Am I Crazy? Wait... Don't answer that.... - Adam LaRoche edition

I received an email from someone I've been trading with for a looooong time. He asked me since when did I collect Adam LaRoche cards?

Only since 2007 I replied. He had no idea. I suppose that's my fault. I don't go around trumpeting or renting out a skywriter.

 

But just in case anyone else who reads my drivel didn't know that.... Yes. I want ALL the Adam LaRoche cards.

 

Of course Topps found out and decided to have some fun with me.

 

I call it Parallel Hell.

 

Walk down the path with me, won't you?

 

2013 Base card. Nice. Simple.

 

 the Base Mini... okay. Sure...

 The ubiquitous Gold

 

and of course the gold mini...

 

and the Not found in packs, blue sparkle wrapper redemption....

 

Wal Mart demands they have an exclusive parallel...

and so does the U.S. Army apparently

the Aqua Man seaweed version...

 uh... Gay Pride Parade version?

Toys R Us wanted to get in on the act

and of course so did Target...

Topps also put out an African American parallel

 

the sad part is.... even with all of those, I still don't have them all!!! I know there is a Pink mini, a Grey/Graphite version, as well as an Orange factory set only parallel.... among others I'm sure.

 

Just when your head is spinning, Chrome comes out...

 

 

with their pretty Refractors...

 

 

and X-Fractors. (don't give them any ideas or they'll make the other 25 letters as well)

 

a 1800's Sepia parallel...

a Burgundy (NOT red!)

of course the NAACP is represented again...

a light blue that doesn't look blue version

one of my favourites... Orange!

and Grimace gets his own as well...

 along with Gold, Camo, Pink, yadda yadda yadda.....


my head hurts now... and I'm sure most of you are now asleep dreaming of rainbows. (except you, Mr Putin)

So if any of you didn't know, now you do. And if you have ANY Adam LaRoche cards, please drop me an email so we can swap.

Thanks.

Topps owes me.... I hope.

So at the last trade night I caved into peer pressure. My drug of choice? Shiny 2013 Topps Chrome.

It was either that or Shiny 2013 Bowman Chrome. Why did Topps put out two nearly identical products in the same week??? Who knows? They have a monopoly, so they can do whatever they want.

 

A couple of friends of mine spent about 10 minutes talking me into busting this box... I think it was because they wanted to see one but didn't want to splurge themselves........... Hmmm.......

 

Anyways, you all know about The Shiny. 24 packs, 4 cards per pack, and TWO autos GUARANTEED per box. (that's called foreshadowing kids)

 

I only managed to pull three Braves in the box, so you're going to get to see them all.

 

This is the first card of El Oso Blanco that I've pulled from a pack myself.

 

 Evan became the first player to win back to back Rookie of the Month since Jason Heyward in 2010.
It'll be a tight race between Evan and Jedd Gyorko for rookie of the Year. I think Gyorko will win it though.... too bad, evan had a helluva year. The most RBI's by a rookie, second by two in homers to Gyorko.

BMac! Maybe the last card of Brian in a Bravos uni....

 Of course, what are shiny cards without even shinier cards? Refractors everywhere...

And of course, Xfractors.... that black line is not visible on the card itself, but every Xfractor I pulled scans this way. It looks like a fault in the cards... there's a line on the card that looks like it's missing the Xfractor dust.

There are coloured parallels as well.... purple, red, orange, black, gold, and blue. Maybe more, I dunno. I got one gold, and one blue in my box.

The blue I pulled was Jon Lester. Jon thinks like my cat.... if I can't see you, you can't see me....

The scan of my gold parallel seems to have disappeared into the depths of the world. Sorry, my bad.

As for inserts, we get more of the 1972 reprints. I got two in the box, Pujols and Jason Heyward.

Topps also made a couple of odd die-cut insert sets. I pulled three of these monsters... Ortiz, Lincecum, and Gonzalez. Very colourful.... it's like the 90's again.

And then this thing.... the only one in the box. Evan Longoria.

Now we get to the autos. Or should I say, auto. Yeah. In big block red letters it's printed on the box THREE times, TWO autographs per box.

I got one.

*sigh*

But, at least I got the probable rookie of the year, the previously mentioned Jedd Gyorko, on a  black bordered card #/100

nice looking card.

Now to email Topps about my missing auto.
Anyone out there have experience dealing with Topps??? Sound off in the comments if you have any tips.

2013 Topps Baseball Series 2 Variations

this list is more for my use than anything... I'm sure everyone has this already, but I can never find it when I need it, so I'm putting it here where I know it will always be.

#1 Bryce Harper
Regular Version: Rookie Cup
Variation: sunglasses

#6 Ryan Howard
Regular Version: fielding
Variation: signing autographs

#10 Adam Jones
Regular Version: diving
Variation: sunglasses

#11 Yu Darvish
Regular Version: red hat
Variation 1: sunglasses
Variation 2: signing autographs

#22 Clayton Kershaw
Regular Version: pitching
Variation: signing autographs

#26 Chase Utley
Regular Version: batting
Variation: signing autographs

#27 Mike Trout
Regular Version: sliding
Variation 1: signing autographs
Variation 2: sunglasses

#28 Prince Fielder
Regular Version: batting
Variation: sunglasses

#34 Felix Hernandez
Regular Version: throwing
Variation: wearing sunglasses

#55 Tim Lincecum
Regular Version: orange jersey
Variation: wearing sunglasses

#78 Dylan Bundy
Regular Version: pitching
Variation: standing at dugout with fans

#110 Justin Upton
Regular Version: batting
Variation: sunglasses

#122 Andrew McCutchen
Regular Version: batting
Variation: sunglasses

#127 Giancarlo Stanton
Regular Version: batting
Variation: sunglasses

#228 Adrian Gonzalez
 Regular Version: batting
Variation: signing autographs

#242 Matt Kemp
Regular Version: running
Variation: wearing sunglasses

#316 Josh Reddick
Regular Version: fielding
Variation: sunglasses (and one amazing beard)

#331 Jose Reyes
Regular Version: running
Variation: signing autographs

#362 Yoenis Cespedes
Regular Version: Rookie Cup
Variation: sunglasses

#456 Pablo Sandoval
Regular Version: batting
Variation: sunglasses

#595 David Ortiz
Regular Version: batting
Variation: giving speech, "Boston Strong"

#660 Miguel Cabrera
Regular Version: sliding
Variation: glove, sunglasses on head, signing autographs

#661 Hyun-jin Ryu
Regular Version: pitching
Variation: sunglasses

SO there you have it... basically, if you find a card with a pic on it that looks like it belongs in Heritage (Huge close up head shot) but he's wearing cool Oakleys, it's a SP variation. If he's signing autographs, it's a SP variation. If he's wearing shades while signing autographs, it's a SP variation.

And if he's giving the Boston Strong speech, it's Topps trying to cash in and make money off of an unspeakable tragedy.