CARD ONE ULTIMATE SUPER JUMBO PACK - MIXED SPORT EDITION

 TAKING A BREAK FROM MY WEEK IN REVIEW POSTS BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING VERY INTERESTING TO REVIEW FROM LAST WEEK. I BARELY LEFT THE HOUSE, I BOUGHT NO CARDS OTHER THAN ON BASEBALLCARDSSTORE DOT CA, I DID NOTHING FUN OTHER THAN LISTEN TO YOUTUBE CRAP WHILE PLAYING STARDEW VALLEY AND MY MAIN BASEBALL CARD ACTIVITY WAS CLEANING UP BOXES AND GETTING ORGANIZED. WHILE GETTING ORGANIZED IS THE ABSOLUTE MOST IMPORTANT CARD THING I CAN POSSIBLY DO, SHOWING OFF A PICTURE OF A JUMBLED PILE OF RANDOM BOXES AND THEN ANOTHER PICTURE OF A PILE OF SLIGHTLY MORE ORGANIZED BOXES DOES NOT MAKE FOR THRILLING READING. INSTEAD I'M GOING TO SHOW OFF THIS PACK OF CRAP I FOUND WHILE CLEANING UP 

THIS IS A CARDS ONE ULTIMATE SUPER JUMBO PACK MIXED SPORT EDITION I GOT FROM DOLLAR TREE WHAT SEEMS LIKE DECADES AGO. THIRTY CARDS OF THE MOST RANDOM STUFF IMAGINABLE FOR ONE MEASLY DOLLAR. THERE USED TO BE BOXES AND BOXES OF THIS STUFF EVERYWHERE. MAN, WE HAD IT SOO GOOD. I BOUGHT A COUPLE DOZEN OF THESE THINGS ONE TIME AND PUT THEM AWAY AND FORGOT ABOUT THEM. THIS ONE ESCAPED THE BOX THAT WAS ITS HOME AND ENDED UP ON THE FLOOR WHICH IS WHERE I FOUND IT. IT'S SUNDAY AND I DON'T WANT TO DO WORK SO INSTEAD I'M LIVE BLOGGING A PACK I GOT MAYBE WHEN OBAMA WAS PRESIDENT? LET US LOOK AT THIS RELIC FROM THE GOOD OLD DAYS

TOP CARD IS A 1989 DONRUSS BOB BROWER. ONE THING I LOVED ABOUT THESE PACKS IS THAT YOU'D THINK CARD ONE WOULD PUT THE BEST CARD ON TOP TO ENTICE THE PURCHASER, BUT NAH. WHATEVER OLD CRAP ENDED UP ON TOP WAS ON TOP. I NEED FIVE CARDS FOR THIS SET AND BOB AIN'T ONE OF THEM. THIS ONE GOES IN THE DISCARD PILE

SECOND CARD IN THE PACK IS AN ACTUAL HALL OF FAMER! ON A DECENT JUNK-WAX ADJACENT CARD AT THAT! I CAN NEVER REMEMBER IF THIS IS FROM A REAL SP SET OR WAS AN INSERT IN FLAGSHIP PACKS BUT WHO CARES. WE'RE BATTING .500 SO FAR

HERE'S WHY THIS IS THE MIXED SPORT EDITION, BASEBALL, FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL, OH MY! THE ERIC RILEY ROOKIE IS FROM THE 93-94 HOOPS SECOND SERIES SET. I HAVE MAYBE 10 CARDS FROM THAT SET SO WE HAVE OUR FIRST WANTLIST NEED! THAT'S A CRAP PACK HOME RUN! THE 1989 TOPPS JIM HARBAUGH ROOKIE IS FROM THE TRADED SET. I HAVE A TON OF CARDS FROM THAT SET BECAUSE THEY END UP IN EVERY REPACK FROM PEOPLE BREAKING THE SET TO YOINK THE SANDERS AND AIKMAN ROOKIES. HARBAUGH'S LIKE A TOP FIVE ROOKIE IN THE SET! THESE ARE KEEPERS, THE BATTING AVERAGE IS UP TO .750

BIPPED! THIS PACK'S ON A HOT STREAK. BATTING .800

ANOTHER HALL OF FAMER WITH 1989 UPPER DECK ECK. I ALREADY HAVE THIS ONE BUT IT'S STILL A HIT. WE'RE BATTING .833 BUT BEWARE OF SMALL SAMPLE SIZES

BACK TO MIXED SPORT. WILD CARD BASKETBALL DRAFT PICKS ARE WAY DOWN TOWARD THE BOTTOM OF MY COLLECTING WISHES BUT PETE MYERS ACTUALLY HAD A NICE LITTLE CAREER. THOSE EARLY 90S BASKETBALL DRAFT PICK SETS WERE PACKED WITH PLAYERS WHO NEVER PLAYED A GAME PROFESSIONALLY SO IT'S NICE TO GET A DECENT PLAYER. I'M ALSO NOT TERRIBLY INTERESTED IN JUNKWAX FOOTBALL SETS BUT I HAVE WARM FEELINGS TOWARD 1990 PRO SET AND DONALD IGWEBUIKE IS ALWAYS A GOD PICKUP. I CAN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE GIVE THESE CARDS HITS BUT THE IGWEBUIKE IS AT LEAST A PRODUCTIVE OUT. .625

1990 DONRUSS = STRIKEOUT WITH RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION. AVERAGE DROPS TO .555

GRAND SLAM!!! 1996-97 EX-2000 EDDIE JONES CARD IN A DOLLAR PACK. WHAT A WORLD WE ONCE LIVED IN. THIS RIGHT  HERE IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO GET MY STUFF CLEANED UP. THERE'S PROBABLY A T-206 HIDING IN ONE OF THESE DOLLAR TREE PACKS .600

LARRY NANCE IS A VERY UNDERRATED STAR OF THE 80S, PLAYING FOR CLEVELAND WILL DO THAT TO YA. 1994-95 IS A NICE FLEER SET BUT I BOUGHT A STOOPID AMOUNT OF SERIES ONE AND ALREADY HAVE LARRY. I KINDA WANT TO SCORE THIS AS A WALK BUT I'M NOT CALCULATING OBP ON THE FLY. GROUND OUT TO SECOND, ADVANCING THE RUNNER .545

THE JUNKIEST OF THE JUNK WAX. DARRELL EVANS IS A GREAT PLAYER BUT THE CARD IS DAMAGED SO I CAN CALL IT AN OUT WITHOUT GUILT .461

THE FIRST HOCKEY CARD OF THE PACK SHOWS UP. IF I AM REMEMBERING CORRECTLY THESE PACKS USUALLY HAD OVER 60% BASEBALL, OVER 30% BASKETBALL AND FOOTBALL AND WHATEVER WAS LEFT WAS FILLED UP WITH HOCKEY AND SOCCER. THE INAUGURAL ISSUE FOR UPPER DECK HOCKEY WAS A GOOD LOOKING ONE. I REALLY LIKE THE MARBLED BORDERS WITH TEAM COLORS. A TOPPS GOLD CARD IS ALSO A NICE FIND, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S HAWK LEGEND SNOOP GRAHAM. NEITHER OF THESE CAN BE CONCIDERED ESSENTIAL IN ANY WAY BUT I'LL GIVE THEM ONE HIT, YOU PICK WHICH CARD GOT IT. .467

A PAIR OF 1992 FLEER ULTRA CARDS AND SOME 89 JUNK I REFUSED TO TAKE A PHOTO OF ON ITS OWN ARE UP NEXT. THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I NEED THE TWO ULTRA CARDS AS AN UPGRADE ON MY WATERLOGGED ONES AT THE VERY LEAST BUT IT'S JUNK BY ANY STANDARD. .411

ACTION PACKED! OF A GEORGIA BULLDOGS LEGEND!! HELL YEAH. I'VE GOT A SNAP CASE FULL OF GEORGIA PLAYERS I FOUND WHILE CLEANING UP AND THIS IS GOING RIGHT IN IT. .444

I FEEL BAD ABOUT GIVING THIS GROUP AN OH-FOR-THREE BUT IT'S ALL JUNK WAX. I HAVE COMPLETED THE 87 DONRUSS AND 89 FLEER SETS AND AS STATED BEFORE, 89 DONRUSS IS DOWN TO FIVE CARDS AND JESSE NOT ONE. THIS HERE IS WHY I USED THE BASEBALL ANALOGY ON A MIXED SPORTS PACK. BASEBALL AT-BATS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN BUT THEY AIN'T ALL GOING TO BE HITS .380

1990 PRO SET HALL OF FAMER? HIT. .409

AND THE DREAM OF HITTING .400 DIES A HORRIBLE DEATH. THE OFFICIAL SCORER IS THINKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY A HIT OR TWO AS WELL. .375

WE WRAP UP THE BASKETBALL CARDS WITH A 1995-96 ULTRA CARD OF ROBERT PACK AND A TED WILLIAMS BASKETBALL DRAFT PICK OF BRIAN REESE. THE ULTRA CARD IS VERY NICE BUT THERE IS A BIG OLD DONK ON THE CORNER. BRIAN REESE IS ONE OF THOSE DRAFT PICK PLAYERS WHO DID NOT MAKE THE NBA, BUT HE WON A TITLE WITH NORTH CAROLINA, PLAYED IN A BUNCH OF FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL LEAGUES AND IS NOW COACHING IN COLLEGE AT MONMOUTH. PRETTY COOL! I'M ALSO JUST NOW NOTICING THAT THE TED WILLIAMS BASKETBALL CARDS HAVE CLASSIC BRANDING ON THE BACK. THIS IS A 1994-95 SET SO I'M NOT CERTAIN IF CLASSIC BOUGHT THE TED WILLIAMS BRAND AFTER IT FOLDED OR IF TED WILLIAMS DID I LICENSE DEAL WITH CLASSIC SO IT COULD DO A LAST-GASP DRAFT PICK SET. EARLY 90S CARD BRANDS WERE WILD, YO. THE AVERAGE IS STILL DROPPING THOUGH. .346

HERE'S A CARD FROM LEAF'S LAST GASP IN 1998, AT LEAST UNTIL THEY WERE BROUGHT BACK FROM THE DEAD THREE YEARS LATER. THIS IS A CLASSY LOOKING SET AND IF I NEED THIS CARD IT'S A MASSIVE HIT. [OPENS WANTLIST] WELP, STRUCK OUT. .333

THE LAST FOOTBALL CARD IS A 1996 SCORE BOARD CARD OF TONY MARTIN. THIS WAS AN INTERSTING SET, LIKE THE 1996 FLEER SET IT WAS ON MATTE CARDBOARD FOR EASY AUTOGRAPHING. MAYBE TOO EASY, THIS STUFF FEELS LIKE BLOTTER PAPER. I BOUGHT A LOT OF IT IN THE DAY BECAUSE THERE WERE VINTAGE CARDS INSERTED INTO PACKS. I REMEMBER GETTING A COUPLE 1984 DAN MARINO IN ACTION CARDS WHICH ARE ACTUALLY SOME PRETTY GOOD HITS NOWADAYS! I ALREADY HAVE THREE OR FOUR OF THIS TONY MARTIN CARD AS I PULLED THEM OUT WHEN HE WAS TRADED TO ATLANTA. .321

THE LAST FOUR CARDS BRING US UP TO 32 FOR THE PACK! IT DOESN'T DO MUCH FOR THE BATTING AVERAGE THOUGH. 1991 UPPER DECK IS COMPLETE AND THUS, I DON'T EVEN SEE THEM AS EXISTING ANYMORE. 1993 UPPER DECK IS TOO PRETTY TO IGNORE AND JIM ABBOTT IS A GREAT PULL EVEN IN CHECKLIST FORM. HOWEVER DOUBLES ARE NEVER APPRECIATED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TWO STUCK TOGETHER AND NOW THERE IS THAT UBIQUITOUS UPPER DECK SNOW ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE CARDS. I LIKE 1986 TOPPS SO MUCH GOT TWO COMPLETE SETS ALREADY AND I MIGHT BUILD A THIRD. DUANE WALKER'S A HIT, AND WE DON'T END THE PACK OH-FOR-TEN. FINAL BATTING AVERAGE: .312

PRESENT ME THANKS PAST ME FOR PICKING UP A FUN PACK TO RE-OPEN TODAY SO I HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO POST. I'LL TRY TO DO SOMETHING INTERESTING BESIDES WORK AND CLEAN THIS WEEK SO I HAVE SOMETHING GOOD FOR NEXT WEEK'S ROUNDUP. AND IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THE BASEBALLCARDSSTORE DOT CA RECAPS YOU'LL BE IN FOR A TREAT, I'VE PICKED UP SOME DOOZIES RECENTLY

OVERDUE DONRUSS FAT PACK POST

 I BOUGHT THIS THING BACK IN JUNE AND DONRUSS IS STILL HANGING AROUND IN STORES IF THAT TELLS YOU HOW POPULAR IT IS. I KINDA LIKE IT THOUGH, THE DESIGN IS NEAT AND THE MIX OF BOWMAN MEETS LEGENDS IS KIND OF FUN. I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS POST IN A WAY WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE TO POST EVERY SINGLE CARD SO I BROKE IT UP INTO SUBSETS AND CUT THE NUMBER OF PICS IN HALF

SINCE THERE'S A LOT OF PROSPECTS IN HERE I CHECKED THE MLB.COM 2023 PROSPECT RANKINGS SO I COULD ANSWER THE ETERNAL QUESTION 'DID I DO GOOD?' THEIR NUMBER RANKING HAS BEEN LISTED NEXT TO THE NAME AND I DID THE SAME WITH THE RETIRED PLAYERS BECAUSE WHY NOT. PROSPECT RANKINGS WILL LIKELY BE OUTDATED BY THE TIME I POST THIS BUT HOPEFULLY IT GOES UP BEFORE THE NEXT HALL OF FAME BALLOT. GRANT WILL BE PLEASED TO SEE I TYPED OUT THE NAMES WHEN I WAS OPENING UP THE PACK WITH ACTUAL LOWER CASE LETTERS AND I'M TOO LAZY TO CAPSLOCK THEM ALL

DIAMOND KINGS:

Juan Marichal - Hall of Fame
Roger Clemens - Not

NEW DIAMOND KINGS WILL NEVER BE AS GOOD AS THE DICK PEREZ ONES BUT THEY ARE ALWAYS REASONABLY NICE. THE ENTIRE CHECKLIST IS FILLED WITH LEGENDS SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PULLING A MINOR LEAGUER. THEY WENT WITH THE DIAMOND THEME ON THE DESIGN, MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE'LL GET A CROWN

RATED PROSPECTS:

Jackson Chourio - #2
James Wood - #4
Jackson Jobe - na
Brayan Rocchio - #52 Called up
Carson Williams - #23

ALL THESE RATINGS ARE PROBABLY DEFUNCT NOW THAT THE TRADE DEADLINE IS LONG GONE. THERE'S ALSO PROBABLY A COUPLE OTHER PLAYERS CALLED UP BY NOW. THE FACT THAT ANY OF THEM WERE CALLED UP AT ALL IS INTERESTING TO ME AS PANINI'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SELLING CURRENT PLAYERS. SURE IT TAKES TIME TO PLAN, DESIGN AND PRINT THE THINGS BUT IT'S STILL WORTH WATCHING CONSIDERING HOW LITIGEOUS EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY IS AT THE MOMENT. JUST ASK PAUL LESKO. JACKSON HERE IS THE #2 PROSPECT RIGHT NOW AND IS TEARING UP DOUBLE-A SO HOORAY FOR ME!

NEW-DONRUSS CARD DESIGNS HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL AT BEST BUT I REALLY LOVE HOW GOOFY THIS ONE IS. IT LOOKS LIKE THE 1991 DESIGN STRIPPED OFF THE GREEN AND BLUE BORDERS AT THE COST OF LETTING THE BORDER STRIPES GO A LITTLE FERAL. THEY'RE GOING EVERY WHICH WAY NOW AND THE SPECKLEY ONES HAVE MUTATED INTO AN EERILY ORGANIC MESH WITH TINY BASEBALLS IN IT. OR ARE THEY EYEBALLS? BASEYEBALLS. IT'S A LITTLE UNNERVING AND I LOVE IT. SINCE NO ONE HERE IS ALLOWED TO BE A ROOKIE THEY ARE NOW RATED PROSPECTS. I'M OK WITH THIS

AS USUAL, THE BACKS ARE TRASH BUT AT LEAST THEY ARE COLORFUL TRASH. THE BLACK AND WHITE BACKS ON A LOT OF PANINI'S LOW-END STUFF DEPRESSES ME

PROSPECT BASE:

Druw Jones - #13
Alex Ramirez - na
Gavin Williams - #10 Called up
Jordan Walker - Called up
Jasson Dominguez - #41

VERY HAPPY TO PICK UP A CARD OF DRUW, NOT AS HAPPY HE'S WITH THE DIAMONDBACKS. I'M WONDERING NOW IF HE'LL BE CALLED UP BEFORE OR AFTER ANDRUW GETS INTO THE HALL OF FAME. I KNOW DRUW'S BATTING UNDER THE MENDOZA LINE IN ROOKIE BALL AND HIS POP NEEDS ABOUT 25% MORE VOTES, I GOT A COOL CARD AND I WILL ENJOY MY DREAMS. JORDAN WALKER'S THE GUY WHO TIPPED ME OFF THAT CALLED UP PLAYERS WERE IN THIS SET. HE'S NOT HAVING A GREAT SEASON IN ST. LOUIS BUT THEN AGAIN, NEITHER ARE THE CARDINALS AND HE'S ABOUT A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER THAN THEY ARE. GIVE HIM SOME TIME. YOU CAN REALLY SEE THOSE LITTLE BASEBALLS IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER WITHOUT THE RATED PROSPECTS LOGO

BACKS ARE THE SAME EXCEPT GREEN AND YOU GET SOME STATS INSTEAD OF THE RATED PROSPECT LOGO. I WONDER IF THE GREEN ANOTHER LITTLE HAT TIP TO 1991 DONRUSS?

RETIRED BASE:

Jimmy Rollins - MVP
Jack Morris - Douchebag
Nolan Ryan - overpriced by boomers
Buster Posey - was out
Bobby Abreu - underrated
Ivan Rodriguez - Hall of Famer
Rafael Palmeiro - should be a Hall of Famer

THE UNIVERSE HEARD ME BITCHING ABOUT HOW I NEED NOLAN RYAN CARDS TO COMPLETE ALL MY SETS AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY FLOODED ME WITH RYAN CARDS THIS YEAR. NONE FOR THE ACTUAL SETS, BUT A LOT OF THEM. I'M NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN, THIS A  NICE LOOKING CARD. I REALLY REALLY LIKE THE RETIRED LEGENDS ON THE CHECKLIST. THERE'S A LOT OF GUYS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY IN THAT INNER CIRLE LEGENDS GROUP LIKE NOLAN BUT ARE STILL FUN LIKE J-ROLL AND ABREU. I HAVE ALWAYS DISLIKED MORRIS FOR OBVIOUS REASONS BUT HAVE RECENTLY SOURED ON HIM EVEN MORE DUE TO HIS VILLAINY IN THE SECRET BASE DOCUMENTARY ON DAVE STIEB. YOU'RE A DOUCHE, JACK. I'M GLAD FLEER USED A BAD PICTURE ON YOUR CARD IN 1982. ALSO DON'T GET ME STARTED ON PALMIERO. I'M ABOUT TO RUIN A NICE SUNDAY MORNING BLOG POST

1990 RETRO PROSPECTS:

Harry Ford - #25

ONLY GOT ONE RETRO PROSPECT CARD AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BACK THEY REALLY LEANED INTO THE 1990 DESIGN. SO INCREDIBLY RED. HARRY IS A PRETTY HYPED PROSPECT FOR SEATTLE. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HARRY WAS FROM KENNESAW AND THAT HIS PARENTS NAMED HIM HARRISON. STAR WARS FANS I GUESS

1990 RETRO RETIRED:

Shawn Green - played for blue teams despite being named green
John Smoltz - exhausting
Ken Griffey Jr - Kid

CAN'T COMPLAIN ABOUT MY RETRO CARDS. A GRIFFEY JR. CARD IS A GOOD CARD. SMOLTZ MEANS I DIDN'T GET SHUT OUT ON BRAVES IN THE PACK. ONCE AGAIN A REHASHED VERSION OF THE 1990 DONRUSS DESIGN SHOWS JUST HOW GOOD THAT DESIGN WOULD BE IF IT JUST WASN'T COMPLETELY EYE-BLEEDING RED. I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY SKIPPED THE 1989 DESIGN THIS YEAR THOUGH. MAYBE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE GRADIENT BORDERS? 

:EVITAGEN ESREVER EKAF 0991

nayR naloN

SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT NOLAN? THIS IS CLEVER, RIFFING ON THE 1990 JUAN GONZALEZ ERROR. I HAVEN'T CHECKED TO SEE IF JUAN IS IN THIS SET OR IF HE HAS HIS OWN REVERSE NEGATIVE CARD AND I'M NOT GONNA

IF IT'S DONRUSS YOU KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE PARALLELS

SHINY PARALLELS:

Carlos Beltran - will be a Hall of Famer sooner or later
Tyler Black - #98
Noah Schultz - na
Willie McCovey - Hall of Famer
Roger Clemens Diamond King - PUT HIM IN ALREADY

AN ACTUAL NUMBERED PARALLEL! TOO BAD IT'S NUMBERED 1997 INSTEAD OF HIS ROOKIE YEAR OF 1998 OR ELSE I'D HAVE AN EBAY 1/1 HERE. i WAS VERY HAPPY HE GOT FORTY-SOMETHING PERCENT OF THE HALL VOTE HIS FIRST YEAR. PEOPLE MIGHT START GETTING SOME VOTES NOW

I LIKE SHINY BLUE BORDERS SO THIS IS NICE. I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY ABOUT THE CARD, BUT IT IS NICE

I THINK THE ORANGE PARALLELS ARE THREE PER FAT PACK AND I PULLED A PROSPECT, A HALL OF FAMER AND A DIAMOND KING. GOOD RANGE OF PLAYERS THERE. THIS WAS DEFINITELY THE TEXAS STRIKEOUT PITCHER PACK. I'M SERIOUS ABOUT CLEMENS TOO, JUST PUT HIM STRAIGHT IN COOPERSTOWN, NO VOTE. PUT AN ASTERISK ON HIS CAP IF YOU MUST, BUT I AM NOT AT ALL INTERESTED IN BONDS AND CLEMENS CLOGGING UP VETERAN'S COMMITTEE VOTES FOR ETERNITY LIKE THEY CLOGGED UP THE BBWAA VOTE FOR SO LONG. JUST PUT THEM IN! 

UNLEASHED INSERT:

Mick Abel - #42

I DON'T KNOW WHO THE HECK MICK ABEL IS, ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS HE'S A PRETTY DECENT PITCHING PROSPECT FOR PHILLY. I DO KNOW THAT THIS INSERT IS FUCKING METAL AS HELL. A BEAR A WOLF AND A RATTLESNAKE ON WACKY HOLOSQUARES FOILBOARD. I HAD NO IDEA THESE THINGS EXISTED AND NOW I WANT THEM ALL. SO COOL

ALL IN ALL THIS WAS A PRETTY FUN PACK RIP FOR SEVEN BUCKS OR WHATEVER IT COST AND I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT NEED TO RIP ANOTHER ONE UNLESS THEY END UP IN CLEARANCE BOXES. WHICH THEY MIGHT. I REALLY NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I'M DOING WITH MY NEW-DONRUSS COLLECTION GOING FORWARD. I DOUBT I'LL EVER ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE SETS AND WHO KNOWS IF ANYONE WOULD EVEN WANT THE CARDS. I STILL HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR THEM IN ALL THEIR UGLINESS SO IT'S A DECISION I CAN PUT OFF FOR A WHILE. IF YOU SEE ONE OF THESE PACKS IN THE WILD AND ARE THINKING ABOUT PICKING IT UP, I SAY GO FOR IT AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO

ANOTHER BORING PACK RIP

I CHECKED OUT A NEW CARD PLACE YESTERDAY, AND PICKED UP SOME MORE LOOT TO SHOW OFF ON HERE. IT WAS A BOOTH IN AN ANTIQUE MALL SO YOU BET YOU'LL GET ANOTHER POST WITH A THOUSAND PICTURES OF CRAP ONE OF THESE DAYS WHEN I CAN GET THE PICS OFF MY PHONE. THIS PLACE HAD A BUNCH OF JUNK WAX AT INFLATED PRICES BUT EVEN MY CHEAPSKATE ASS WAS TEMPTED BY THIS:

1987 DONRUSS MAJOR LEAGUE ALL STARS POP-UP PUZZLE AND CARDS

MY 2006 FLEA MARKET BRAIN INSISTS THAT THIS PACK SHOULD COST 25 CENTS NOT A BUCK AND A QUARTER. 2023 HARSH REALITY BRAIN REALIZES THAT EVERYTHING IS STOOPID EXPENSIVE NOW AND I SHOULD GRAB LITTLE PIECES OF JOY WHEN I CAN. 1987 IS THE ONLY DONRUSS ALL-STARS SET I DON'T HAVE AT LEAST 90% COMPLETED SO THESE WILL PROBABLY BE NEW-TO-ME CARDS IN HERE. IT WAS ALSO THE CHEAPEST PACK IN THE BOOTH OTHER THAN A BUCK FOR A PRO-SET MUSIC SET I ALREADY HAVE COMPLETED AND $1.11 FOR A MAXX RACING PACK. WHY $1.11? WHO THE HECK KNOWS

BACK OF THE PACK TELLS YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW. 60 BIG POSTCARD SIZED PLAYER CARDS, 20 POP-UP CARDS AND THE UBIQUITOUS PUZZLE CARD. PREVIOUS ALL-STAR SETS AT LEAST HAD A UNIQUE PUZZLE DESIGN BUT IN THE LATE 80S DONRUSS GOT LAZY AND JUST PUT THE SAME ONE IN EVERYTHING. TIME TO CAREFULLY OPEN THE PACK SO THE WRAPPER DOESN'T SHRED

POP-UP - DICK HOWSER

THE POP UP SET IS THE STARTING NINE FOR EACH SQUAD PLUS THE MANAGER. GETTING A MANAGER ISN'T THE SEXIEST PULL BUT NONE OF THESE ODDLY SIZED POP-UP CARDS ARE EASY TO FIND IN THE WILD AND THE MANAGERS ESPECIALLY SO. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND A DICK HOWSER SECTION IN YOUR LOCAL CARD SHOP'S STAR BOX. I DON'T HAVE THIS CARD SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO PULL DICK

LOOK AT THIS GLORIOUS ALL STAR LOGO. IT SHOULD BE AIRBRUSHED ON THE SIDE OF A VAN SOMEWHERE. THE ASTROS REALLY KNOW HOW TO LOGO. THE CARDS FOLLOW THE FIRST TWENTY CARDS OF THE SET BUT THERE ARE NO CARD NUMBERS FOR POP-UPS. THIS IS ANNOYING IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A WANT LIST FOR THEM

#19 - GARY CARTER

GARY CARTER IS A NICE START TO THE PACK. AS YOU CAN SEE THE DESIGN IS BASICALLY THE DONRUSS FLAGSHIP DESIGN MINUS THE BASEBALL STRIPE DOWN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS THE BEST PART OF THAT DESIGN BUT WHATEVER, BLACK BORDERS LOOK NICE. THE GIGANTIC NATIONAL AND AMERICAN LEAGUE LOGOS ON THESE CARDS ARE ALSO PRETTY COOL. IT WOULD TAKE UP A GOOD SIXTH OF A STANDARD SIZED TRADING CARD. IF YOU'VE GOT ALL THIS CARDBOARD REAL ESTATE YOU MIGHT AS WELL USE IT

HERE'S THE BACK. A LOT OF HIGHLIGHTS, A LOT OF LOGOS AND A LINE FROM A BOX SCORE. VERY SIMPLE AND NICE LOOKING. CARD NUMBER COULD BE BETTER. BLACK ON BLUE AIN'T EASY TO READ, BUT I'M NITPICKING. ODDLY, THE BACK IS BLUE INSTEAD OF THE YELLOW THEY USED ON THE BASE SET. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME SHADE OF BLUE USED ON THE 1988 SET SO MAYBE DON OR RUSS SCORED A SWEET DEAL ON ELEVENTY BILLION GALLONS OF BLUE INK. SO MUCH INK IT LASTED UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF 1991

#25 HAROLD BAINES

HELL YEAH. HAROLD WEARING THOSE GREAT MID 80S WHITE SOX UNIS. OH I'M SORRY, HAROLD "MOTHERFUCKING HALL OF FAMER,  BITCHES! CRY ABOUT IT" BAINES. HALL OF FAME INJUSTICES HAVE CAUSED ME A LOT OF ANGST IN THE PAST COUPLE DECADES BUT BAINES IS A NICE REMINDER THAT CHAOS STILL REIGNS AND DESERVING PLAYERS CAN STILL GET HONORED IN THEIR LIFETIME. FRED AND SCOTT GETTING IN IS PRETTY AWESOME TOO, I LIKE BEING HAPPY ABOUT THE HALL OF FAME, MORE OF THIS PLEASE

#17 MIKE SCHMIDT

YEAAAAAH MICHAEL JACK SCHMIDT. FUN FACT, THE SCHMIDT CARD IS THE ONLY ONE I NEED TO COMPLETE THE 1983 ALL-STAR SET. I COULD HAVE BOUGHT THE WHOLE DAMN THING FOR FIVE BUCKS A FEW YEARS AGO BUT NOOOO I FELT THE NEED TO BUILD THE SET FROM MY TRASHED CARDS FROM 1983. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT IS ONE OF MY TOP TEN FAVORITE SETS OF ALL TIME AND WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE HAVING TWO SETS, ONE MINT AND ONE OF THE CARDS FROM MY CHILDHOOD. WHY DO I ALWAYS REMEMBER THE SHIT I DIDN'T GET INSTEAD OF THE PILES OF STUFF I HAVE. WHY IS MY BRAIN THE WAY THAT IT IS. 

ANYWAY, FUCK YEAH COOL MIKE SCHMIDT CARD. THIS RULES, DESPITE THE INADVERTENT PSYCHIC DAMAGE. JUST LOOK AT MIKE'S BIG BOOTY IN THOSE POWDER BLUES

LOOK AT IT

PUZZLE PIECE 40, 41, 42

ROBERTO CLEMENTE'S THIGH AND SOME LEAVES. I HAVE ALMOST A FULL 1600-COUNT BOX OF COMPLETED DONRUSS PUZZLE SETS IN TEAM BAGS AND AN ADDITIONAL THREE 800-COUNT BOXES MOSTLY FILLED WITH EXTRAS. NOT TO MENTION THE ONES I PUNCHED OUT AND PUT TOGETHER. IT'S ASTOUNDING HOW THESE THINGS ACCUMULATE. I DO NOT HOWEVER HAVE A LIST OF WHICH PIECES I NEED TO COMPLETE MOARER SETS. I SHOULD MAYBE GET ON THAT ONE OF THESE DAYS

THREE HALL OF FAMERS IN THE PACK, QUITE ACCEPTABLE. I WISH THE PACK COST A QUARTER INSTEAD OF EACH CARD BUT IT'S THE FUTURE, BABY! QUARTER BOXES BARELY EXIST ANYMORE, THIS WAS A STEAL. AM I GONNA RUN BACK TO THE ANTIQUE MALL AND BUY UP THE REST OF THE PACKS? EEEEH.... I'D NEED 20 PACKS MINIMUM TO COMPLETE THE SET AND LORD KNOWS THAT KIND OF COLLATION AINT' HAPPENING. NOT SURE I WANT TO SPEND 40 BUCKS TO WIPE OUT THE REST OF THE BOX JUST TO BE SHORT SEVERAL CARDS FROM BOTH THE MAIN AND POP-UP SET. I HAD MY FUN THOUGH AND CAN STILL DREAM OF STUMBLING UPON A CHEAP COMPLETE SET ONE DAY

MINOR LEAGUE PACK FROM TEH ANTIQUE MALL

HERE'S THAT FAT PACK OF 1994 CLASSIC MINOR LEAGUE ALL-STAR EDITION THAT I PICKED UP AT THE ANTIQUE MALL RUN I POSTED ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I FORGOT HOW MUCH I LIKED THIS SET DUE TO INCLUDING THE MINOR LEAGUE LOGOS ON THE CARDS. I PICKED UP A FEW PACKS BACK IN THE DAY AND HAVE ABOUT A THIRD OF THE SET. IT'S HONESTLY A PRETTY NICE LITTLE SET FOR 1994. NICE DOESN'T CUT THE MUSTARD THOUGH, DID I GET BEEG MOJO HEETZ??? OR AT LEAST SOME PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PLAYED IN THE MAJORS

WHOIZZIT? JOHN BURKE - COLORADO SPRINGS SKY SOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! 28 GAMES FOR THE ROCKIES

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 1 FOR 1 IN THE PACK

BURKE WAS THE ROCKIES' FIRST EVER DRAFT PICK AFTER PREVIOUSLY BEING SELECTED BY THE ORIOLES OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ASTROS AS THE NUMBER SIX OVERALL PICK IN 1991. REALLY NICE START TO THE PACK WITH A HISTORICAL PLAYER WHO MADE THE BIGS

WHOIZZIT? CURTIS GOODWIN - BOWIE BAYSOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! FIVE SEASONS IN THE BIGS

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 2 FOR 2!

A TWELFTH ROUND PICK FOR THE ORIOLES IN 1991, HE MADE HIS DEBUT FOR THE O'S IN 1995. HE BOUNCED AROUND TO THE REDS, ROCKIES AND CUBS BEFORE FINISHING UP WITH THE BLUE JAYS IN 1999. FIVE YEARS IN THE BIGS IS SOLID

WHOIZZIT? JIMMY HAYNES - BOWIE BAYSOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! TEN YEARS IN THE BIGS!

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 3 FOR 3!

A SEVENTH ROUND PICK FOR THE O'S IN 1991, JIMMY PITCHED A COUPLE YEARS IN BALTIMORE BEFORE GETTING TRADED TO OAKLAND FOR GERONIMO BERROA. HE STARTED GAMES FOR THE A'S AND BREWERS BEFORE SIGNING WITH THE REDS IN 2002 AND PUTTING UP A 15 WIN SEASON. IF WIKIPEDIA IS TO BE TRUSTED, JIMMY HAS THE RECORD FOR ALL-TIME WORST ERA AMONG PITCHERS WITH OVER 1000 INNING PITCHED. YOU GOTTA HAVE TALENT TO DO THAT

WHOIZZIT? TERRELL LOWERY - TULSA DRILLERS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! FOUR SEASONS

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 4 FOR 4!

TERRELL PLAYED BASKETBALL AT LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY WITH HANK GATHERS AND BO KIMBLE AND WENT TO THE ELITE EIGHT IN 1990. HE WAS DRAFTED BY THE RANGERS IN 1991 BUT WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN BY THE CUBS IN THE RULE 5 DRAFT. AFTER TWO YEARS WITH THE CUBS, LOWERY PLAYED A SEASON IN TAMPA AND ANOTHER IN SAN FRANCISCO

WHOIZZIT? MIKE BELL - CHARLESTON RIVERDOGS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! 19 GAMES FOR THE REDS

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? YES, ALTHOUGH MY COPY IS BEAT UP

MIKE IS THE BROTHER OF DAVID BELL AND THE SON OF BUDDY BELL. HE WAS DRAFTED BY THE RANGERS IN 1993, WAS LATER A DIAMONDBACKS EXPANSION DRAFT PICK AND EVENTUALLY SIGNED WITH THE REDS AS A FREE AGENT. MIKE WENT ON TO HAVE A LONG COACHING CAREER AND WAS THE TWINS' BENCH COACH IN 2020. HE SADLY PASSED FROM CANCER IN 2021

WHOIZZIT? SHAWN GREEN CREAM OF THE CROP INSERT

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YUP! WAS PRETTY GOOD

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? MAYBE? I KNOW I'VE SEEN THIS CARD BEFORE BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY MINOR LEAGUE INSERTS ARE AT THE MOMENT. LET'S JUST SAY WE'RE AT 5 FOR 6 NOW

FIRST CARD IN THE PACK WITH MVP AND HALL OF FAME VOTES. SHAWN WAS A FIRST ROUND PICK OF THE BLUE JAYS IN 1991 AND MADE HIS DEBUT FOR TORONTO IN 1993. HE WAS A ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CONTENDER IN HIS FIRST FULL SEASON IN 1995 AND AN ALL STAR, GOLD GLOVE WINNER AND SILVER SLUGGER IN 1999. TORONTO SWAPPED HIM TO THE DODGERS FOR RAUL MONDESI AND SHAWN PLAYED FIVE SOLID YEARS IN LA BEFORE FINISHING UP WITH THE DIAMONDBACKS AND METS. SHAWN ENDED UP WITH 328 HOMERS, OVER 1000 RBI AND 2000 HITS IN HIS CAREER, NOT TOO SHABBY

WHOIZZIT? KERWIN MOORE - HUNTSVILLE STARS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! 22 GAMES FOR OAKLAND

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 6 FOR 7!

KERWIN WAS DRAFTED BY THE ROYALS IN 1988 AND ALREADY HAD A BUNCH OF CARDS BY THE TIME THIS ONE CAME OUT, BUT HE MADE THE SHOW AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS

WHOIZZIT? GLENN MURRAY - PAWTUCKET RED SOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! 38 GAMES FOR PHILLY!

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 7 FOR 8!

GLENN WAS A SECOND ROUND PICK OF THE EXPOS IN 1989, GOT TRADED TO THE RED SOX AND THEN AGAIN TO THE PHILLIES. I'M SO USED TO BOWMAN SETS WHERE 80% OF THE PLAYERS TOP OUT AT DOUBLE-A, I'M FRANKLY SHOCKED EVERYONE IN THIS PACK SO FAR HAS REACHED THE BIGS

WHOIZZIT? JOE RANDA - OMAHA ROYALS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! TWELVE YEAR CAREER FOR JOE

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NO! 8 FOR 9! BEATING THE ODDS!

JOE WAS DRAFTED BY THE ROYALS IN THE 11TH ROUND IN 1991 FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE. RANDA MADE HIS DEBUT FOR THE ROYALS IN 1995 AND WAS THEN SHIPPED TO THE PIRATES, TAKEN BY THE DIAMONDBACKS IN THE EXPANSION DRAFT, SWAPPED TO THE TIGERS, THEN THE METS AND FINALLY BACK TO THE ROYALS, WHERE HE MANNED THRID BASE FOR SIX SEASONS. I LOVE TO SEE MINOR LEAGUE CARDS FOR GUYS WHO PLAY OVER TEN YEARS IN THE MAJORS

WHOIZZIT? YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YEP, I THINK HE DID

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? NOPE!!! 9 FOR 10!

I DID IT! I GOT THE BEEG MOJO HEETZ!!! THE GUY ON THE WRAPPER! I TOLD YA, ALWAYS BUY THE FAT PACK. ALEX PLAYED 22 SEASONS AND HIT 696 HOMERS AND WON THREE MVPS AND A WORLD SERIES AND ALL KINDSA OTHER AWARDS AND EVERYBODY HATES HIM AND HE WILL NEVER BE ELECTED TO THE HALL OF FAME BECAUSE WE CAN NEVER EVER HAVE NICE THINGS ON THIS BITCH OF AN EARTH. OH WELL, I'M SUPER HAPPY WITH THIS PACK AT ANY RATE

WHOIZZIT? CLEVELAND LADELL - CHATANOOGA LOOKOUTS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? NO. TOPPED OUT AT TRIPLE-A INDIANAPOLIS IN 1996

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? YES. 9 FOR 11

SO THIS PACK WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE 10 CARDS IN IT SO I AIN'T EVEN MAD ABOUT GETTING A DOUBLE HERE. CLEVELAND WAS DRAFTED IN THE 49TH ROUND BY THE ASTROS IN 1990 AND I'M PRETTY SURE THERE AIN'T THAT MANY ROUNDS ANYMORE. CINCINNATTI LATER PICKED HIM IN THE FOURTEENTH ROUND IN 1992. LADELL ALSO GOT INTO THE 1994 BOWMAN SET SO HE DOES HAVE AN OFFICIAL ROOKIE CARD. I LIKE THIS ONE WITH THE CHATTANOOGA GOOGLEY EYES LOGO BETTER

WHOIZZIT? RYAN MCGUIRE - LYNCHBURG RED SOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! SIX YEARS, MOSTLY WITH THE EXPOS

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? YES. 9 FOR 12

RYAN WAS A THIRD ROUND PICK BY THE SOX OUT OF UCLA IN 1993 AND WAS TRADED TO THE EXPOS IN 1996 FOR WIL CORDERO. MCGUIRE SPENT THREE YEARS WITH THE 'SPOS BEFORE FINISHING UP WITH THE METS, MARLINS AND ORIOLES

WHOIZZIT? LUIS ORTIZ - PAWTUCKET RED SOX

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! FOUR SEASONS

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? YES, TWO OF THEM ACTUALLY

LUIS WAS DRAFTED BY THE SOX IN THE 8TH ROUND IN 1991 AND MADE HIS DEBUT FOR THEM IN 1993. HE PLAYED 16 GAMES FOR THE SOX BEFORE BEING TRADED TO THE RANGERS IN THE JOSE CANSECO DEAL. HIS LAST GAME IN THE BIGS WAS IN 1996 BUT ORTIZ PLAYED IN THE MINORS, MEXICO AND JAPAN UNTIL 2004. HE LATER WENT IN TO COACHING AND IS NOW THE RED SOX ASSISTANT HITTING COACH AND INTERPRETER

WHOIZZIT? ARQUIMEDEZ POZO - JACKSONVILLE SUNS

DID HE PLAY IN THE BIGS? YES! 26 GAMES

DO I HAVE THE CARD ALREADY? YEP, I RECOGNIZED THIS ONE IMMEDIATELY. FINAL COUNT: 9 FOR 14

POZO IS THE ONLY GUY IN THE PACK WHO WASN'T DRAFTED AND WAS SIGNED BY THE MARINERS OUT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN 1990. HE HAD ONE AT BAT WITH SEATTLE IN A CUP OF COFFEE IN 1995 BEFORE BEING TRADED TO BOSTON. ARQUIMEDEZ FINISHED HIS CAREER PLAYING IN JAPAN, MEXICO AND KOREA

THAT WAS A HELLUVA PACK ALTHOUGH KARMA CAUGHT UP WITH ME AS ALL THE EXTRA CARDS IN THE PACK WERE DOUBLES. THAT WAS A FUN RIP FOR TWO BUCKS ALTHOUGH I PROBABLY WON'T GET ANY MORE AT THAT PRICE AS I STILL NEED ABOUT 125 CARDS TO COMPLETE THE SET. PRETTY SURE I CAN FIND A COMPLETE SET FOR LESS THAN THE THIRTY BUCKS IN PACKS I'D NEED TO EVEN START TO COME CLOSE TO FINISHING IT. I REALLY LIKE HOW THE FRONTS SHOW BOTH THE MINOR LEAGUE AND THE MAJOR LEAGUE CLUB LOGOS. THE BACKS ARE PRETTY NICE TOO WITH A SECOND DIFFERENT PHOTO AND SOME DECENT STATS. ALL IN ALL A NICE TRIP TO THE TRASH MUSEUM FOR ME!