I bought into
Thorzul's Five Dollar Group Break of assorted schtuff and I was able to pick up the Braves lot this time. The package arrived today with the cards wrapped in the Milwaukee home listings for added protection. I guess he's trying to hint that I should move up north so he'll have someone nearby that he can challenge to a game of
Star Wars Attacktix. Most of the cards were from the past 6 years with a few vrom the early '90s. I've picked out 10 cards of note from the package.
2004 Upper Deck Mike Hampton
I miss Hampy. I wish he had been able to actually play through most of his time with the Braves. One of the reasons I was a Hampton fan is right here: the guy could really play defense. Look at him blocking the plate and mailing Alex Gonzalez of the Marlins. He didn't steal that Gold Glove away from Maddux, he earned it. 2004 is a pretty good design from Upper Deck too. It's tought to see in the scan but there is a little image of Turner Field in that blue bar under the photo.
1993 Score Select Traded Greg Maddux
This is probably one of Gregs best looking cards. It looks better in person as the gold name and stripe in the blue border is invisible on the scan. The regular version of '93 Score Select is kind of crummy looking with green borders on somewhat cheap stock, but the traded version is nice and glossy. The photo of Maddux is great. Greg is smiling broadly now that he's away from that cursed franchise he used to play for.
2004 Upper Deck Play Ball Chipper Jones
2003 Play Ball was basically the Beta version of Goudey. 2004 Play Ball... well you can see for yourself. Looking at this card of my favorite player, I can honestly say that 2004 Play Ball is the most gawdawful ugliest set in the history of forever. If anyone would like to contest this fact make your case in the comments.
2003 Topps Bubba Nelson 1st year card
Oddly, this was the only card inthe package that was in a penny sleeve and the sleeve was on upside down. I have nothing more to add other than this: BubbaBubbaBubbaBubbaBubba.
2006 Co-Signers Chipper Jones
Odd, the gold foil
scanned weirdly on my card too. That's really the only reason I chose a Co-Signers card for the post. Co-Signers is
Joanie and Chachi to Stadium Club's
Happy Days.
2009 Heritage Jeff Francouer
Ah, I love me some Heritage. Frenchy looked good in Spring Training, but he better get it together in the regular season or the yellow, white and black border on this card will be foreshadowing his trade to the Pirates.
2008 Playoff Contenders Cole Rohrbough
I think this is both my first '08 Playoff Contenders card and my first card of Rohrbough. Cole is part of a wave of Atlanta pitching prospects that is supposed to hit the bigs in the next few years. I'm glad to have the card, but it reminds me of how lame Playoff baseball card designs used to be.
1993 Score SelectGreg McMichael All Star Rookie Team
DUFEX!!! Kick ass. This might be the best card in the bunch. I've never had one of these in my mitts before so I'm loving it.
2005 Upper Deck ESPN Javy Lopez ESPY Award Winner
ESPN doesn't appeal to me at all and the '05 card set makes me sleepy. I hadn't realized Javy won an ESPY though, so what the heck, let's share the knowledge.
ESPYs are still stupid2009 Upper Deck Spectrum Tim Hudson
With all the problems UD had with this set, I'm actually somewhat surprised that Tim Hudson is not in an A's uniform here. This set is still stupid
There were 55 more cards in the package, not bad for the price of a UD Hobby pack. Here's hoping Thorzul finds another huge lot of junk cards soon so there can be a third cheapo group break!
I miss Hampy. I wish he had been able to actually play through most of his time with the Braves. One of the reasons I was a Hampton fan is right here: the guy could really play defense. Look at him blocking the plate and mailing Alex Gonzalez of the Marlins. He didn't steal that Gold Glove away from Maddux, he earned it. 2004 is a pretty good design from Upper Deck too. It's tought to see in the scan but there is a little image of Turner Field in that blue bar under the photo.
This is probably one of Gregs best looking cards. It looks better in person as the gold name and stripe in the blue border is invisible on the scan. The regular version of '93 Score Select is kind of crummy looking with green borders on somewhat cheap stock, but the traded version is nice and glossy. The photo of Maddux is great. Greg is smiling broadly now that he's away from that cursed franchise he used to play for.
2003 Play Ball was basically the Beta version of Goudey. 2004 Play Ball... well you can see for yourself. Looking at this card of my favorite player, I can honestly say that 2004 Play Ball is the most gawdawful ugliest set in the history of forever. If anyone would like to contest this fact make your case in the comments.
Oddly, this was the only card inthe package that was in a penny sleeve and the sleeve was on upside down. I have nothing more to add other than this: BubbaBubbaBubbaBubbaBubba.
Odd, the gold foil scanned weirdly on my card too. That's really the only reason I chose a Co-Signers card for the post. Co-Signers is Joanie and Chachi to Stadium Club's Happy Days.
Ah, I love me some Heritage. Frenchy looked good in Spring Training, but he better get it together in the regular season or the yellow, white and black border on this card will be foreshadowing his trade to the Pirates.
I think this is both my first '08 Playoff Contenders card and my first card of Rohrbough. Cole is part of a wave of Atlanta pitching prospects that is supposed to hit the bigs in the next few years. I'm glad to have the card, but it reminds me of how lame Playoff baseball card designs used to be.
DUFEX!!! Kick ass. This might be the best card in the bunch. I've never had one of these in my mitts before so I'm loving it.
ESPN doesn't appeal to me at all and the '05 card set makes me sleepy. I hadn't realized Javy won an ESPY though, so what the heck, let's share the knowledge. ESPYs are still stupid
With all the problems UD had with this set, I'm actually somewhat surprised that Tim Hudson is not in an A's uniform here. This set is still stupid
I'm getting closer and closer to the non-SP base set. I've got this set in sheets too so it's very satisfying knocking out empty spaces here and there.
Here's a New Age Performer from the guy who pitched a no hitter for the Fish and immediately wrecked his arm.
Flashback cards are the best. Here's Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. I also got Warren Spahn from Thorzul. You'll see Braves soon enough, trust me...
Frank Robinson as a Cincinatti Red, Ryan Howard as a red tomato. The perfect card.
Here's a Bob Gibson Highlight from his rookie season. One of these days I either need to buy that third box of Heritage or post my wantlist.
This knocks the number of base cards I need to three. Short prints are another matter... Now onto the random weirdness.
I'm not sure what happened here. In addition to the Heritage and Goudey, Thorzul incuded a bunch of Braves players. Well, Braves and a random Willie. It's kind of disturbing to be shuffling through your cards and have a Willie pop out at you. A MOVING Willie at that! The only reason I can see for this to be included is that Randolph had been fired from the Mets so I could finally start liking him again. I cannot in good faith comment on this card without pointing out the lady in the background. Her arms move during the swing so it sort of looks like she's clapping like a seal.
I like this insert set. The background looks like a Van Gogh painting, Maddux looks like a radioactive giant destroying the landscape below, and this is one of the very, very few instances where red foil actually works on a card. It's too bad that '05 Tradition was such a bizarre set. There were also 5 other random Braves included such as a Red Turkey Red card of Tom Glavine, but let's just move on.
Five stickers total including this Hall of Fame relievers sticker from '86 Topps,
and four more from 1987 like this Bob Horner sticker. Now for the big hits...
Since I had the Smoltz card, Thorzul surprised me with this. Surprise! I have three of this card now. It'll go to a good home though.
Now this is cool. Starting Lineups were out of my price range in the 80's and when the market collapsed for them, I slacked on goign back and buying up all the braves for cheap. I don't have the Murphy figure, but I have the coin now at least.
In two separate trades (I'm posting them both at the same time because I was lazy and put off the first one) I sent Thorzul a pile of 07 Updates & Highlights cards, an Allen & Ginter N43 card of Prince Fielder I had an extra of, and the Ryan Braun/Yovani Gallardo insert I pulled from my '52 Rookies box break. I have the scan of the Fielder card, but not the Braun because I thought I scanned if for the box break. Oops. I also sent a bunch of extra stuff that I can't remember, you'll have to pester Thorzul to see those cards. Here's the schwag I got in return:
A few Bravo cards, including a Justice Rookie, Avery with the Richmond Braves and a Post cereal Glavine that didn't make the cut for Mmmmmmmm cards. Plus a sticker! Yay sticker!
An Atlanta Hawk from their glory years and the Hawks scouting and player development department that was instrumental in putting the team together.
Another unsolicited Wacky Packages card. You guys are going to make me buy a box of this eventually, and when I do you're going to suffer through me posting all the worst puns from the box.