Random Wax: 2019 Topps Stadium Club Baseball

The All-Star Game is today so why not look at a pack of 2019 Topps Stadium Club baseball.  There were three duplicates in this pack from the blaster I opened over the weekend but I'm still very happy.  This Kershaw card is pretty cool though I'm thinking Dodger fans aren't exactly thrilled with it having a Cardinals' staple in the clydesdales behind him.    

Glad I pulled this Jackie Robinson card.  I'd seen it in promo material and it is a cool photo.

Ronald Acuna Jr. cards are always fun to pull.  Not a bad insert but the photo is a bit lacking.  Not my favorite Reggie Jackson photo either but I still won't complain.  Did I just ding Stadium Club on their photos not once but twice?  Not something you'll see from me often.

You know what you'll get from this set and it is nice photography.  This pack didn't disappoint.  Some nice cards, great photos and good mix of current and retired greats. 

BREAKDOWN:

12 – Total Cards
3 – Retired Greats
1 – Sepia Parallel
1 – Beam Team

2019 Topps Stadium Club Blaster Box With Autograph

Like previous versions 2019 Topps Stadium Club baseball is all about the photos and that is awesome.  Definitely not disappointed by the cards found here.  The fronts as always are simple with foil text with a bit different font this year.  The photos again are great.  The retired greats really are a big plus as well.  My autograph was Willians Astudillo.  Probably won't make much of a name for himself with the Twins but it is still fun pulling ink.  This Jose Canseco card really stood out to me.  Definitely not the normal Jose photo you see.

All three of these are great.  From the photo of Max Kepler, Yadi's neck tatts to the emotion of Michael Conforto these are each fun cards to look at.

More nice shots.  I thought the Harper might be a SP but it is his base card.  That's the fun part in that you get such good and fun photos in the base set.

One of my retired greats, a Warpspeed insert, and a red parallel of Will Meyers.

Some retired greats on a few inserts.  The inserts I pulled didn't wow me any and it seems like they could have found another way to showcase the great photography they have in this set.

I love this Kimbrel card.  Straight to the PC for it.

A couple more favorites and the back.  The backs are nice.  Simple with color and a nice looking design.  Jon Lester looks like his wants to kick someone's butt...and he probably does.  Really fun blaster and I really like this set.  The price of a blaster is $20 while three individual packs will cost you $18 so this seems the way to go.  

BREAKDOWN:

40 – Total Cards
9 – Retired Greats
5 – RC
3 – Red Parallel
1 – Sepia Parallel
1 – Warpspeed
1 – Power Zone
1 – Emperors of the Zone
1 – Base Autograph

Random Wax: 2019 Topps RAW

Let's look at a random pack of 2019 Topps RAW Wrestling.   This is my second pack of these cards and while they aren't great they are still fun to open.  Liv Morgan opens at the top and she doesn't disappoint.  

 Twelve RAW centric cards dominate the pack with performer from the show.  I like that photo of Bayley.  The Tyler Breeze photo is fun too.

There are WWE, bronze parallels and 205 Live cards in each pack.  Nice pulling a Goldberg card here.

Rowdy Ronda Rousey!

This RAW Women's Evolution card helps highlight a big moment from the show.  I like these and wish there were more in each pack.  Wrestling cards are just fun even if I don't follow it enough to truly say I follow the sport.  There will be more wrestling cards in my future.

BREAKDOWN:

20 – Total Cards
12 – RAW
4 – 205 Live
2 – Hometown Heroes
1 – WWE
1 – Bronze Parallel
1 – RAW Women’s Evolution
1 - Rowdy Ronda Rousey Spotlight

Topps Baseball Series 2 Pack

Grabbed a pack of the 2019 Topps Series 2.  Series 2 are always a bit tough for me but I'll always open some.  I do love all the variations but didn't pull any of those.  I'll probably search out some on eBay as time goes on. Nothing stands out in this pack but a Yelich card is always fun and a few nice photos and retired greats.

That Brett Gardner card really is my favorite from the pack.  I like the photo but just couldn't lead off with a Yankee.  A couple of other nice photos on the Stassi and Lagares cards.

Not a huge fan of the Historic Through-Lines cards but there isn't anything bad about it either.  I do like the Franchise Feats cards.  They aren't anything fancy but I like them.

The ballpark cards are great.  Wonderful photography showcasing the leagues stadiums.  This one with the Tiger statue is too cool.  Overall an OK pack but nothing to write home about.  

BREAKDOWN:

16 - Total Cards

5 – RC
1 – Team Card
1 – Ballpark Card
1 – Historic Through-Lines
1 – Franchise Feats
1 - Retired Greats

  

Random Wax: 2015-2016 Donruss Basketball

The NBA's silly season starts tonight so now is a good time to look at a pack of 2015-2016 Donruss Basketball.  I opened up a retail box of these in the past and I do like the design and photos.  That break can be seen here.  As excited I am for the NBA's free agency to start tonight this pack, outside of this cool Kemba Walker card and a few stars, it was somewhat boring.  

   Maybe I should be more excited about Paul Pierce, Kevin Love, and Chris Paul.  All great players for sure and maybe I'm just too excited about possibly getting Curry, Lillard, Durant, Leonard, AD or James.

  The young players really didn't pan out over the last 4 years.  Rakeem Christmas does have one of the coolest names of all-time.

And the rest of the highlights...  This won't deter me from being exciting about seeing a historically great free agent class make their moves over the next week.  I'm all about players staying with their teams for an entire career but that isn't the world we live in.  Many of the moves are pretty much a done deal or somewhat expected but I'm hoping for a few surprises that'll make us go wow.

BREAKDOWN:

16 – Total Cards
1 – RC
1 – Ballpark
1 – Stars of the Game
1 – Future Stars
1 – Topps Now
1 – Iconic Card Reprints

Random Wax: 2019 Score Football

I really like the 2019 Score football so it's no surprise I'd bust another pack.  The throwback design has me hooked and Score always has a nice array of inserts.

  Much of the star power of this pack came in the insert, not that that is a bad thing.

That picture of Alejandro Villanueva is great.  Football doesn't lend itself to cool non-action photos like we see in baseball so something out of the norm like this is fun to see.

That shiny Signal-Callers card did not scan well.  It looks much better in hand.  I do like the Huddle Up cards for some reason.

An offensive tackle with the ball!  You go Trent Williams, you go.  A fun pack, really nice design and good players made this pack a win.  I'm sure there are more of these in my future.  

BREAKDOWN:

40 – Total Cards
6 – RC
2 - Epix
2 – NFL Draft
2 – All-Hands Team
2 – Red Parallels
2 – Fantasy Stars
2 – Signal Callers
1 – Captains
1 – Throwbacks
1 – Huddle Up

Mystery Mail Day

Mystery mail arrived yesterday in the form of this 2014 Prizm baseball card of Kris Medlen.  First and foremost thank you to whoever sent this great card.  Second I apologize for not knowing who sent it.  The town it came from does not match an address of bloggers I've exchanged cards with.  I'm hoping the "guilty" party will reveal themselves to me.  This Medlen card is a Red Prizms #25.  Bonus it is actuallynumbered #1/25.  Too cool.

 Medlen was a very good pitcher for Atlanta and was sorry to see him leave after 2013 but injuries cut his career with the Braves short.  He signed with the Royals and helped that team win a World Series in 2015.  Injuries again affected him and played his last season with the D-Backs in 2018.  Love this card.  Again he played very well for Atlanta, the surprise mail day is great, and love this card.

    This card was the only other thing in the envelope.  Not sure if it was for fun or as a clue but I like it.  Thanks again to my mystery mailer.  You made my day.