TARGET MADNESS - Part 1: 08 Chrome Sorta Blaster

I did some stupid stuff this winter while waiting for the '09 stuff to come out. Well, all of it wasn't stupid, let's just call it imprudent. Inefficient. Unfocused. Most of the time my will broke down at Target although Wally World tempted me as well. Now that the new stuff is out, I don't feel quite as ashamed at buying retail repack junk so I'm going to show some of it off.

Here's the first thing I have to show off. You know those Target $1.59 junk wax boxes? Have you ever wondered where those packs come from? I have a theory that every so often the distributor pulls old unwanted blasters off the shelf, rips 'em open and sticks those $1.59 stickers on them. I've seen a few times where a product has exactly 8 packs in that box. I got 8 packs of '07 Bowman Heritage once in one of those boxes, exactly the count in a blaster. I can't actually prove that's what happens, but last month I saw it again. 8 packs of Chrome sitting nicely in the box. They were right next to a bunch of 2006 Upper Deck 5-card packs which I know were from blasters. Well, that would be the efficient way of doing it at least. Take the old blasters and plop 'em in the junk wax box. I saw the 8 packs as a discounted blaster in any case and picked 'em up in a fit of Target Madness. Here's the results:

Pack 1
122 Chone Figgins
150 Homer Bailey
176 Milton Bradley Blue Refractor
104 Matt Holliday
Checklist 1 of 2

Blue Refractors rock. The Cubs signing a malcontent DH to play in an overcrowded outfield rocks even harder.


Pack 2
72 Brandon Phillips
4 Stephen Drew
110 Aaron Harang copper refractor
209 Fernando Hernandez RC
Checklist 1 of 2

It looks like my knack for pulling Reds cards has continued over from my Timelines box. That's three in two packs. I'm not to unhappy with it, because I know a lot of Reds fans they can go to. I'm currently trying to wrap up a package for Joe, so as long as this guy doesn't need the copper Harang it's off to Joe. I almost hate to give up Harang though, he's a damn good pitcher.

Pack 3
110 Aaron Harang
204 Rico Washington RC
MMRC430 Mickey Mantle Home Run #430
148 Aramis Ramirez

Well, I say I like Harang and BAM! I get another one. Amazing. That's 4 reds now. Stupid Mickey Mantle ate my refractor. Grrrrrr. I'm showing off Rico instead.

Pack 4:
53 Yunel Escobar
TCHC24 Ken Griffey Jr Trading Card History
179 Livan Hernandez refractor
80 Jorge Posada

Ok, getting spooky now... Griffey is the fifth Red so far. Livan I can do without, Posada I can take him or leave him, but Yunel and Griffey are pretty cool.

Pack 5:
49 Scott Rolen
77 Carlos Ruiz
191 Edinson Volquez Xfractor
160 Pat Burrell

MAKE IT STOP. I'm going to get e-mails about my Reds-jo.

Pack 6:
181 Matt Kemp
178 Jo-Jo Reyes
201 Luis Mendoza RC Xfractor
25 Alex Rios

FINALLY. Now the Dodger fans can be jealous of me.

Pack 7:
124 Jacoby Ellsbury
TCHC37 CC Sabathia Trading Card History
211 Blake DeWitt RC Refractor
61 Gil Meche

This is either the third or fourth Blake DeWitt refractor I've pulled from a pack. I've lost count. The cool thing about this pack is I know someone who would want each and every one of these cards so I'm building good trade bait at least.

Pack 8:
192 Jeff Niemann RC
ARC6 Derek Jeter 50th Anniversary
97 Troy Tulowitzki Blue Refractor
121 Derek Jeter

Aaand we wind things up with the Jeter pack. The BlueTuloFractor ain't too shabby either. This wasn't the greatest 8 packs ever ripped but good lord have I got some trade bait. Now I just need to catch up on the trades I've got in process now. If you'll excuse me, I have some e-mails to answer...