty of this set by now. But, you can always skip over this. Right?

So...here are the highlights...

Starting with...the unopened box!

The hedge is back! Unfortunately, Workman won't be after he was recently dealt to the Phillies. Lots of memories.

I'll be honest, I din't realize Xander finished among the RBI leaders. I knew he had a bunch...but didn't register that it would be enough to make it on this card.

Speaking of RBI, this guy knows how to get them as well. With Xander, that's one heck of a left side of the infield. Hard to think of one better. Especially going forward.

Fisk Flashbacks are always fun. Especially when they flash back to something other than the 1975 World Series. As amazing as that series was...it's nice to remember that Fisk did other things in his career as well.

So, a solid if not spectacular box.

How did yours go?

2019 Topps Update Blaster!

You may remember that the Easter Bunny was good to me this year, bringing plenty of card packs for me to open. I thought I'd continue to share them with you because, well, even with the season underway there doesn't seem like theres other stuff I should write about.

We'll continue with the next box, the 2019 Topps Update!

Once again, bravo Easter Bunny for finding older wax to open. I'm sure you've all seen as much as you care to of this set by now. But, you can always skip over this. Right?

So...

It's the special additional pack! Nothing too exciting here. The design doesn't exactly inspire. Hardly worth the effort for them to create the card. 

A fancy gold stamped card!

I like how with his hand position, it looks like Trout is holding an actual circle of stars. Like he's in a prop filled photo booth.

The first Red Sox card! Love seeing Xander develop into the star he was supposed to be.

The 1984 Topps design is always fun. 1984 Topps was probably just a few years too early to be in my collecting wheelhouse. So, it was always fun to be able to add an "old card" to my collection when I could.

Always a treat to get a card of the greater pitcher to ever lace up cleats.

But, as the best card in the box? That's not exactly the goal.

How did your boxes go?