Black Friday Box Break: 2008 SPx Baseball

Many collectors sat in front of their computers or refrshed their phones and tablets looking to get a Black Friday deal from one of the online retailers. I peeked in occasionally on Twitter and followed Blowout's feed to see its offerings. I was only interested in baseball and missed out on a couple of early bargains (like case of 2009 UD Signatures). But I managed to grab a box of 2008 SPx Baseball.

SPx Baseball offers 10 packs with a hit in each pack, with a bonus 11th pack and another hit. Of course, being that the product is from 2008, there is a chance to pull an expired redemption. However, I felt good about the chances of NOT pulling one and grabbed a box. I also hoped to get a Derek Jeter hit, an autograph that wasn't a redemption. Spoiler Alert: I did not pull a Jeter auto.

The base memorabilia cards showcased some good to great players, and all the cards were numbered 150.

First up was Carlos Guillen, a three-time All-Star who retired in 2011. Guillen was a good shortstop for the Tigers.

Randy Johnson should be entering the Hall of Fame this year. I hate him on the Diamondbacks because he beat the Yankees in 2001, but he was a great player. I didn't much care for him on the Yankees either.

I used to hate Pedro Martinez (in the way you can only hate someone you never met simply because he played for a rival team). But then met Pedro and interacted with him while I was working as a sports reporter. Now, I like him. He was pleasantin his one year with the Phillies and always seemed to usually be in a good mood. He's also another guy who should be in the Hall this year.

The product also offered patch variations. The Dan Uggla card is great looking. I love the colors from the Florida Marlins patch. In 2008, when this product came out, this would have been a great hit. Uggla had made his second All-Star Game that season (though one we would like to forget) and looked to be a player on the rise. He hit more than 30 home runs for five straight seasons.

And then he broke. His 2014 season was remarkable in how bad it was.

My final memorabilia hit was a triple jersey card with Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson and Casey Kotchman numbered to 75. A fun card for an Angels fan. 

Upper Deck offered a number of Rookie Autographs in 2008 SPx. Some of the guys didn't pan out.

Dave Davidson played three games in the Majors, two with the Pirates. In his three MLB innings, Davidson has a 30.00 ERA.

Rob Johnson was a serviceable backup catcher for several years. He played with Seattle, San Diego, New York Mets, and St. Louis. In 2009, he played in a season-high 80 games with .213 batting average.

Bill Murphy appeared in 18 games during his two-year MLB career. He last played in 2009 for the Toronto Blue Jays. I guess his signature looks like "Bill Murphy."

Then there were autographs of rookies who had slightly better careers.

Jerry Blevins played in Oakland from 2007-13. Last year, he competed for the Washington Nationals. While he hasn't had a spectacular career, getting an autograph card of a guy still in the league was on the plus side. He's actually had some really nice years coming out of the bullpen for Oakland.

The best card of the autographs was easily my next pull. While not a "Rookie" signature card, the Young Star Signatures of Troy Tulowitzki is the best of the list. If he could just stay healthy (and get traded to the Yankees), things would be great for Tulo.

Out of all that, I still had one hit to go. I'm the type of person who likes the "slow burn." When I know a card is a hit, I will slowly pull the card down in front of it as I like to try and guess who the player is. This time as I started peeking, I saw the Yankees cap edge over the top of the base card. 

"Please, be a Jeter," I said. "Please, be a Jeter."

WOOOOOOO! I pulled a Jeter jersey (where is the pinstripe?!) numbered to 75. 

Psst.... Look what I found...

Sorry I have been so quiet lately, but the only excitement in card collecting I have had are 2010 Topps blasters, and I can't get excited enough to scan another blaster. There isn't much worth scanning in them, and I am lazy about scanning. I've also been attempting to get my brain back into school mode and out of Spongebob mode.

Anyway, I picked up a couple of cards for my PC but still need a few and I am hoping that someone out there can help me fill in the gaps. Here is what I found: I still need to get my mitts on gold #42 and #206. If anyone has those and could offer them for a trade, or CTBNL (card to be named later) that would be awesome.

From the last blaster I opened (I've opened the one I showed on here and this other one) I pulled the usual types of inserts but there were only 2 worth scanning to me. I was shocked to have pulled a Pujols throwback and for it to be his actual base card and not one of the others made me doubly happy. I am also looking for throwback #4, 42, 206, 327. Oh, I just realized I lied. I pulled 3 Yankees throwbacks as well, Sabathia, Dunn RC, and Yankees checklist card with Jeter, A-Rod, and Cano.

I have all my Tigers throwbacks put aside for Grand Cards, and if anyone is interested in trading throwbacks let me know, I am only keeping the guys I collect.

Black Friday Plug

Word on the street is that Atlanta Sports Cards will be running some sort of special on Friday. So make sure you take a peek over there and check it out.

I checked out some of their prices and they are competitive with all other companies, and you can even request a price match on their site.

Click on the link under our sponsors / advertisers on the sidebar to get to them.

Hooray!!

I know for many of you out there tomorrow may be the last day of your work week, and well HOORAY! This is the beginning of the best time of year, starting with Thanksgiving, and Black Friday sales both at the card wholesalers and the stores. While it is tempting to stay home and buy baseball cards Friday, no one but Sooz wants any so I need to be disciplined and buy presents. Though if there is a Foot Locker coupon for Friday, it's on because I'd love a new pair of gym sneakers. If there is one thing I get my money's worth out of it's gym shoes and workout gloves.

And soon enough..... it's my birthday!!! Hooray for fun. Not really, I have class that day and a presentation. But someone named Sooz might make me brownies!!!!

Anyway, as you can see by scrolling along our posts for the entire year during baseball season things are slow going around here and pick up in the winter. I have been busy all week studying for a test, and I am so glad that it is finally over and I can maybe enjoy doing something with myself like logging in piles of cards, or watching my soap opera.

If anyone is looking for a laptop or any electronics, there are some great deals to be found. Best Buy has an HP laptop for $197 bucks on Friday morning. Here is a link to some of the Black Friday ads if you (or the wife/girlfriend) want a sneak peek.

I may watch A Christmas Story, or Elf tonight. Ohhh.... maybe even National Lampoons Christmas Vacation!

What is everyone doing for Thanksgiving? Anything exciting?

Blowout Deals on Black Friday

I have spoken to some of you about the whole going out and shopping on Black Friday and we were all skeptical of any internet card deals. I have just learned that Blowout Cards will be hosting a Black Friday sale starting at 6am Black Friday 11/27.

Sadly I am sure I will be at the mall buying crap I don't necessarily need, or stocking stuffers. I love the rush of running around a mall at 4am for no real reason with a bunch of other lunatics. Hopefully when I get home there is something fun left for me to get, but it's the season for giving not getting so I won't be upset if I miss out. If I hear of any other card companies hosting sales I will keep you updated.

Black Friday & Blasters

The alarm went off at 2:50am, I hit the snooze button twice then got out of my warm bed to head for the mall. I had only been asleep for about 2 hours so you can call that a nap. I was in the mall parking lot by 3:20am with my first cup of coffee, waiting for my friend to meet me. Some stores were open when we got there (why I have no idea), but we were there for our free annual JC Penney snow globe of which I haven't even opened yet. They opened at 4am, and thus kicked off the Black Friday debacle for us.

Our schedule was done by the hour according to which stores opened at what times. JCP at 4, Modells/Old Navy at 5, Target at 6, Gamestop at 7. Target had a line from one side of the mall halfway to the other outside, and when they opened the doors the line was no more. So I ran. I ran like the wind to the back of the store to get my brother a video game. I made it there in like a minute, literally and asked for the game and it was SOLD OUT. REALLY?! That sucked. But I got all my DVD sales.

OK, enough girly shop talk. Now onto Modells....

Modells had coupons for 33% off any licensed sports apparel for one item and 33% off any licensed novelty item. I found a Stadium Club blaster (!), although $25 I figured I was taking a chance on a Pujols auto and rewarding my valiant early bird efforts. Well, the manager did the same. He gave me the 33% off the blaster, and I only ended up paying like $16. Hooray! I also picked up 2 blister packs of SP Authentic in Modells.

Then to BC Sports... I grabbed 2 packs of Timeline's thanks to my brothers debit card. I run an errand or two for him, and he rewards his older sister with cardboard. Awesome.

12 noon: Target #2 -- Another blaster of Stadium Club was found, as well as many blasters of Timeline, which by the way are only $14.99 if you can find them in Target. Well, long story short, the Stadium Club box didn't scan, and I ended up with that one for $14.99. Yay for me, not for mom who gets to pay and put those into my stocking which now will hold nothing else, and thats fine by me.

I spent a good 9 hours shopping on 2 hours of sleep, got a bunch of presents on a small budget and did pretty ok. I didn't spend much (of my own money) on myself, I helped my mom get some things on sale so she didn't have to spend extra money, too. I'm not usually a shopper for things other than baseball cards and coffee, but Black Friday is the best. And when you get sales on baseball cards, it makes getting out of bed at 3am worth it.

Stay tuned for pack breaks... I need to refuel and perhaps wash the nap off my face before playing.