Being a Brewers Fan is hard

I'll be honest I really thought this year might be the year.  The Brewers were in first place of the NL Central for most of the year.  Of course the part of the season that counts is when they melted down, but I'm use to that.  While it was hard watching my team implode there are still things I love about being a Brewers fan.   The main one is picking up awesome cards for pennies.  

Point in case are these two great Jimmy Nelson rookie cards out of Panini's Immaculate Collection.  I picked up both of these cards for under $2 each.  That total doesn't include the shipping, but even then these cards were still steals.  

Jimmy really didn't have that great of a year after he got his first win when he got called up.  He ended up going 2-9 in 12 games and finished with a 4.93 ERA.  But he's the only rookie Topps or Panini bothered to feature in most of their products this year.  That's one of the bad things about being a Brewers fan we really get no love in the card market.  

But this Rookie Inscriptions card is so cool in hand.  I'm sure glad I didn't pay $200 for a box of this, when I can pick up cards for about $2 a piece on ebay.

I also picked up this Immaculate Swatches card.  

And I also picked up a Rookie Auto from Topps Chrome

Lets hope Jimmy has a better year next year.

3 packs of 2014 Topps Chrome Baseball for the heck of it.

I'm back and I figured why not try to get a post in before the month is over. I hate having that empty spot in my post history you know.

I ended up stopping in at Don's Sportcards to see what treasures he had dug up.  He's currently helping sell off a big collection from a guy who use to own a card shop.  Most of the stuff is from the late to mid 90's, but there always seem to be a few treasures buried in the stacks.  But this isn't a post of what I found. I'm saving those for later.  

 While there I did pick up 3 packs of  the new Topps Chrome Baseball.  Chrome is one of those products you either really love or not.  I'm probably in the not category. Don't get me wrong the cards look cool, but all the set really is is a paired down shiny version of the flagship. At least Topps doesn't insert Chrome cards in it's flagship product and then put out a whole separate chrome product like it does with Bowman.  But that's a rant for another time. Lets see what I got.

Pack 1 was pretty uneventful. Except for the Puig.

 Pack 2 had a little more variety with the addition of the Paxton refractor and a former Brewers outfielder.

 But Pack 3 surprised me with something even better. Sure there was a Mauer, Castro and D'Arnaud, but also ....

  I've never heard of Onelki Garcia, but it is an on card autograph card and a blue parallel numbered to 199 too boot.

Over all not to shabby when I pull one of the two autos per box.  Still not my cup of tea, but always worth a few packs.  Everything is up for trade. 

My wrapper redemptions come in.

Well I had a few bubble mailers in the mail box this Friday and one of them is that distinctive Topps Fulfillment envelope, but different.  And inside was a slim foil pack.  My wrapper redemption pack had arrived and unfortunatly it didn't have green varations or auto's or Jason Heward, Buster Posey, or Stephen Strasburg.

My 3 refractor variants were.....

Lou Gehrig, Carlos Santana, and Mike Stanton.

And the backs.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this exact same pack posted around the blogotopia, so it looks like there is no collation in the packs.

Nice and shiny though.

cb out.

Topps Chrome Wrapper Redemptions: Can Topps stop the sinking ship that is Chrome?

Sooz over at A Cardboard Problem had an great post this morning about the new Topps Bowman Chrome wrapper redemption program.   So I headed over to the Topps website to find out a little more and too my surprise they actually had news.

Some points of interest if you haven't already notice this but these redemption programs are for HOBBY ONLY wrappers.  That's right you might as well throw away all your value pack wrappers right now.  And the all caps was Topps not me.  This includes both the  Bowman Chrome wrapper redemption and Topps Chrome Baseball.  Topps also announced that there would be Heyward and Posey refractor autos given out.  That's nice.

Here's an interesting blurb from the post:
"And because of a production error, the previously announced Autographed 2010 Bowman Chrome USA BUYBACK program will now be included as part of this wrapper redemption.  Cards will be sequentially numbered with foil stamping to 100 and will include Bryce Harper, James Taillon, Yasmani Grandal, Drew Pomeranz, Michael Choice, Christian Colon, Manny Machado and Bryce Brentz"

I suppose this means that they forgot to insert them into the product or all the autos rubbed off as that seems to be an issue this year with chrome.

And you need all 18 wrappers from you box.  Yep only 18 packs per box.  4 cards per pack. And at my LCS packs were going for $4.25.  I picked up 2 to try it out and to tell the truth Topps would have to guarantee me an autographed card to get me to buy more. 

So once again it looks like quality and production control  seem to be the big issue at Topps.  I reported on this last month.  Remember when wrapper redemptions were a thank you and not an apology?

I remember back in the 90's when Fleer Ultra had their wrapper redemption and you got a nice pack of Eck cards to throw in your binder.  I'm sure I still have them somewhere too.  See that was a thank you for buying our product, if you take the time to send us you wrappers we'll send you a nice pack of exclusive cards.  Now it's "we're sorry we have our heads up our asses here take time out of your busy day and dig out all those wrappers you just threw away and send them to us and we'll try and make it up to you."

I bought one box of Topps Chrome baseball and you bet I sent my wrappers in.  Both of my Autos were smudged and since I couldn't find the receipt and I'm sending my wrappers in, Topps wouldn't do anything.  Alright I really didn't try very hard, but fuck you Topps and your shitty cards. 

Sorry Sorry.

My point being is that it kind of looks like a desperate ploy on Topps' part to save there sinking brand.  Especially now that people could care less about that injured pitcher guy from the Nationals.  I did a quick price check over at Blowout cards and DAC Topps Chrome is under 40 bucks a box, 37.95 at BO and 39.95 at DAC, Bowman Chrome is just under 50 bucks a box and I have a feeling you will be able to pick this up for 35 in a few weeks.  49.80 at BO and 48.95 at DAC.  Looks like Chrome football is moving downward as well.

I might be cynical as ever, but I can see damage control as well as anyone.  And making the wrapper redemptions Hobby Only only clarifies which of it's products are screwed up.  I haven't heard anyone complain about quality from retail blasters and value packs.  Hmmmm. 

Comments?  Horror stories?