Sixth 2012 Update Hanger Pack

Despite the fact that I show the inserts on my blog, I really buy these for the base cards. I figure with 5 of them, I'll get 360 cards total, but about 50 will be inserts, leaving me with 310. So 6 is a good number, in theory, to try to get enough base cards to complete 1 for 1 trades to complete the base set. In practice it doesn't really work that smoothly, and I bought quite a bit more of 2010 and 2011 Update. I've thought about getting a Hobby box, but at a current price of $57.95 for 36 packs of 10 cards, even perfect collation would leave me short after inserts. So if you're in the same boat as me, check my trade list and want list, and let's complete each other's sets.

2012 Topps Update
#US72 Carlos Beltran
#US242 Joe Kelly
#US251 Kyle McClellan

Beltran in the KC themed All-Star uniform might have been a little painful for Royals fans, who have seen many young prospects leave and become big stars.

2012 Topps Update
#US25 Joe Mather
#US60 Edwin Jackson
#US123 Jamie Moyer/Checklist
#US149 Octavio Dotel
#US227 Mark DeRosa
#US247 Ryan Ludwick

Every single former Cardinal was a duplicate this time. Anyone out there have a Joe Mather PC?

2012 Topps Update - Gold Border
#518 Jake Peavy #0284/2012
#636 Chris Heisey #1815/2012
#US249 Angel Pagan #1092/2012

Here we have 3 more golds toward my impossible but inevitable quest.

2012 Topps Update
Blockbusters #BB-15 Babe Ruth
Gold Sparkle #US317 Marco Estrada

Babe Ruth to the Yankees, that was kind of a big trade.

2012 Topps Update - WalMart Blue Border
#US170 Jerry Hairston
#US294 Sergio Santos

My curse is finally lifted for good, with a blue-bordered Dodger and Blue Jay.

2012 Topps Update
Golden Moments #GM-U11 Yu Darvish
1987 Topps Minis #TM-102 Reggie Jackson

This Reggie Jackson is another good-looking mini, with a great classic Orioles logo.

That's it for the big hanger packs. I did buy a rack pack as well, which I'll post in a few days, then it'll be time to start filling in the gaps in the set.

2012 Update Hanger Pack #3

I'm moving on to my 3rd 72-card hanger pack.

2012 Topps Update
#US242 Joe Kelly
#US251 Kyle McClellan

Here are two Cardinals I didn't have yet, Joe Kelly, and Kyle McClellan. Kyle left us for Texas this year, but Joe's made his way into the rotation. And with those glasses, he reminds me of a cross between Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn and Bill Hader recently of SNL.

2012 Topps Update
#US60 Edwin Jackson
#US227 Mark DeRosa
#US247 Ryan Ludwick

With the Red and/or Navy uniforms, I can almost pretend these guys are still Cardinals. Unfortunately all 3 are duplicates.

2012 Topps Update
#US25 Joe Mather
#US149 Octavio Dotel

Two more former Cardinals. If everyone collected like me, demand for Octavio Dotel cards would skyrocket, since he's played for 13 teams.

2012 Topps Update
Blockbusters #BB-12 Tom Seaver
Golden Greats #GG-89 Lou Brock
Gold Sparkle #US321 David Carpenter

The 70s pinstriped helmets make an appearance on the Lou Brock card. Also, it's Lou Brock! I don't have many of his playing-days cards, so I'm always glad to see him included in insert sets.

2012 Topps Update - WalMart Blue Border
#US99 Chris Johnson
#US321 David Carpenter

If you believe in Fate, Karma, or getting what's coming to you, this is my punishment for complaining about red borders for blue teams. Blue borders for red teams! This box came from Walmart, obviously, hence the blue parallels. Along with the Gold Sparkle above, I can give someone a good start on a David Carpeter rainbow. He's pitched 1/3 of an inning this year and has a 108.00 ERA. But that one out was a strikeout, so there's potential, right?

2012 Topps Update
Golden Moments #GM-U4 Josh Hamilton
1987 Topps Minis #TM-144 Mark Trumbo

Here we have 2 more Angels, one's just in Rangers clothing. I still like those 1987 Minis, and I really didn't think I would when I first saw them.

2012 Topps Update - Gold Border
#131 Ian Desmond #1812/2012
#304 Brandon Morrow #1217/2012
#US199 Nate Schierholtz #1204/2012

Three more gold parallels. I want to not want to attempt this set, but the gold is so...gold. I don't really like the Stars and Stripes program MLB runs with the red/white/blue/camouflage hats/jerseys each Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Canada Day for Toronto, but I do appreciate Topps documenting such events by getting that image of Brandon Morrow. In case you haven't seen it, and can't make it out in the scan, Toronto usually gets the red and white treatment, like the Canadian flag, so there's a red hat with a white front panel, and all-red Blue Jays logo.

As I've said before, my inserts are generally available for trade, though probably not the Lou Brock this time.

My Second 2012 Update Hanger Pack

Sometime a good pack can be determined objectively, with a big autograph, relic, rookie, or some combination of the 3. This is not one of those packs, but it is subjectively good for me.

2012 Topps Update
#US273 Yadier Molina
#US301 Carlos Beltran

2012 Topps Update #US131 Mitchell Boggs

The box had 3 current Cardinals, and if I'm going to get a duplicate, Yadi's a pretty good one to get.

2012 Topps Update
#US25 Joe Mather
#US60 Edwin Jackson
#US247 Ryan Ludwick
#US254 Jason Marquis

There were also 4 former Cardinals. In all, nearly 10% of the pack played for St. Louis at one time.

2012 Topps Update - Gold Border
#475 Chris Dickerson #1750/2012
#521 Ruben Tejada #0999/2012
#US80 Jered Weaver #1277/2012

I'm starting to like these Gold Border parallels. I fear I may be close to adding a 984-card section to my wantlist.

2012 Topps Update - Target Red Border
#US67 Jamey Carroll
#US214 Jeremy Affeldt

The red borders would grow on me too if not for orange teams like the Giants. Not that I find them repulsive, they're just not as awesome as they could be.

2012 Topps Update
Gold Sparkle #US177 Mike Napoli
Blockbusters #BB-14 Yu Darvish

Here I have 2 Rangers, although one has since changed teams, appropriately enough for an Update set post. And the Darvish deal was definitely a Blockbuster, no matter how his stats turn out.

2012 Topps Update
Golden Moments - #GM-U30 Cal Ripken, Jr.
1987 Topps Minis #TM-126 Jackie Robinson

Finally, we have 2 Hall-of-Famers. A good friend of mine since Kindergarten moved to the Baltimore area for awhile, then moved back, and so has a secondary allegiance to the Orioles. Consequently, I give him trouble relentlessly about Cal Ripken, Jr. being inferior to Ozzie Smith as a shortstop, being an old man (since he was gray rather early), and setting the MLB record for perfect attendance. It's all in good fun, of course, and I'm happy to have this card. The Robinson mini is pretty nice too, with his MLB career stats on the back. Obviously the Brooklyn Dodgers and 1987 don't exactly go together, but the retro border and retro shot just meld together nicely on this card.