BIG Mail Day: Luis Robert GQ Auto

I’m impressed, Topps. Less than a month after pulling a Luis Robert redemption from a Target retail Value Pack, it’s hit my mailbox.

Behold: an autographed, Gypsy Queen logo swap parallel of Chicago White Sox uber prospect.

As I said when I wrote up the break, this is one of the biggest – and least expected – hits that I’ve ever pulled.

Robert, who is included as a rookie despite not playing in the majors, is a 22-year-old Cuban outfielder and the #2 prospect in the game (according to Baseball America). He led the minors across all levels last season in hits (165) and was second in runs (108).

The White Sox locked him up with a six-year, $50 million contract in January, another key piece for the franchise’s future. Penciling Robert into a lineup with Tim Anderson, Eloy Jiménez, and Yoán Moncada makes for a fun, intriguing team.

Breaking Gypsy Queen 3-Pack Retail Hanger (Big Hit)

Had to run to Target today to do some “essentials” shopping. So of course, I was going to swing by the card aisle. Picked up a 3-pack hanger of Gypsy Queen. It was between that, Heritage and Series 1. I’ve opened plenty of the latter two, so I opted for GQ.

Even though I’ve had a bit of success with retail packs lately (I pulled a Mike Clevenger auto out of a Series 1 blaster), I keep my expectations low. Hopefully I’ll net a rookie. Hope to pull some Yankees or Red Sox for the boys’ collections.

So imagine my surprise when I tear into pack one...

Mike Trout, Francisco Mejia, Jesus Luzardo (R)… upside-down redemption!

I am due to receive an autographed, Gypsy Queen logo swap parallel of Luis Robert!

This is one of the biggest, and least expected, hits that I’ve ever pulled. And yes, I am aware that Luis Robert is yet to even appear in the majors.

That didn’t stop the White Sox from inking Robert to a six-year, $50 million contract this January.

Robert is a 22-year-old outfielder, the #2 prospect in the game (according to Baseball America), and part of the White Sox bright future. He was number one across the minor leagues last season in hits (165) and number two in runs (108).

I couldn’t have asked for a better start to pack one, and frankly, didn’t really register what else I got until much later as I sat down to write this.

So… what else? Mauricio Dubon (R) and Max Kepler rounded out pack one.

Pack two: Michael Lorenzen, Jose Ramirez, Brendan Rodgers, David Price, Sean Murphy (R), and Stephen Stasburg.

Pack three: Yolmer Sanchez, Christian Yelich, David Fletcher, Jean Segura, Mitch Garver, and Trea Turner.

Finally, the three green parallels: Miguel Cabrera, Lorenzo Cain, and Emmanuel Clase (R).

Very pleased with my pick up. =)

Blog Bat-A-Round: 2019 Yearbook Page

For the first time, let’s participate in a blog bat-a-round series. Matt at DiamondJesters laid out the parameters:

Consider your standard 9-pocket binder page. Nine places to summarize 2019 in baseball card form. Which 9 would you choose? Which sets would you choose?

Here’s what I put together:

Spot #1 (a Topps flagship base card): Like Diamond Jesters before me, the first spot belongs to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his short print inclusion in Series 2. Whether or not it’s fashionable to be caught up in the Rookie Card fervor, I was very happy to pull this from a retail pack. I thought the Jays were eminently enjoyable to watch down the stretch in 2019, and I’ve already got tickets to an April Yankees/Blue Jays game for next season.

(Spots #2-6, a base card from any of the other five Topps sets produced this year)

#2 Max Muncy, Stadium Club. Disclaimer: the photo above is not my own. You can probably tell by the lack of glare on the card. I'm not trying to sneak one past you, dear reader. My own copy of this card -- my favorite from a stellar 2019 set -- is out for TTM. Hopefully it returns soon.

Topps Archives is also a favorite, especially with this year’s three designs. Spot #3 goes to Tony Gwynn. Part of the fun in rekindling this hobby with your kids is the opportunity it gives you to talk history/memories. Gwynn was a personal favorite. I saw him effortlessly slap four singles during a game at Shea Stadium. The 1975 design is wonderful. A winning combination.

#4 Adam Cimber, Gypsy Queen. I've always had a mild fascination with submariners/side armers. The perspective on this card is excellent. It has me considering doing a PC of down-under hurlers. I liked this year’s GQ design; the fronts anyways.

#5 Topps Now: HR Derby Pete Alonso/Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I don’t often pay the Topps Now premium but for the last three years, I’ve picked one up for the HR Derby. In 2017, I DVR’d it and watched it with my then 5-year-old. He was on the edge of his seat. When Aaron Judge won, he celebrated like it was a World Series win. It’s become tradition, and of course this year’s was as entertaining as a Derby gets.

Spot #6: Billy the Marlin, Topps Big League. This is an atypical selection, but a worthy inclusion for two reasons: (1) it’s representative of my TTM efforts this season, and (2) it’s a hat tip to what brought me back to this hobby in the first place: my boys. We sent to several mascots as a way to include my then 4-year-old in the fun. He doesn’t get a lot of mail, and really lit up opening this one.

(Spots #7 & 8. Inserts or parallels)

#7 Mariano Rivera, Topps Fire (gold). This is the kind of card I would have gone wild for as a kid. To a lad in the 80s/90s, shiny was cool.

#8 Aaron Judge Perennial All-Stars. I really like the look of this insert series. Judge is a fine example.

Spot #9 (wild card): Back to Archives for another Pete Alonso rookie. 1993 was probably the height of my card collecting as a youth (I was ten). I scrimped and saved for the '93 Jeter Draft Pick card as a youngster and rode my bike home from the hobby shop like a father driving his newborn home from the hospital. I love this card for equal parts childhood nostalgia and present significance.