Double Header of Pack Busting

Sometimes in life a little rain must fall.  If it happens during the baseball season and the game gets cancelled then you might see a double header the next day.  In the blogging life sometimes you are just too tired to make a coherent column so you skip a day (or in my case two weeks).  Since I missed yesterday’s post we’re doubling up today! That’s right, why bore you with nine cards when I can do it with eighteen!

Here we go –

John Jaso – A former Ray, it looks like Jaso will settle into the role of a journeyman catcher. He’s probably never going to hit for a lot of power or be a key cog in any lineup, but he gets on base and handles pitchers decently so there is a good chance that he’ll still be around when Heritage 2019 is mirroring the 2003 set.

Alexi Ramirez – When the Rays played the White Sox back in the 2008 playoffs the only player I was worried about in Chicago’s lineup was Ramirez (and that was in his rookie year!).  Hopefully he stays in town for a long time so Chicago fans can debate Ramirez vs Starlin Castro for years to come.

Huston Street – Street has struck out 488 batters and walked only 122 in his career.  According to the back of his card opponents only hit .214 against him in his career.  After watching Jim Johnson close games for the Orioles I wonder what’s it is like to have a closer who doesn’t allow three base runners every time he comes into a game.

Matt Joyce – Loved the Joyce for Edwin Jackson deal back when the Rays made the move.  Love it more now that Jackson is on his 65^th different team.  His hometown is listed as Riverview, FL.  I had a buddy that lived in Riverview. 

Barry Zito – Zito is the warning poster for all GM’s wanting to throw a ton of money at a free agent pitcher.  I also knew a girl who dated Zito back when he was in the minors.  My friends know way more exciting people then I do.

Dodgers All Star Vets – Not only is Clayton Kershaw a pretty good pitcher, he has a great name. The 1964 version of this card had Nellie Fox and Harmon Killebrew featured.  Killebrew – also a great name. 

Baseball Flashback Yaz – It would have been nice if the Red Sox had won a World Series for Yastrzemski he just seems like a nice guy. I’m voting Joe Mauer as this generations nice guy who never wins a title.  Sorry about that Joe.

Ricky Nolasco – He’s still a Marlin.  I guess someone has to be.

Addison Reed – Love, love, love the big ol’ All-Star Rookie logo on cards.  One of these days (after I pick the right Powerball numbers) my life quest will be to collect all of the cards featuring the All-Star Rookie logo.

Best Card- All Star Vets

Worst Card- Nolasco.  I just don’t care about Marlins cards. 

Now on to pack two

Josh Willingham – Is this a baseball car or a casting photo for the next Bounty cover guy?

Bud Black – Manager card.  Uggh, The only thing I like less are checklist cards that are actually part of the set.

David Freese  - At six-foot-two is Freese too big to be “gritty”?  To me “gritty” maxes out at five-ten.

Bruce Bochy – Manager hot pack!  Wheeeee!

Kyle Seager – Yeah, not idea who this guy is, but I guess he’s the reason Chone Figgins no longer has a job in Seattle.  Do free agents count against the unemployment numbers? If a player is cut, can he file for unemployment?

Gordon Beckham – I’m well on my way to completing the White Sox team set. Yea?  Beckham strikes me as a “change of scenery” guy. He just seems to have too much talent to be hitting .230 in the majors.

Ryan Howard – I watched about 10 minutes of a Spring Training game during lunch yesterday.  Ryan Howard launched a home run during that time and for a brief, brief moment I wished I was back in Florida.  Spring Training games during the middle of the week were a definite bonus for living in that whacked out state.

Joe Blanton – How is this not a “action variation”? Blanton was a hot name in the Oriole land down the stretch last year.  I’m kind of glad they went with Joe Saunders instead, what with that whole winning the play-in game thing.

Jason Motte – Motte looks like a 7^th year college senior in this pitcher.  “Bro, I think I missed a physics final today. Today worth it though.”

Best Card – Kyle Seager, ‘cause I learned about a new player today.  And it’s all about learning.

Worst Card – Tie between Bud Black and Bruce Bochey.

Seven packs in and no Orioles.  I don’t even think I’ve pulled a former Oriole yet. Hopefully they’re all hiding in the bottom of the box.