2017 Heritage High Number? Sure, Why Not?

In case you missed it, 2017 Topps Heritage Has been really, really good to me. So when my LCS owner sent me a text yesterday to let me know he got his '17 High Number in a day early, you know I was all over it.

I opened the box and, as is my custom, began by opening the first pack on the right. I don't know why I do it that way - I'm a creature of habit.

Anyway, the very first pack offered up my guaranteed hit:

A Clayton Kershaw Clubhouse Collection relic. I've never heard of this guy...I hope he's decent. You know how lefty pitchers are.

After that, I noticed this guy:

This is the image variation of Brandon Phillips' card. Not as nice as the action variations I pulled earlier this year, but I won't complain.

I also saw this in my box:

Evidently, Nolan has his own insert set centered on his career accomplishments. That's pretty cool.

I also pulled a blue parallel:

I know nothing about this guy other than he plays for Boston.

While opening the last pack in the middle "column" of packs in my box, I found something weird. As a superstitious person, this made me a bit uncomfortable.

These were the first two cards in the pack. Exactly the same, front...

...and back. In case you are wondering why this made me uncomfortable, check out the card number. I've never had a problem with collation in a Heritage product, so it was odd for me to find this in a pack. Even more strange (or coincidental) is the card numbering. I don't like it and I wonder how it happened.

Anyway, I was plugging along until I was opening the next-to-last pack. I opened it and saw a thick card. Once again, I assumed it was going to be a '68 Mint card.

Once again, I was wrong.

Another Clubhouse Collection relic auto card, this time of Addison Russell! It's no Mike Trout, but the relic is far superior. How sweet is that?!?!?!

Anyway, now I am debating buying another box. I know it's foolish, especially considering that don't need that many more cards to complete the set. But landing a big fish will do that to you.

Side note - I have a few posts in my queue waiting for scans. If you sent me something, please don't think I forgot you - I just haven't had enough time to scan everything yet!!!

Some Inserts That I Actually Like

Usually, I'm not a fan of inserts. I often feel they are a gimmick, inserted into packs for no reason other than to make building a set more difficult. The common flagship set now has somewhere near 10 to 15 inserts each year. Isn't that a bit overboard?

However, there are inserts that occasionally catch my eye. I'm a big fan of the Fortune Teller inserts from 2017 Gypsy Queen, and I loved the Skippers insert from last year's Allen & Ginter. 

I don't know how, but I missed the 1969 Topps Super inserts from 2016 Topps Archives. When I saw the Cole Hamels card in that set, I knew that I had to snag it. 

There is just something about the simplicity that I love. It reminds me of oddball sets, in that it is simply a photo and a facsimile signature. Plain and pure.

The back is also bare bones. Nothing fancy, no Twitter handles or silly "facts" ("Cole likes video games!" Who cares???). Just a simple box with the player's name, team, and position. This is the base (or "blue back") version.

I also managed to snag the red back version, numbered to 50.

Sometimes, an insert speaks to me. Especially when it is this simplistic.

I hope you are having a great day!

Another Meaningful Materials Post

I mentioned that I had another Meaningful Materials relic from 2017 Museum Collection on the way. After yet another USPS SNAFU, I finally received it:

Jurickson Profar is featured this time, with a sweet patch. I don't know whether to call this a three-color patch with gray swatch - OR - a four-color patch. It's definitely a patch on gray jersey material...but I'm not an expert and I've seen Twitter battles over less. So call what you want, and I will call it awesome. 

Profar, on the other hand, is not awesome. He may be the most infuriating player the Rangers have had in a while. He was called up for the first time in 2013, where he was widely labeled as the "number one prospect in all of baseball." Two things: I really hate prospect rankings, as I think it puts undue pressure on the kid; and second, this just goes to show how useless prospect rankings really are. Profar has never delivered in the big leagues in a manner even remotely close to what was expected of him. He was looking good this spring until the WBC game where he was picked off first after seemingly forgetting that he was playing baseball. Then he does well. He was called up last week to fill in for Elvis Andrus (who was on paternity leave) and has played pretty well. I don't know what to think anymore. 

Anyway, keep an eye out for future posts about these Meaningful Material relics, as I am sure this won't be the last time I get one! I hope everyone is well!

Retail Treats Me Right

I have zero interest in Topps Archives. I think it is ridiculous that Topps has two "vintage inspired" products in Heritage and Archives, and for me, Heritage is enough. However, Archives frequently has Fan Favorite autographs of some lesser-known former players, and that I do like. 

When the checklist for 2017 Archives was released, I saw that Lenny Randle was representing the Rangers in this year's Fan Favorites autograph insert. I decided that I would grab some retail, as I did not and do not care to purchase a box for approximately $100 at my LCS.

I went to my local Wally World and grabbed three rack packs and a blaster. Nothing fun in the blaster, but in the second of the rack packs, I pulled this:

What are the odds that I would actually pull the card I was looking for? I'm not sure that has ever happened to me. I love the card, especially the smiley face Randle included over his last name!

So, I was fortunate. Retail treated me right and I have no need - or desire - to buy any more Archives this year. 

'72 TTMs

A couple weeks ago, I realized that for my own sanity, I needed to get away from school and Lubbock. So naturally, I decided to head back to my former stomping grounds of Omaha, Nebraska, and Yankton, South Dakota. I managed to get in some quality time at the College World Series (it was fun, but it isn't the same since it left Rosenblatt) and I also got to visit with a couple of my best friends before I had to cut things short and come back home to tend to a family matter.

Before I left, I dropped a few cards in the mail, hoping that I could get a few of my 1972 Topps cards signed. So far, I have received two of the three I sent.

First up:

Doug Rader. The Red Rooster spent most of his playing years with the Astros before spending his final three seasons with the Padres and Blue Jays. He would go on to manage for seven seasons: three with the Rangers, one with the White Sox, and three with the Angels. I need to snag one of his Rangers manager cards and try sending it to him to sign.

The second card I received back was from Fritz Peterson. Peterson spent the majority of his career with the Yankees. He was traded to the Rangers and made two starts before injuring his shoulder. He was later released by the organization. He doesn't have a Rangers card, so I need to learn Photoshop so I can make one. All of that aside, Peterson is probably most well-known for his agreement with Yankee teammate Mike Kekich to "trade" wives. The two held separate press conferences on March 4, 1973 announcing their intentions to "trade" spouses. The "trade" actually happened, too. Peterson is still married to his wife, though Kekich divorced soon after the arrangement. Oddly enough, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck once considered making a movie about the trade. I don't think it happened, but who knows if it's still on the radar. 

Peterson included a business card in the envelope:

He signed the front, which advertised his book, "When the Yankees were on the Fritz." See what he did there?

The back of the card has instructions on how to get a copy of the book. I will probably order a copy soon, since I am only a few months away from having time to read books I actually want to read!

So, there ya go. The more you know!

Trade Time!!!

This week has kicked my butt. I was doing the math yesterday and I realized that I had only gotten roughly 11 hours of sleep since Tuesday. It's the time of year where most of the mass communication academic conferences have their conference paper deadlines, and I have been trying to finish up a few papers for these conferences. All of this boiled to a head yesterday when I was at a bar with a group of classmates who were celebrating their recent employment. I flat out fell asleep. And not the "dozing" type of sleep - the kind of sleep that promotes a healthy snore.

Once my friends woke me, I headed home. I walked in the door with the intent of going straight to bed, but then I remembered that I had a few bubble mailers I haven't opened that I received earlier in the week. So let's take a look at one!

Recently, I noticed that Chris, a.k.a. The (Pedestrian) Collector was busting a few boxes of 2017 Heritage. I left a comment asking if we could work something out if he happened to pull any Rangers. Lo and behold, he pulled a Cole Hamels Clubhouse Collection relic:

I admit it: I'm a sucker for relics, especially when they aren't just plan white swatches. Even better, this year's relic cards are of the vertical orientation, rather than horizontal. I really dig it.

That wasn't the only card that Chris sent me, however. Also included was this:

I'm generally not a fan of the buybacks that Topps seems to be regularly inserting now. It was a big deal last year - why is it necessary to do it two years in a row? That being said, I have always loved Mitch Williams. The guy is just downright funny. So this buyback is actually a welcome addition!

But wait - there's more!

Chris also sent this along:

This Yu Darvish Career High relic hails from 2015 Topps Series 1. I mentioned above that I like relics, but this particular design was and is one of my favorites. Don't ask me to explain why - I can't. But I have always really liked these.

Chris - thanks again for the trade! I really appreciate it, and I hope it is just the first of many!