Target, Temptation and Twitter

Last week when I returned from the National I hit up Target on Monday and Tuesday to see if anything new was out early, or anything was out period since 2017 baseball has been scarce on the retail level.  Monday and Tuesday there was a cart full of boxes, about half of what is pictured, in the aisle unopened.  I attempted to open some and an employee said neither I nor they can open the boxes.  Bull.  Everytime in the past I have asked someone to open them they have done so with no problem.  This lady coincidentally was there everyday all week, and the pile of boxes grew and grew.  She still would not help.

I decided to take my gripe to Twitter and tag Target and AskTarget in my tweets with the pictures and see what happened on Friday since they moved the cart but refused to display or open when asked.  It made me mad for several reasons, the obvious being that I wanted Chrome.  The other is that in terms of customer service, if you are standing around, not busy and only scowling at customers you can help and open a couple of boxes.  Her reason for not wanting to was "the person who opens them has to know how many of each are on the shelves.  Bull.  Never seen a packing slip in the boxes nor have I seen a vendor ever check them as they shelve them.

AskTarget messaged me and asked for location and description of events because they were going to contact the store.  This conversation took place probably around noon on Friday.  I went back to Target around 230-3pm Friday and every box was gone and all merchandise displayed.  

I got all the Chrome they had and half the Optic blasters because I like it for some reason.  I never buy Panini stuff because it's not licensed and the no logo cards are pretty boring but for some reason Optic became my friend.

I'm not entirely sure that my Twitter conversation got the cards shelved or if it was just the day the vendor was going there anyway but I hit the blaster jackpot.  I still have 2 Chrome to open and the 2 Optic.  I like to spread the fun out.

Here are the highlights from the first two blasters in case you missed it on Twitter.  Notice the Future Stars cards...  Those are the same ones from the 2 hobby boxes I opened so now I have 4 of each...  Good thing I didn't want to try and complete that set.

Anyone pick up any retail Chrome and pull something to trade me?!  Pujols, Cano, Judge, Sanchez?

A Target Problem

I went on a binge last week...  This was Thursday's haul.  Keep in mind I HATE Allen & Ginter.  H A T E.  Every year I buy a few packs just for the hell of it.  It's usually just to remind myself that I do not want or need a card of a ferris wheel.  Which I got coincidentally.  At any rate, here are the highlights from Thursday's catastrophe.  

Was there a catastrophe at Target Friday?  You bet your bippy.  I may have also gotten into a convo with Target on Twitter about their lack of vendor participation in moving the goods to shelves.  Stay tuned....

2013-2014 Score Hockey blaster

I picked up this blaster over the other hockey ones they had a Target because this had the most cards for the money.  Part of me regrets picking it based on that reason alone because it is a boring base set.  They had OPC, Black Diamond and some other Panini one that only had 5 packs or something ridiculous in it.

Anyway, here is what I got.  The highlights for me are the Rangers, and more importantly a shiny new card of my boy McD.

Could the back of these cards be any more boring?  At least put the logo in color.

Anyone have a Henrik Lundqvist net camera card they would part with?  Anyone else open one of these blasters and get anything good?  I bought a rack pack of these not too long ago and those came with a couple of red parallels.

2011 Bowman Chrome Blaster

I did it again. I seem to binge buy Bowman and Bowman Chrome in recent years and I honestly have no explanation as to why since I don't prospect and I don't have a big interest in amassing a huge collection of who "might be" when I collect 3 guys basically.

I'm going to go with the excuse that I bought it for the sake of the blog since I have been using that one for years. I probably should have labeled every post I've used that as an excuse for this way we could have kept track. Maybe it's better that I didn't...

This year the blasters are the usual price, with 7 packs per box plus one "extra" pack. 24 cards = $22 with tax. Good thing I didn't buy this with the intention of breaking even.

Base cards
3 Rookies - Danny Espinosa, Cory Luebke, and Andrew Cashner
2 Refractors - Dan Uggla and Mike Minor

Bowman Chrome Prospects
Purple Refractor /799 (Every purple refractor I have pulled the last two years has been a dude I had never heard of and probably won't pan out.)
Bowman's Best Miguel Sano
Bowman Chrome Throwback Nick Franklin
Die Cut Jameson Taillon
Die Cut refractor Miguel Sano

I feel like if this were 2010 then I could have made back about $10 on the Sano's and Taillon cards.... Now those are keeper cards because it's not even worth trying to get rid of right now. Out of the 4 die cut cards I have pulled from retail 2 have been damaged/imperfect out of the pack. I was curious to see if the same will happen in hobby packs, so I spoke to Wes about it briefly and in his case he said many of them die cuts were cut horribly or had things that needed to be removed on them.

I also can't decide if it makes more sense to buy the blasters for the extra cards, or the rack packs for the green xfractors. Part of me thinks the green xfractors if you hit the right ones would make that the better buy. Odds of hitting something big in retail are slim but at least if you pull a couple of good green xfractors you can sell them and pay for your rack pack.

Reminder: Looking for Cano, Pujols, Lind, and Banuelos cards from this set- in preference order.

2011 Heritage Blaster

How many of us ran out to Target the last few days hoping to get their hands on a Heritageblaster to open? Yup, me too. I got mine 2 days ago and was saving it for a rainy day. It just rained in my head so I opened it.

I won't lie, I debated on returning it because I was kind of disappointed in the hobby packs I opened and lost most of my interest. But then the pack ripping junkie in my head said, "MarieBay, you already bought it, it will use gas to drive there and return it so you should complete the stupidity cycle and open it." So, I caved.

I bet you were expecting to read allllllllll about the cards in the box and see scans. You lose. Well, actually I lose because the box blew. I got a crapload of base cards which would be great if I cared to build a set. I got 4 SP's, one of which I pulled 2 days ago from some loose packs.


That sums up a Heritage blaster, 4 lousy cards. Ohhh wait, I did get a C.C. Sabathia base card...... Yes, that must make it worth it...

I have read plenty of blogs and talked to plenty of people about how much the blasters sucked. If anyone out there is debating what to buy of this product, buy a hobby packs or loose retail. You really can't to any worse.

Anyone pull an auto out of a blaster yet? I pulled an auto once from a Heritage blaster and it was Mat Gamel. Once in a while you can hit a good card in a blaster but it would be nice for some people to share something good from this years blasters.

2011 Topps Opening Day Blaster

Well, it's finally here. The product we all buy because "it's only a dollar a pack" but leave the store going, "why did I buy this, every year I do this to myself...".

The buyers remorse kicks in somewhere between noticing the blasters and packs on the shelf and walking to the checkout. The head shaking starts on the way out there door and continues to the parking lot. Then I start with my favorite excuse for all things bought and not really wanted, "it's for the blog." Uh huh. Whatever.

You must want to see what was in my 2011 Topps Opening Day blaster... Well, you better want to see because this was the "reason" I bought it after all...

For $9.99 you get 10 packs, plus one bonus pack and a total of 77 cards. (Odds of an auto 1:480, 60th anniversary auto 1:13,500)

Base cards, which are exactly the same as Series 1, but slightly lesser quality. The one thing I do like about them is the lack of foil. Leaves no chance for mis-matched foil on the names.

Presidential First Pitch

Superstar Celebrations


Spot the Error (Which by the way, was too easy.)


Opening Day Stars - I don't really understand what the point of the animation type card is when the card does nothing when you move it side to side. You don't see him swing or move, and it's not that clear. Fail.

Stadium Lights - Probably the coolest insert in Opening Day in a long time. The background of the card is flat, while A-Rod is glossy. I feel that a certain Night Owl approves of the under the lights concept.

Blue parallels - Not sure I could have gotten 3 more useless cards here. I'd like to wipe my a... sinks with the Pedroia card.

Toppstown. ZzzzzzzZZzzZZzzzzZZZzzz

There you have it, or not. I was tempted to get another blaster but I will just get the inserts I want from trading or the card shop. For $9.99 it really isn't that bad this year, but at the same time for the cards that I actually want it will be cheaper to buy singles. Last year I pulled the Pujols blue on my own (miracle).

Anyone want to trade for anything but the Yankees, let me know. I'm looking for Cano and Pujols blue parallels and any other inserts.

Blaster Break: 2010-2011 Panini Threads Basketball

The other day when I told you guys I went to Target and surveyed the new stock and prices I picked up a blaster. Most people have to rip them instantly, but me, I like to wait until I reaallllllly need to open packs. It's like a blaster for a rainy day, so to speak.

I picked up a blaster of 2010-2011 Panini Threads because I had liked what I had seen from the previews Panini posted, as well as the design of the cards. I am going to try and work on trading away the teams I don't want for some other cards if anyone is interested. I will also give away any of the base cards from the Rookies & Stars hobby box break if you e-mail with team preference and just pay the S&H.

I scanned some of the highlights and lowlights (Celtics) for everyone to check out. Honestly, it was well worth the $20 for the blaster.
Lamar Odom, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher




Gotta love LeBronand his talents to pose for the camera like a tool.

The Shaqcard is the corniest pose ever, not to mention that uniform just doesn't suit him well.

The Gerald Henderson is an insert card /199


The only NY Knick I don't hate, Danilo Gallinari.

Willie Warren auto /399 which is on actual wood. No sticker, no "looks like wood" like the Topps Ginter "wood" cards, an autograph on the card that is wood. The card is awesome despite me not caring at all about the player. An autograph from a blaster is a win.




What do you guys think of the auto card design?