2007 Topps Series 2 Rack Pack

I don't like the fact that Topps quit putting inserts in their rack packs other than the exclusive special insert. Topps only stopped including inserts for retail packs, you can still pull them in hobby rack packs. If you try to look through the packs for the good card on top in a hobby store though, you're likely to get your arm lopped off. What I do like about rack packs is that you can see 5 cards on the outside of the packs. This is quite useful when your need list for the set is down to a couple dozen and the card shops near you have hardly any Topps base singles floating around in the store. This is where retail packs have their value: Target employees don't care if you root through the packs all day. Why should they? They've probably already snagged all the jersey card packs anyway.

Looking at the top of this pack would seem to indicate that I am a big Mariano Rivera fan. While I certainly have no problem getting two cards of a guaranteed Hall of Famer, that's not why I bought this pack. I bought it for a star card on the back. The back card on the middle pack is #590 Lance Berkman. When I was going through my series two set last weekend getting a list of cards I needed, one of them was #590 Lance Berkman. Topps packs are generally collated in such a way where if there's one card you need in a pack, there's likely to be a few more in as well. I figured I'd take a chance on this pack, worst case scenario I have two Riveras and a Berkman I need for the set.

Top pack
WD9 Mariano Rivera World Domination
388 Torii Hunter
576 Yuniesky Betancourt
346 Shawn Green
587 Brian Bannister
653 Sean Casey & Placido Polanco Classic Combo
462 Edgar Gonzalez
411 Jason Bay

My hunch proves correct. I pull Green, Bannister and the Tigers Classic Combo for my set. Plus the Yuniesky card is an upgrade as my copy looks pretty rough. The bottom left corner is not so much dinged as damned. I like the insert card. The front looks like El Presidente Rivera is stomping upon the puny Western Hemisphere in order to subject it to his will. The back has a nice write up on "the pride of Panama" and gives a shout out to fellow Panamanian Rod Carew. The combo card is neat, it looks like the botched pickoff play on Albert Pujols in game 1 of the World Series. Not a great memory for Tigers fans, but still a cool card.

Middle pack
570 Mariano Rivera
475 Kevin Youkilis
502 Brian Roberts
596 Texas Rangers
Students: Work Hard, Get Cards.
431 Luis Gonzalez
442 Paul Maholm
590 Lance Berkman

Four more needed out of this pack, Roberts, Gonzalez, Maholm and Berkman. I love it when a plan comes together! Berkman's card doesn't disappoint as he stretches to beat the runner charging towards first. Luis Gonzalez also has an interesting pose, wandering through the misty forest looking lost in a Dodgers uniform.

525 Jeremy Hermida
374 Adrian Beltre
448 Fernando Rodney
649 Brian Barden RC
423 Mike Lamb
Checklist 2 of 3
467 Hanley Ramirez
445 Pablo Ozuna

Four more cards needed in this group making the haul for the pack 11 cards for the set and an insert card. Not bad considering I already had 90% of the set. Now I just need to find Brandon Webb or Victor Martinez on the front of one of these packs and I'll be just about done with this set.