The Bottom of the Barrel -- 2006 UDU

On my last trip to Target, I went armed with two things: A 10%-off coupon and a plan. I was intent on buying all of the stupid little things that cause more trips to Target when I don't have a discount. So after loading up on stuff like toothpaste, envelopes, and Kleenex, I hit that card aisle, which has become more and more uninspiring since the end of the baseball season. I decided to make do with a slashed price pack of 2006 Upper Deck Update. I hadn't seen any of these at this retailer, and my curiosity got the best of me.

Let's tear in.

Here's what I got...
Kevin Perry (RC), some fat old pitcher, Semper Fi (RC), a tall guy (RC), a bad pitcher (RC), another guy, another bad pitcher (RC), and a team checklist.

In retrospect, I should have bought some Rolos.And I don't even like Rolos.

A Pack(et) A Day: 2007/08 Panini UEFA Champions League Update

APAD cintributor, John in the UK, sent me another (unsolicited) goodie bag full of football cards to bust here. First packet up is from Panini: 2007/08 UEFA Champions League Update.

For those of you who don't follow football, the UEFA Champions League is a competition that crowns the club champions of Europe. When it was first devised in the 1950s (as simply The European Cup) it literally was a "Champions League" -- only those clubs that had won the championship of their domestic league the previous season were allowed to participate. Since then, the competition -- which runs concurrently with the domestic leagues -- has been expanded to include more clubs, most of whom come from the larger and stronger countries.

Of the 51 winners of the Euro Cup/Champions League, 33 have hailed from the "Big 3:" England, Italy, and Spain. Not surprisingly, all three of these countries send up to four clubs into the Champions League. Despite this, the champions of the smaller nations also are invited; however they are, for the most part, eliminated before the group phase (the "real" start of the competition) begins.

The group phase of the 2008-09 Champions League begins later this week. In addition to the usual suspects, (Chelsea, ManU, Fc Barcelona, Inter, et al) for the first time teams from Belarus and Cyprus have advanced to the group phase.

For those of us in the States, ESPN2 and ESPN Classic will be showing games this Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. If you have a chance, take a late lunch and check 'em out.

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2007/08 Panini UEFA Champions League is 250 cards, followed up with a 100-card Update set. This packet is from the Update series, which was released only seven weeks after the first. It features players who changed teams, or "transferred," before the start of group play.

2008 Upper Deck First Edition Update

This is a weird post for me. I've got a ton of other stuff I need to be doing, and I even have several posts for A Pack A Day that are waiting to be written. This pack is something I shouldn't have even put in my shopping cart now that Allen & Ginter and Goudey are finally in stores. But for some reason I did buy this pack, and now I am compelled to write about it. First, the pack.

327 Kerry Wood
331 Bobby Jenks
346 Asdrubal Cabrera
315 Jon Lester
363 Luis Gonzalez
490 Alex Rios
445 Jason Bay
499 Ronnie Belliard
444 Tom Gorzelanny
SQ-51 Ken Griffey Jr. Starquest

Not a great pack, not a terrible one. Basically I got a Griffey insert and three cards that will go in my Sox, Indians and Marlins piles to be mailed out eventually to various other bloggers. The set is almost the same as the original First Edition that hit stores back in March. The main difference is that the subjects are from series two instead of series one. The StarQuest cards are the same as the Series Two cards, just with the First Edition Obnoxious Green (and I mean that as a compliment) backgrounds. There is one other change to the Update set which is probably insignifigant to most people but which cause me to do a double take. The stock now has a matte finish like last year's set instead of the slick glossy feel of this year's first First edition set. Which is something I complained about in my rip of FE a few months ago:

Anyone who bought First edition last year will remember that it was different from regular Upper Deck in two ways: it had no foil stamping and it was printed on a matte stock. This year's set still has no foil, but they changed back to the glossy stock which is a shame. Last year it was a distinct set from big boy UD, now it looks like a cheap knockoff.

While I'm not arrogant enough to think that my critiques of their products actually affect UD's production decisions, in the minuscule chance that some one from UD actually reads this blog, and takes any of my superficial bitching and complaining to heart, I have this to suggest for 2009 Upper Deck First Edition:

• Keep the matte finish. It distinguishes it from the base set and is great for autographs.
• Please, no foil. Give us one set with no foil. Foil up the rest of your stuff out the wazoo, but it's so refreshing to have one non-retro set that isn't all cluttered up with foil.
• The StarQuest cards are some of my favorites this year. Keep 'em or mine the old Collector's Choice sets for more ideas.
• Sneak in some insert sets too, the ones from last year's First Edition and Fleer sets made building a low end base set even more fun.
• Don't put less cards in the set, put more. Instead of cutting down the 500 card Upper Deck base set to make a 300 card First Edition set, ditch all the highlights and checklists and make First Edition a 600 card set and include all the middle relief and bench players that would never be considered for the regular Upper Deck set. Make it like UD 40-man, with full rosters for every team. Use the Update set late in the year to include traded players and a flood of RC's.
• This is the really, really REALLY important part: Keep the price a dollar a pack for 10 cards. I know printing and shipping is getting expensive as hell, but if you can put out a quality, comprehensive set at a buck a pop it'll sell. Topps has really screwed up their base brand lately, you have an opening right now to own the affordable base set niche.

Basically, if you merge 2007 Fleer with 2005 Topps Total and call it 2009 First Edition, I'll be your Best Friend Forever. Just some suggestions UD, from someone who has been impressed with what you've been doing the past calendar year despite the fact he is an unabashed fanboy for your competitor.

The 20 for $40 re-wrap: 2002 Fleer Tradition Update Hobby

At 400 cards, 2002 Fleer Tradition Update was the largest Fleer/Fleer Tradition Update ever. It was also the first Update set issued in pack form since 1996.




Base
Barry Wesson (Prospects, one-per-pack)
Barry had a cup-of-coffee with the Astros in '02, and a second cup with the Angels in '03. Your classic AAAA player, Wesson's been kicking around the PCL the last few years. Surprisingly, I actually need this card for my set.

Juan Diaz
Juan had his cup-of-coffee with the Red Sox in 2002. He finished his career with seven at-bats in four games.

Tony Clark
Tony "The Tiger," was the second player selected overall in the 1990 draft -- one pick after Chipper Jones -- but did not start his professional career until 1992. (He delayed his baseball career to play basketball for San Diego State.)

Odalis Perez
Odalis won a career-high 15 games for the Dodgers in 2002. He now pitches for the Nationals.

Bobby Kielty
Kielty finished fourth in the 2002 AL ROY balloting.

Chipper Jones (Curtain Call)
"Curtain Call" is you typical double-up-on-the-superstars-with-a-meaningless-subset subset. This one commemorates Jones' 8th-inning three-run home run off Billy Wagner on October 9, 2001.

Mike Williams
Mike had a career-high 46 saves for the '02 Pirates, and made his first All-Star team. He made the All-Star team again in '03, was traded to the Phillies at the deadline, then retired after the season.

Williams came up with the Phillies in '92 and pitched 17 games (including four starts) for the pennant-winning '93 Phillies. On July 7, 1993, he pitched six innings of relief -- getting the win in the process -- in a 20-inning marathon against the Dodgers.

Robb Nen (All-Star)
There aren't a whole lot of guys who can say that their final pitch in the Majors was in game six of the World Series. There aren't a whole lot of guys who can say that their final pitch in the Majors was in game six of the World Series, with a torn rotator cuff AND a torn labrum.

Jim Edmonds (Diamond Standouts)
Another blah subset card; this one celebrating Jim's hot start to the '02 season. Next....

Shea Hillenbrand (All-Star)
Shea Hillenbrand was not only an All-Star, but was the starting third baseman for the American League. Who knew?

2004 Fleer Ultra Update

Here's the fourth pack from my Storage Box, Braves set what I oughta bought last year and 10 random-non Opening Day pack box. To recap, the '05 America's Pastime pack was meh, The '06 Upper Deck pack was Bleargh, and the '94 Ultra pack was great except for the whole mangled and destroyed bit. This here is a pack of 2004 Ultra Update, which was a one time deal by Fleer to get Roger Clemens on a pack wrapper in a 'Stros cap. They did a factory update set for Ultra in 1991, but this set kinda came out of nowhere. It's rookie driven for sure... 75 base cards, and 100 rookies in the set. 87 of the Rooks are inserted 2 per pack while the "Lucky 13" are numbered to 500 each (1:2000 packs). Next time you complain about stupid Rookie Logo cards, focus your venom instead on crap inserts like Lucky 13 that caused the whole mess in the first place. I can't find a checklist anywhere and they're not listed in Beckett, so I guess those rookies weren't so lucky to begin with. It looks like my colleague concurs, 2004 was particularly bad for stupid rookie sets. Let's rip.

261 Derrek Lee
225 Alex Rodriguez
281 AJ Pierzynski
268 Bobby Crosby
356 Lino Urdaneta rookie
302 Ian Snell rookie
247 Nomar Garciaparra
263 Craig Wilson

Dang, talk about a star studded pack... I forgot how many stars switched teams in 2004. It looks like I got most of them here in this pack. A-Rod in the Yankees uniform, No-Mah and Derrek Lee with the Cubs (tell the truth, who did you think would be the Triple Crown threat out of those two at the time?) and AJ in the Giants uniform is probably a Twins fan's most cherished card. Bobby Crosby makes two appearances in this pack, on his own card and on Derrek's as he looks helplessly as Lee slides in with a double.

Since this set is all about the rookies, lets look at the rookies. Ian Snell's a nice card and it looks like it's a genuine rookie card... imagine that. Snell was the Opening Day starter against the Braves on Monday and pitched a good game. Unless the Pirates ruin his arm, he looks to be their ace until the Yankees sign him for 15 mil a year. The other rookie is a little less spectacular, Urdaneta is a Mets farmhand who got pinched for the juice last year and got a 50 game suspension. He 's pitched one inning in his career and might not pitch a second. Still, I gotta say this is a damn good pack to be pulling out of a junk box. Up next: 1994 Flair.

Wal-Mart $9.99 Value Pack: Two Packs of 2006 Topps Updates and Highlights retail

Pack #1
Base:
Cory Lidle (In Memoriam)
Lastings Milledge (RC)
Lance Berkman All-Star
Cubs Team Leaders
Mariners Team Leaders

Mirrors:
Barry Bonds Bullshit Waste of Space: #715 (1:6)

Pack #2
Base:
Chris Woodward
Casey Janssen (RC)
Derek Jeter Season Highlights
Jose Reyes Season Highlights
Carlos Delgado Postseason Highlights
Lance Berkman Home Run Derby

Two takes on these packs:

Take #1: Why is the Cory Lidle card still booking for $4 Beckett HI? I've heard of "death bumps" but this is a little ridiculous, wouldn't you say?

Take #2: How nondescript are the Barry Bonds Home Run History mirror cards? I had absolutely no idea I pulled #715 until just now. I guess when over 700 versions of the same card are made, a collector would be expected to overlook such details.

2006 Upper Deck Update

Here's the last pack from that Target box, Upper Deck Update. UD figured 1000 cards just isn't big enough for a base card set so they tacked on another 250 card update. Just to make absolutely sure anyone trying to collect a 2006 Upper Deck set would completely lose their minds, they made the update retail only and added 50 short prints (20 rookies, 30 checklists) inserted in every other pack. However, it's one of only two 2006 products with a Pat Neshek rookie card ('52 Rehash is the other) so all is forgiven.

1129 Willie Randolph
1073 Anibal Sanchez RC
1017 Brayan Pena RC
1148 Jamie Moyer
1092 Paul Phillips RC
1036 Buck Coats RC
1172 Eliezer Alfonzo RC
SA-JK Jason Kubel Star Attractions

No Neshek in this pack, but as I put these cards in with the rest of my '06 UDs I discovered I already had Pat's rookie. Sweetness. According to the list in Beckett, I got no short prints in this pack. The Josh Rabe SP is the key to the set, booking at 20 bucks. I have never ever heard of Josh Rabe before this moment. Willie Randolph opens the pack looking all managerial. This pack is heavy with rookie card logos, as is the set. The Jamie Moyer card stands out in the pack as most of the other cards have the - no MLB experience - stat line and a lot of white space on the back, while Jamie is about two more seasons away from needing a fold out card just to cram all those stats in. Anibal Sanchez's card shows the celebration from his 2006 no hitter. Nice one by UD to get such a late season accomplishment in an '06 product. The pack wraps up with a Jason Kubel insert that, while nice, I don't much care about.

Up next - The Big Card Kahuna. The colossal cardboard catastrophe. The King Kamehameha of repacks. La caja de tarjeta muy grande! The 100 count box of MLB cards! What have I gotten myself into!?!