With series 2 right around the corner, I figured that it was about time that I finished series 1. Since the cost of boxes have dropped a little lately, I figured that there was no better time to pick up a box and try to finish off the set.
This box was a complete disaster. 4 of the packs in the box only contained 10 cards. On top of that, I only got one of the two jersey cards that you’re supposed to get and didn’t pull an autograph. I sent an e-mail right off to Upper Deck after I opened the box and it looks like they’re going to attempt to make things right. I’ll definitely update on that situation once those cards come in.
I got 247/500 cards out of the box towards the set. I’m definitely not breaking open another box of this stuff to put together a set, but it seems like that’s what you need to do if you want a set. Once I added in the cards that I already had from previously purchased packs, I had 330/500 cards and a healthy stack of doubles. So, I’ll be looking to trade with anyone out there who might have a wantlist for this set.
Stand back, there’s a hurricane comin’ through. I feel that this card perfectly sums up my experience with this box. It was a disaster. Why would anyone want a trading card of a hurricane anyway? Stats: 145-mph winds and 35-foot tidal waves.
Along with Hurricane Iniki I also pulled Mike Bossy, Martin Brodeur, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Blue Jays, Pedro Martinez, Ken Griffey Jr. and George H.W. Bush. If it were the younger Bush, I think I would have just burned all of these 20th Anniversary cards.
The one jersey that I did pull was that of Bill Hall. I also had a piece of Bill Hall jersey on a quad SPx card that I pulled. He seems to be haunting me this year.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, these single window jersey cards this year are some of the ugliest cards that I’ve ever seen. BH-J? More like BS. If you do have to cut out a window in a card, please make it something meaningful.
Next up is the Documentary update. This set could have been nice if executed properly. Instead there are cards with pictures that have nothing to do with the game. Players who didn’t play, home uniforms for cards about away games, etc. Upper Deck just wanted to sell lots of packs, but didn’t put in the effort to make the set what it should have been. They made sure to include autographs though.
I pulled this David Price along with James Shields on a card about a game he lost instead of the winning pitcher Dice-K, B.J. Upton (I think) and a Dodgers player on a card about the Phillies winning 5-1.
I’m not even going to post pictures of the Predictors, First and Yankee Stadium cards. Luckily, I only got one of each: Yankee Stadium Set Collector, College Football Playoff System (HA!) and Giambi game 6713. I was shut out on USA Baseball cards.
These Rivals cards are pretty nice looking. I hadn’t pulled any out of the packs that I had purchased previously, but I got 5 out of this box. Dice-K/Markakis, Ortiz/Jeter, Santana/Chipper, Russell Martin/Bengie Molina and Peavy/Billingsley. Two Red Sox cards that will go into my collection. Not bad at all.
I like the Stars of the Game inserts a lot. I could do without all of the other inserts if you got more Rivals, Stars and OPC inserts.
I pulled this Hanley Ramirez along with Evan Longoria, Lance Berkman, Albert Pujols and Ryan Howard.
I love the OPC inserts. This might be an insert set that I just might have to collect. I pulled regular sized Evan Longoria, Manny Ramirez, Jake Peavy, Josh Beckett and Chien-Ming Wang along with minis of Longoria and Brandon Webb.
Just based on the fact that I was shorted 40 cards and that most cards had the usual problems with soft corners that you find in most Upper Deck product, I have no choice but to give this box an F. The design is nice and I got some nice cards from the three insert sets that I like, but I expected more even at the reduced price. I may retroactively boost the grade once I get what I was shorted from Upper Deck, but even then this is C/C+ stuff at best.
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