Justice At Last!

I came home today to find an envelope from Duryea, PA, and I immediately knew it was from the "fine" folks at Topps.

Inside I found a letter, and two small manilla envelopes. This had to be the response to my recent 2009 Topps Series 1 debacle. I must admit, I was very suprised to hear from them this quickly. They told me it'd be between 2-4 business weeks, which translates roughly to "around the all-star break".  Thankfully, it was sooner than that. 

Here's the letter...

Immediately I was filled with confusion. Why have you gone through the trouble of sending me a package with delivery confirmation, and what I'm assuming are my relic card and my WBC redemption card (in the small manilla envelopes) if the letter opens up with "...we are unable to comply with your request due to insufficient proof of purchase". Really? I guess at some point, the decision was made to not comply with my request. However, the little attached piece of paper that reads "Replaced as a one time courtesy" which was obviously not part of the original letter, suggests someone at that horrible company had a change of heart, and decided that hosing over someone who contributes quite nicely to their annual profit margin would indeed not be the prudent or just course of action. Instead, they sent me my two cards, and once again all is right in the world of Cheese & Beer.

Before I reveal the relic card they sent me, I'll share a thought that crossed my mind between sending off my letter and now. If they are merely responding to someone that just didn't happen to the cards they should have (after all, it's 1 per box "on average") wouldn't they just send me the crappiest one, or if nothing else, the first one they picked on the stack and threw into an envelope? And if this is the case, how can I possibly get an unbiased and random selection in the process? I came to the conclusion that I was going to get screwed over, regardless the card they sent me in return. 

And so I give to you the "1 per box (on average) relic or autograph card" that should have been sent to me in the first place...

2009 Topps #CBR-RB Ryan Braun Career Best game-worn jersey

Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Immediately, I had my wife verify what my eyes were certainly telling me was a blatant lie. Turns out, what I saw in front of me was indeed a Ryan Braun jersey card, the exact card that I had hoped to pull from my hobby box in the first place! How could this be? I then checked the letter that I wrote to the folks at Topps and nothing on the envelope or in the letter would tell them that I was a Brewers fan, let alone a huge Ryan Braun fan and collector. This indeed, was the Divine Hand in action. I have no other explanation, and I refuse to label this as "just a random coincidence". 

I'm the guy who never wins a contest, be it a radio call-in contest, or a drawing for the new car at the mall.  I always get picked last for random lottery selections (i.e. when we went to see Metallica back in 2000,  they handed out tickets and then called a random number, and that would be the starting place for the line. My number was the one before the one they called). Regardless, I am now the proud owner of a Ryan Braun game-worn jersey card.

In addition,  I also recieved my World Baseball Classic redemption card...

 

Around roughly the time my third child will be born (we still haven't met child #1, by the way) my WBC redemption card should arrive. I am the proud future-owner of Redemption Card #4...so whenever they announce who that one is, I can start using that as a bartering chip in trading.

Indeed, justice has been served. Thank you Topps, for "redeeming" yourselves. 

2009 Topps Hobby Box Break #4

PACKs 5-6

#240 Ryan Braun

I heart Ryan Braun. I'm pretty sure if I was a girl, I would have already sent a few pairs of panties to him. I don't suppose it's an official "Bromance", because in a bromance both parties share a mutual affection for eachother. Perhaps, then, we can call it a "mancrush". Yep, let's go with that. And if my wife asks you where my missing boxer briefs are, your response will be "sorry, no idea".

#160 Evan Longoria, #TR2 Longoria Turkey Red

Love me some Longoria. Besides Joey Mauer, he's probably my favorite ball player that doesn't wear a Brewers uniform.

#50 David Ortiz

In a 3-year period this guy had 424 RBIs. If we expand that out a year on each end, he had 642 RBIs. I wish the Brewers could count that high.  I really hope, for Red Sox Nation's sake, that he isn't one of the 102 remaining un-named players on the list. I still have some sort of hope that real men (like Braun, Longoria) do exist, and can still play the game of baseball to an amazing level without the aid of performance-enhancing drugs. 

#141 Mark Teahen

#183 Jason Michaels

#321 Scott Kazmir & David Price Classic Combos

#163 Ross Gload (what? 2 Royals in the same pack? Topps, you've outdone yourselves.)

#133 Brandon Jones

#6 Raul Ibanez

I'm glad that he's no longer playing for the M's. In the event that we are still stationed here when the baseball season starts, I must continue to get my life juice from either Safeco Field here in Seattle, or at the Tacoma Rainiers games (the Mariners' AAA affiliate). It's really annoying at the M's games because they only cheer for Felix (if he's pitching), Ichiro (if he's batting) or Raul Ibanez. And it's not a fun sort of cheer, like when the Cowboys used to have Daryl Johnston as their fullback and everyone used to yell "Moooooooooose", causing all the women (no offense) in attendance to turn to their husbands and ask "Why are they booing him? He's on their team!". Yep, been there. Instead, the thundering "Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuuul" echoes up and out of Safeco and out on to Puget Sound. Good times.

#30 Ken Griffey Jr.

Speaking of the Mariners, how about this story? They really need to bring Griffey back, even if it's only for a year or two. Richie Sexson turned out to be a failure, there are talks of trading Ichiro mid-season, and they lost Raul Ibanez in the off-season. Unless they are able to beat out the Braves for Jr's services, Seattle will once again finish, undoubtedly, at the bottom of the AL West. I'm sure they are going to finish there anyway, but they at least could stand to pack a few more butts in seats in the process, and Griffey will help them do that. Or, at least finally sell out the right field porch seats. Not the dumb bleachers in left, but the sun-in-your-eyes-can't-see-the-game seats in right field that Griffey would be hitting balls into. Haha, I said balls.

#TR10 Jackie Robinson Turkey Red

I'm a fan of the Turkey Red cards, but not a fan of the Turkey Red cards featuring old time players. Isn't the point of these cards to make current players look old timey? So, doesn't it defeat the purpose of putting old timey guys on these cards? 

#155 Roy Halladay

#122 Joe Mather

#131 Joe Torre (sans booksigning photo)

#76 Marcus "The River" Thames

#84 Rod Barajas

#112 Hideki Okajima

On the Docket: Dubbs vs Topps (continued)

I spoke with my card shop dealer, Pete Brown, yesterday regarding my situation with Topps. I explained how my hobby box contained neither a relic/auto OR a WBC redemption card. He explained to me that he's heard JUST the OPPOSITE. Apparently, Topps short printed this set (let's say, about 75% production from what they originally planned) so the odds of pulling relics and the like are skewed in the COLLECTOR'S favor. They made the same number of relic and auto cards, but less base cards. So he has heard from guys pulling 2, 3, or even 4 relic cards from a single hobby box. And I got zero.

Topps has received my letter, the saga continues...

2009 Topps Hobby Box Break #3

I want to start off by thanking both Achiever Card Blog and Dinged Corners for their gracious patronage as well as throwing up links on their page to mine. Perhaps more minds will be infected, and if nothing else, more eyes will be looking for Brewers cards for me. Always looking for a trade.

I'm posting from work today (ya, I know, sometimes its a tough job) so I don't bore the wife to death when I get home tonight.I still haven't fully decided which cards to share from the recent trade w/ Spiff, so I'll copout again and give you packs 3-4 of the '09 Topps box.

PACKs 3-4

#71 Mat Gamel
After the departure of prospect Matt LaPorta to Cleveland last summer (among others) as part of the CC Sabathia trade, this young man moved higher to (if not, to) the top of the prospect pool. I mentioned our guy Alcides Escobar last time, but this guy in my mind will be moving up to Milwaukee first. He's got a great bat, great glove, just a stud. He's a 3rd baseman by trade, so expect him to see much more time this summer as we suffer once again through Bill Hall's slumpiness. I love Bill Hall (most enjoyable when said as one word, 'Billhall!') and thank him for being THE guy on the ballclub for a good amount of time, prior to the arrival of Braun and Fielder. Anways, watch for Gamel this season. This card is on it's way to Arizona as we speak for some sweet TTM lovin.

#213 Jeremy Sowers
This is one of my favorite cards so far in the set. I have always been a huge fan of alternate uniforms, but throwbacks are the best. The lighting on this card, with the sunshine coming in, really makes it look as if there is 1950's filter on this camera, absolutely great shot. Could swear this was an older card...except for the Nikes, though.

This card also shares with us the "Six Degrees of Mickey Mantle": Jeremy Sowers plays with
Anthony Reyes who played w/ Cal Eldred who played w/ Robin Yount who played w/ Mike Hegan who played w/ Mickey Mantle. Nice reference to Rockin Robin.

#LG13 Jackie Robinson LOTG
Not a bad subset here. If you've seen the list of players in this line of card, it's easy to see how it will have a decent shelf life.

#104 Brandon Moss
I have a spot in my heart for the Pirates. They have been terrible for a long time, I mean, worse than my Brewers (I'm sure if the Brewers organization went back further than 1970, however, we could probably rank up there with the Bucs). They give us a decent number of wins each season, so that helps offset the games we can't win against the freakin baby bears, or those pesky inter-league games against the former AL rivals, the Twins. Nice action shot, here. Fun fact on the back: he became the first major leaguer to his first career HR in the eastern hemisphere.

#271 Cliff Lee CY
Nobody celebrated CC Sabathia's departure from Cleveland more than Cliff Lee. Not that Sabathia was a having a great season prior to his move to Milwaukee (6-8 record) but he casts a pretty big shadow.No longer 2nd fiddle to the big teddy bear, Lee had an amazing '08 season. I'll leave the speculation to Motherscratcher, he's the resident Tribe afficianado. Here's to you.

#286 Odalis Perez
As I was ripping my way through this box, I kept saying to the wife "Man, they gave EVERYONE a card this year". Kind of like the old days, when everyone got a card. I'm glad those days are back, so guys like Odalis here can show their kids a card w/ their face on it. His cander on the back of the card is absolutely priceless. When asked about his 2008 season, he said "I didn't know if I'd even be part of the team. I'm not going to say I had a great season, but I was there every five days". Indeed you were, sir. Indeed you were.

#33 Jose Guillen
#29 Jerry Hairston
#273 Brian Roberts - last player to ever bat at Yankee Stadium
#266 Todd Wellemeyer
#218 Emmanuel Burriss
#285 Justin Duchscherer
Topps Attax
#96 Dexter Fowler
#114 Chris Dickerson
#86 Kila Ka'aihue
#79 David Eckstein
#328 Doug Mientkiewicz
#210 Geovany Soto

On The Docket: Dubbs vs. Topps, case # 9-020909

In the unlikely event that you've been following this blog (well, at least for the past week) you'll know I got royally hosed by the folks at Topps. Well, they will rue the day they crossed my path.

I finally got ahold of someone and found out options on how to get back the cards that I am owed. Simply write a letter explaining the situation, and include the serial number from the box along with the original sales receipt. 

Here's the letter I wrote (click to make bigger)

I will be sure to post any follow-up correspondence I receive from Topps. I was told to expect my cards within 2-4 business weeks, whatever that means. If it has anything to do with their redemption card response time, I may have already purchased a hobby box of '10 Topps Series 1 cards. 

2009 Topps Hobby Box Break #2

Alright, I've calmed down now.  My recent rage over yesterday's unfortunate break of the much anticipated hobby box of '09 Topps has subsided, and I've decided to channel my emotions into a calm and collected letter to the folks at Topps.  Well, just until Monday when their office is open again and I can actually speak with someone that will (I'm certain) address my concerns.

Anyhow, back to the box break. After kicking off the weekend last night w/ the opening of all 36 packs, the results are as follows:

• 248 base commons
• 36 crappy Toppstown cards
• 9 Turkey Red cards
• 8 Ring of Honor cards
• 5 Legends of the Game cards
• 5 numbered gold parallels
• 4 Topps Attax cards
• 1 short print variation card
  
• ***ZERO Relic / Auto cards***
• ***ZERO World Baseball Classic redemption cards***

As the wife puts it, I got "effin gyped".  I should count my blessings, perhaps. I pulled 5 numbered gold parallels instead of 4. And in speaking with the Topps folks on the phone last night, they assured me that on my deathbed I will receive total consciousness. So I got that goin for me. Which is nice. 

Okay, so onto the cards. As I've mentioned before I'm attempting (key word) to spend less money on baseball cards this year, so we're going to stretch this box out. That means, 2 packs at a time.

PACKs 1 - 2

Nothing spectacular here, but I did get one card that will be going out in the mail to Phoenix AZ for some spring training TTM action...

#108 Alcides Escobar RC

Whenever the Brewers decide that Rickie Weeks isn't worth his paycheck, they will shuffle around the infield a bit, and either this guy or Hernan Irrabaren will come up to take Weeks' place.  Don't look to see this guy before Mat Gamel though, who will most likely be called up once again this year to fill in for a slumping Bill Hall.  You could see Escobar, but it will be Irrabaren that get's the call to give Weeks a game or two off.

#142 Brad Penny

#315 Hiroki Kuroda

#313 Jamey Carroll

#167 Aaron Harang

#245 Pat Burrell

He's in a Phil's uniform, but that's okay - I'm sure he'll have just as much fun in Tampa Bay playing for the Devil Rays as their DH. I have much respect for this guy after he hit 2 HRs and slugged .750 against my Brewers in the '08 NLDS.

#58 Travis Snider RC

#25 Jon Lester

#TR21 Garret Andersen 

#145 Alex Gordon

I'm glad the Royals went back to the cooler-than-ice baby blue alternates last year, they make for much better photos and take fans' minds off of the fact that they didn't get a new ballpark, just renovations to make the "couple times a year" fans think they had.  Interesting on the back: the "Six Degrees of Mickey Mantle" (which I've noticed on a bunch of cards so far):  "Gordon was a 1st-rounder from the Univ. of Nebraska as was Darin Erstad who plays with Miguel Tejada who played with Tim Raines who played with Stan Bahnsen who played with Mickey Mantle". Cool. 

#237 Aaron Cunningham

#156 Carlos Pena

#8 Terry Francona (no mouth full of chaw)

Topps Attax!

#53 Jonathan Sanchez

#14 Jon Rauch

There are some great photos in this set, and some even greater photos of players with tattoos. I've seen two different Josh Hamilton cards so far, and one of them w/ Saltalamachia shows his kickass tats.  But back to Rauch. Like him better w/ short (or no) hair, and you can see his neck tat. He's got roman numerals going down his back that mark his wedding day, along with a few other sick ink action. I can't wait to share the Hamilton card with you.

#130 Vladimir Guerrero

#97 Willie Harris

#274 Alex Hinshaw - who, apparently "...vaporized Big League lefty batters by fanning 30% of those he faced".  Kudos, Alex.

So that's the first couple of packs. Mother, sorry I didn't show you the one Tribesman in this group, but I'll make sure I include some more in the future, and perhaps a card or two involving a young mister Garko and Sizemore?

Did you get my Relic?

I'm going to make this short and sweet, because I'm afraid the more words that issue forth from my...fingers...the more they will resemble the four-letter sort that Sr. Ann Martina told me not to use in grade school.

I finished opening my Hobby Box of 2009 Topps Series 1 tonight, and NO RELIC OR AUTO.  NOR did I geat a WBC Redemption card. 

So...if you opened your "1 relic or auto per box on average" box and received 2 relic or auto cards, and/or 2 WBC redemption cards...let me know, and you can have my address so you can send them to me.

F*** you, Topps. I'm officially done buying your sh*t product.

Seriously, I have waited this long in my life to spend the money on a hobby box that has just been released, and this is what I get.

And to spit in my face, they gave me a f***ing Eric Gagne card. In a Brewers uniform. I'm going to throw up and smash things now.

2009 Topps Hobby Box Break #1

My birthday present arrived, two days ahead of the scheduled delivery date...so with tonight being class and tomorrow being work, I'll somehow find a way to wait until the weekend to dig into the box of '09 Topps...

Well, I'll open just a couple packs tonight, and try to post from work tomorrow...let's see how successful I am in my plan of spreading this bad boy out over the course of a couple weeks...

I Give You...2009 Topps Series 1

I was going to wait for another week before did a 2009 Topps post, because my hobby box will arrive here a week from Monday or so, but today as my wife and I were shopping at Target the card section caught my eye as usual (they have this evil strategy about putting them near the checkout, and so baseball cards have become to me what the Snickers, Pepsi and tabloid magazines are to the overweight middle-aged woman going home to discuss Brangelina with her cats).  And so the first pack of the 2009 season has made its way into my living room, as we are only 13 days from pitchers and catchers reporting to Phoenix for Brewers camp...I give you the first pack of 2009 Topps.

#TTT14 CC Sabathia

Alright, I know it's not an official "card", but I had to introduce this beautiful Sabathia because it's currently the only 2009 Brewers card I own (until that hobby box gets here).  As a fool I attempted to throw this card into my binder at toppstown.com and got this when I entered the code...

Damn you, Topps! You're killing me! Raining on my happy little baseball card parade, how dare you!  Maybe I'll be able to...okay I'm over it.

#41 Mike Mussina

Is it just me, or did I miss something here? I'm pretty sure he retired. Let me google this really quick, hold on a sec...........yep, November 20th of last year he announced it. In a press conference. In public. There were pictures taken, I have proof!  Thanks Topps. 

#290 Albert Pujols

Love this photo, I guess Albert took a page from Bill Buckner's book of playing first base (although an injured Buckner shouldn't have been on the field during that infamous world series game in 1986).  Let's zoom in a little bit...

Nice! I feel like I'm a part of the action. I say no more to your silly Spring Training photos, clearly staged with bat resting neatly on the shoulder. Give me your tongues hanging out, and your, um...

...obtuse-angle shaped protective cups?

#100 David Wright

#164 Bob Geren (I love the Manager card)

#2 Omar Vizquel (as a SF Giant, though he just signed a minor league deal w/ the Rangers)

#323 Vicente Padilla

#TR4 Alex Rios

(Target-exclusive insert)

#57 Jo-Jo Reyes

#199 Ramon Castro

#166 Jeff Baker

#330 Daisuke Matsuzaka

All in all, not a bad pack, I guess I just wanted to snag some 2009 cards in hopes of getting a Brewer or two to hold in my death-grip clutches until that box arrives in a week or so. 

But did they really need to put A-Rod on the packaging for series 1? How about some real inspiration for the kiddies, like Josh Hamilton or something. That guy's got a helluva story to tell, and one that many should hear.