So I picked up an 18-card pack of '08 UD baseball series 2. I love full bleed cards and I'm looking forward to UD '09. Anyways, let's see what we get...
424 - Brian Roberts Wow I didn't realize he had 50 steals last year.
628 - Khalil Greene
456 - Orlando Cabrera UD got lazy and used the same pic of him on the front and back. Meh. Must have been the only one of him as a White Sox they had.
607 - Adam Eaton I love the daytime action shot on this one.
672 - Jason Botts
536 - Gary Matthews Great photo on this one. I'm still mad the Bucs let this guy get away before he blossomed.
585 - Kei Igawa
694 - Ryan Zimmerman
624 - Tadahito Iguchi
560 - Livan Hernandez
698 - Aaron Boone
667 - Rocco Baldelli Another card with the same photo on front and back. At least it's a cool spring training shot with two guys just chilling in the background.
576 - Ryan Church
704 - Brian Bocock RC
753 - Huston Street A's Team Checklist One thing I don't like about the team checklists and season highlights is that they don't look any different than the regular cards.
745 - Kevin Youkilis Season Highlights These cards serve no useful purpose. We get an extra card of Youkie with three sentences on the back to explain that he didn't make an error at first last year. Thanks Upper Deck.
With tomorrow being the the climax of this year's election season, what could be more American than ripping open a pack of 1990 Bowman baseball? Don't answer that. Anyways, I've decided to give what would otherwise be a boring pack break more of an exciting political feel. There are 14 base cards in this pack so we will determine a winner in the same spirit of our great democracy. 14 candidates. 7 primaries. 1 winner. Let's begin...
Upon opening we have an 18-year old shattered piece of gum spill out. Oh well. Consider it the Mike Gravel of this pack. An early non-contender. Moving on to the primaries we get our first two candidates... 305 - Jack McDowell Blackjack is sporting a red, white and blue jersey which automatically earns him patriot points. Plus he had a great career with the White Sox. Campaign slogan: Good pitching will always defeat good hitting. His opponent...
51 - Reggie Jefferson About the only thing going for Jefferson on his card is that he's posing with his bat. He had a brief career with his best years, if you could call them that, coming with the Indians. Campaign slogan: Walk softly and carry a big stick.
Your winner: Blackjack in a landslide.
Our next two candidates: 255 - Cal Ripken Wow. You can't beat a HOFer like Cal. Plus on the card photo he kinda resembles a young FDR. If FDR wore eyeblack ... and a baseball jersey. I'm afraid this is gonna be a tough act to follow for any card in this set. Campaign slogan: May 30, 1982. A date which will live in infamy.
288 - Jim Abbott Well let's see here. FDR and Jim Abbott. Two Americans with disabilities that overcame all odds to triumph in their respective careers. Oh wait sorry, it's Abbott versus Ripken. No contest. Campaign slogan: We have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Your winner: Ripken all the way.
Our next two candidates: 241 - Terry Kennedy Whoa. Talk about presidential parallels, with a last name like Kennedy this one has to be in the bag. Plus Kennedy was a pretty solid catcher for the Padres and Orioles for a number of years. I'm talking about Terry Kennedy not Jack Kennedy. Campaign slogan: Ask not what your catcher can do for you, ask what you can do for your catcher.
30 - Ryne Sandberg Bam! Just when you thought Kennedy had this wrapped up along comes another HOFer like Ryne Sandberg. Sorry but ya gotta give it up to Ryno. I mean just look at his card. He's got his batting gloves and bat ready. Campaign slogan: Ready to lead on day one.
Your winner: Sandberg in a sweep.
Our next two candidates: 137 - Kevin Elster Versatile infielder for a number of years in the 80's and 90's, but never a considered a star. Campaign slogan: You could do worse.
503 - Jack Daugherty Was a prospect with the Rangers in the early 90's but never amounted to much. Campaign slogan: You just did worse.
Your winner: Gotta go with Elster given that he actually had somewhat of a career but don't expect him to go much further than the primaries.
Our next two candidates: 147 - Ken Howell Kinda sounds like Colin Powell who just endorsed Obama. Howell is a pitcher which is like defense in baseball and on his card he has a stern look on his face so he could definitely be a Secretary of State, like Powell. Campaign slogan: Peace through strength.
383 - Gerald Perry Perry shares a namesake with former President Gerald Ford who was famous for a gaffe in the debates when he said the Soviet Union would not control Eastern Europe on his watch which ... um yeah ... they already did for decades. Campaign slogan: The Soviet Union will not ... uh wait ... it's called Russia now?
Your winner: Perry gave this one away to Powell, I mean Howell.
Our next two candidates: 192 - Ray Lankford Lankford carved out a descent career with the Cardinals. Campaign slogan: Why not me?
265 - Jeff Reardon Reardon is rocking an awesome Lincolnesque beard! That's enough for me. Campaign slogan: A nation divided cannot stand.
Your winner: Facial hair on a baseball card always beats no facial hair.
Our last two candidates: 293 - Bobby Rose Even though he's not related, he shares a last name with Pete Rose and the last thing a politician needs is bad press. Campaign slogan: I am not a crook.
428 - Alan Mills Mills was a .500 pitcher mostly for the Orioles. But his last name isn't Rose. Campaign slogan: I am really not a crook.
Your winner: Mills by a nose.
Now we get down to the nitty gritty. After hard fought wax pack primaries we are left with Blackjack, Cal Ripken, Ryno, Kevin Elster, Ken Howell, Jeff Reardon, and Alan Mills. Who will win the whole enchilada? Drum roll please ... the winner and next president of the United States is...
Cal Ripken
Well, things could be worse...
And on a serious note if you are reading this, don't forget to vote, if you haven't done so already.
I just bought 4 more wax packs of 90 Bowman baseball off the same guy on eBay and this time I won them for just $1.29 delivered. That's only 33 cents a pack! Watch me pull a Big Frank, Sosa or Juan Gone this time. Wouldn't it figure?
At long last, here's the moment you all (at least some of you) have been waiting for. As promised, 5 rack packs of 87 D-Russ in all of their vintage glory. Let's see what we get...
Ran out of time at the end but the remaining cards after Joe Cowley were Kirk Gibson, Mike Maddux, HoJo, Danny Tartabull, Tim Hulett, Dan Petry, Dave Martinez, Jack Morris DK, Glenallen Hill, Ruppert Jones, Bob Kearney and puzzle piece.
