Bowman is mocking me

 CURSE YOU TOPPS

Ever since I broke down in shame and bought a blaster of Bowman I've totally fallen off the wagon completely and picked up some packs as well. I haven't gone completely off the rails like some people, but I've gotten about 8 packs and a few racks in addition to the blaster. All I want is a damn Jason Heyward, but the magic Bowman goblins keep putting good stuff in my packs that I can't complain about without looking like a total douche, but which are definitely not Jason Heyward. Some people get Jason Heyward in their first damn pack. Here's the highlights of my drunken regretful Bowman binge.

As you can see, I forgot to click on the 'descreening' option again. My bad. 

Surprise! I pulled a Chippah out of a pack! Yesh, I know, shocking. Problem is, two weeks ago back before I succumbed to my evil primal instincts I bought the Chipper out of a 50 cent box because I would never ever buy any crappy Bowman. So now, I have two. Oops, make that three, I pulled another one later on.

This is really cool, a Julio Teheran base and Chrome. Julio is one of the Braves' big three pitching prospects and is currently kicking some ass in High A Myrtle Beach. So far in 12 games with Rome and Myrtle Beach he's 4-3 with a 1.39 ERA, .939 WHIP, 82 strikeouts in 71 and a third innings and a 5.47 strikeout to walk ratio. Oh, also he's 19 years old. These Chrome cards curl all up to hell though.

Freddie! I really want the Heyward Topps 100 card, but I'll definitely take the Freddie. Freeman is the guy who is expected to finally shut the revolving door at first base on the Braves in 2011 or maybe 2012. We're happy with Troy Glaus right now, thanks, but if Troy re-signs to take over third after Chipper retires this offseason we'll see what Frederick can do. Yes, you read that last sentence right, and no I don't want to discuss it.

Grand slam dude, yeehaw. These Chrome cards are pretty pathetic. Half of them are all curled up like a Pringle, there is no etching like on other Chrome cards and they pick up fingerprints instantly. They don't scan worth a flip, either, but we all knew that.

A blue bordered card of a guy named Green. Heh. Blue borders are 1:29 packs so a low level hit I suppose. Grant Green was the 1st round pick of the A's in 2009 and is hitting over .300 in A ball so pretty good I guess. We'll find out in five years or so insert noncommittal remark here. Atlanta Sports cards has a whole bunch of blue and orange bordered Bowmans in their 25 cent box if anyone cares.

Yup, got an autograph before I pulled a Heyward. This was from a rack pack. Group A odds are 1:17 packs so autos are not that difficult to pull it seems. Justin Bristow was taken in the 5th round by the Cubs in 2008. His stats don't look all that spectacular to me. Eh what do I know. He's a Cub, some Cub fan trade me a Heyward for this thing and get it out of my house.

I can hear some of you asking if I pulled a certain pitcher. Just be patient.

Purple refractors look AWESOME except when you scan them, then they look like any other refractor. This one's Purple, I promise. Edinson Rincon is a third baseman in A ball for the Padres. I know, I know, you want to see something else. Wait for it.

Yep, I pulled TWO autographs before I got even one Heyward. How lucky am I. Not too lucky actually, these retail autos fall 1:24 packs which is ridiculously easy for retail. It is actually harder to pull a Blue Border or plain refractor than it is an auto. Also easier to pull than one lousy Heyward, dammit. JUST ONE. I've already been to all the local card shops, everyone's sold out of Heywards. I just want one stinkin' Heyward. Oh yeah, the card. Zach Simons is a relief pitcher. I know nothing else about him because his Baseball-Reference minors page keeps giving me a 500 internal server error and all the other minor league site out there have no stats or are buggy or have pop-ups or all three.

Ok, ok, quit yelling here's what you all wanted to see.

Yep, I pulled the Golden Child before my beloved Heyward. Chrome version, even. I told you the Bowman goblins were dead set on tormenting me. Before you all start demanding I put this on eBay rightnow let me inform you that it came out of the pack damaged. There are three dings on the back and a weird line of glue or something. It ain't Gem Mint is what I'm saying so I don't even want to bother. I'll put it in a toploader and stash it with my other phenom rookies, like Tom Brady, Lebron James and Brien Taylor.

All that and no J-Hey. I am disappoint. I've already ripped the blaster, it was legit, but no Heyward. I'm trying to show restraint and save my pennies for Ginter but the sickness is upon me. Must... not... buy... more... Bowman...

Oh who the hell am I kidding...



I'M COMING FOR YA HEYWARD! I'LL FIND YOU SOON!

Ruminations on Rookie cards - part 1

This post from Awesomely Bad Wax Packs got me thinking about the rookie card craziness that is one of the foundations of the hobby. I've been collecting long enough that I lived through the whole rookie card boom that has in some ways greatly helped the hobby and in others has sort of derailed it. I never threw anything away that had anything to do with cards when I was a kid, so I still have a copy of this old Baseball Cards magazine.

Rookie card mania!

This is one of the oldest card magazines I have, but the couple I have that are older don't talk about rookie cards all that much. They were much more focused on stars, new sets and obscure oddball sets and variations. In 1986 though, when this magazine came out, It started to be nothing but rookies, rookies rookies for a while. You can see some of the cards that really jump started the whole rookie card obsession on the cover. The '69 Reggie was one of the first cards I can remember people going berzerk over. In that old price guide from 1982 I posted about a while back, the price of a Reggie Jackson rookie card was eleven dollars, which was one of the highest prices for a card in the set (Willie Mays was only six dollars) but still in line for a superstar like Reggie. The price of his second year card was three dollars, so a rookie card premium wasn't unknown back in '82. However, if you look at the price guide in this magazine you'll see that Reggie's card jumped to 64 dollars. So almost a 600 percent increase in 4 years. How'd this happen?

The magazine has a great article by Bob Lemke that takes a close look at the rookie card craze as it was happening. It's a neat look at the hobby as it existed at the time, with a focus on investors, brands, even regional issues that are all but forgotten today. He sums up the craze quite succinctly in the first few paragraphs though:

... the term "rookie card" was virtually unheard of in the hobby before 1982. Essentially, the entire rookie card phenomenon began as nothing more than dealer hype - a way to sell more new baseball cards than ever before at unprecedented prices.

Can't argue with that. That's kind of the business model of card manufacturers today. Topps, Upper Deck, Donruss and all the rest are constantly searching for ways to add perceived "value" to their cards to move more product and justify charging hundreds of dollars for a small metal tin filled with a tiny amount of cardboard.

Up next in part two, the economics behind the rookie card craze.