One Last Stadium Club Hurrah

Here is the fourth of four blasters that I bought at Target for $2.99. Looking back, I'm really glad I didn't pay much more than $2.99 a piece for these things. It's not that I would have entertained the idea of buying even one of these at the regular price, but if I had I think I would have been fairly disappointed. I decided to play "pack wars" with Erin for this box while she opened one of her own. As it turned out, she won a very close battle because she actually pulled a Cardinal card, while sadly I did not.

Pack 1:
109 - Garrett Mock (RC)
23 - Tom Glavine
142 - Greg Smith (RC) (There have been so many roller imprints on these cards that they remind me of something Upper Deck put out in a hurry this year.)
74 - Rich Harden
105 - Chris Carter (RC) 1st Day Issue (alternate photo)

Pack 2:
38 - Hunter Pence

41 - Adrian Gonzalez (He who stole the Gold Glove from Albert Pujols this year...)
143 - Nick Blackburn (RC)
62 - Joba Chamberlain (The C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett signings could be huge for Chamberlain, who might benefit from hardly being the most talked about Yankees pitcher this season.)
90 - Carlos Zambrano 1st Day Issue

Pack 3:
92 - Mickey Mantle (Does anyone out there actually collect modern made Mantle cards that aren't autographed or relic-laden?)
43 - Felix Hernandez
34 - Brian Roberts
136 - Jay Bruce (RC)

33 - Brandon Webb 1st Day Issue

Pack 4:
5 - Russ Martin (again)
67 - Joe Mauer
28 - Ryan Church
35 - Ken Griffey Jr.
60 - Scott Kazmir 1st Day Issue
- Checklist

Pack 5:
64 - Victor Martinez
16 - Jake Peavy
145 - Clay Buchholz (RC)

44 - Magglio Ordonez (I like the way he sort of blends into the ad on the wall behind him.)
81 - Lance Berkman 1st Day Issue (Bleh!)

Pack 6:

100 - Tom Seaver (It would have been fun to see a few more retired players in this set.)
113 - Jeff Clement (RC)
146 - German Duran (RC)
139 - Jayson Nix (RC)
102 - Daric Barton 1st Day Issue

Pack 7:
70 - Brian McCann
49 - John Smoltz
134 - Wladimir Balentien (RC)

85 - Matt Holliday Photographer's Proof 12/99

In four blasters, this is the only serial numbered card that I got. I'm not sure how that compares to how most of these boxes have been going for others, but the odds printed on the boxes seem to support my luck (or lack thereof.)

18 - Michael Young 1st Day Issue

Pack 8:
140 - Max Scherzer (RC)
137 - Brandon Jones (RC)
122 - Jonathan Herrera (RC)
128 - Carlos Gonzalez (RC)

21 - Jacoby Ellsbury 1st Day Issue
- Checklist

And there you have it. I doubt I will buy any more of this stuff unless it ends up in one of those horrible-but-tempting repack boxes next year. I'd try a hobby pack or two, maybe, if they weren't $25 each or something. Topps did step up their photography a notch for this set, but they still have some work to do. I wouldn't mind seeing Stadium Club again next year, but it would be nice if they got rid of the weird short printing issues.