Fan Packin' Across the USA - Battle of the M's - Minnesota Twins vs the Seattle Mariners

Got two more fan pack in the mail a few days ago. Let's put them head to head and see what happens.

We'll start big this time.

First we have two press releases. One with the opening day roster and an announcement about the Hrbek statue.

There were also two 8.5 x 11 computer printed photos.  A team photo and an opening day photo from last year.  There was also a piece of cardboard with these so keep them from getting bent.  Very classy.

Of course what would a fan pack be with out a pocket schedule.....

and a couple stickers?

There were also three player postcards.  Each one has a thank you on the back from the player featured.

Not too shabby there Twins.  OK lets see what the Mariners have.  I have a soft spot for the Mariners. I spent 3 years as a kid north of Seattle and living up here in Alaska the local ESPN radio station plays all the Mariners games.

First we have a games sheet here's what the outside looks like.  A nice sunny day in Seattle at Safeco.

Here's whats inside the trifold. Baseball Sudoku!!!

A nice sheet of stickers.

And of course a pocket schedule.

And a bi fold sheet with Ichiro on the front and 3 player cards on the other side!

Nice.

I'm going to have to call this one a draw.  The Twins had a few more things, but the Mariners really packed their little envelope full of goodness.  Both had stickers, player cards, pocket schedules and something else.
Our first tie of the season.

Cynicalbuddha's Top 100 #6

Sometimes there are cards you pull that you just go wow.  That's freaking cool.  There will be lots of those cards in my Top 100.  These are cards I've kept pretty much because of the cool factor.  I don't have player collections of these guys, but it's nice to pad your collections with a few valuable pulls.  I tend to buy packs or boxes and usually sell or trade the hits away.  Most are junk to me anyways and I'd rather send them on there way to a better home in exchange for cards that will have a good home in my collection or for some money to help support the addiction.  But there are cards that I just have to keep.  So the first one of these knock me on my ass pulls is this one. Number 6 on the list, which remember is in no particular order of awesomeness..

2005 Upper Deck MLB Artifacts Rod Carew Patches #d37/50

Immortalized in Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song.  Just look at that patch.  This was the first patch relic I ever pulled and it blew me away.  Add to fact it's out of 50 and a HOFer it's awesomeness incarnate.  I ended up pulling another great card from this set too and it'll make an appearance later in the Top 100.

Sorry the photos kinda fuzzy, the card is in a screw down holder.  Ah 2005, the year I officially kicked up my collecting again.  I'd been living out of a suitcase working as a field biologist and 2005 was the year I kinda settled down for a while and got a place to live.  I never stopped ripping packs, but 2005 was the year I think it became my addiction.  You'll find lots of good 2005 cards on this list for that exact reason.

cb out.