2024 ONLINE BLASTER - PART 5: THE FIRST PILE OF CHRONICLES

I STILL LOVES THE CHRONICLES AND STILL KEEP PICKING OFF NEW CARDS FROM THE SET AS THEY POP UP. I HAVE NOT EXACTLY FIGURED OUT HOW I AM COLLECTING THE SET YET, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD ALL THE SETS, THERE'S 25 DIFFERENT DESIGNS WITH AS MANY AS 100 CARDS IN A SET AND I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN A CARD FROM EVERY DESIGN YET! I THINK I DO WANT TO GET AT LEAST A PAGE WORTH OF MOST OF THE SETS WHILE TRYING TO GET AS MANY DIFFERENT PLAYERS AS POSSIBLE. ONCE THE NEXT BATCH OF CARDS COMES IN I'LL HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON HOW EXACTLY TO DO THAT. *NOTE - THIS HAPPENED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I WROTE THIS POST. HERE'S THE FIRST OF THREE POSTS OF INCREASINGLY SHINY CHRONICLES CARDS

CATEGORY - CHRONICLES

2022 BASE DESIGN - MANNY MACHADO, LUIS ROBERT

IT'S KINDA RIDICULOUS HOW MUCH MANNY'S STAR HAS FADED SINCE HE JOINED THE PADRES. HE'S STILL A GREAT PLAYER ON A HALL OF FAME TRAJECTORY WHO IS STILL VERY PRODUCTIVE. OK, SURE, HE'S IN HIS THIRTIES NOW AND COULD FALL OFF A CLIFF AT ANY MOMENT BUT STILL. THIS DUDE IS A GOOD PLAYER! 

ON THE OTHER HAND, LUIS ROBERT IS A GREAT PLAYER ON A GARBAGE TEAM. HE HAD THIRTY-EIGHT DINGERS LAST YEAR! I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT LUIS CAN DO THIS YEAR AS HE STARTS TO ENTER HIS PRIME. WHO KNOWS, THE AL CENTRAL IS PRETTY STINKY, HE MIGHT MESS AROUND AND LEAD THE SOX TO THE PLAYOFFS. 74 WINS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO WIN THE CENTRAL

ODDLY ENOUGH THE BASE SET ONLY HAS 50 CARDS WHEN SOME OF THE SHINER ONES THAT ARE TOUGHER TO PULL OUT OF A PACK ARE 60 AND EVEN 100 CARDS IN SIZE. PART OF ME WANTS TO COMPLETE THE BASE SET JUST BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO COMPLETE BASE SETS FOR FOREVER BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY COMMITTED TO IT YET. WE'LL SEE

2022 LUMINANCE DESIGN - MARCUS STROMAN

I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE LUMINENCE DESIGNS SO THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE SETS I ONLY COLLECT THREE CARDS FROM, WHICH MEANS I NEVER HAVE TO TINK ABOUT IT AGAIN STINCE STROMAN'S MY THIRD CARD. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S ONLY A 20 CARD SET SO ALL IT WOULD TAKE FOR ME TO COLLECT THE WHOLE THING IS TO SEE A PILE OF THEM IN A DIME BOX

2022 THREADS DESIGN - CODY BELLINGER

I DON'T LIKE THREADS EITHER BUT I ALREADY HAVE MORE THAN THRE OF THEM SO A COMPLETE PAGE WILL PROBABLY BE IN THE WORKS. A FORMER MVP IS A NICE ADDITION, AND I DID NOT HAVE A BELLINGER FOR THE SET YET WHICH IS A BONUS. LET'S HOPE HE CAN KEEP UP HIS CUBS PRODUCTION IN 24

2022 LIMITED DESIGN - JOSE ABREU

ANOTHER MVP! IM NOT SUPER CRAZY ABOUT THE LIMITED DESIGN BUT IT'S KINDA GROWING ON ME. I STILL WISH THERE WAS A BUNCH OF HOLOFOIL STAMPING ON FOILBOARD LIKE OLD LEAF LIMITED SETS BUT THERE'S ENOUGH OF THAT ON THE OTHER DESIGNS

2022 PINNACLE DESIGN - JOE RYAN

I REALLY LIKE THESE CARDS THANKS TO THE (MOSTLY) AUTHENTIC LOOKING PINNACLE DESIGN BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF THEM AROUND. JOR RYAN'S A PRETTY GOOD RC TO GET, YOU GOTTA LOVE AN INNINGS EATER IN TODAY'S GAME. THERE'S ONLY TWENTY CARDS IN THIS SET, I'M TEMPTED TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE THING AND PUT IT IN THE PINNACLE BOX

2022 ELITE DESIGN - RILEY ADAMS

THE ELITE SET HAS FIFTY CARDS AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S SHINY, IT'S PRETTY BORING WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT. THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO IT! I KNOW I MADE FUN OF ALL THE RANDOM ANGLES EVERYWHERE PANINI DESIGNS ON A LOT OF THESE CARDS, BUT THERE'S JUST NOTHING HERE! FULL BLEED CARDS WITH A MINIMAL DESIGN ONLY WORK WITH A BACKGROUND AND I DON'T MEAN A FUNHOUSE REFLECTION OF MY FACE STARING BACK AT ME THROUGH THE RAINBOW FOIL

2022 CERTIFIED DESIGN - JOSE ABREU

THE MORE I LOOK AT IT THE MORE I LIKE THE CERTIFIED CARDS. YES, THE DESIGN IS OVERWORKED ALMOST TO THE POINT OF ABSURD, BUT IT DOES FIT WITH THE WEIRD HISTORICAL DONRUSS VERSIONS. HERE'S ANOTHER JOSE ABREU. I KNOW I SAID I WANTED TO GET AS MANY DIFFERENT PLAYERS AS POSSIBLE BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST GO FOR THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE

2021 REVOLUTION DESIGN - KRIS BRYANT

I FRIGGIN LOVE THE REVOLUTION SET NO MATTER IF IT'S PACIFIC OR PANINI. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE 2021 VERSIONS SO THIS IS A REALLY NICE PICKUP. HOW IN THE WORLD DID KRIS BRYANT GO FROM THE SAVIOR OF CHICAGO TO A PRISON SENTENCE IN DENVER. MAYBE HE CAN HAVE A BELLINGER BOUNCE BACK THIS SEASON

2022 CLEARLY DONRUSS DESIGN - JAVIER BAEZ

I STILL FEEL THIS DESIGN WORKS BETTER ON PLAIN OL PAPER CARDS BUT CLEAR CARDS ARE TOO APPEALING TO ME TO CARE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LARGER SETS AT 65 CARDS SPLIT UP BETWEEN BASE AND RATED ROOKIES. BAEZ SEEMS TO BE SUFFERING FROM A COMBINATION OF MACHADO'S NO ONE CARES ANYMORE NOW THAT HE SIGNED A BIG CONTRACT WITH THE TIGERS AND BRYANT'S THE MOJO IS GONE NOW THAT HE'S NOT IN CHICAGO CURSES

2021 CLEAR VISION DESIGN - IAN ANDERSON

CLEAR CARDS WITH HOLOFOIL ARE MY CATNIP AND THIS ONE IS A BRAVES ROOKIE TO BOOT! IAN MISSED LAST SEASON WITH TOMMY JOHN AND WILL PROBABLY BE PRETTY LOW ON THE DEPTH CHART WHEN HE FINALLY GETS BACK. EVERY TEAM NEEDS LIKE EIGHT DECENT STARTERS MINIMUM NOWDAYS TO GET THROUGH A SEASON THOUGH SO HE'LL PROBABLY GET HIS CHANCE SOONER OR LATER

THE NEXT THREE ARE NOT CHRONICLES CARDS BUT IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I AM ALLOWED TO PICK UP CARDS WITH DESIGNS SIMILAR TO THE CHRONICLES CARDS I LOVE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT FROM THE CHRONICLES SETS. OR EVEN BASEBALL. YOU CAN PUT THE FOLLOWING IN CATEGORY - INSERTS IF YOU PREFER

2021 ILLUSIONS JOSH JACOBS ILLUSIONISTS INSERTS

I DUNNO WHO JOSH JACOBS IS BUT DAMN THIS CARD IS VERY CLEAR AND HAS SOME GREAT LOOKING GOLD FOIL HIGHLIGHTS. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH TELLS ME JOSH IS A VERY GOOD RUNNING BACK WHO IS A FREE AGENT AT A TIME WHERE TEAMS DON'T WANT TO PAY RUNNING BACKS SQUAT. POOR JOSH. I HOPE YOU FLEECE SOME TEAM AND GET YOUR MONEY

2021 ILLUSIONS DARIUS LEONARD AND JAMES HARRISON CLEAR SHOTS INSERTS

DAMN, ILLUSIONS DOES SOME GREAT INSERT SETS. WE HAVE A COUPLE LINEBACKERS HERE WITH DARIUS LEONARD AND JAMES HARRISON. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHINY AS THE LEONARD CARD HAS A TON OF HOLOFOIL WHILE HARRISON GETS THE GOILD FOIL TREATMENT LIKE THAT ILLUSIONIST CARD UP THERE. I'M PUTTING THEM BOTH IN THE CHRONICLES BOX ANYWAY BECAUSE ILLUSIONS ISN'T A REAL SET ANYWAY

UP NEXT: IT'S CHAOS TIME AGAIN

CUSTOMS BLASTER - PART 4: 80S WANTLIST STUFF

MOAR CATEGORY:WANTLIST STUFF FROM THE NEW BATCH. THIS IS ALL THE EIGHTIESISH FEELING STUFF ALTHOUGH NOT ALL OF IT IS TECHNICALLY FROM THE EIGHTIES. YOU TRY GROUPING ALL THE NONSENSE I BUY INTO COHERENT GROUPS, I DARE YOU

1982 DONRUSS MIKE SCHMIDT

I MUST'VE CLICKED REFRESH ON THE SITE THE SECOND THIS CARD WAS POSTED BECAUSE VINTAGEY HALL OF FAMERS DON'T LAST LONG. I'VE PASSED UP ON A BUNCH OF 80S TOPPS STARS SIMPLY BECAUSE I'VE COMPLETED EVERYTHING FROM 1978-1991. DONRUSS AND FLEER STILL NEED A LOT OF WORK I DON'T THINK I EVEN CHECKED MY WANTLIST FOR SCHMIDT HERE. THE ONLY OTHER DONRUSS SETS I NEED MORE CARDS FOR ARE 85 AND 86 SO IF I SEE A STAR FROM 1982 THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE I DON'T HAVE IT

1984 RALSTON PURINA NOLAN RYAN

ANOTHER DANG NOLAN RYAN CARD I DIDN'T HAVE FOR A SET THAT WAS ALMOST COMPLETE. THIS SET WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ODDBALL FOOD CARDS I EVER GOT, I BELIEVE IN BOXES OF COOKIE CRISP? I WOULD'VE EATEN THAT STUFF WITHOUT THE CARDS. WITH NOLAN OUT OF THE WAY THE LAST CARD I NEED FOR THE SET IS OZZIE SMITH. I COULD PROBABLY JUST PICK THAT UP ON COMC FOR LESS THAN A BUCK BUT I WANT TO CHECK THE LCS AND FLEA MARKET FIRST. IT'S FUN TO FIND STUFF OUT IN THE WILD

1984 DONRUSS JERRY WILLARD

I THINK I DONT LIKE 1984 DONRUSS FOR THE SAME REASON I DON'T LIKE 1991 STADIUM CLUB. THE PACKS WERE PRICED SO OUTRAGEOUSLY WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT IT JUST TURNED ME OFF THE WHOLE SET. IT IS A PRETTY NICE LOOKING SET WHEN YOU GET A LOOK AT IT THOUGH. NOT SURE WHY BRAVES LEGEND JERRY WILLARD HAD HIS NAME SPELLED WITH A G ON THIS CARD BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON HIS FIRST MINOR LEAGUE CARD. MAYBE IT'S A GIF/JIF KIND OF SITUATION

1985 FLEER CHRIS CHAMBLISS

A BUNCH OF 1985 FLEER BRAVES CARDS POPPED UP ON THE SITE ALL AT ONCE SO I HAD TO SNAG EM. MY 1985 FLEER SET IS LIKE MY 82 DONRUSS IN THAT I'M NOT TERRIBLY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE SET BUT I'M NOT AS FAR AWAY AS I AM FROM THE 82 OR 86 SETS. CHAMBLISS WAS THE FIRST BASEMAN ON THE FIRST BRAVES TEAM I REALLY STARTED WATCHING AND I WAS DUMBFOUNDED WHEN I LATER LEARNED THAT HE IS MUCH MORE KNOWN FOR HIS DAYS WITH THE YANKEES

1985 FLEER BOB HORNER

BOB HORNER! MY FAVORITE PLAYER WHEN I WAS A KID. THE FIRST PLAYER THAT TAUGHT ME THAT FREE AGENCY ISN'T A GREAT THING IF YOU'RE A FAN. I REALLY JUST WISH HE HAD ONE WORKING KNEE. JUST ONE!

1985 FLEER BRUCE BENEDICT

BRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCE. THE QUINTESSENTIAL 80S BRAVES CATCHER. HERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE CATCHERS BRUCE OUTLASTED: BIFF POCAROBA, JOE NOLAN, BILL NAHORODNY, LARRY OWEN, MATT SINATRO, ALEX TREVINO, RICK CERONE, OZZIE VIRGIL AND TECHNICALLY DALE MURPHY

1985 FLEER STEVE BEDROSIAN

MAN IT WAS ROUGH WATCHING BEDROCK WIN A CY YOUNG IN PHILADELPHIA WHILE THE 87 BRAVES WERE STINKING IT UP. STEVE WAS GREAT OUT OF THE BULLPEN BEFORE THEY TRIED TO MAKE HIM A STARTER IN '85 AND SCREWED HIM ALL UP. OH 80S BRAVES, YOU WERE SO SILLY

1985 FLEER JEFF DEDMON

EVERY BULLPEN NEEDS A LEFTY TO CHEW UP SOME INNINGS AND FOR FOUR YEARS JEFF WAS THAT. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE AN 85 FLEER TEAM SET SOMEWHERE BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THESE CARD WENT STRAIGHT IN THE SET BINDER

1988 TOPPS GLOSSY MAIL AWAY ALL STARS JOE MAGRANE

SO WHEN I WAS TYPING THIS UP I ACCIDENTALLY HIT DELETE TOO MANY TIMES AND THE CARD NAME MERGED WITH THE PARAGRAPH ABOVE IT AND THEN IT BECAME PERMANENTLY LEFT-ORIENTED. I TRIED PUTTING IT BACK IN THE CENTER BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO LEFT OR RIGHT NO MATTER WHAT I DO. SO I TYPED IT OUT AGAIN UNDERNEATH THE CARD IMAGE, CENTERED IT AND TRIED TO DRAG THE IMAGE BACK UNDERNEATH THE TITLE. THAT IS WHEN BLOGGER ATE THE IMAGE. I TRIED HITTING UNDO AND THE CARD NAME MOPVED BACK TO THE RIGHT AND THE TEXT GOT CENTERED SOMEHOW AND THE PHOTO HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY SENT TO THE PHANTOM ZONE. I'M NOT REUPLOADING THE IMAGE, THIS JANKY BLOGGER NONSENSE IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING. IT'S JUST A GENERIC LOOKING GLOSSY MAIL-IN CARD ANYWAY, YOU'RE NOT MISSING MUCH 

1989 PACIFIC LEGENDS AL HRABOSKY

1988 PACIFIC LEGENDS IS COMPLETE, TIME TO FINISH UP 1989. I STILL NEED LIKE 40 CARDS FOR THAT ONE. MAKE THAT THIRTY-NINE NOW, BAY-BEE. AL'S ANOTHER BRAVES LEGEND IN THIS POST BUT THIS PHOTO IS OF HIM BACK IN HIS PRE-MUSTACHE DAYS WHICH IS A SHAME

1990 FLEER RYAN SANDBERG ALL STAR INSERT

I HAVE FLEER SETS IN BINDERS UP TO 1989 BUT 1990 STAYED IN A BOX. PARTLY BECAUSE WHY WOULD I PUT THAT SET IN A BINDER AND PARTLY BECAUSE I RAN OUT OF PAGES. THIS MEANT THE 1990 INSERTS WEREN'T EASILY VIEWABLE IN A BINDER TO CHECK IF I NEEDED RYNE BUT I TOOK IT ON FAITH BECAUSE WHO CAN'T USE A NICE SANDBERG INSERT. TURNS OUT I DID NEED IT AFTER ALL! THINGS WORK OUT SOMETIMES

1991 SCORE KEN GRIFFY JR. THE FRANCHISE

I HAVE A COMPLETE 1991 SCORE FACTORY SET AND IT IS EXTREMELY TEMPTING TO JUST OPEN IT UP AND SORT THAT THING AND CALL 1991 SCORE DONE. I MAY STILL DO THAT BUT GRIFFEY JR. CARDS ARE STILL GRIFFEY JR. CARDS AND SHOULD GO IN THE CART WHENEVER POSSIBLE

1992 CONLON COLLECTION BILL KLEM

LAST ONE IS AN UMPIRE CARD FROM THE CONLON COLLECTION. TWO MONTHS HAVE PASSED AND I STILL HAVEN'T PUT DOWN ON PAPER EXACTLY WHAT MY COLLECTING GOALS ARE FOR 2024. HAVING TO MAKE CHOICES WHEN THERE ARE A HUNDRED CARDS ON THE SITE YOU WANT AND YOU ONLY HAVE A 40 CARD PACK FOR THE WEEK HAVE MADE SOME THINGS PRETTY CLEAR THOUGH. I KEEP PASSING UP BASE ROOKIE CARDS I NEED TO GET RANDOM INSERT CARDS I DON'T. EX AND UD3 CARDS END UP IN THE CART, UPPER DECK IONIX DO NOT. AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF LEGENDS SETS WHERE I KEEP PICKING CARDS UP FOR BUT CONLON STAYS UNCLICKED. THERE'S PROBABLY 20 CONLON CARDS ON THE SITE THAT I DON'T HAVE BUT I JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEM THEM BECAUSE I KEEP GETTING DISTRACTED BY STARS AND SHINY STUFF. UMPIRE CARDS ARE UNCOMMON THOUGH AND KLEM IS BASICALLY THE BABE RUTH OF UMPIRES SO HE MADE THE CUT. PERHAPS THE VIBES OVER FOCUS IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO COLLECT BUT WHO CARES, I'M HAVING FUN

UP NEXT: THE FIRST GIGANTIC PILE OF CHRONICLES CARDS

CUSTOMS BLASTER - PART 3: CHAOS ENSUES

 JUST BECAUSE I'M SORTING THE NEW STUFF INTO SENSIBLE POSTS DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S NO MORE CHAOS. A LOT OF THE STUFF I'VE GOTTEN OFF THE SITE HAS NOT BEEN 'I NEED THIS FOR MY WANTLISTS' CARDS BUT INSTEAD WERE 'HEY, THIS IS COOL, I WANT IT' CARDS. SO WHILE I AM ADMITTEDLY GETTING A LITTLE MORE FOCUSED IN MY COLLECTING RECENTLY THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T BE GETTING SOME CHAOS! LIKE THIS POST, CONVENIENTLY SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO OTHER CHAOS POSTS OF STUFF I PICKED UP LAST YEAR. CHAAAAOOOOOOSSSSS!!!

KID REPORTER CODE

EVERY ORDER IS PACKAGED VERY WELL AND INCLUDES SOME PROTECTION CARDS ON THE ENDS. I LOVE THE VARIETY OF THESE CARDS AS IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE SEEN OF THESE KID REPORTER CODE CARDS SINCE I HAVEN'T OPENED A FOOTBALL PACK SINCE MAYBE 2015. MOST THINK THESE ARE JUNK AND THEY ARE RIGHT BUT I LOVE FINDING WEIRD OLD PACK INSERTS, EVEN IF THEY AREN'T VERY OLD YET

2021-22 PANINI SELECT KEVIN DURANT

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

I THINK MY BASKETBALL PACK RIPPING DAYS ARE MOSTLY OVER SO I LIKE TO PICK UP SUPERSTAR CARDS WHEN I CAN. KEVIN DURANT GETS A LOT OF FLAK NOWADAYS FOR BOUNCING AROUND THE LEAGUE AND HAVING NO NON-WARRIORS TITLES BUT NO ONE'S GOING TO CARE ABOUT ALL THAT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. I STILL DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND HOW PANINI SELECTY WORKS BUT I THINK THESE BLUE CARDS ARE THE RETAIL VERSION? 

2021 BOWMAN PLATINUM ANDRES GIMENEZ RENOWNED ROOKIES

CATEGORY - INSERT

I SAW THIS INSERT CARD AND THOUGHT IT LOOKED VERY SHINY AND COOL. NOW THAT I HAVE IT I'VE DISCOVERED THAT ANDRES IS A VERY GOOD PLAYER WHO HAS WON A PLATINUM GLOVE?? VERY NICE INDEED

2020 TOPPS YORDAN ALVAREZ TOPPS NOW CRUMMY ADVERTISEMENT INSERT

CATEGORY - INSERT

I REMEMBER IN 2020 WHEN EVERYONE LOATHED THESE CARDS. MAN, THERE WAS SO MUCH GRIPING ON TWITTER ABOUT THESE THINGS. MY TOPPS INSERT GAME IS VERY WEAK SINCE 2015 THOUGH AND I LOVE YORDAN SO THIS ADDITION WAS A NO-BRAINER. IT IS A VERY SKETCHY SUBJECT FOR AN INSERT SET BUT AT LEAST NO ONE TRIED TO SELL THEM AS AUTHENTIC CARDS LIKE WITH THE 2021 THROUGH THE YEARS INSERT SET

2021 DONRUSS MIKE TROUT

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

THE INVESTOR CLASS HAVE REALIZED THAT MIKE TROUT IS HUMAN AND ARE FURIOUS. HOW DARE HE GET INJURED AND NOT WIN MVP EVERY YEAR. THIS MEANS THAT SCAVENGERS LIKE MYSELF CAN FINALLY GET SOME TROUPT CARDS. I AM ALSO AMUSED THAT PANINI CAN JUST PUT LOS ANGELES ON ALL THEIR ANGELS CARDS WHILE TOPPS HAS TO DANCE AROUND THE CITY DESIGNATION EVERY YEAR 

2016 BOWMAN'S BEST CHRIS SALE

CATEGORY - SHINY, BRAVESISH

THIS IS THE FIRST CHRIS SALE CARD I PICKED UP SINCE THE TRADE. IT'S PRETTY DARN GOOD LOOKING TOO! BOWMAN'S BEST CAN REALLY BRING IT WHEN THEY TRY

1991 UPPER DECK KEN HILL AUTOGRAPH

CATEGORY - AUTOGRAPH

THERE ARE A SURPRISING AMOUNT OF AUTOGRAPH CARDS POSTED TO THE SITE AND I LIKE TO PICK THEM UP ON OCCASION IF I LIKE THE PLAYER. KEN HILL WAS UNDERRATED AND A SOLID PITCHER IN THE 90S SO I NABBED THIS ONE. THERE WAS ANOTHER KEN HILL AUTO ON A 1990 SCORE CARD POSTED THAT LOOKED EVEN BETTER THAN THIS ONE BUT I LEFT IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE. GOTTA SHARE THE WEALTH

1990 UPPER DECK REGGIE JACKSON HEROES ART CARD

CATEGORY - INSERT, PLAYER COLLECTION

I PROBABLY HAVE THREE COPIES OF THIS CARD ALREADY BUT I CANNOT PASS UP A NICE LOOKING REGGIE CARD WHEN I SEE IT. SO MUCH FOR SHARING THE WEALTH

1999 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CRAIG BIGGIO

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

I MEAN, DO I EVEN NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS CARD? JUST LOOK AT IT. THIS PHOTO OF BIGGIO WITH THE EDDIE GAEDEL BATTING STANCE IS AMAZING

2023 TOPPS BLUE MOON BALLERS CHECKLIST

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

ERLING HAALAND IS ONE OF THE BEST SOCCER PLAYERS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, IF NOT THE BEST. I FRIGGIN HATE MAN CITY BUT I LOVE CARDS OF THE BEST PLAYERS, EVEN IF IT IS A CHECKLIST. ERLING'S THE GUY ON THE LEFT FOR ALL YOU SOCCER IGNORERS

1996 CIRCA FRANK THOMAS CHECKLIST

CATEGORY - SUPERSTAR

I REALLY LOVE THE SKYBOX CIRCA SETS BUT HAVEN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO FIGURING OUT A WANTLIST. I ALSO DON'T KNOW WHERE I'D EVER FIND ANY CIRCA CARDS EVEN IF I HAD ONE. BIG HURT POPPED UP ON THE SITE AND EVEN IF I ALREADY HAVE IT, WHO CARES, BIG HURT

1994-95 ULTRA ERIC LINDROS ALL STAR INSERT

CATEGORY - INSERT, SUPERSTAR

MY HOCKEY CARD BUYING IS VERY FOCUSED TO A HANDFUL OF PLAYERS I COLLECT AND A FEW SPECIFIC SET BUILDS. THIS BEING SAID, I'M NOT PASSING UP REALLY COOL LOOKING INSERT CARDS IF THEY CROSS MY PATH. THIS ONE IS VERY COOL AND FEATURES ONE OF THE BIGGEST PLAYERS OF THE 90S. NO RAGRETS

2017 UPPER DECK GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ROCKET RACCOON

CATEGORY - NON SPORT

MY DECISION MAKING ON ALL MY NON-SPORTS PICKUPS IS BASICALLY THE FOLLOWING: I ASK MYSELF IS THIS CARD SUPER COOL? IF THE ANSWER IS MEH, IT'S OK, KINDA COOL OR PRETTY COOL, I PASS ON THE CARD. IF THE ANSWER IS HELL YEAH! THIS IS FUCKIN COOL! I GET THE CARD. AN INSANE TALKING RACCOON SPRINTING WITH GUNS-A-BLAZIN IS FUCKIN COOL. I DON'T EVEN CARE THAT I DON'T WATCH MARVEL MOVIES I NEED MURDERCRITTER CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

2004 TOPPS CRACKER JACK VICTOR MARTINEZ BLUE MINI PARALLEL

CATEGORY - INSERT

I WENT GAGA OVER THE CRACKER JACK SET IN 2004 AND GOT PRETTY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE BASE SET AND A FRANKENSTEINED MINI SET COMBINING REGULAR AND STICKER MINIS. I HAVE SINCE MOSTLY ABANDONED ALL MY 00'S RETRO SETS DUE TO NOT SEEING ANY OF THE CARDS ANYWHERE FOR OVER A DECADE BUT THIS BLUE BACKGROUND PARALLEL DREW ME IN WITH SOME NICE NOSTALGIC FEELINGS. V-MART IS ALSO QUITE UNDERRATED, AND WAS ONE OF THE BETTER CATCHERS OF THE 00S BUT GOT OVERSHADOWED BY MAUER, POSEY AND MOLINA

1995 KROME LADY DEATH SERIES II KALI ROOKIE CARD

CATEGORY - BOOBLES

OK, SO 'IS THIS CARD SUPER COOL' MIGHT NOT BE THE SOLE QUALIFIER FOR MY NON-SPORT PICKUPS. IN MY DEFENSE THIS ONE IS SUPER COOL AND IT FITS INTO MY MONSTER CARD COLLECTION QUITE NICELY. PLUS THIS IS A ROOKIE CARD?? NO, FOR REALS

OFFICIAL ROOKIES SUBSET CARD! THIS IS A FIB HOWEVER, AS THERE WAS A KALI CARD IN TOPPS' MONSTER IN MY POCKET SET FOUR YEARS EARLIER. THIS IS HER FIRST CHROME(IUM) CARD HOWEVER, AND ALL THE COOL KIDS COLLECT THE CHROME ROOKIES WITH NICE ETCHING. THE BEST KALI IS RAY HARRYHAUSEN'S KALI, FROM THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD. I WISH SHE HAD A CARD

UP NEXT: SOME NICE 80S STUFF, Y'ALL ARE GONNA GO APESHIT OVER THIS

CUSTOMS BLASTER - PART 2: CAN'T PASS 'EM UP BASEBALL STARS

I'VE BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT MOSTLY PICKING UP WANTLIST CARDS ON THE SITE EXCEPT WHEN I NAB AN OLD COMIC IMAGES CARD OF A DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS LADY WITH ENORMOUS BOOBLES BUT SOMETIMES I SEE A SUPER DUPER MEGA STAR CARD AND I CAN'T LET IT PASS BY. HERE'S THREE BASEBALL GUYS I KEEP GETTING DESPITE THERE BEING NO WANTLISTS

CATEGORY - SUPERSTARS

FIRST GUY IS SOMEONE I ACTUALLY COLLECT 

1992 SCORE RICKEY HENDERSON

WHEN I WAS FIRST COLLECTING CARDS I TRADED A 1981 TOPPS RICKEY HENDERSON AT SCHOOL FOR SOME NONSENSE. I QUICKLY FIGURED OUT HOW BADLY I GOT CHEATED AND HAVE SPENT 40 YEARS MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME. I ALREADY HAVE A PILE OF BASE CARDS FOR ALL THESE GUYS SO WHEN I PICK UP STAR CARDS LIKE A MAGPIE I TEND TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS HIGH END OR ODDBALL CARDS. BUT SOMETIMES A BASE CARD BEATS OUT THE FANCY STUFF

1998 SPX FINITE RICKEY HENDERSON

HERE'S ONE OF THOSE HIGH END ONES. SPX IS BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR HOLOGRAMS BUT IN 1998 UPPER DECK GOT TIRED OF DEALING WITH THAT MESS AND SPX TURNED FINITE WITH A LITTLE FOIL STAMPED WINDOW FOR A GIMMICK. THIS ONE'S A LITTLE OFF CENTER WHICH HAPPENED QUITE A BIT AND ADDS A BIT OF CHARM TO THE CARD. THAT'S NOT THE ONLY GIMMICK THO

SERIAL NUMBAZ! THAT'S THE ACTUAL FINITE GIMMICK AS EACH CARD WAS FINITED WITH THAT NUMBER PLASTERED ON IT. THIS ONE'S A BASE CARD NUMBERED TO 9000 BUT SUBSETS COULD BE NUMBERED ANYWHERE FROM 2000 TO 7000. YOU CAN SEE ALL THAT MESS FOR YOURSELF. I'M ACTIVELY COLLECTING THE HOLOGRAM VERSIONS OF SPX BUT THIS NUMBERED SET IS MORE A CURIOSITY FOR ME. I'D KINDA LIKE TO PICK UP AT LEAST ONE FROM EACH SUBSET BUT THAT IS WAAAAAAY DOWN THE PRIORITY LIST 

1998 PINNACLE PERFORMERS RICKEY HENDERSON

HERE'S A SOMEWHAT OBSCURE ODDBALL SET IN THAT IT'S A REIMAGINING OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S PINNACLE XPRESS SET THAT ALSO CAME OUT AS ONE OF THE LAST RELEASES BEFORE PINNACLE WENT BELLY UP. THE GIMMICK WITH THIS SET IS THERE WAS A SWING FOR THE FENCES CONTEST WHERE YOU COULD MATCH A CARD WITH THE LEAGUE LEADER FOR HOME RUNS WITH A CARD WITH THE NUMBER OF HOME RUNS THEY HIT AND WIN A SPECIAL INSERT SET. UNFORTUNATELY PINNACLE WAS OVER BEFORE THE SEASON WAS SO THE WINNER CARDS ARE OUT THERE BUT NOT TERRIBLY EASY TO FIND. I JUST LIKE THE DESIGN OF THIS ONE, IT'S VERY COLORFUL AND WORKS WELL WITH RICKY SPEEDING THROUGH THE CARD

1998 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED RICKEY HENDERSON

I LOVE THESE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CARDS BUT THEY'RE NOT A SET I'M EVER GOING TO BOTHER COMPLETING. THERE'S USUALLY SOME GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY ON THEM LIKE RICKEY DOING SOME FIELDING DRILLS HERE

1998 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED THEN AND NOW RICKEY HENDERSON A PLACE IN HISTORY

THIS ONE'S A SUBSET FEATURING RICKEY AT THE TOP OF SOME ALL TIME LEADERBOARDS. RICKEY IS OBVIOUSLY AT THE TOP OF THE STEALS CATEGORY BUT IS ALSO FAR AND ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE ON MOST LEADOFF HOME RUNS. THIS SET IS ANOTHER REASON WHY I DON'T BOTHER WITH FLEER SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, IT'S ONE OF THREE SI SETS RELEASED IN 1998 AND IT'S NOT EASY TO TELL ANY OF THEM APART. POSSIBLE FUTURE FRANKENSET PERHAPS?

1993 FLAIR RICKEY HENDERSON

I DIDN'T APPRECIATE FLAIR AT THE TIME BUT DANG IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOOKING SET. ELEGANT DESIGN, GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY AND JUST A TOUCH OF FOIL STAMPING. THEY'RE JUST PRETTY! IT'S ANOTHER SET I'LL NEVER COMPLETE BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HOARDING SOME STARS

THE NEXT GUY I DON'T OFFICIALLY COLLECT BUT I MIGHT AS WELL AT THIS POINT

1996 ZENITH BARRY BONDS

'GOOD OL' BARRY BONDS, HOW I HATE HIM' SEEMS TO BE THE HOBBY'S OPINION ON OUR DEAR HOME RUN KING AT THE MOMENT. THIS IS FINE WITH ME BECAUSE I CAN PICK UP BONDS CARDS EASILY ALMOST ANYWHERE. AND I DO, OH BOY I DO. ZENITH IS A WEIRD BUT ATTRACTIVE SET AND POKES MY 90S NOSTALGIA BUTTON WHEN I SEE IT. OH I MISS THE DAYS WHEN HIGH END CARDS WERE MERELY THREE TIMES AS THICK AS REGULAR CARDS AND DOUSED WITH FOIL AND A THICK GLOSSY CLEAR COAT INSTEAD OF BEING SOLD IN BOXES OF THREE CARDS FOR FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS

1998 FLAIR SHOWCASE BARRY BONDS

FLAIR SHOWCASE IS ONE OF THOSE MULTI-LEVEL FRACTURED SETS WITH SEVERAL TIERS OF PARALLEL CARDS THAT ALL JUMBLE TOGETHER IN MY MIND. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE LOWEST LEVEL BASE CARDS BUT WHO KNOWS REALLY. IT'S EXTREMELY SHINY AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS

1998 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED THEN AND NOW BARRY BONDS LEGENDS OF TODAY

THIS IS FROM THE SAME SET AS RICKEY ABOVE BUT THERE'S NO WAY OF TELLING THAT. MOST OF THE OTHER CARDS IN THE SET HAVE 'LEGENDS' PLASTERED ON THEM BUT NOT THE PLACE IN HISTORY CARDS! MY POOR BRAIN CAN'T COMPREHEND ALL THIS 90S WEIRDNESS BUT BARRY ABOUT TO MURDER A BASEBALL I UNDERSTAND

1998 FINEST  BARRY BONDS

FINEST! THIS STUFF I DO COLLECT ALTHOUGH I DON'T REALLY HAVE A HANDLE ON WHAT EXACTLY I'M COLLECTING YET. I'VE BEEN PICKING OUT RANDOM FINEST OUT OF DIME BOXES WHEN I SEE IT FOR YEARS AND THERE'S NO NEED TO STOP NOW. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING FINEST DESIGNS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PEELING THIS CARD ONE OF THESE DAYS

1997 PACIFIC BARRY BONDS

I'M MILDLY OBSESSED WITH PACIFIC CARDS FOR THEIR WILD BASE CARDS AND EVEN WILDER INSERT CARDS. THE 1997 SET HAS A HEALTHY SLAB OF FOIL ACROSS THE LEFT BORDER WHICH IS A TAD AWKWARD ON MOST CARDS BUT LOOKS AMAZING ON THE HORIZONAL ONES. BARRY IS MASHING DINGERS IN A 3D FOIL MATRIX ON THIS CARD. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE GILDED SOME OLD-SCHOOL COMPUTER GRAPHICS

1997 ULTRA BARRY BONDS

GREAT GOOGLEY MOOGELY CARDS LOOKED SO GOOD IN 1997. A WATER LEAK BRICKED MOST OF MY 97 ULTRA CARDS SO GETTING SOME REPLACEMENTS IS ALWAYS NICE

1996 STADIUM CLUB BARRY BONDS TEAM TSC

I HAVEN'T BEEN FOCUSING ON STADIUM CLUB CARDS RECENTLY BUT SHORT PRINTS ARE ALWAYS ON MY RADAR. THESE TEAM TSC CARDS WERE INSERTED ONE PER PACK AND FEATURE TWO LEVELS OF FANCY FOIL. RAINBOW FOIL FOR THE NAME AND HOLOFOIL FOR THE BORDER. THEY LOOK VERY SNAZZY AND THE RAINBOW FOIL CAN VARY FROM CARD TO CARD 

1997 STADIUM CLUB BARRY BONDS STADIUM SLUGGER

1997 STADIUM CLUB SNUCK IN SOME SHORT PRINTS AS WELL. SERIES ONE HAD A TSC 2000 SUBSET FEATURING SOME YOUNG STARS WHILE SERIES TWO HAD THESE STADIUM SLUGGERS FEATURING THE HOME RUN HITTING USUAL SUSPECTS OF THE MID-90S. THEY DON'T LOOK AS GOOD AS THE TEAM TSC CARDS BUT THEY'RE ONLY A THIRD THE SIZE OF THE 96 SHORT PRINT SET SO IT'S NOT AS HARD A SET TO BUILD

THE LAST GUY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION

1993 FLAIR KEN GRIFFEY JR. 

IF YOU SEE A GOOD GRIFFEY CARD YOU GRAB IT. PROBLEM IS THE GOOD ONES ARE USUALLY ALREADY PRE-GRABBED. THAT JUST MAKES THE ONES YOU GET ALL THE MORE SPECIAL. HERE'S ANOTHER FLAIR CARD I MANAGED TO GET WHEN A LIST OF THEM WERE POSTED THAT I MANAGED TO GET TO FIRST

1997 PACIFIC PRISM INVINCIBLE KEN GRIFFEY JR. GEMS OF THE DIAMOND

WEIRDO PACIFIC CARD ALERT! THESE WERE INSERTED INTO PRISM INVINCIBLE PACKS SO YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ONLY ONE OF THE WEIRD FOILY ACETATE WINDOW CARDS IN THE PACK. THE WORDS PRISM, INVICIBLE, GEMS AND DIAMOND ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND ON THIS CARD SO I HAD A HELL OF A TIME FIGURING OUT WHAT IT WAS FROM FOR THIS POST AND I SHALL GO ON TO IMMEDIATELY FORGET ONCE I HIT PUBLISH. THERE IS A LITTLE GEM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CARD THOUGH. THE ONLY REASON I WAS ABLE TO WIN THIS CARD IS BECAUSE THIS WAS THE SECOND ONE POSTED. GRIFFEYS ARE TOUGH, MAN!

1997 STADIUM CLUB KEN GRIFFEY JR. STADIUM SLUGGER

WE END OUR JOURNEY WITH ANOTHER STADIUM SLUGGER SHORT PRINT. THESE WERE ONE PER THREE PACKS SO THE WHOLE SET WAS POSSIBLE OUT OF A COUPLE HOBBY BOXES WHICH AIN'T BAD AS FAR AS SHORT PRINTS GO. I LOOKED THROUGH MY STADIUM CLUB BOX TO SEE WHICH ONES I ALREADY HAD AND SOMEHOW I HAVE NONE?? WHICH IS ABSURD BECAUSE I KNOW I PULLED SOME FROM PACKS BACK IN THE DAY. SO NOW I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY ARE HIDING IN MY INSERT BOX OR A DOUBLES BOX SOMEWHERE. AT LEAST I HAVE TWO OF THE BEST NOW

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