Wrapping up loose ends from last year's break

Hey everyone!
  Boy, what a procrastinator I turned out to be, eh!?  Everyone's packages from LAST SEASON'S 182 Packs contest has been mailed as of today (Tuesday, Feb 19, 2013), EXCEPT:

Nathan (Blue Jays)
Jon (Kerry Wood, Frank Thomas, Tony Gwynn)
Tim (Cardinals, Yankees, Twins)
Andy (Mark Grace, '93+ Stadium Club)

For whatever reason, guys, I cannot find your mailing addresses.  Please shoot me your address (again!) and I'll get these sent pronto!

One other note: There is a 99.9% chance I sent AdamE two packages by mistake. I think one was for AdamS. If so, let me know and I will help get the package to the right person!

Well, on that note: If *anyone* gets the wrong cards from the 2012 break, let me know. I'll do what I can to fix it. I learned a LOT from last season's break.  This season should go much better.

Thanks!
--David (Tribecards)

Commence Shipping Phase!

What you see is a photo of the packages ready to ship from the 182 Packs of Baseball giveaway. Finally, right?! I am still missing a lot of mailing addresses, so if you took part please send me your mailing address.

Those that have provided an address will be getting their packages soon!

Thanks to everyone that played along. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and I cannot wait for next season's daily pack-busting giveaway.

182 Packs of Baseball - nearly sorted

I thought I would post a photo update for the 182 Packs extravaganza. I am nearly done sorting the cards. As I get closer to the end of the list, the ability to fill those requests is getting tougher. Never fear, everyone that participated will get cards for sure!

There were a couple very cunning players! TSHenson grabbed Ripken Jr and Pujols before their respective teams were chosen. Same for gcrl, who snagged a nice group of Vladimir Guerrero cards. Most of the team requests, especially early birders, will be VERY happy with their hauls. But, even folks like MartinS who is near the end of the list played a smart grab of Blue Jays and Tampa Rays. But, as I said, everyone gets cards and I think most folks will be happy with their share.

Speaking of, I need addresses from folks so I know where to send the packages. Those will be mailed out between now and Christmas.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 182 - Say It Ain't So

I can't believe this is the last of the "182 packs" posts for 2012.  Well, not really. This is the last of the pack-busting posts, but there will more posts related to the overall event.  After all, we'll have trades, updates on who gets what, and whatever other random things pertaining to "182 Packs" that come up.

There will, naturally, be a reflective piece posted at some point. It will probably get sentimental, maybe a touch rueful, and hopefully a bit comical.

Before I bust open our last packs - yes, there are packs-plural - I just want to thank everyone that has played along during the entire baseball season.  I know some folks basically got shut out of the giveaway spots, but that tends to be the nature of contests like this.  I can promise that next season will be done differently - with plenty of opportunities to choose players. I also plan to hold different contests throughout the season next year to keep things fun.

I almost managed to post every day. I missed one near the end. All I can say is that a evening with my beautiful wife was worth it. Hands down.

And so, we've come to the end of the 2012 regular MLB season.  I am busting open all the remaining packs still hanging out in the Big Ol' Box.  Some of these have been there since the beginning, good little packs that they are.

First up: 2004 Opening Day
Miguel Tejada - A's
Eric Hinske - Blue Jays
Austin Kearns - Reds
Craig Biggio - Astros
Jeff Bagwell - Astros
Larry Walker - Rockies
Work Hard, Get Cards Promo

Not a bad way to kick off the final day of the season: a pack of Opening Day cards. Not bad in the way of players, either. 

Next, Leaf '96 Hobby:
Dante Bichette - Rockies
Javy Lopez - Braves
Rick Aguilera - Twins
David Bell - Cardinals
Chad Curtis - Tigers
Bob Hamelin - Royals
Marquis Grissom - Braves
Eric Karros - Dodgers
Alan Benes - Cardinals - Gold Leaf Rookie
Dean Palmer - Rangers
Greg Vaughn - Brewers
Cliff Floyd - Expos

No real superstar standouts, but certainly some team fan favorites.

How about a pack of 1997 Pinnacle Hobby:
Mark Loretta - Brewers
Darrin Fletcher - Expos
Matt Williams - Giants - Clout
Luis Castillo - Marlins
Sammy Sosa - Cubs - Clout
Kevin Elster - Rangers
Craig Paquette - Royals
Charles Nagy - Indians - WAHOO!! Go Tribe!!
Lance Johnson - Mets
Alex Rodriguez - Mariners

Wow! Two Clout cards! Very cool. Stick a Triber in there for good measure, plus an A-Rod as well.

Guess we'll keep going with Pinnacle: 1997 Hobby New
Ken Griffey Jr - Mariners
Ellis Burks - Rockies - AURA
Damon Mashore - A's
Eric Davis - Orioles
Jose Canseco - A's
Chris Snopek - White Sox
Tim Salmon - Angels
Wilson Alvarez - White Sox
Andruw Jones - Braves - Spellbound "R"
Rusty Greer - Rangers

Hands down, that Spellbound is one of the nicest-looking cards I've seen this whole season. It's shiny with relief work, neat lettered border effect, and unlike other inserts we've seen. Slick.

Reaching in, I grab a pack of 1994 Fleer Ultra Series II:
Terry Pendleton - Braves
Mickey Tettleton - Tigers
Larry Walker - Expos
Dennis Eckersley - A's
Wally Joyner - Royals
Barry Larkin - Reds
Thomas Howard - Reds
Jose Mercedes - Brewers
Dave Henderson - Royals
Chris Bosio - Mariners
Mark Acre - A's
Arthur Rhodes - Orioles
Ellis Burks - Rockies
Jack McDowell - White Sox - Ultra All-Star

Any pack that offers up The Eck is a good pack.  It doesn't hurt to pull a card with my own name on it, either (er, Dave Henderson. Not Eck. Now, THAT would be cool...).  The McDowell is awash in redness found in many of the Ultra All-Star inserts.

Wow. Let's go back-back-back to 1990: 1990 Score
Matt Nokes - Tigers
Orel Hershiser - Dodgers
Lance Parrish - Angels
Scott Terry - Cardinals
Dwight Smith - Cubs
Roberto Clemente - Pirates - NL 1966 Magic Motion
Rickey Henderson - 1989 Highlight
Mike Smithson - Red Sox
Carmelo Martinez - Padres
Kirk McCaskill - Angels
Jack Morris - Tigers
Lloyd Moseby - Blue Jays
Bill Buckner - Royals
Mike Marshall - Dodgers
Ken Dayley - Cardinals
Jack Daugherty - Rangers
Joe Oliver - Reds

Had you going on the Clemente, didn't I? Several stars in there. Definitely some favorites... and one not-so-favorite for Sox fans... Curses!

Three more packs to go... Doesn't seem fair, does it?

1997 Pinnacle Hobby New:
Joe Carter - Blue Jays
Andruw Jones - Braves - Museum Collection
Terrell Wade- Braves
Ryne Sandberg - Cubs
Carlos Garcia - Blue Jays
Jason Dickson - Angels
Marc Newfield - Brewers
Mark Wohlers - Braves
Greg Maddux - Braves
Ray Lankford - Cardinals

Good heavens, man, this pack was tailor-made for Braves fans. Yeesh!  Jones gets another VERY cool card! I forgot about these Museum Collection iserts. This one beats the Spellbound, I think. Maybe not.  There is somethign about shiny reflective gold, though...

1996 Leaf Hobby:
Sandy Alomar Jr - Indians - WAHOO!!
Edgardo Alfonzo - Mets
Jeff Conine - Marlins
John Wetteland - Yankees
Jay Bell - Pirates
Ken Griffey Jr - Mariners - MVP Contender
Ruben Sierra - Yankees
Fred McGriff - Braves - Total Bases #4778/5000
Orlando Merced - Pirates
Trevor Hoffman - Padres
Derek Bell - Astros
Delino DeShields - Dodgers

Holy smokes! The Braves are running away with the coolest cards in the last break of the season. There is no doubt that every time I think I've seen the "best" insert, another comes in behind it to steal the limelight. This pack sports two sweet inserts.

And, now, ladies and gentlemen, please bow your heads for a moment of silence as we bring out the last pack of the 2012 "182 Packs of Baseball" pack-breaking giveaway:

2006 Opening Day:
Gary Sheffield - Yankees
Magglio Ordonez - Tigers
Jose Contreras - White Sox
Adrian Beltre - Mariners
Rick Short - Nationals
Rich Hill - Cubs
Manny Ramirez - Red Sox - SI for Kids
Work Hard, Get Cards promo

Well, at least there weren;t any Braves, right?  Huh. I just realized the back of the SI for Kids cards has a different player on it.  The Manny card has Ronnie Belliard - an INDIANS player! Very cool.  Of course, the card will go to the Red Sox/Manny fan that first claimed it on the list.  I just didn't realize it was a two-faced card until just now.  See, even on the last day, I am learning something new.

Thanks for playing along!  I'll get these sorted and post the results as soon as I can.  Remember: I am the final arbiter: If there is a question about who should get a particular card, I decide. Nanny boo-boo and what-not.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 181 - Silver in the hills

Day 181 of the 2012 regular MLB season. For many, their favorite team is just one day away from the finish of things for this year - at least on the field.  For others, the excitement of playoffs, wildcards, championships and the World Series present the next chapter of 2012 baseball.

For those us following along here, it means we are just one day's worth of pack busting away from the end of a season full of team heroes, hall of famers, and forgotten teammates.

And, since we are still one day away, we have a pack to bust! How about 2009 UD Series 2?  There are 18 cards and a chance to snag a Jeter autograph. It could happen...

Ryan Rowland-Smith - Mariners
Cole Hamels - Phillies
Jo-Jo Reyes - Braves

Nick Hundley - Padres
Matt Kemp - Dodgers
Mariano Rivera - Yankees

Felipe Lopez - Diamondbacks - Team Checklist
Nick Swisher - Yankees

Carl Crawford - Rays - StarQuest Silver Common
Josh Hamilton - Rangers - O-Pee-Chee Preview
Mike Hampton - Astros - Team Checklist

Daniel Cabrera - Nationals
Gio Gonzalez - A's
Jed Lowrie - Red Sox
Adrian Gonzalez - Padres

Carlos Villanueva - Brewers
Akinori Iwamura - Rays
Kevin Frandsen - Giants
UpperDeckU.com promo card

Well, no autographs, but man what a cool Crawford card! And, the Hamilton OPC Preview is a sweet deal, too.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 180 - Pushin the Crime Dog

Here we are, folks! We're just a couple days away from the end of the 2012 regular baseball season. That means there are just a couple of packs to open before we divide and conquer. Sorting will take a good little while, but as soon as I have the cards sorted, I'll post the results. Then, the post-season trading can begin.  Before that though, how about a pack of 1994 Fleer Ultra Series II:

Orel Hershiser - Dodgers
Damon Easley - Angels
Ryan Klesko - Braves
Bill Pulsipher - Mets
Rich Becker - Twins
Checklist #600
Turner Ward - Brewers
Pete Smith - Mets
Wayne Gomes - Phillies
Keith Lockhart - Padres
Michael Turner - Royals
Ricky Bones - Brewers
Bobby Munoz - Phillies
Fred McGriff - Braves - Ultra All-Star

I am pretty sure I have spelled Pulsipher's name about 10 different ways during the season. My apologies if that's the case.  The Crime Dog card is pretty slick.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 179 - Puttin on the Hitz

Tonight, we dust off our uniforms, clean our cleats, and grab another pack for our season break.

For this break, I have a pack of 2006 Topps Series 2. I think this is the last of these, but I snagged it from the office in the dark, so you never know...

Raul Ibanez - Mariners
Michael Cuddyer - Twins
Jorge Sosa - Braves
Gary Sheffield - Yankees - Hit Parade
Work hard, get cards promo
Brad Thompson - Cardinals
Reggie Abercrombie - Marlins

Wow! That Hit Parade looks incredible. Very nice card!! I am typing this using the ipad app... Hope the photo comes out okay...

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 178 - Ripken Chills Out

I cannot believe how empty the big ol' box of cards is getting... It is exciting and sad all in one, much like the baseball season itself.

Tonight, I've got a pack of 1997 Pinnacle Hobby (Not the "NEW" ones) and we will see more of these before this is over - either as a random selection or as part of the grand finale on the last day.

Andres Galarraga - Rockies - East Meets West
Brady Anderson - Orioles - East Meets West

 

Cal Ripken, Jr - Orioles
Henry Rodriguez - Expos
Roberto Alomar - Orioles

 

Eric Young - Rockies
Derek Bell - Astros

 

Paul Sorrento - Mariners
Royce Clayton - Cardinals

 

Joe Randa - Pirates

Three Orioles, Two Rockies... Wow, this is a team collector's pack for sure, assuming those were the teams you were pulling for.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 177 - Better Late, right?

This is actually Friday's post, but it appears on a Saturday.  Welp, no "Iron Man" record for the 182 packs posts. Haha, like there was one.

Saturday's post will arrive later today.  So, for Friday, we have a pack of 1991 Studio, and it appears to be the last one of the season:

Rod Carew - Twins - Puzzle Piece (55, 56, 57)
Rich Gossage - Rangers
Storm Davis - Royals
Sam Horn - Orioles
Willie Randolph - Brewers
Roger Clemens - Red Sox
Bobby Bonilla - Pirates
Rob Dibble - Reds
Pedro Guerrero - Cardinals
Jeff Bagwell - Astros
Carlton Fisk - White Sox

Wow, this would have been a fun pack to open back in '19 for sure. What makes it fun today is the appearance of a few players that would ultimately go one to immortality in the BBHOF!

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 176 - The last Thursday

This is it. Today marks the beginning of the end of season "for real."  You see, today is the last Thursday of the regular MLB season, and thus is the last Thursday post for 182 packs.  Wow.  It doesn't seem that long ago that I was writing the FIRST Thursday post.  What am I going to post in the off-season? Guess I'll just have to see what unfolds.

Speaking of unfolding, Manny Acta is out as the Indians manager. That's all fine and well, but there needs to be change higher up in the ranks.  Shapiro and Antonetti should be out of there as well. Things in Cleveland are not going to significantly improve until the leadership is ousted. Period.  I am glad to see that Sandy Alomar will be taking the reins during the interim, but he's just being set up for a fall if he stays on and upper management doesn't change.

Now that I've had my say, let's rip open a pack of wax! How about 1997 Pinnacle Hobby New?

Alex Rodriguez - Mariners - East Meets West
Ivan Rodriguez - Rangers - East Meets West
Roberto Alomar - Orioles

Chuck Knoblauch - Twins
John Valentin - Red Sox
Shawn Green - Blue Jays

Todd Walker - Twins - Checklist
Mike Piazza - Dodgers

Dante Bichette - Rockies
Bernard Gilkey - Mets

I love busting the "East Meets West" cards out of these packs. To make it even better, we have ARod and Pudge.  The rest of the pack shaped up pretty nicely, too.  They are all names from that era that I recognize (sorry, Bo). 

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 174 - Last of the Attax

Welcome to one of the last remaining Tuesday editions of the 2012 "182 Packs" break. Tonight, I pulled a pack of 2011 Topps Attax, and it looks to be the last of these in the box.  So, this is the last chance for this season for folks to snag some Attax they may need:

Ryan Howard - Phillies
Billy Butler - Royals
Tommy Hanson - Braves - Foil Insert
Jason Kubel - Twins
Evan Longoria - Rays
Chase Utley - Phillies

We start and end the pack with Phillies players. I have to say, the foil inserts are great-looking cards. Shiny!

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 173 - A Pair of Twins

Whew. Monday is over.  The advantage to keeping busy at work: the day FLIES by! The smart person would get home, bust open a pack of cards, then be ready to settle in for the evening. I am not the smart person. Instead, I wait until the day has nearly passed completely and THEN the pack-busting post comes to life. Ah, such are the ways of the procrastinator.

As it is, we have only NINE DAYS left in the regular season. Just nine days. And this is the second-to-the-last Monday to boot.  It almost too much to bear. Let's rip one: 2006 Topps Series 2

The wrapper says there are 6 cards. If we score a relic, there will be four cards. Let's take a look:

Luis Castillo - Twins
Johan Santana - Twins
Russ Ortiz - Diamondbacks
Bobby Jenks - White Sox
Yorvit Torrealba - Rockies
Michael Young - Rangers

Welp, we pulled six. No relics.  A couple of Twins. Hey, that's a pun or irony or something. Castillo's picture shows him in a warmup jacket. Really? THAT'S his card photo? Yeesh.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 172 - Top 10 Countdown?

Wow.  We've hit the final ten days of the 2012 regular baseball season.  The cool part is that I have more than 10 packs of cards still left in the Big Ol Box, which should be renamed these days.  That means I will open all the remaining packs on the final day of the regular season.

But, we still have a little further to travel before that happens, so let's enjoy the pack we've got here on the 172nd day of the season: 1996 Leaf Hobby.

Tony Gwynn - Padres
Gregg Jefferies - Phillies
Pete Schourek - Reds
Brian Jordan - Cardinals

Reggie Sanders - Reds
Jeff King - Pirates
Greg Colbrunn - Marlins
Andy Pettitte - Yankees
Orlando Merced - Pirates

Yamil Benitez - Expos
Ozzie Guillen - White Sox
Dave Nilsson - Brewers

Wow! Great way to lead off the pack - Tony Gwynn!  Some well-known team leaders in there and a few fan favorites, too.  Naturally, there are folks I've never heard of - and if those are extras, well, Bo may very well end up with them.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 171 - G-J-J-Just Bustin Wax

Hey there, folks! Welcome back to another edition of "182 Packs!"  Thanks for dropping by to see what we've got going.  I know some folks check in to see if their chosen player/team/selected criterion-based card(s) appear, while others just stop by to join the fun. I appreciate everyone who takes a look at what we've got going on around here.

Tonight, I've got a pack of 2005 UD First Pitch.We have a 1:720 chance of finding a Signature Stars card, according to the pack. Let's see if we hit pay dirt today:

Geoff Jenkins - Brewers
Justin Morneau - Twins
Justin Germano - Padres - Star Rookies
Jason DuBois - Cubs - Star Rookies
Mike Mussina - Yankees

Well, no autograph, but we did pull a couple Star Rookies cards. Only 11 more days left in the regular season. In a sick, demented kind of way, I am going to miss these daily posts after the regular season comes to an end.  Sure, there will be posts - just not every, single day.

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 170 - Only 12 Remain

I feel like I should be singing the "12 Days of Christmas" about now. We are down to 12 days left in the regular season. Wow. Just 12 days. I can't imagine how packs we've opened and how many cards we've seen along the way.  Okay, I don't have to imagine - I could just tally them up.

Instead, I'm popping open another pack! How about 2007 Topps Regular.  These are in a 22-card (with gum) cello rack pack.

Ivan Rodriguez - Tigers - Gold Glove
Joey Gathright - Royals
Armando Benitez - Giants
Zach Duke - Pirates
Jose Lopez - Mariners

Cole Hamels - Phillies
Brian Fuentes - Rockies
Noah Lowry - Giants
Miguel Montero - Diamondbacks
Miguel Batista - Mariners
Magglio Ordonez - Tigers
Lyle Overbay - Blue Jays
Carlos Delgado - Mets
Luke Hudson - Royals
Livan Hernandez - Diamondbacks
John Koronka - Rangers

Johnny Damon - Yankees
Johnny Estrada - Brewers
Jorge Posada - Yankees
Josh Johnson - Marlins
Javier Vazquez - White Sox
Jason Michaels - Indians - WAHOO! Go Tribe!

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 169 - Last of Stadium Club

As we get closer to the end of the baseball season, we also face the reality that some of the brands are dwindling down to their last pack. Such is the case with tonight's pack pull: 1998 Stadium Club Hobby The Evens.  Tonight brings the final pack of these that I own.  We've seen plenty of them during the course of the season.  maybe next season, I'll find a good deal on the "Odds" version.

And so, the final pack of '98 Stadium Club Hobby yields:

Marty Cordova - Twins John Wetteland - Rangers Sandy Alomar Jr - Indians - WAHOO!!
Francisco Cordova - Pirates Kevin Tapani - Cubs Raul Mondesi - Dodgers
Tim Naehring - Red Sox Jorge Fabregas - Diamondbacks - Expansion Mike Lowell - Prime Rookies Checklist 2 of 2

Wahoo!! Pulled a Tribecard in the very last pack of this brand/year! That is the way to finish them off. I also realized while typing this: I have not labeled each day's break with the pack(s) busted that day. It makes searching a little hard. It also makes it hard to search when I type the WRONG date of the packs I'm trying to find.  Oh well, live and learn.  I was trying to see how many of these were doubles. Guess I'll find out when I start sorting!

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 168 - Doc in the house!

Welcome to Wednesday! We're inching closer and closer to the end of the 2012 regular baseball season and also closer to Fall.  It's hard to believe how empty the Big Ol' Box is looking these days, especially compared to those first days of pack busting. 

Since we gotta keep moving forward, tonight's pack comes from 1997 Pinnacle Hobby:

Andres Galarraga - Rockies - Clout
Wilton Guerrero - Dodgers
Mike Cameron - Marlins

FP Santangelo - Expos
Frank Thomas - White Sox
Alan Trammell - Tigers
Pat Hentgen - Blue Jays

Dwight Gooden - Yankees
Ernie Young - A's
Kevin Elster - Rangers

I really like the retro uniform in the Trammell card. Very cool. The Clout cards are nice addition, though not really too different from the base set. How can you complain about any pack from which you pull a Doc!? Well, I can't!

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 167 - Internet Attax

Once again, our internet connection at the house is ridiculously slow due to line noise, monkeys in tress, or whatever other reason CenturyStinks, I mean CenturyLink, comes up to explain how they can't even manage to roll out a whole 1.5Mbps...

Anyway, tonight's pack is a 2011 Topps Attax. I keep pulling these, even though I keep thinking I've reached the end of them. Maybe they're like rabbits.

Jacoby Ellsbury - Red Sox
Brennan Boesch - Tigers - Foil Insert
Cole Hamels - Phillies
Ichiro - Mariners
Colby Rasmus - Cardinals
Ian Stewart - Rockies

I'll post pics on Wednesday. The foil inserts are really nice-looking cards. 

182 Packs of baseball - Day 166 - First Pitch?

Wow, this is the 3rd to last Monday of the season. It is so hard to believe we have come so far in our daily pack opening fiesta! I am looking forward to separating the cards, sorting them into the various picks and pans based on sign-ups.

I do need to ask if dayf also wanted me to include "Phillies" with his pony request, or was that straight up horses?  If memory serves, I've only come across one horse: the Rangers mascot.

None of this really has anything to do with tonight's pack that I know of. Then again, my random ramblings sometimes seem to have an effect on the cards in any given pack. Let's see how we do with 2006 Upper Deck First Pitch:

Angel Berroa - Royals
Alfonso Soriano - Rangers
David Wright - Mets - Goin Deep
Reggie Sanders - Cardinals
Brian Roberts - Orioles

Nope, no mojo magic there, though the Wright card is a very nice insert.  Did Berroa ever play for the Angels? Now, that would be cool - to play for the team for which you share a first name. Hmm, that would be a fun study: Players whose first name matched (or closely matched) the team for which they played: Jay, Ray, Angel, Astro... Well, maybe not him.

I thought I would try something different with the photo placement. Whatcha think?

182 Packs of Baseball - Day 165 - Back in the Highlights Again

The Indians won today. The Steelers won today. The Pirates has their rears handed to them. Ah well, two out of three ain't bad.

What's even better? How about busting open another pack of baseball cards? Oh, yeah!

I've got a pack of 2006 Topps Updates and Highlights:

Edwin Jackson - Rays
Marco Scutaro - A's
Kenny Rogers - Tigers - All-Stars
Mickey Mantle - Yankees - HR124
Miguel Cabrera - Marlins - HR Derby
Miguel Tejada - Orioles - HR Derby
Checklist 2 of 3