It used to be that when I needed a random “fix”, I’d buy a pack or two of Bowman or Triple Play or some other set I wasn’t really collecting, but lately I’ve been gravitating more towards the 100-card repacks, even with the diminishing returns I’m getting.
I mean, with all the repacks I’ve bought, I’m still 50 cards short of completing the 1987 Topps set. What is up with that?
Anyway, rather than giving a complete blow-by-blow of the repacks, I figured I’d share some of the more interesting cards out of the last three or so.
I’ll lead off with the most unusual card I got… This one was in the last repack I bought and is my first repack autograph… A 2005 Topps Chrome Update Cesar Carrillo.
I didn’t remember hearing much about the guy, so I looked him up… He did pitch in 3 games for the Padres in 2009, but he’s bounced around since then. He’s currently part of the Tigers organization, but he’s under a 100-game suspension for drug violations coming out of the Biogenesis investigations.
…And that is why his autograph found it’s way into my repack. It’s still kinda cool, even though it’s worth about as little as an autographed card can be.
One thing I’ve really enjoyed about the repacks is getting these 1980’s/1990’s Topps glossies. I’d had only a handful of these cards from each year, but I think I’ve added over 20 of these to my collection.
Not only was this Big Hurt card one I needed, but I was mildly surprised to find that it actually has some value, at least in theory. I don’t mean to keep going on about value, but when I get a repack card like this that’s potentially worth a buck or two, it just makes me sit up and take notice.
This card was on the front of one repack I bought…
…I like getting MLB Showdown cards, especially for Mets and Orioles. I’d be very happy if more of these popped up in my repacks; they’re like the King of the 21st Century Oddballs, plus they sometimes feature players who didn’t get much play in the mainstream sets.
I normally wouldn’t keep a 1993 Donruss card for a player I don’t collect, but I just enjoyed the photo (Sorry, Joe Oliver)…
Either he’s just been sent sprawling by a brushback pitch, or he’s breakdancing.
Go, catcher! Go, catcher! Go, catcher!
Finally, I got a couple of TriStar Prospects cards… Oooh, shiny. I was a little surprised that some of them were for guys who still had the potential to be an impact player.
If J-Hey fulfills half of the promise some people expected out of him, this card might end up being something worthwhile. This one’ll go into the “Wait and see” box.
The Shlabotnik Report 