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?

ACP Case Break Proposition

Here is my idea:  A case break on something that will be released later in the year, such as Bowman's Best or the like with the Yankees being claimed by the blog and the rest of the teams being priced according to potential hits and number of cards on that particular team.

Therefore, the claim of the Yankees or Dodgers for example would offset the cost for someone who wants a team with minimal chance or no chance at a hit and just wants to get in on the break.  The other option is that smaller teams in the break can be grouped together, i.e. Twins & A's or something.  Option 3 is to tier the break with prices falling into 3 groups per se.

How many would be interested in a case break where the teams are claimed on first come first serve and in one of these fashions?  I would also be willing to do 2 breaks where we give second person waiting a chance at their favorite team if they jump in on the first one to help fill (Yankees excluded).

I'd also be likely to take the Mariners if no one else did and would be willing to trade for Pujols cards.

Drop a comment with if you would be interested.  I'd like to get a case or two locked in early with lowest price.

We have done many case breaks in the past with teams being claimed and not random and it has worked well, I just need to figure out how to best structure pricing.

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....

That time I bought a Yogi Berra

Well, I suppose it should be those "times" I bought a Yogi Berra.  While this isn't my first one, it is a cool one.

I was walking around the National on Saturday with a fellow collector looking to buy the one box of 2005 Topps Bazooka I had seen earlier in the week.  I had fun with that product in '05 and wanted to rip something relatively cheap at $40.  Oddly enough the same seller had vintage cards and I decided that for $10 more, I would rather have a sweet Yogi Berra card than 3 useless game used cartoon cards.

While I don't go out of my way collecting anything vintage I do like to pick up the occasional Yogi card.

It should also be noted that several "supplies" tables told me that a snap case or screw down case for a 54 Topps did not exist.  I knew they did but no one had one.  Thanks to my local card shop, Yogi is safe in a screw down case living in a cardboard box with his friends.

They Pulled Me Back In...

Greetings fellow bloggers and collectors!

I'm fairly certain I haven't posted anything in years, nor have I really had any interest in baseball cards.  Ever since I finished nursing school about 4 years ago my baseball card collection more or less went on the back burner.  Until last week that is.

Last week I invited myself along on Sooz's trip to the National and left my paycheck in Chicago.  I bought all kinds of things, some things I didn't even know I wanted or needed.  Some things I just bought because well why not?  I have a cardboard problem after all.

I think a lot of my sudden come back has a lot to to with chasing big RC, Judge and Bellinger.  Ripping wax is more fun when there is someone good on your favorite team to pull.  I have never bought hobby boxes or blasters with the intention of making my money back because that will rarely ever happen plus I will never sell a Judge that I pull unless it's a low numbered auto that I can pay off my credit card with then I would consider it.

My Ryan McDonagh collection has been my focus the last 4 or so years and is pretty sweet and mainly missing 1/1's and base cards.  I don't chase 1/1's and I have no interest in buying base cards because they will always be available so I focus on auto's and game used cards.

I go through cycles of different addictions, cards, car parts and supplies, sneakers...  So for now it's baseball cards.

I am going to give writing a post a week a try.  I make no guarantees but I have just had an energy drink, a coffee and a pail of Starbucks Peach Citrus Tea so I may be up for days with lots to say.  I have some cool things I added to my PC to talk about, plus I fell off the wagon hard and landed in multiple Target's and my LCS this week.  Pretty sure the wagon is broken.