WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLAYOFFS

IT'S PLAYOFFS TIME AGAIN EVEN THOUGH WE STILL DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHO'S GOING TO BE IN THEM YET. TIME TO FEEL UNIMAGINABLE STRESS AND AGONY IF YOUR TEAM IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE IN THE GRUELING MONTH LONG SADNESS TOURNAMENT. AND THIS YEAR THE STRESS IS ON TOP OF *WAVES ARMS AROUND WILDLY* EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON! HOORAY! 

LIKE LAST YEAR, HERE'S A POST RANKING THIS YEAR'S CHAMPIONSHIP HOPEFULS FROM THE ONE I'M ROOTING FOR MOST TO THE LEAST. WHY YES, I DO HATE YOUR TEAM! THE CARDS CHOSEN FOR EACH TEAM ARE THE SHINIEST, WILDEST LATE 90S CARDS I PICKED OUT OF AN OLD STARS BOX I WAS SORTING THROUGH RECENTLY. I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT MORE SORTING AND ORGANIZING THAN POSTING LATELY IF YOU CAN TELL. AS A BONUS I'LL TALK ABOUT THE CARDS A BIT ALONG WITH MY HATEFUL THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TEAMS. LET'S START OFF WITH THE OBVIOUS

BRAVES

THAT THE BRAVES ARE EVEN STILL IN IT IS UTTERLY ABSURD. THEIR ACE WAS HURT AFTER ONE START, THEIR MVP WAS GONE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEASON AND HALF THE TEAM HAS SPENT TWO MONTHS ON THE IL. HOW HAS NO ONE PUT US OUT OF OUR MISERY YET?!? NOBODY CAN HIT ANYMORE BUT THE PITCHING IS ELITE SO MAYBE THEY CAN WIN A BUNCH OF 1-0 GAMES. IF THE 2021 TEAM COULD DO IT, WHY NOT

GAWD THESE 1997 SPX CARDS ARE FUCKING BEAUTIFUL. I REGRET BUYING CRAP LIKE COLLECTOR'S CHOICE INSTEAD OF THESE NOW

BREWERS

HONESTLY I ADOPTED THE BREWERS AS MY ROOTING CHOICE MONTHS AGO WHEN THINGS WERE AT THEIR DISMALEST. THEY MIGHT STILL BE NUMBER ONE ON THIS LIST DEPENDING WHAT HAPPENS. I LIKE HOW THEY TRADED THEIR BEST CLOSER AND PITCHER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND STILL BEAT THE HELL OUT OF THE NL CENTRAL. I WILL ALWAYS ROOT FOR WILLIAM CONTRERAS, GO WILD BILL. AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL? BOB UECKER DESERVES A RING. SEEING HIM LIFT THE TROPHY WOULD MAKE UP FOR A LOT OF TERRIBLE BULLSHIT THIS YEAR

2001 ARCHIVES RESERVE IS WHAT EVERY CHROMIUM PRODUCT SHOULD BE: 100% REFRACTORS. IT REALLY IS A GREAT SET IF YOU CAN FIND IT

ASTROS

YES, YES. EVERYONE HATES THE ASTROS FOR SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED SEVEN YEARS AGO. SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER TEAM HAS EVER DONE BEFORE OR SINCE. THEY ARE A BAD TEAM FOR BAD PEOPLE. LUCKILY ENOUGH I AM A BAD PEOPLE! AND I LOVE VILLAINS! AND JOSE ALTUVE WHO IS AWESOME AND COMPLETELY INNOCENT. YOU KNOW IT TO BE TRUE. EXTRA ADDED BONUS: JASON HEYWARD CAN GET HIS SECOND RING WITH THE STROS. THIS FACT HAD ME FLIPPING THE SECOND AND THIRD CHOICES ON THIS LIST RIGHT UP UNTIL POSTING

2000 PACIFIC INVICIBLE IS ONE OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS DESIGNS FROM AN ADMITTEDLY RIDICULOUS ERA. INVICIBLE WAS KNOWN FOR COMBINING PAPER AND PLASTIC ELEMENTS BUT THIS... THIS IS JUST WEIRD. WHAT EVEN IS THIS DESIGN?? MOSES ALOU PARTING THE WRIGLEY WALL? UTTERLY BIZARRE. IT CONFUSED ME SO MUCH I ONLY BOUGHT ONE PACK BACK IN THE DAY, A DECISION I NOW REGRET

GUARDIANS

THE GUARDIANS NOT ONLY HAVE THE LONGEST CHAMPIONSHIP DROUGHT BUT THE LAST TWO WORLD SERIES THEY WERE IN WERE FUCKING AGONIZING. THAT GIVES THEM A BIT OF AN UNDERDOG VIBE TO ME, PLUS THEY DESERVE SOME GOOD FORTUNE WHAT WITH THE OVERDUE BRANDING CHANGE. I ALSO WANT TO SEE JOSE RAMIREZ PLAY AS MUCH BASEBALL AS POSSIBLE. KEEP SLEEPING ON JOSE, I LOVE FINDING HIS CARDS DIRT CHEAP

GALLERY ISN'T TRADITIONALLY SHINY BUT THE 1996 VERSION WAS VERY INNOVATIVE FOR THE TIME WITH THE THICK STOCK AND PAINTERLY THEME. THE CANVAS BACKGROUND AND GILDED FRAME REALLY MAKES EDDIE LOOK LIKE HE'S HANGING IN A MUSEUM

ROYALS

IF YOUR TEAM HASN'T BEENIN THE PLAYOFFS FOR A DECADE I'LL LIKELY BE ROOTING FOR YOU. DOESN'T MEAN THEY'LL MAKE IT VERY FAR BUT IT'S STILL A GOOD STORY. BOBBY WITT JR. IS ALSO THE REAL DEAL. TIME TO SNAG SOME OF HIS CARDS NOW THAT EVERYONE IS OBSESSED WITH SHOHEI

MOAR COLLECTING REGRETS: WHEN I DID BUY PACKS OF HIGHER END STUFF IN THE 90S, IT WAS OF SHIT LIKE BOWMAN'S BEST. THE 1999 VERSION IS NOT GOOD. THE DESIGN HAS MORE YELLOW THAN 1991 FLEER AND THE ROOKIES ARE ALL SHORT PRINTED. BUT THE REFRACTORS REALLY POP. THIS PHOTO DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE

TIGERS

ANOTHER TEAM THAT BEEN TERRIBLE FOR FOREVER WHO INEXPLICABLY SNUCK INTO THE PLAYOFFS. THANKS TWINS! THEY'VE GOT A SOME GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS TOO, SKUBAL AND GREENE LOOK LEGIT. WILL THEY MAKE NOISE IN THE PLAYOFFS? PROBABLY NOT! BUT THIS SEASON HAS BEEN SO DAMN WEIRD ALREADY, WHY NOT?

CROWN ROYALE IS ALWAYS NICE, EVEN IF EVERY SET IS BASICALLY THE SAME THING WITH SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FOIL. THEY'RE UNWIELDY AND AWKWARD TO STORE BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM SPECIAL

PHILLIES

YOU'D THINK I WOULD HATE THE PHILLIES SINCE THEY KNOCKED OFF THE BRAVES IN EXTRA PAINFUL FASHION TWO YEARS IN A ROW AND THEN STOLE THE DIVISION FROM US. YOU'D BE WRONG! I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPLETELY LOATHE THE PHILLIES AS I HAVE FAMILY FROM THERE AND THEY ARE HISTORICALLY SUCH A SHITTY-ASS FRANCHISE THAT WHEN SOMETHING NICE HAPPENS TO THEM IT'S HONESTLY TOO SURPRISING TO CAUSE BITTERNESS. AND I MEAN, IF HARPER GOES HIS WHOLE CAREER WITHOUT A RING WE'LL ALL BE KINDA DISAPPOINTED IF WE'RE BEING HONEST. WHY NOT THIS YEAR? BECAUSE NICE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN TO PHILADELPHIA TEAMS, THAT'S WHY

THIS IS NOT A SHINY CARD! WTF!!? THERE WERE NO SHINY PHILLIES IN THE CARDS I RESCUED FROM THE STAR BOXES EXCEPT A MIKE LIEBERTHAL MINOR LEAGUE INSERT THAT WASN'T VERY SHINY AT ALL AND ONE OF A PITCHER WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED. I'M NOT PUTTING HIS CARDS ON THIS BLOG IF I CAN HELP IT SO HERE'S THE MUCH LESS PROBLEMATIC PETE ROSE. I LOVE 1983 FLEER AND I REALLY LOVE CARDS WITH PLAYERS LEANING ON THAT OLD CIRCULAR NET THINGY. JUST THINK OF THIS AS A CARD OF THAT NET THINGY AND IGNORE EVERYTHING ELSE

ORIOLES

ORIOLES DROPPED FOUR SPOTS FROM LAST YEAR AND WOULD BE MUCH HIGHER IF NOT FOR TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, THEY ARE NO LONGER THE NEW HOTNESS NOW THAT THE SCRAPPY ROYALS AND TIGERS HAVE STOLEN THE UNDERDOG ROLES. THEY ARE A LEGIT GOOD TEAM NOW! BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO BEAT THE YANKEES. KNOCK THEM OUT AND YOU'LL MOVE UP IN MY ESTIMATION

FLAIR/SHOWCASE/FLAIR SHOWCASE IS ONE OF THE WEIRDEST BRANDS OF THE 90S AND 2000S. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR THERE WAS A MAJOR DESIGN CHANGE OR NAME CHANGE OR BOTH UNTIL FLEER FINALLY WENT BELLY UP.  1999 FLAIR SHOWCASE EPITOMIZED THIS WITH EACH CARD HAVING NOT ONLY THREE DIFFERENT FRONT DESIGNS BUT THREE DIFFERENT BACK DESIGNS AS WELL, ALL IN DIFFERENT RARITIES. THIS CARD IS THE HARDEST (AND BEST LOOKING IN MY OPINION) TO FIND FRONT WITH THE EASIEST TO FIND BACK. THIS MEANS YOU CAN PROBABLY FIND ONE IN A DIME BOX IF YOU LOOK LONG ENOUGH. IT'S PRETTY THO

PADRES

THE PADRES ARE ANOTHER TEAM THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY HIGHER A YEAR OR TWO AGO BUT 1) I'VE GROWN WEARY OF THEIR ANTICS AND 2) IF THE BRAVES ACTUALLY DO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS THEY ARE OUR FIRST ROUND OPPONENT. YU DARVISH IS COOL THOUGH 

THIRTY YEAR OLD 1994 PACIFIC PRISMS LOOK BETTER THAN ANY CARD THAT HAS COME OUT IN 2024. I'LL FIGHT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES. ASSUMING I CAN STOP STARING AT THIS CARD. OOOOOOHHHHH SHIIIIIIINY

DODGERS

DODGERS HAVE BEEN THE PRESUMPTIVE NL PENNANT WINNER EVERY YEAR FOR LIKE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS NOW. I DON'T ROOT FOR TEAMS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO WIN, THAT'S NOT MY STYLE. YES, IT WILL BE FUN TO SEE OHTANI IN THE PLAYOFFS, YES, MOOKIE AND FREDDIE ARE COOL. EVERYONE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM IN THE WORLD SERIES. BUT I'M A GRUMPY JERK. THIS IS THE PLAYOFFS! NO FUN FOR ANYONE! ONLY PAIN

NOW THIS HERE IS WHAT INVINCIBLE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE! A NICE CARD WITH A RIDICULOUS DESIGN WITH A LITTLE WINDOW WITH A PLASTIC PLAYER INSIDE. I DUNNO HOW PACIFIC WENT FROM THIS TO THAT WEIRD MESS IN JUST ONE YEAR. I ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK THAT LIGHT SPOT ON RAUL'S EAR IS. IT'S NOT ON THE CARD AND I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT REFLECTION COULD HAVE CAUSED THAT. MAYBE THIS CARD IS HAUNTED

METS

I'M AS SURPISED AS YOU ARE! HOW THE HELL ARE THE DISGRACEFUL METS ONLY MY THIRD-MOST DISLIKED TEAM IN THIS COUNTDOWN? I GOT A LOT OF HATE IN ME I GUESS. I REALLY DON'T LIKE THEM AND IF THEY END UP KNOCKING US OUT - OR WORSE - ACTUALLY WINNING IT ALL THE CROWING I WILL HEAR FROM QUEENS WILL ECHO IN MY EARS IN HELL. THEY'RE STILL NOT AS BAD AS THESE NEXT TWO TEAMS I PROMISE

THIS IS A EVRY PACIFIC HEAVY POST BUT CAN YOU BLAME ME? LOOK AT ALL THE SHINY! PACIFIC REVOLUTION IS THE SHINIEST PRODUCT FROM THE SHINIEST COMPANY AND 2000 REVOLUTION IS THE KING OF ALL SHINY. THE GOLD FOIL IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE HOLOFOIL FIREWORKS AND THE YEAR 2000 EXPLODING EVERYWHERE. THE BRAND NAME IS EVEN EMBOSSED INTO THE SIDE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ALL THIS SET NEEDS IS TO BE DIE CUT TO BECOME A BLACK HOLE OF SHINY

DIAMONDBACKS

I'M COMPLETELY SICK OF ARIZONA IN GENERAL. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY, LOOK AT MY PREVIOUS PLAYOFF POST I LINKED UP THERE. PLUS THEY WENT TO THE WORLD SERIES LAST YEAR. BLECCH. AND LOST TO THE RANGERS! DOUBLE BLECCH. ANY OLD TEAM COULD'VE DONE THAT! I'M GRUMPY NOW. GRRRRR 

HERE'S A SHORT PRINTED FINEST ROOKIE CARD OF A PLAYER WHO NEVER PLAYED A SINGLE INNING IN THE BIGS. AND NOT EVEN A SERIAL NUMBERED ROOKIE CARD! IT'S A PROMO! THIS CARD IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

YANKEES

I CARE SO LITTLE ABOUT THE YANKEES THAT THE CARD WON'T CENTER AND I CAN'T EVEN BE BOTHERED ABOUT IT. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO BOLD THE NAME, WHAT'S THE USE. PHOOEY ON THE YANKEES. I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE SNAKES WERE DEAD LAST ON LAST YEARS LIST AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THE YANKEES MISSED THE PLAYOFFS  IN 2023 AND WAS SOO HAPPY AND THEN REALIZED THAT THEY WERE IN THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR AND I WAS SAD AGAIN. BARF! BLECCCH! PTUI! THE ONLY POSITIVE OUTCOME TO THEM WINNING THE WORLD SERIES IS IF SOTO COLLECTS HIS RING AND THEN BOLTS FOR ANOTHER TEAM

YANKEES SUCK BUT DUFEX IS THE BEST. HOORAY FOR 1996 PINNACLE.

SO THERE YOU GO! I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THE BRAVES WHATSOEVER SINCE THEY CAN'T SCORE MORE THAN THREE RUNS A GAME SO MY DREAM WORLD SERIES MATCHUP IS:

BREWERS VS. ASTROS

WINNER GETS TO BE IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. I CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS SO THE ACTUAL RESULT WILL BE THE YANKEES DANCING ALL OVER THE METS' FACES. ONWARD TO HELL! PLAY BALL!!!!1

BLOGGER SOMEHOW PASTED IN THIS PICTURE OF BURGERPANTS FROM UNDERTALE THAT I USED IN A BLUESKY POST SO FUCK IT, IT'S STAYING IN. I'M FEELING KINDA BURGERPANTSY AT THE MOMENT ANYWAY