I Have 2014 Topps People, Look At Me!!!!

I liked 2013 Topps, and I might like 2014 even more.  Or maybe I'm still tingly from my first purchase of product, since I didn't expect to find it today.

I found some blasters in Walmart today at lunch, and while I don't expect to spend much on retail wax this year (instead directing funds more towards vintage and finishing some sets) I couldn't help myself and partook.

I'll keep the comments brief since I suspect you mostly just want to see the cards.  Fair enough.  The first card out of the blaster was the bonus manu-patch card Topps puts in retail blasters.  And for me, it was a doozie:

These are very similar to last years rookie manu patches, which is a little lame.  However the makeup of the card is pretty cool:  the picture is a silky fabric, but the Rangers logo, name and graphic semi circle around them is part of the cardboard frame.  It gives it kind of a shadowbox effect and I like it.  There are two types of manu relics in blasters, the rookie reprints like the Darvish above, and some standard patch cards.  My other blaster gave me another rookie reprint, and it was another doozie:

You can tell pretty well in this picture that the Pirate logo is not part of the fabric part of the card.  I definitely like these!

As for the base cards, I didn't really score many that I felt were worth noting.  No favorite Rangers or other big names, but here are a few for examples sake:

The checklist card showing Rivera coming out of his last game is pretty sweet.  Glad Topps added that one.

I did have pretty good luck with the Walmart blue parallels though:

Of course there are several other parallels again this year:

I like the ruby red- that will make a great Ranger team set.  Camos are back too. 

The Power Players parallel intrigues me.  On the back is a code, similar to the Million Card giveaway and other online promotions Topps has done in the past.  I think it's smart to incorporate these codes on player cards instead of a throw away insert.  The site topps.com/powerplayers, is not live yet, but it looks like there will be real cards you can win this year, which is good news.

As for inserts, there are plenty, but I'll show the ones that I liked the best:

 

I wasn't all that jazzed about the 1989 minis at first, but they turned out pretty cool.  They're die cut and the color border makes a difference.

I also kind of like these "Future is Now" cards.  They seem to have a "gypsy-queen-ish" filter on the image, or maybe I'm imagining that.

Looks like it will be a fun set to build!

COMC Black Friday Parade: Rangers Rangers Rangers!

Man, I had a lot of fun with the Black Friday sale on COMC.com.  I got some really great stuff and it didn't set me back all that much.

I had all kinds of sweet spots in my collection, with some of my favorites being the various Rangers I picked up :

This was by far the most expensive card I bought, and it actually wasn't that bad.  It's an incredibly beautiful card, and if Profar lives up to his potential, the cost will be well worth it.  Even if he flops, it's still a great looking card.

Here are some other great looking cards:

 I think my only regret is that I didn't pick up more Darvish cards.

 I also had my last dalliance with Ian:

Oh Ian, I miss you already.

Pie Face Funded: Ranger Relics

A while back I bragged about stumbling upon a Mark Teixeira "pie in the face" variation card while digging through my boxes. 

I sold it online, and got a LOT more for it than I expected.  As soon as the buyer put his funds in my paypal account, I was ready to turn around and spend it, but I was also faced with a decision:  should I get one or two really nice cards, or should I get a bunch of little stuff and maybe knock off some of my checklist needs?  I was spying a T206 Eddie Cicotte card, as well as a 1952 Topps Bob Feller.  Either would have been great additions to my collection.

However, once I started shopping on COMC.com and sportlots.com, I came across too many cards that I "need" for my checklists and decided to go that direction.  But man, that Cicotte would have been nice...

My first pie face funded cards came in today- a group of Ranger relics, starting with 3 from 2013 Allen and Ginter:

This Ian Kinsler card is really nice.  I love the cardboard stock and the bright red swatch.    These full size Allen and Ginter Relics might be something I want to collect later on.  Super nice card.

I like the minis too, just not as much as the full size.  At first I was excited to see a stain on this Elvis Andrus card.  But couldn't that just as easily come from some doofus handling the card and rubbing dirt on it from his back yard?

Does anyone know why the frames are different colors on these?  Does it mean anything? 

Finally, I picked up my first relic card of one of my newest favorite Rangers, Martin Perez. 

Love these cards, and there is more great stuff on the way!  Still, that Cicotte would have been nice....

My Favorite Martin

The Rangers have been red hot lately, and a contributing factor has been the stellar pitching or Martin Perez.  Perez has long been heralded as a top pitching prospect, but seemed to regress last year and fell off a lot of people's radars.  Good thing the Rangers didn't give up on him, or trade him away because he's been a revelation this summer. 

I decided I should get some cards of him for my Rangers album:

There aren't a whole lot of cards available of Perez.  In fact, I don't think there is a 2013 card of him yet in any set.  I guess that will change quickly if he keeps pitching like he has been.