2010 Allen & Ginter Box Break Part 1: Packaging, Box Topper and the Very First Pack

Ok, I have my box, it is all ripped up, I know exactly what is and is not in the box and it's time to show it off to the world. The first thing I have to show is all the various ephemera and assorted detritus contained there in, AKA the packaging. Don't give me that look, I always do this. The box top is nice. Old Timey player (Night Owl calls him Minty Beans and I believe I shall as well) pivots for the double play while surrounded by two cards you likely won't get and one you sure as hell won't get.

The inner flap is a tad disappointing as it is merely a reordering of the box top. The inside flap has slowly devolved in originality since I broke my first box in 2007 and next year it will likely be the exact same as the front image. 2012 will have a plain blank cardboard inside flap and in 2013, There will be no packaging at all, Topps will just throw a handful of packs into a used Wal-Mart shopping bag and twist tie the top.

Here are the interesting bits from the side panels. They are mostly the typical ad stuff, but there's a different image on each side for once. Might they be a part of the Code?

Grand Sailing Ship

Flaming Vuvuzela/World's Largest Spliff

Wild Turkey

Old Timey Astronomer/Prevert looking in the Girl's Dorm Window

These might actually be representations of some of the cards in the set. There's a Ship insert set... and I think something about astrology... and turkeys? Oh heck with it. Vuvuzela activate! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The box bottom has typical legalese. the left side is boring so no scan. Here's the box odds:

I have no idea how an N43 can be 1:3 boxes, a cabinet can be 1:2 boxes and you still get something in every box. All that autorelic crap does not land 1:6 boxes which is what you would need to make the math add up. Topps couldn't even answer their own Canadian skill test question with that mathematical shoddiness.

Now this is interesting. No more group A and B and C D E F G relic and autos. All of 'em are mushed up in a big lump o' autorelics. You can read all that mess yourself, here are only ones I care about:

Autos:
Tommy Hanson
Yunel Escobar
Jason Heyward

Relics:
Brian McCann
Yunel Escobar
Melky Cabrera

This list subject to change.

Oh, look. A serial number underneath the packs. I shall scan it and post it, for I am insane. These numbers are getting complicated. A&G never had letters in their serial number before unless they have always used Base 24 and just not told anyone.


Ok, just because I love you all and I have no idea how close I am to filling up my free Picasa photo storage here's the checklist in 400DPI.

Enjoy quickly, the nanosecond Google wants me to pay I'm deleting the suckers.

Ok! Actual cardage! I GOTS A CABINET CARD!

Topps does not in any Manner, make any representations as to whether its cards will attain any future value.

AIN'T IT DA TRUTH.

Did all you Strasburg Psychotics read that? Do you need CPR now? Ok, here's the card:

A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL, PANAMA

Looking over the checklist, this is the absolute best I could have possibly done for a Cabinet card. Teddy Roosevelt is my favorite president so I can dig this one. Better than a cabinet card of Andrew McCutcheon and only Andrew McCutcheon.

All right. this is what you've all been waiting for. THE FIRST PACK:

But first, the odds:

Here are the odds and the number of said inserts you can reasonable expect in any given box:

Short Print - 1:2 (12 per box)
Mini Short print - 1:13 (2 per box, 1 if you're unlucky)
Mini A&G Ad back - 1:5 (6 per box)
Mini A&G Ad back SP - 1:65 (I suppose you could get one)
Mini Black border - 1:10 (2 per box, three if you're lucky)
Mini Black border SP - 1:130 (not likely)
Mini No number - 1:140 (still not likely)
Mini Bazooka back (not bloody likely)
Mini Wood - (fughettaboudit)
National Animals - 1:8 (3 per box)
Lords Of Olympus - 1:12 (2 per box)
Monsters of the Mesozoic - 1:12 (2 per box)
Worlds Greatest Wordsmiths - 1:24 (1 per box)
Sailors of the Seven Seas - 1:24 (1 per box)
Creatures of Legend, Myth and Joy 1:288 (The hell? These aren't on the checklist! Dammit Topps)
Baseball Highlight Sketch insert - 1:10 (2 per box, three if you're lucky)
Rip card 1:285 (5 other bloggers you know will pull one, but you won't)
Framed Printing plates - 1:799
Framed Cloth cards - 1:365 (Printing plates and Silks only come when you aren't expecting them. Are you expecting one? Then forget it.)
Framed Mini Autographs - 1:40 (Oh you're really hoping to pull one of these...)
Framed Relics - 1:11 (But you'll get three of these instead.)
Cut Signatures - 1:110,000 (Only if you buy one of those awful TriStar packs along with your box of A&G)
Monsters of the Mesozoic redemption card - 1:174,000 (It's a redemption, don't sweat it)
Book Cards - 1:127,875 (Why would you want this anyway?)
Frames  DNA relic - 1:200,000 (Is your name Beckett? then no)

Ok cards now for reals. TEH FURST CARDE INN THEE PAKC:

(note to Gint-A-Cuff Nazis - it is 12:15 right now and I need to post this quickly so I can go to sleep. I'll add up points tomorrow sometime)

73 - Avery Jenkins

Champion Disc Golfer. That's the way to set the tone for the entire break. Any sport that requires the competitors to grab a large phallus in order to play the sport is all right with me.

63 Matt Carson

After being mostly unobtrusive in their other releases, Topps now throws that Rookie Card logo RIGHT IN YOUR FACE for their most design sensitive set of the year. Graphic design genius, I say.

267 Martin Prado

MARTEEEEEEEEEN! Your Starting National League All Star second baseman. If you don't know who Martin is by now, you just don't know baseball.

64 Josh Beckett

I can't remember - is Beckett incredible or a bum this year? It's so hard to keep track of these things.

91 Carlos Zambrano -1

BOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm playing hearts and I just took the queen of spades. Stupid Cubbie hothead.

AGHS5 Ichiro Sketch card

Screw you haters, I like the sketch cards. Not enough to rescan it when it got cut off at the bottom, but I like them. Ichiro's probably the best of a sparse checklist this year.

206 JD Drew A&G mini +2

Bluh. My first two minis of the year are Teixeira and Drew. Oh well, does this card make the FrankenSet? the answer is....

YES

A&G Drew bumps a 2007 Mike Napoli out of the binder.

TDH51 Gordon Beckham +1

Cool, a Bulldog for my first This Date in history. I think this will be my favorite of all the one-per-pack insert sets from A&G (No offense Dick Perez - your sketches are cool too)

Packs 2-4 will be up tomorrow. I hope.

It's not a bug, it's a feature

There's been some consternation on the blogosphere about miscut cards in Topps' products lately.

Especially the reprint or vintage looking cards seem to have a high amount of miscut issues.

If you look carefully, the same cards seem to be miscut in the same ways.

Even cards like this Rivera are anachronistically miscut with a bit of white on the edge, something that would never happen on a real 2001 card.

You see, Topps is doing this on purpose as a throwback to the good old days when card manufacturing was a litte more lax and not as highly technologically advanced as it is today. Stuff like this happened back then, it wasn't a big deal. You just got used to it.

It's 1980 all over again folks... time to get used to it.

Random stream of conciousness thoughts on today's game

I have GOT to start leaving at least two hours before first pitch. Period. I dawdled today, left an hour and a half before game time and got off the exit to Turner field just in time to see the flyover. We got to our seats in time to see the beginning of the second inning, but alas, the score was pretty much settled by then.

I always screw up parking. If I don't flat out miss the exit, I end up in the wrong lane for my lot or end up trying to get into a permit only lot. Today I turned too early and ended up in a $20 ripoff lot. The bright side is it was right next to the interstate so getting on the road was actually pretty easy.

I found out there was a $3 surcharge on tickets bought the day of the game. It might have been just for this game though - I've never seen that before. I'd rather give the Braves my money instead of Ticketmaster getting it anyway.

In my haste to get into the game I forgot to gawk over Maddux's newly retired number. I regret that.

I didn't even bother to check out the gift shop for cards. Again, I need to be getting there early for this stuff. I did get my son one of those foam #1 hands ($10?!?) and remembered to hit the penny squisher this time.

The seats were way up there on the first base side. They worked out well for three reasons:

1. I got aisle seats with a decent view of the first base side and it wasn't a hassle to get up when we wanted.
2. We were directly facing the fireworks that were shot off above the Club 755 level  and we were high enough so they were just about right in front of us.
3. Scantily clad women EVERYWHERE and up and down those steps all day. If I had a dollar for every time I saw cleavage today I'd have eleventy bazillion dollars. Seveny bazillion after taxes. 

Whenever I arrive late to a game I never get my GameDay program at the gate. I always manage to scrounge a discarded one in the stands though.

There were lots of guys resting today. Conrad, Hinske, Diaz and Blanco all got starts. Chipper got in the game late thankfully. 

The fans were somewhat subdued today. I think the heat got to us a little. That and the lack of offensive threats.

Huddy was dealing. I don't know what he did in the first to give up the two runs that ultimately decided the game, but he didn't deserve a loss today.

Ricky Nolasco didn't deserve to lose either though and he didn't. Strikeouts everywhere! Gosh!

Friggin Uggla. #@$%!!

We wandered up to the Coca-Cola Sky field after the 5th inning. Got there just in time to see Big Mac's homer.

For the second straight year, my son ran the base up there at the Coca-Cola pavillion. also for the second straight year, I tried to video it and somehow buggered it up. The camera's supposed to go when you hit the START button, right?!?

The new Coke Bottle sucks, I don't care if it has a video screen on it now. Bring back the old one with all the baseball equipment on it.

Big ovation when announcing the All Stars. J-Hey got the hugest ovation. That man owns this town already. 

Moments after scolding my kid for not getting his drink out of the way of the aisle while people were trying to pass, I dropped a peanut shell onto the guy sitting in front of me. D'oh!

Biggest ovation: Chipper Jones coming in to pinch hit for Hinske in the 8th.
Biggest boo: The Marlins intentionally walking Chipper.

Jersey Totals:
Heyward #22 and Jones #10 were in abundance. The two were neck and neck for the battle for #1 most worn jersey. 
I only saw one #7 Frenchy jersey THANK GOD. There were dozens being worn last game.
McCann was well represented. As was Hudson. Also saw Prado, Escobar, Hanson. No Glaus, Wagner or Jurrjens which surprised me.
Old School representin': Aaron, Murphy, Glavine, McGriff A. Jones. No Smoltz.
Most anachronistic jersey seen: Fred McGriff red Sunday alternate jersey. 
Soccer football jerseys beat American football jerseys 3-1. The one American Football jersey was a bootleg Falcons #7.

Vuvuzelas: 1. It was kinda weak. They must only be annoying when they number in the thousands.

Final Score: Marlins 3, Braves 2. Disappointing, the pitching was solid but the bats just weren't there today. Still a good game, can't complain about it.

After the game there was an hour or so before it got dark enough to shoot the fireworks. I guess they started at 5:00pm just in case the Braves decided to do another 20 inning game on the 4th. To fill the time before it got dark they had a band play. Yacht Rock Revue.  OH. MAH. GAWD. AM GOLD. The cheese! It burns! Even Worse: I LIKED HALF THE SONGS THEY PLAYED. Good Lord I am old.

The fireworks: awesome as usual. No shrapnel hit the seats causing small fires this time. The song list leaned a little to country for my tastes, but country is practically their marketing plan right now.

My favorite song to hear fireworks to: Stars and Stripes Forever. I love me some Sousa.

Cracker Jack Prize:

Benjamin Franklin foldee. Highly appropriate for today, no?

All is right in my world

ALL STAR:

NOT AN ALL STAR:

Omar Infante is an All Star??!?!!?!

What is this... I don't even...

Wait, Prado, Mac, Huddy and J-HEY are in too!!!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

An Ultra-Pro observation, question and advice

Has anyone else noticed this? I picked up a couple of packages of Ultra-Pro pages at Target today so I could put my 2010 Ginter away properly. When I got home and opened them up, the pages seemed noticeably thinner than I'm used to. I'm not saying they are flimsy or anything, the plastic is still high quality and the seams are solid. they just seemed a little thinner and lighter.

I compared a page with an Ultra-Pro page in an older binder and the new ones do seem to be a little thinner and less rigid than the old ones. The only way I can think of to really test this hypothesis is to get 60 pages of the old sheets and stack them up next to 60 of the new sheets for comparison. Unfortunately all my old sheets are currently filled up with cards which is why I bought the new ones in the first place.

I personally think the change is good (if there is a change and I'm not going loopy). Thinner pages mean your binders are lighter and less bulky. I haven't gone so far as to trash a page doing stress tests but those Ultra-Pro seams are still sturdy. The best part is the plastic seems to be softer and more flexible so there's less danger of  nicking a card on the edge while putting it in the pocket. This is a real danger when slipping vintage cards into pages, I've nicked many a cardboard edge on pages before. Has Ultra-Pro managed to improve a hobby staple? If I'm not just hallucinating it after an overtime-laden week at work I think they have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On a related note, there's a blog out there doing a contest related to storing tobacco-sized mini cards. I've completely lost the link and I forgot to put it on the News Box so I unfortunately have no clue which blog is is right now. Long story short, the contest asked what was the best way to store tobacco-sized cards other than in plastic sheets. I didn't bother to enter the contest because the only way to properly store tobacco cards is in 15 pocket plastic sheets.

If you absolutely refuse to put them in sheets, Semi-rigid card savers will also work but that is still an awful lot of holder for a little card. You can also put them in a team bag sideways to store a bunch of them at a time, but then you have to figure out where to store those. Top loaders are useless, especially the tiny little tobacco-sized ones. Those mini size top loaders float all over the place when you put them in a box with the big boys. Any kind of plastic case sucks because the cards slide everywhere and bang on the sides. Same with small cardboard boxes. A real cigar box that once held actual cigars would be the only choice in boxes, but they're still going to slide around. I suppose you could get them slabbed at 10 bucks a pop if you had money to burn.

If you want to properly protect and display the tobacco minis you need pages. You can't just buy them at Wally World though. I got an e-mail today asking where to find the things so I gave this advice on finding them:

Check your local card shop. If they have a decent amount of supplies they'll likely have them. If not, ask the owner or manager and see if they will carry them. More often than not they will gladly stock supplies if a customer requests them and if not then maybe it's time to find a new shop.

No local card shop? No problem, just look online. Amazon has them and if you want to shop around or buy less than 100 pages at a time, just go a Google search for card pages 15 pocket. Easy peasy. 

That's all there is to it. Protect and display those minis!

(no Ultra-Pro isn't giving me kickbacks - I know what I like)

The FrankenSet awakens from its slumber

Now that 2010 Allen & Ginter is live and in my greedy little hands, I can start adding once again to my Allen & Ginter mini card FrankenSet. If you're not familiar with the concept of the FrankenSet, it's when a collector takes a bunch of similar sets that he has no hope of completing and merges them all into a giant unholy mess of a set where the only thing tying the cards together is the fact that they are somewhat similar in design and all have sequential card numbers. I have created three FrankenSets so far, but this was my first and favorite monstrosity.

I think I was inspired my Ben Henry's best of 1980's Topps concoction The 792, but while his was an exercise in checklisting, necessity was the mother of my invention. I had a massive pile of A&G minis and no shot of completing any one years' set. But by combining them all together... why, then I had a chance! I sorted them all 1-350, picked my favorite from each number and put 'em all in pages. I only need 74 more minis, but I could do with upgrades in many of the subjects. No, I'm not posting a list. I want this set to grow organically. I now have twenty-five more minis that might be able to fill a hole or bump another card. I shall spend much of the weekend getting my box break in order so I can finally add some new cards to the FrankenBinder.

A&G Name Plate Cabinet

I clicked on a perfectly innocent eBay link over at A Cardboard Problem and then my brain exploded.

humminahumminahumminahummina.....

Here's the eBay link. Right now it's at $316 with 9 days to go. If I don't pay my mortage this month I might be able to win it. Of course then I shall be murdered by my wife, but it would be a happy death. Here's the name plate checklist for reference purposes:

I'm disappointed AJ Pierzynski and Jarrod Saltalamacchia aren't on the list. You could pick out those cards by the box that was three feet long. Just in case everyone is having problems seeing blogger images and it's not just me, here's the complete list of subjects:

Chase Utley
Chipper Jones
Tony Hawk
Joe Mauer
Ryan Braun
David Ortiz

And I'm not stalling on posting my A&G box break, I've been doing almost nothing but work ever since I bought it (ok, and watching Braves and World Cup too - but mostly work) so I'm waaaaaay behind in writing and scanning. Instead of doing it first, I'm going to do it right and postpone the first post until Monday. At least I hope Monday. I've got tickets to the Braves this 4th of July. I hope it doesn't turn out like the 1985 game....

Some Panini World Cup Singles

World Cup quarters start today so here's some stickers I got at Atlanta Sports Cards. You can get two packs of 8 stickers for $1.50 each or 20 loose stickers for $3. I chose quantity over randomness and picked out some shineys and my three favorite teams. First up:

Jabulani! Now we all know that all the weird goals and bungles scoring opportunity are not the ball's fault. The ball has nothing on all the blind, brain dead sociopathic referees out there. Do they get a sticker? Hell naw.

Here's Zakumi the precocious lion? cheetah? Jonas Brother? mascot. This critter is on just about every page of the album as he shows up in the team colors of the nation on that page. This one is in his official uniform (even though he's not holding the official ball) and is surrounded by holographic fireworks. Oh wait, LEOPARD. Spots. Aaaaahh, got it. Zakumi the leopard.

I have the other half of the South Africa logo and my OCD was driving me nuts until I found this half to past in the book.

Here's the teams I got:

ITALIA!!! Oh wait, I mean italia... after that miserable performance.

USA! USA! USA! FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS! How the heck do you lose to Ghana two cups straight anyway?

The looks on these guys' faces pretty much sums up the performance of England 2010. Wayne played like Andy.

This confused the hell out of me. A couple of the stickers I picked up had blue backs. Panini parallels?? Who cares, they're stuck.

Notice how all three of my teams failed with various levels of spectacularness? The team that wasn't supposed to be any good actually did the best of all three. Time for me to find another team to root for. Maybe...

THE DUTCH

vaaaaaat?

Good Job, Topps

I don't mind the stupid stuff you do as long as you fix your mistakes.

Steven Strasburg RC Card #661 will be found in 2010 Topps Update.

I think Topps has finally learned you don't f$%# with the base set. Good job. I'm proud of you. May the road rise with you. May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house. May the seed of your loin be fruitful in the belly of your woman. Yay Topps!

I'm happy to see this too.

drooooooooooooooooool..........

Joy of a Completed Page - 2007 Heritage

Here's a filler post while I try to get all my Allen & Ginter stuff scanned. Enjoy.

I like this set. It's cheesy - but I like it. The skip numbered shortprints that land two per page I don't like. I guess that was a result of the original set not really having a scarce high number series.

Whoops, voting ends today

All Star Voting ends today. I usually procrastinate on this because I like to check out the stats for comparison before I vote and waiting until the last minute ensures that i get the best possible statistical snapshot so I can avoid voting for someone who simply had a hot April. That and I'm a lazy slob. Here's my ballot for this year:

As you can see, my ballot can be broken down into two categories.

HEAD

For the AL side of the ballot, I scrutinize every stat and pick the best overall player at each position. In the case of two equally worthy players my sometimes twisted logic gets to be the tiebreaker. I won't half-ass this though - if I don't have a good argument for voting that player in, I can't check that ballot. Here are my AL picks:

Catcher: Joe Mauer
Joe is a bad, bad man. The only catcher in the league I'll admit is better than McCann.

First Base: Miguel Cabrera
This one was a tough choice between Miggy and Morneau. I chose Cabrera because screw the Twins. That's right, Justin, Kent Hrbek and his goon wrestling moves cost you votes 19 years later. KARMA, BEEYOTCH!

Second Base: Robinson Cano
I remember a couple of years ago when Yankee fans were whining about Cano because he wasn't superstarry enough for them. Now Cano's hitting his prime and the rest of the team is starting to look like geezers.

Shortstop: Elvis Andrus
Dude, I just voted for a Damn Yankee, I ain't gonna vote for two. Elvis has the bat and the leather and his name is ELVIS so shaddap youse.

Third Base: Evan Longoria
Adrian Beltre is probably having just as good a year or better than Evan, making this a tough choice. In the end I used the baseball card test. Would you rather pull a jersey card of Evan or Beltre? Thought so.

Outfield: Josh Hamilton
I think when Mickey Mantle died, his spirit entered Josh. When the dude's not injured or intoxicated, he's FREAKING AMAZING.

Outfield: Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro has passed beyond the level of superstar into the realm of Legend. Not voting for Ichiro is like not voting for Cobb or Ruth or Aaron or Mays. He's still hitting too.

Outfield: Carl Crawford
Nelson Cruz has a gripe here - his stat totals are almost the same as Crawford's with a whole lot fewer at bats. But Cruz has been injured and Crawford is just an all around good player. Lord, I hope he's not in pinstripes next year.

Designated Hitter: Vlad Guerrero
I hate voting for the DH because every year I check the stats of everyone on the ballot and over half of them are pure, unmitigated failures. Just AWFUL stats. Vlad is the exception this year. He's raking in Texas and is actually worthy of a vote.

HEART

I'm a homer ballot box stuffer, I admit. In fact, I'm proud of it. If you don't like it go back to your sabermetrics and twiddle with your numbers. I have standards when stuffing and my ballot will usually not consist of all Braves. 

Catcher: Brian McCann

He's having an off year and he's still got one of the best stat lines for an NL catcher this season. Plus, someone's got to combat the Cardinal ballot box stuffers.

First Base: Troy Glaus

Pujols has this running away so I'm giving Troy a little love. Once he got hot in May the Braves have been dominant and I need to reward him for that. I do feel bad about not voting for Joey Votto though. Joey needs to be on the team over Howard but I don't think it will happen. 

Second Base: Martin Prado

No homer pick here, Prado is leading the league in hits and average. He'll probably be the starter if Utley can't come back from the DL fast enough.

Shortstop: Hanley Ramirez

No way I'm voting for Yunel after the stinkeroo of a season he's put up so far. At least the guy can field. This is also a thank you to Hanley for getting Fredi Gonzalez fired so the Braves can hire him to replace Bobby. 

Third Base: Chipper Jones

Come on, this might be the last time I can vote for him! Gotta vote for Chipper!

Outfield: Jason Heyward

I know he's on the DL and has slumped since he hurt his thumb. Honestly, the only reason I took the time to vote at all is because I wanted to vote for J-Hey. I plan to vote for him every single year he's on the ballot for the rest of my life, so get used to it. Once he retires in about 2035 I'll likely write him in after that. 

Ok. Now you all have my permission to start yelling at me.

Outfield: Manny Ramirez

Outfield: Justin Upton

Here's where the Homerism reaches full bloom. The best outfielders in the NL are Braun and Ethier, hands down. Can't vote for them because I want Heyward voted in as a starter. Hell, I want Heyward to have the most votes among outfielders. So no votes for Ryan or Andre. Also, any player within a million votes of J-Hey isn't getting a vote either. I'm not taking a chance that my vote will cause someone to pass Heyward in the standings. So, I need to vote for two guys who are not even close to Heyward's numbers but I can still look at myself in the mirror after doing so. I mean, sure I could just vote for Nate McLouth, but I'd need to take a shower after to wash off the fail. So I ended up voting for Manny the pain in the ass future Hall of Famer and Upton who is a damn fine player in his own right. Is it fair? Is it right? Do I care? NO! 

VOTE FOR J-HEY!!!