2010 Upper Deck Box Break Pack 2

Here were on the pack 2 of the superior base product this year, Upper Deck!

I know all about the complaints that this is a "sideways" set, but so far I have not grown tired of looking at these cards at all. It's really like UD is broadcasting in HD while Topps is still going black and white.

No stars, but here are some of my favorites from this pack.

Kendry Morales

Neil Walker

Jose Lopez

Seth Smith

Angel Pagan - Looking forward to really seeing what we have while Beltran is hurt

Troy Tulowitzki

Chone Figgins

Jamie Moyer

I said in last UD post that the biography cards I think work really well as a "one a day" insert. It's able to capture the big moments from the season along with smaller stories you may have missed if you don't follow each team all year.

Finally we have a Nick Markakis Baseball heroes card. These cards are really nice I think and unlike like the biography cards (which # 200 I think) I hope to one day finish off this insert set - I think they will look pretty sweet in a page.

By the way, I have finally finished arranging and filing my collection - approx 25k cards all in number and set order - 3 months working on it - feels great to be done.

2010 Topps Heritage 2 Box Break - Pack 8

The one thing about set building is that it makes packs like this one fun - it's nice when David DeJesus can really serve a purpose for you is it not?

Glen Perkins

David DeJesus

Nick Markakis

Ozzie Guillen

Really, the Perkins and DeJesus cards are pretty boring - boring players looking bored. Wow! Markakis is at least a rising star and has a bitchin' beard and Guillen swears a lot when you can actually understand him.

Next up we have three pretty Young and somewhat exciting players.

Elvis Andrus

Asdrubal Cabrera

Jose Reyes

I think in looking at these players Jose Reyes is what Elvis Andrus dreams of being - an all time stolen base threat who is good with the glove - the one thing Jose has is more pop and a more dangerous all around game. Hopefully Jose can stay healthy for both the Mets and my Dynasty Team.

Wrapping things up is an SP of Carlos Gomez, the man partially responsible for bring Johan Santana to the Mets! So thank you Carlos for that. When he was dealt I was kinda sad to see him go as I had seen him play quite a bit while here in Binghamton and grown in to quite a fan - but when you can get the best pitcher in baseball - it makes it easy to say goodbye.

Something different tomorrow - see you then!

2010 Topps Heritage 2 Box Break - Pack 7

I am writing this in Saturday while the wife is a purse party -

Since MLB The Show comes out tomorrow - I realize I will need to get a few of these queued up so I can spend my time in front of the TV. Also have my first fantasy draft here at the house on Saturday (a live draft beats the shit out of computer). Now that I have my justification for not doing something social - here are some new cards made to look like old ones!

Ozzie's Aces - Mark Buerhle and Jake Peavy

Oakland A's Team Card

2009 AL Batting Champs - Mauer, Ichiro, Jeter, Cabrera

Steve over at White Sox Cards must be looking forward to having a rotation fronted by these 2 hurlers. I thought it was a classy move earlier in spring when Peavy said that Buerhle should be the opening day guy. It's that kind of selflessness than can make you a clubhouse hero. Onto the leaders card - can you imagine if the top four of your lineup went like so

1 - Ichiro

2 - Jeter

3 - Mauer

4- Cabrera

Wow - that lineup would easily the best top 4 ever put together - I know it would never happen, but still kinda neat to think about.

Next we have a 2 dudes and 2 cups - gold cups - and our first double - I've heard a lot of mix feelings about Nolan Reimold from some birds fans - some seem to think he's going to be a stalwart in the outfield while others seem to think he's really just a 4th outfielder at best - what do you O's fans out here think?

Josh Beckett

Tim Wakefield

Michael Brantley

It's safe to say the Red Sox have 3 aces in the form of Beckett, Lacey, Lester - a healthy Dice -K ain't so bad either. I wonder if Wakefield is going to be the long man this year since Bucholz seems to be ready to be a part of a MLB rotation.
Here is Curtis Granderson again, this time in the form of a Chrome Refractor #'d 104/561 - any one of you ever send out a chrome card for a TTM? How did they turn out? I know that Curtis is a pretty prolific TTM signer so I am tempted to try him out.

By the way - thanks to the Cardboard Junkie for the shout out on what may end up being the longest box break ever - We will see if I have the stamina to keep going pack by pack!

2010 Upper Deck Box Break Pack 1

Here we go - I have not seen many other bloggers go on record with this, but I will again - HAIL UPPER DECK! While in the scans something is lost when looking at the cards in bunches (Hey, you expect me to pay to put up more photos? who am I Night owl?) Card for card this Upper Deck set blows Topps out of the water. I don't care if there are or aren't logos - honestly, if I had not known there was an issue with logos, I never would have once thought of it in this set - so who cares really? I have said it before since I started this blog - I love a crisp full bleed photo, I love the sun shining on the players. On a day like today (tons of snow sitting outside, just waiting for spring training games to start) If I need a touch of summer I will always reach for one of my recent Upper Deck sets first.

Stephen Drew

Nick Green

Joe Thatcher

Augie Ojeda

Esmil Rogers - RC

Francisco Cordero (I cannot justify why I love camo jerseys in MLB)

Franklin Morales

Josh Outman (what a fantastic name for a pitcher - like Ted Power)

Aramis Ramirez

Nelson Cruz

Asdrubal Cabrera

Ian Stewart

Dan Wheeler

Joe Nathan

Torii Hunter

Citi Field

Boston Checklist

I will go on record as not being a fan of these ballpark cards. Checklist cards aren't kicking my ass either, but at least they don't look just like the base cards this year.

Torri Hunter

Mark Teixiera

Hated biography as a set idea - as a subset, I think its fine, just fine. Sure, its a large set @ 200 cards - but I bet its a pretty neat walk through of last season if you complete it.

Finally we have the Chien Ming Wang All World card. I love that UD went with die cuts for their inserts this year - Something different that really hasn't been done too much in recent history besides Timelines.

There we go, first pack done. Not the best pack, but it is a pretty good box, I was very happy with the hits that I received and you will be seeing them all shortly!

2010 Topps Heritage 2 Box Break - Pack 6

Good Saturday! Today's prick brings you the first chrome card of the boxes.

Chris Gochlan

Derrek Lee

Chris Davis

Lance Berkman

A lot of power here - we have the reigning NL ROY in Coghlan - This was a guy who all last year you just kept waiting for him to come back to earth and just never did. Good for him though - hard to not to root for a kid who wasn't even on the 40 man and won the job in spring training. Derrek Lee came back to superstar level production last year with 35 HR and 111 RBI - really great numbers for a guy a lot of people had started writing off.

Chris Davis is the new Rob Deer - when he hits it - it goes VERY far - this dude has power that very few can rival - unfortunately he's slow in the field with hard hands and couldn't hit .300 in a video game. Finally, the Big Puma or Fat Elvis Lance Berkman - This is a guy I have always liked - just seems to go about the game in the right way with the right attitude - I have to think if he plays 4 or 5 more seasons with 25/100 production he will be a Hall of Famer.

Here we have the Cincy Sluggers Juan Francisco, Jay Bruce, and Joey Votto. I don't know too much about Francisco, but did watch him play some on the Caribbean World Series on MLB Network. Seems like a nice young bat. I think Joey Votto is going to take over this league in the next three years - I can see him perennially going .300/30/100/90 - thats a hell of a player.

Finally on the card is Jay Bruce - I hope all of the pundits are right in calling for a big year from him - I heavilly invested in Jay in my Dynasty League and he could very easily cost 3 points in a roto league if he doesnt hit at least .260.

Snore - Babe anyone?

Finally we have the first Chrome card from the box in the form of Mariano Rivera #'d 1673/1961. As a Mets fan I hate this guy - as a baseball fan - he is totally incredible - no doubt about it! Looking at his stats this is amazine - in 1090 career innings Mariano has only walked 256 people. When knowing that he is always pitching in high pressure situations this dude is always one cool cat. Good for him.

A pack of 2010 Upper Deck to switch things up tomorrow.

2010 Topps Heritage 2 Box Break - Pack 5

Moving right along -

Having now really spent time with this set I have to say I am really happy with it - Although you may not have seen all of the different inserts, other than the Ruth series - I think Topps nailed it with this set - beats the shit out of the abomination that is the Topps base set this year - I will be waiting for cheap series 1 and 2 purchase on Ebay - same with the updates - Topps will be getting me to get this set in whole this year though - so thank you for that.

Brandon Inge

Scott Kazmir

Mike Scioscia

Felix Hernandez

This is the first card that I have seen of Kazmir as an Angel. It's too bad the Mets traded him because of perceived makeup issues and a little bit of pot smoking. You trade Kazmir and keep Tony Tarrasco? God - for those of you who are not Mets fans 1) you are lucky - at least Pirate fans expect their team to suck 2) Screw you - Mets rules! I Think that the Mariners made a great deal in locking up King Felix long term - this kid is young and scary good.

John Lackey

Luke Hochevar

Yuniesky Betancourt

Matt LaPorta

Boston acquired their third ace in Lackey and here he is in what I think is the first card of him as a member of the Sox. Many pundits (see the fabulous fangraphs.com) would have you believe that Yuniesky Betancourt is the worse everyday player in baseball. I am not going to try to convince you otherwise. Matt LaPorta I think will have a nice season, and I think the fact that both Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez were traded takes a lot of pressure off the kid for having to be great immediately since he was the main haul in the Captain Cheeseburger deal.

You've seen many scans by now - what do you think of the set?

2010 Topps Heritage 2 Box Break - Pack 4

Good Friday - Hope you are all faring well - Here in NY we've a shit ton of snow so I'm staying in again! By the end of this day I will be playing "Carry On My Wayward Son" on my guitar with much proficiency (I hope). But, before I get there, I do believe I promised you more Heritage!

You'll probably get another pack today, and 1 each Saturday and Sunday depending how long I want to sit here and scan - Anyway - onto the the dudes!

Daniel McCuthen RC

Checklist

These Checklists are pretty nice I guess - and it must be nice to be a young player on a shitty team - sure you will lose a lot, but you really do get to go out there and learn the game, get your reps, and hopefully be ready to really succeed once you hit your prime years and free agency.

Willy Tavarez

Brandon Webb

Mike Jacobs

Howie Kendrick

I hate Willy Tavarez - I think most fantasy owners wish that he would just always bunt. If he bunted every time up, he would still probably only hit .212, but there is nothing more frustrating than a player like him popping out to the third baseman. Brandon Webb could be in for a big year after surgery and if so Arizona will have a sweet 1/2 after Dan Haren was named the opening day starter.

Mike Jacobs is back with the Mets now - funny story about him is while he was with Florida on Hebrew heritage night they gave away Mike Jacobs shirts - nothing really funny there - but Mike isn't Jewish - I remember him giving a very confused interview before the game not knowing why they chose him.
Carlos Delgado - Los gets his own scan due to his SPness - I kinda just said penis - good for me I guess.
Here is the back of the card, you will notice the SPs are lighter backed than the normal cards - just like Carlos's palms.
I hate these fucking Babe Ruth cards - anyone like these? I'll trade for other inserts or SPs (really I am just talking big here - if you hold out I'll trade for a french fry or Marvin Freeman RC)
See ya in a few hours.