2012 Heritage Blaster #6

This box was suspiciously low on SPs, inserts, and even Cardinals. I expect Cardinals to be a bit random, but inserts generally fall about 1 per pack. Only 5 showed up. I was hopeful that meant I was missing a color-swap variation among the base cards, but they all appeared to check out as the regular variety.

2012 Topps Heritage
#190 Matt Holliday
#278 Jhonny Peralta
#390 Jason Heyward
Blue Parallel #164 Austin Jackson
Checklist #C4
Chrome Parallel #HP54 Felix Hernandez #0605/1963
News Flashbacks #NF=A Alcatraz
Stick-Ons #9 Jacoby Ellsbury

I tried out a different scanner for these, and it appears to have cropped the edges and resulted in a generally grainier photo. I won't be using that one anymore if I can help it.

On to the progress! (With a few of the total insert set sizes fixed)

Base: 274/425
Base SPs: 12/75
Baseball Flashbacks: 3/10
Blue Parallel: 4/30
Checklists: 3/5
Chrome Parallels: 5/100
Clubhouse Collection Relics: 1/71
New Age Performers: 2/15
News Flashbacks 5/10
Stick-ons: 6/46
Then and Now: 1/10

2012 Heritage Blaster #5

Let's open up another Blaster and see all the Cardinals, Inserts, and my completion status.

2012 Heritage
#8 AL Pitching Leaders
#54 2012 Rookie Stars
#95 2012 Rookie Stars
#129 Chris Perez
#144 World Series Game 3
#172 Yadier Molina
#206 Lance Lynn
#250 Jon Jay
#313 Jaime Garcia

It's too bad Adron Chambers is with the Cubs now, because that decreases the chances of him signing autographs at some random St. Louis area location. I have so many Rookie Stars cards I could have him sign. I got a few more former Cardinals with Dan Haren, Chris Perez, and Albert Pujols, but 4 that are still with the team, too.

2012 Heritage
#321 2012 Rookie Stars
#472 Alfonso Soriano
#476 Prince Fielder
Blue Parallel #76 Jon Lester
Blue Parallel #130 David Freese
Checklist #C5
Chrome Parallel #HP14 Paul Konerko
News Flashbacks #NF-PS Penn Station

More Adron! I had forgotten the Blue Parallel is not a full set, but only 30 cards, so I can't get blue versions of all the Cardinals base cards, but in addition to Freese, there is a Jon Jay, Albert Pujols, and Yadier Molina available. Unfortunately the two SPs are both duplicates, leaving me at only 12/75 complete.

2012 Heritage
Clubhouse Collection Relics #CCR-YG Yovani Gallardo
Stick-ons #31 Curtis Granderson

This box had a relic in it, that nice gray Yovani Gallardo swatch. I'm not a big relic chaser, but I've always thought Heritage has made pretty good ones. I do prefer a bat to a jersey for some reason, though.

So how is my quest going?

Base: 243/425
Base SPs: 12/75
Baseball Flashbacks: 3/10
Blue Parallel: 3/30
Checklists: 3/5
Chrome Parallels: 4/100
Clubhouse Collection Relics: 1/71
New Age Performers: 2/16
News Flashbacks 4/15
Stick-ons: 5/46
Then and Now: 1/10

Tis The Season Winnings, Part XII

Sometimes, I procrastinate posting and sorting some cards. Normally I don't pay too much attention to how long a particular item has been sitting on my desk, but given that this one was the Tis the Season contest from 2013, I've probably had it in my possession for a little over a year now. But, even with the long delay, I still want to throw Jeff at 2 by 3 Heroes some referral traffic while I show off my prize.
Part I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI

Today I have the last of the Red Sox and Yankees. When I sorted roughly by year, no Cardinals showed up in this last bunch.

2012 Bowman #102 Clay Buchholz
2012 Bowman - Prospects #BP105 Xander Bogaerts
2012 Topps Update #US310 Kelly Shoppach
2012 Topps Chrome #4 David Ortiz
2012 Topps Heritage #20 Derek Jeter
2013 Topps Update #US177 David Ortiz

I don't buy much Chrome, for some reason, so it's always nice to get them in the mail. Bowman products are sort of in that same category, because the sheer number of sets and subsets just overwhelms me. But, just like Chrome, I like getting them in the mail, because they're very rarely duplicates.

2011 Topps - Kimball Champions #KC-6 CLay Buchholz
2011 Topps Update - Kimball Champions #KC-130 Adrian Gonzalez
2013 Topps Update - Blue Parallel #212 Alfonso Soriano
2012 Topps #50 Adrian Gonzalez

Kimball Champions are one of those insert sets that Ambitious Me thought I would finish by now. Maybe someday.

College Bowl Game Contest Win, Part 3

For the 2012-2013 College Football season, I entered the College Football Pick 'Em contest hosted by madding of Cards on Cards. I've won several of his contests over the years, and he always dumps a ton of Cardinals on me when I do. Yet, I think this time he may have outdone himself. I may have to work hard to get them all posted before the 2013-14 College Football season starts August 29, and I start posting my Power Rankings again.
[ Part 1 | Part 2]

2012 Heritage
#172 Yadier Molina
#226 Skip Schumaker
#336 Jon Jay
#250 Fernando Salas
#375 Daniel Descalso

Jon Jay must not have been at camp the day they posed for Heritage. He definitely stands out in this bunch of 5, with the road cap, and no close-up mugshot.

2012 Gypsy Queen
#41 Yadier Molina
#55 Matt Holliday
#138 Chris Carpenter
#202 Jason Motte
#208 Adron Chambers
#297 Lou Brock

Say, whatever happened to Adron Chambers? He had enough MLB time to get a card in 2012, but he's back in the minors for now. I'm sure we'll see him again in September when the rosters expand.

2012 Opening Day #96 Chris Carpenter

Here's another guy I'm hoping to see in September, or I'll even take just October. The latest rehab news doesn't sound good, though, and it's appearing more and more likely he's done for the year, and done - at least as a Cardinal - for good.

Christmas 2012

Do you ever get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and forget to do things? There's Christmas, then New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Valentine's Day, Washington's Birthday (aka Presidents Day), St. Patrick's, uh, probably a few national <insert carnival food> days...anyway, my point is, surely I have a good excuse for showing you my sports-related Christmas gifts in March. Ok, I don't, but here we go anyway.

First up, some Cardinals stuff.

A long-sleeve t-shirt, since I refuse to wear anything but t-shirts when I'm not dressed up, and both my wife and mom say I make them feel cold when the see me in short sleeves.

A new Cardinals cap. But not just any cap, this one is trimmed in gold to celebrate the 2011 World Series win.

Even the back has some unnecessary sparkle

Here we have a nice print of Busch Stadium, about 11" x 14". Don't tell my sister-in-law I haven't framed or hung it yet though.

Next up, the Rams:

These two items actually have an interesting story. My wife and I were doing some last minute shopping; I think it was Saturday night before Christmas, which was a Tuesday in 2012. Anyway, I saw this jersey, as well as a Billikens hooded sweatshirt, both pretty cheap. Even at Christmas time the writing was on the wall that Steven Jackson was probably leaving, but I still wanted the throwback jersey. I mentioned to my wife that I wish I had known both of those items were there and they would have been on my wish list. Apparently she managed to text her mom on the way to the next store without me noticing. As it turns out, by the time she got there the last SLU hoodie in my size was gone, so she decided to get the Rams sweatshirt you see above instead, which is awesome. So my wife and mother-in-law will have to split the credit on that one.

Last, but not least, we have a 2012 Topps Value Box, consisting of 2 packs of Heritage, 5 packs of Series 1, a Golden Giveaway code, and one of three Chrome cards of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, or Ken Griffey, Jr. I'm clearly a busy man, taking 3 months to post these, so here's just the good stuff.

2012 Heritage #484 Todd Helton SP

Heritage has a hold on me, so yes, this SP counts as the good stuff.

2012 Heritage
#22 Edwin Jackson
#357 Allen Craig
#382 Joe Girardi

I'm going to miss the blue road cap - seen here on Edwin Jackson - this year, although I like the red with the road grays too.

2012 Heritage - New Age Performers #NAP-JW Jered Weaver

Every time I see Jered Weaver I think, "He was a Cardinal, right?" Wrong. That was Jeff Weaver, but it confuses me even moreso because then they both pitched for the Angels.

2012 Topps
#108 Albert Pujols
#291 David Freese

Speaking of Angels...no no, let's not get that started. Instead I'll revel in the 2011 World Series once more with these cards from games 3 and 6.

2012 Topps
#28 Placido Polanco
#154 Ty Wigginton

Here's former Cardinal Placido Polanco, and soon-to-be - at least in the regular season - Cardinal Ty Wigginton.

2012 Topps - Golden Moments #GM-29 Albert Pujols

Another Albert. I don't think I could ever stop collecting his cards.

2012 Topps - Value Box Chrome #MBC2 Willie Mays

Here's the shiny card promised on the box. It's very orange. And shiny. And the Hall of Famer on it isn't bad either.

Well, that's it for my Christmas gifts. Normally this is where I'd wish you a Happy New Year, but that ship has sailed. How about a Happy Passover, Easter, and/or April Fool's, whatever you're into? And, if the Easter Bunny brings me any cards, I'll try to get them posted before July.

2012 Heritage Blaster #3

I took advantage of Target's discounted $11.99 blasters they've had out lately, but only found one 2012 Heritage box. Still, since I gladly paid $19.99 for my two previous blasters, I figured it was worth buying another. Here's my favorite stuff from the box: the Cardinals, Short Prints, and Inserts.

First we have the base card Cardinals. There were 9 current and 2 former Cardinals in the box, including Adron Chambers twice on two different Rookie Stars cards, and Dan Haren's regular and League Leaders card.

2012 Topps Heritage
#83 Lance Berkman
#95 2012 Rookie Stars
#97 Kyle Lohse
#142 Craig "Pinches" Rangers in Opener
#206 Lance Lynn
#250 Jon Jay
#306 Star Receivers
#321 2012 Rookie Stars
#375 Daniel Descalso

I'm now 3 for 3 in choosing blasters with a Descalso.

2012 Topps Heritage
#8 AL Pitching Leaders
#231 Dan Haren

Haren seems to be the most common former Cardinal I find in current products, maybe he's just the biggest star we've let go recently, other than he-who-must-not-be-named-until-we-win-a-World-Series-without-him.

2012 Topps Heritage
#472 Alfonso Soriano SP
#476 Prince Fielder SP

Two big stars on the Short Prints here. I hope Fielder remains ringless through 2012 though, if the Cardinals can defeat the Giants at least.

2012 Topps Heritage
Baseball Flashbacks - #BF-SKO Sandy Koufax
News Flashbacks - #NF-VT Valentina Tereshkova

Sometimes I like to think I'm really into the history of space travel, then I learn that a Russian Cosmonaut was the first woman in space. It sure seems like a real space buff would have known that.

2012 Topps Heritage
Then and Now - #TN-KB

More non-number card numbers. This shouldn't bother me so much. Curiously, Killebrew was the 1963 HR leader, the year this set is supposed to mimic, but Bautista is the 2011 leader. Shouldn't a 1963 tribute set show the 1962 leader? I guess that seems wrong too, but in a different way.

2012 Topps Heritage
Stick-Ons - #5 Jose Reyes

Maybe I'll have these guys adorn my plain white cardboard storage boxes. That'd be somewhat appropriate.

2012 Topps Heritage
Chrome Parallel - #HP61 David Price

And we'll finish this pack off strong with the Chrome Parallel. Everyone loves shiny things, and that this is a David Price is an extra bonus.

This blaster seemed to have a bonus helping of Cardinals along with its regular number of inserts, so that made it extra nice for my $12. Heritage seemed to be unpopular this year, so I'll be keeping my eye out for more deals in the coming weeks.

A Trade Post is in Order, Part III

[Part I]
[Part II]

Thanks to my obsessive need to scan and post every insert card I receive, I got an email from The Angels, In Order about the Tyler Chatwood in this contest win post.

Here's the final part of my trade.

1997 Donruss Preferred
#45 Brian Jordan

I need one of these pullover warmup jerseys from the 90s.

2002 Upper Deck Victory
#599 Chuck Finley

Chuck Finley in the now seldom-seen Sunday home cap. It used to just be the Sunday cap.

2005 Topps Update
#UH117 Reggie Sanders

2005 NLDS cards in a 2005 set. I wonder how late these had to come out to manage that.

2011 Heritage
#26 Josh Thole
#328 Raul Ibanez
News Flashbacks #NF-10 Robinson Enshrined in Cooperstown

 My 2011 Heritage wantlist is quickly dwindling, so even 2 base and an insert are exciting at this point.

2012 Heritage
#147 World Series Game 6
#331 World Series Foes

I don't think 2012 Heritage is on my wantlist yet, because I'm still planning to buy some more, but I can always use 2 more cards commemorating last year's great World Series, especially game 6, which I stayed up for and found out the next morning most of my friends had given up on and went to bed, thinking we lost.

Then Albert left for the Angels. Though I'd transfer anywhere you wanted me to go for that kind of money, so I can't hassle him really.

Thanks to The Angels, In Order for the trade, and go follow his blog while you're reading so close to the helpful link I've left you here.

2012 Heritage Blaster #2

In the past I've donated blood every 8 weeks, which is the minimum interval, or sometimes 9 weeks if I was traveling or due to do some heavy lifting on day 56. Since I last gave on March 31, and rewarded myself with a Heritage Blaster, I was eligible May 26. Unfortunately I was out of town that day for a Memorial Day weekend trip, and kept putting it off every subsequent Saturday. I finally decided it had been long enough last Saturday, and again, decided to reward myself with another Heritage Blaster. At this rate I'll never get enough to complete the set, so I'll have to find some more reasons to buy. This was one hard-earned box though, as they had trouble finding a vein, had to poke around a bit with the needle, and I ultimately got dizzy enough that they had to lay my head back. Then the blood stopped flowing after the bag was filled, so they had to stick my hand to fill the test tubes. It's about the most traumatic experience I've had with it, but hopefully it goes to help someone. I've donated 30 units lifetime now.

Just for fun, this time I'll do the classic pack-by-pack breakdown, with photos of inserts, short prints, and Cardinals.


Pack 1
15 Darwin Barney
26 Scott Baker
158 Steve Lombardozzi/Pedro Florimon Jr./Matt Dominguez/Devin Mesoraco
291 Stephen Strasburg
309 Ryan Dempster
333 Joe Benson/Liam Hendriks/Chris Parmelee/Kyle Waldrop
346 Santiago Casilla
408 Ian Kinsler
433 Rickie Weeks

2012 Heritage #433 Rickie Weeks SP

Pack 2
21 Drew Stubbs
56 Cliff Lee
60 Jesus Montero
67 J.P. Arencibia
325 Brian Wilson
331 Josh Hamilton/Albert Pujols
391 Matt Moore
421 Kyle Farnsworth
Blue Parallel 84 Doug Fister

2012 Heritage #331 Josh Hamilton/Albert Pujols

"Hey Josh, after this is over, let's go sign in LA; the weather's great. Oh, you've got another year on your contract? Just start slumping before the deadline, I'll work out the rest."

2012 Heritage - Blue Parallel #84 Doug Fister

This was a new one to me. Apparently it's a Walmart exclusive, and not every card gets a blue parallel. I'm not sure how Doug Fister got chosen in that case.

Pack 3
7 NL Pitching Leaders
16 Juan Pierre
18 David Ortiz/Adrian Gonzalez
110 Chase Headley
121 Drew Storen
131 Kevin Gregg
220 Ricky Romero
414 Corey Hart
478 Roy Oswalt

2012 Heritage #478 Roy Oswalt SP

Pack 4
35 Chris Sale
93 Johan Santana
136 Jonathan Papelbon
157 Melky Cabrera
297 Derek Holland
340 Russell Martin
374 Tom Milone
396 Emilio Bonifacio
Chrome Parallel HP89 Rick Porcello

2012 Heritage - Chrome Parallel #HP89 Rick Porcello #0608/1963

It'd be cool to have a whole set of these Chrome cards, but at 1/blaster so far, I think it'll take me awhile.

Pack 5
1 NL Batting Leaders
132 Cole Hamels
163 Matt Cain
186 Joe Mauer
226 Skip Schumaker
233 Terry Collins
239 Cleveland Indians
395 Daniel Hudson
Baseball Flashbacks BF-HA Hank Aaron
Checklist C4

2012 Heritage #226 Skip Schumaker

2012 Heritage - Checklist C4

2012 Heritage - Baseball Flashbacks #BF-HA Hank Aaron

I already got this Aaron card in the last blaster. Oh well, it's one more insert for the trade list.

Pack 6
69 Michael Morse
103 Michael Brantley
166 Kirk Gibson
214 Joakim Soria
254 Carlos Quentin
273 Wilin Rosario
343 Joe Maddon
388 Pablo Sandoval
Stick-ons 41 Victor Martinez

2012 Heritage - Stick-ons #41 Victor Martinez

Again, my obsession with not lowering the condition of my cards means I'll probably never peel this sticker.

Pack 7
36 Jason Kipnis
183 Mark Teixeira
307 J.J. Putz
329 Francisco Cervelli
365 Jose Valverde
373 Michael Young
375 Daniel Descalso
416 Stephen Drew
486 Josh Hamilton

2012 Heritage #375 Daniel Descalso

Hackenbush was right (I'm not linking my post a 3rd time!), Daniel's look here is very Don Mossi. Also, now I have 2 of this card too.

2012 Heritage #486 Josh Hamilton SP

Pack 8
53 Freddie Freeman
116 Vance Worley
222 Jed Lowrie
269 Justin Morneau
280 Brett Lawrie
328 Elvis Andrus
330 Jorge Posada
360 Chad Billingsley
361 Alex Rodriguez

There you have it, 73 more cards (counting the checklist) toward my set. I thought about reordering the packs so that #8 wasn't left image-less, but I figured that wouldn't be honest; sometimes you go out with a whimper. Interestingly, I had a few former Cardinals in the last blaster, but none in this one if you don't count Pujols, since he's in the uniform.


If you're interested in any of the inserts or duplicates let me know and we can work out a trade.

2012 Heritage Blaster

Saturday morning I had a friend coming over for help with some programming homework at 10am, and I was due to give blood that day. When my alarm went off at 6:30, I thought, "it'd be much nicer to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, and do nothing for an hour or so before he gets here". So at that moment I made a deal with myself that if I got up and gave blood, I could buy a Heritage blaster guilt-free. I hadn't bought any Heritage yet this year up to that point.

I guess it sounded like a good deal to me, because I got up, ate enough breakfast so I wouldn't pass out, and took off for the American Red Cross to donate my 29th unit of blood (I love that they keep track) in my life. I got some juice and cookies and was home by 9, still allowing me time to be a little lazy.

So later that day I picked up a blaster. What follows is the good stuff.

First, some SPs:

2012 Heritage #494 Ryan Zimmerman SP

2012 Heritage #483 Mike Stanton SP

I didn't realize until yesterday's game that he's now going by his "real" first name, Giancarlo. I'm glad we held him to 0 for 4.

2012 Heritage #482 David Ortiz SP

Some inserts:

2012 Heritage - Checklist C2

Oooooh, checklist. I know, it's a pretty weak "insert". At least it doesn't count as a real card, as there were 10 total cards in the 9 card pack with this one.

2012 Heritage - News Flashbacks #NF-PP Pope Paul VI

I guess this guy was technically a Cardinal too.

2012 Heritage - Baseball Flashbacks #BF-HA Hank Aaron

I don't like the "numbering" that doesn't include numbers. It's too hard to make want lists without looking up the full checklist.

2012 Heritage - Stick-Ons #29 Mariano Rivera

A sticker I'll probably never peel.

2012 Heritage - Chrome Parallel #HP48 Cole Hamels #0926/1963

Some former Cardinals:

2012 Heritage #203 Scott Rolen

2012 Heritage #43 Veteran Masters (Rivera/Girardi)

Yes, Joe Girardi was briefly a Cardinal.

2012 Heritage #3 NL Home Run Leaders

I wasn't sure whether this should have gone in former or current based on the uniform pictures, so I nestled it right between.

And the two current Cardinals.

2012 Heritage #375 Daniel Descalso

2012 Heritage #97 Kyle Lohse

I guess Mike Matheny knows what he's doing. I don't think most people would have expected Kyle Lohse to be our opening day starter even if 2 or 3 guys got hurt. I'm glad Kyle was able to have a strong outing, but I don't know that we can expect as much out of him every start. I hope I'm wrong though, and he has a great season.

In addition to these cards there were more base of course, but none of them were duplicates yet, so I won't list them here because you can't have them! That, and I'm still being lazy of course.