2009 UD Signature Stars

*Pfff* *Pfff* Whoa, what is up with all the dust around here?  This is a pack a *DAY* right?  Man, we need to step up, fellow bloggers!

The 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars cards come in a box that lets you know in BIG, BOLD PRINT that these cards are NOT AUTHORIZED by the MLB.  I'm sure if I look hard enough, I will find a little logo of a guy sticking his tongue out on there somewhere.

Each Signature Stars box comes with an autographed card.  What that really means is that of the whole six packs you get, one of the packs has an autographed card in it.  Though I opened all six packs, I will only show the one with the "hit" in it. 

First up, Jason Kubel - Twins.  I actually like the looks of these cards a lot.  The picture is center and large enough that the starred border does not take away from the player.  The player's name, city name and position are shown at the top along with the UD logo.  The "SignatureStars" script is centered at the bottom. 

Next up, Brian Roberts - Orioles.  The backs of the cards mimic the name/city at the top, then some biographical info is provided along with a paragraph about the player.  At the bottom of the back are stats from the last four years or so.  They are very clean without a lot of distraction (though the back does have the same starred design altered slightly from the front)

Third, we have the signature card.  This is the "hit" of the box.  This is the reason this box retailed for $30 when first sold.  Who is the reason?  Jason Anderson - Royals.  I don't follow KC, so I don't know if I struck gold or struck out.  Given my genral history with such things, I'm guessing the latter.

Fourth, batting clean-up is Andruw Jones - Rangers.  Oh sure, I couldn't get HIS auto...

And rounding out the pack, we find Pablo Sandoval - Giants.

1992 ProSport Peanuts Classics Series 2

I received this pack as part of a recent non-sport purchase.  As it turned out, there were some sport-related packs of cards in the mix after all!  I had never heard of these before, and when I saw there was a chance of pulling a "Stan Musial Hologram," well, I jumped at the chance to open it.

The cards feature a gold or silver border on the front with the "Peanuts" logo.  In the center, a single comic panel related to baseball appears.  While this is a very cool thing to behold, it was not until I flipped the card over that I gazed upon the true coolness of the card:

On the back of each card, a full comic strip depicts the scene on the front plus the rest of the story for context!  Also on the back, the card number and a tiny Snoopy "Classics" logo.  There is no copyright information, so I had to poke around online to find the date of production. Turns out, these were made over the course of several years.  I just picked the 'middle' one for good measure.

Because there are 10 cards in the pack, I will show some of the backs on here, but will mainly focus on the fronts for this post.  You can find the backs of all the cards in another post on "A Pack To Be Named Later" (link below).

This is a cross-blog post. Related articles appear on the following blogs:

A Pack To Be Named Later
A Pack A Day
Things Done To Cards

2008 Topps Stadium Club Retail

So... Target hit the secret number in my head that would get me to buy any more of this garbage. It's still overpriced by about a buck-and-a-half.

The fronts of the wrappers make a clear promise: "ONE ROOKIE CARD INSIDE!" I got four. Well, which one is it guys? With all these youngsters, let's check and see how many on the same team's roster for 2010.

Let's tear in.

Top to Bottom:
127 Blake DeWitt
Status: Starting second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers

46 Fausto Carmona
Status: Starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, currently 4-1

148 Chris Perez
Status: Relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians

103 Nick Adenhart
Status: Sadly, deceased

117 Hernan Iribarren
Status: Playing for AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks (Texas)

Well, two out of five ain't bad.

Now, off to file these away in my impossible-to-complete drawer. Sigh.

2007 Schmeer Schmultra

Sometimes it's fun to transpose the initial consonant sounds of two word, like in a name. I am told that my wife's relatives make a habit of this, especially when masking light profanity, such as doing something for "gits and shiggles." Let's try it out as we open this pack of 2007 Fleer Ultra Baseball.

20 Schurt Cilling

68 Wontrelle Dillis

172 Jenji Kohima (surprisingly close to Weeds creator Jenji Kohan's name)

124 Donny Jhamon

136 Rimmy Jollins Gold Foil

Alright, that last one turned my stomach a little bit, sounding more like someone who starred alongside a Jamie Gillis or a Harry Reems than a National League MVP.

But wasn't that fun?

1998 Upper Deck Series 3 Baseball

Reading Night Owl's post earlier today made me think that the decline in activity on A Pack a Day has been kind of sad. This was one of the blogs that really influenced me when I got back into collecting, so the least I can do is post a pack. I came home from work and found this one in the card closet, a hobby pack of 1998 Upper Deck Series 3 Baseball. I actually bought this about 2 years ago and have never really felt like opening it. Price was $2.99, 10 cards per pack, here are all 10 for your viewing pleasure...

#546 - Mike Kinkade - Star Rookie - One thing this pack taught me is that I desperately need to clean my scanner.

#DS28 - Derek Jeter - Destined for Stardom - See what I mean? This is one of those cards that actually looks nice in person, but just doesn't scan well. Too bad the entire right border of the card is bent slightly backwards. I seem to have a knack for pulling Jeters, which is unfortunate...

#594 - Sidney Ponson - Star Rookie - Sidney's MLB career would appear to be over, as far as I know he's not signed with any team for the 2010 season.

#678 - Joe Randa - Here's where the pack takes a downturn. Apparently someone got to Randa's wikipedia page and snuck in an update. Here's the quote: "Randa will be joining the Bonner Springs MasterBatters for the 2010 season." I know it's pretty juvenile but it made me chuckle. Don't believe me? Go look it up yourself (at the very bottom of the Pro Career section)

#740 - Mark McLemore

#739 - Roberto Kelly

#545 - Gary Matthews Jr. - Star Rookie - Gary is 2/14 to start the year for the Mets. I'm not sure anyone out there knows what the Mets saw in him...

#665 - Dmitri Young - Did you know Dmitri collects baseball cards?

#654 - Dennis Eckersley - Now the pack is picking up steam. I always appreciate an Eckersley card!

#730 - Fred McGriff - Eck followed by the Crime Dog, very strong finish. Well for 3 bucks I got some sweet cards and learned why it's a bad idea to ever use Wikipedia as a reference. I think I might have to post here more often.

1991 UD Comic Cards 2

I've been away from APAD for longer than I care to admit.  And, with that, let us delve into a pack of cards I received as part of a "Non-Sport" purchase.  Evidently, cartoonized cards featuring Reggie Jackson and Nolan Ryan are not "baseball" enough to be considered a sport.  After reading this, you make your own conclusion.

Taz gives Reggie a high-five.  Each card features a title ("Seventh Inning Stretch" here), the Looney Tunes and UD logos and some kind of picture.  Sometimes, the pictures are of actual people.  Other times, well, it's just looney.

Every card ties the Looney Tunes cast into a baseball-related scenario.  The backs of the cards feature trivia questions with answers.  Name the first Bugs Bunny cartoon to be nominated for an Academy Award.  No, really, without Google.  Go ahead.  Okay, fine, it was in 1940 and it was "A Wild Hare." Happy now?

I'm not sure if you put the cards in order they would tell a story. Judging by the dialogue, I would have to guess yes.

This appears to be the title card.  I have no idea what chicken wings have to do with it, but how do you have chicken wings without Foghorn Leghorn!?

Do you see that!? Dupes. In a single pack, I get dupes.  Yeesh.

"So, Nolan, you're one of the greatest pitchers ever, right?  Well, we'd like to take some pictures of you pretending to talk to Bugs Bunny.  Yes, I said Bugs Bunny. Hello?  Hello, Mr. Ryan?"

*This post appears in a three-way cross-posting between "APAD," "A Pack To Be Named Later," and "Things Done to Cards."

2009 Bowman Chrome

I guess I just refuse to let this blog die. (Should the words "with dignity" end that last sentence?)

First of all, let me state that this pack of cards has been sitting, opened, on my shelf, for probably at least six months, if not more. At the present, these cards are now curled up like a bag of Fritos Scoops. You know, the big ones that enable America's plumpening in the ass and mid-section regions. And the thighs of you womenfolk.

Secondly, I can state with authority that I remember some of the circumstances surrounding my purchase of this pack of cards. Only when I looked at my receipt did I realize that I had bought a JUMBO pack, not the regular pack. I cry foul on this one. Since when does a JUMBO pack contain five cards? Mother fuck. I'm still having flashbacks, and soon the state is going to have to pick up the tab for some serious PTSD medication.

What I need right now is someone roughly the height, build, and hairiness of Robin Williams to firmly embrace me while repeatedly assuring me, "It's not your fault. It's not your fault." Then I'm going to turn on the shower and sit there for an hour while the blood slowly leaks out of my violated asshole, which is now the size of a pickle jar. Then a cab driver will ridicule me about the "back door delivery" I wasn't expecting. (If you can identify both film references in this paragraph, flaunt your prowess in the comments. Now.)

Let's tear in.

Top to Bottom:
122 Alexi Casilla

13 Cliff Lee

BCW48 Some WBC guy from Japan (God, this stupid WBC crap showed up in too many products last year. It created a climate in which I refused to buy a single pack of 2009 Topps Chrome, and I loved 2008 Topps Chrome. When there are four cards in a pack, it is inexcusable to get a WBC card. I am on alert for 2013 already, where the field may be expanded to 24 teams. Expect 50 percent more of this crap should that occur.)

BCP185 Jack McGeary

123 Scott Kazmir

Kick me in the nuts, swiftly.