If this post was a Wondermark comic, its title would be as follows:
"In Which the Box Was Killed"
Not much to say when you're completely out of Gint-a-Cuffs by pack 4. Here's the damage.
PACK 2:
273 Brent Morel
279 Jose Tabata
222 James Shields
AOM09 Ascent of Man Placoderms
AGR-ARA Alexi Ramirez
78 Luke Scott Mini
HH65 Adrian Gonzalez Hometown Heroes
Pulling a hit in pack 2: good. Pulling a jersey card of Alexei Ramirez: bad. This is why you don't buy boxes for "The Hits". You buy boxes for insert cards of Placoderms! Saying it right now for all posterity: 2011 Allen & Ginter Ascent of Man is the insert set of the year. My crappy scans notwithstanding, these things look amazing. The subject matter of the set also pisses off my local school board something fierce, so there's a bonus. I'm not entirely sure how placoderms illustrate the evolution of man since the card back specifically states they went extinct. But hey, armor plated fish.
MINI CARD - Did Luke Scott make the Frankenset? - NO. Cockblocked by 2008 Ivan Rodriguez.
PACK 3:
228 Brandon Snyder
81 Yonder Alonso
194 Rick Porcello
104 Huston Street
174 Joakim Soria
322 Trevor Cahill SP
NO FRIGGIN MINI
MMF39 Samuel Colt Minds That Made The Future
Topps quality control strikes again with a missing mini card. Crap like this is why you have to pack search just to make sure you're getting what you're supposed to get in the pack. I'm looking at you, 8 card Heritage pack I bought from Target two days ago. Whoever pulls two mini cards in your pack, remember... THAT'S MY MINI YOU SHAFT.
On a positive note, I got a "Minds That Made The Future" card in this pack. These cards are frickin' sweet. This and the Evolution set are going to be the two standard sized inserts I collect out of this set. The rest I'll snag Braves and maybe a type card or two but I don't really care about them anymore. I can't care about them, because Topps has so overly bloated this product that Master Set collectors across the country are all committing suicide faster than a Hackergate whistleblower. Back in 2006 and 2007 there was one one-per-pack insert set of 30 Dick Perez Sketches. In 2008, we get 50 State flags as the one perpack insert. 2009, 75 World flags. Last year Topps was kind enough to keep their Newspaper Headline set at 75 cards. This year? The one a pack insert is a 100 card Hometown Heroes set. But wait! It's not one a pack anymore, because you can also pull Scientists or Ships instead of a Hometown Heroes card. So in summary, 5 years ago you have a kickass base set and an easily attainable one per pack 30 card set. Today you'll probably have three full sets completed (with SPs!) before you knock out that Hometown Heroes set. Oh well, I'll sacrifice any chance at completeness for a cool Steampunk looking set I guess.
PACK 4:
177 Aaron Crow
24 Kristi Yamaguchi
171 John Lackey
37 Fausto Carmona
AGR-TC Tyler Colvin
258 Howie Kendrick Mini
HH36 Gordon Beckham Hometown Heroes
A Cub. My second relic is a Cub. Not even a good Cub! A .105 hitting Cub! (are there good Cubs?) Ze box... she ees dead. I'd have to pull a cut auto of Jesus to pull this one out. One other thing about relics this year - do the edges of the swatches look burned to anyone else? Like they were cut by laser or something? The mini cards are inside the frames tighter too. You used to be able to slide them around, now they won't budge. The pack is saved by a colorful Kristi Yamaguchi card and the Beckham Hometown Hero. I ain't collecting them all, but this card of a fellow ATLien and Georgia Bulldog is neat.
MINI CARD - Did Howie Kendrick make the Frankenset? - NO. 2009 King Felix retains his throne.
I'll do my best to post packs 5-8 before August.
