Succumbing to the Pressure

OK, I didn't actually bow to the pressure of being the only one in the blogosphere that hadn't posted new cards. I usually pick up a handful at some point. And since I was skipping work and found myself at Target on Friday (shhhhh) I used my two $5 gift cards to get a box that they had for 9.99. I don't guess it's a 'blaster' since the official price for those is $20, yes? Call it a hanging half blaster.

I like getting new crds. And these are fine, but as usual I don't know many of the guys in the set. Mostly I'm familiar with any Orioles, guys on my 2012 Fantasy team and guys I looked at as possible pickups for that team. And that means I know about a short list of good players and a bunch of scrubs.

First things first. My scanner hated the regular cards. Hated them! It cut off the borders, parts of the names and team logos as well. So the regular cards all look like crap in my scans. Like this:

That's really weird  Anyway those were the best cards of the regular issue. Fielder, Kershaw (who looked like Sandy Koufax to me for just a split second as I pulled him) and Bundy. I hope Bundy has many more cards in the future during a nice long career.

But the box had so many non-regular cards I can look at them and comment.

The best one in the box was the Tony Gwynn up at the top of this post. Then there is a green sparkly card of Eury Perez who I don't know. I DO know I hate jerseys on major leaguers that look like those I've worn to play slo-pitch city softball.

There were several of these reddish border cards. Meh. I like how the regular cards are more coordinated color-wise. Brewers have really nice jerseys, though. Very underrated.

Somebody tried to trade me this guy for A. J. Pierzynski before the season started last year. Pierzynski was my back-up at the time and I almost made the deal. Good thing I didn't because...

.. Carlos Santana, who I was so happy to draft, had a lousy year. So I benched him eventually  Too late I think. I kept thinking he'd turn it around.

 I had forgotten he was a Phillie. And I don't get the 'Calling Card' business. Doesn't every pitcher do this?

I had Matt Moore on my fantasy team, the 'Elrods'. I thought he'd get me more than 11 wins. But he helped in the strike out category. Another softball top. Why put his name on the front twice?

I like Leaders. And I had Ryan Braun! So this is a good card, even with two crappy tops alongside a classic one. And why didn't my scanner cut off the border on this one? A mystery.

Cards my scanner threw out. There are some really big dudes in the majors these days. And that ALDS card was the only one I got. Shows the Yanks clinching game. Figures.