The Electric Friar

Posted by ElectricFriar on May 16th, 2009 in Box Break

I got my hand on a hobby box of 2008 Sweet Spot and one of those Sweet Spot retail tins from Target.  It’s been a while since I opened a box so I’ve been getting the itch to bust something.

I’ll start off with the retail tin.  These sell for about $30 at target and offer 3 packs of 8 cards with the promise of at least one memorabilia or autographed card.

Pack 1

-85 Rich Harden
-58 Johan Santana
- 61 Jose Reyes

- 31Dan Uggla
- 94 Torii Hunter
-34 Derek Jeter
-97 Troy Tulowitzki

-7 Alex Rodriguez
-YSL Game 5546 Wade Boggs – Is it me or does it seem weird that Wade Boggs has a ring with the Yankees but Don Mattingly doesn’t?

Pack 2

-42 Grady Sizemore

-23 Carlos Zambrano
-50 Jason Bay
-Ivan Rodriguez Sweet Swatch Memorabilia (Gray)

-74 Michael Young
-38 Felix Hernandez
-47 Ichiro – That’s an awkward batting stance.  He looks like he needs to head to the restroom.

-B.J. Upton
-YSL Game 2425 Allie Reynolds

Pack 3

-67 Lance Berkman
- 4 Albert Pujols
-40 Freddy Sanchez
- 78 Nick Markakis
-51 Jeff Francoeur
-13 Billy Butler – I think I like the old school KC look.

-15 Brandon Webb
-70 Manny Ramirez
-YSL Game 5571 Don Mattingly – Donnie Baseball, still one of the cooler nicknames of the 80’s.

Thoughts on the retail tin:  Not too bad.  I didn’t think I would pull an autograph from a retail tin, so that’s OK.  Pudge Rodriguez is a great pull, the man’s a future HOF.

Now for the hobby box.  Spotted this at the comic shop, it kept tempting me, so I figured I’d take a shot.  I’m hoping to get a decent Sweet Spot autograph.

Hobby Pack 1
-63 Josh Hamilton
-90 Ryan Howard
-27 Chris Carpenter
-86 Robinson Cano
-66 Ken Griffey Jr. – Junior seems out of place in a White Sox uni.

-48 Ivan Rodriguez
-YSL Game 585 Lou Gehrig

and…

Sweet Swatch Triple Memorabilia #’d 10/25
-Vlad Guerrero (red, white, & blue patch)
-David Ortiz (red & blue patch)
-Magglio Ordonez (blue & white patch)

Hobby Pack 2:
-35 Dontrelle Willis
-62 Josh Beckett
-89 Ryan Braun
-Hanley Ramirez Sweet Swatch (Gray)

-41 Gary Sheffield
-68 Lastings Milledge
-5 Alex Gordon
-YSL Game 635 Bill Dickey

Hobby Pack 3:
-26 Chris Young (D-back OF, not Padre pitcher)
-80 Paul Konerko
-17 Brian Roberts

-Sweet Swatch Triple Memorabilia – Vlad Guerrero (gray swatch), David Ortiz (gray swatch), and Magglio Ordonez (white swatch)

-23 Carlos Zambrano
-50 Jason Bay
-42 Grady Sizemore
-YSL Game 560 Babe Ruth

Time for a rant.  Come on Upper Deck!  Two Triple Memorabilia cards featuring the same exact players?  I realize that one is a numbered, multi-colored patch card, thus making it a premium.  But at least go for some variety in these boxes.

Hobby Pack 4:
-44 Hanley Ramirez
-71 Mariano Rivera
-8 Alfonso Soriano
-Sweet Swatch Pedro Martinez (gray swatch)

-69 Magglio Ordonez
-6 Alex Rios
-96 Trevor Hoffman – His last Upper Deck card as a Padre.  Definitely a keeper.

-YSL Game 485 Babe Ruth

HobbyPack 5:
-64 Justin Morneau
-1 Aaron Harang
-98 Vernon Wells
-Sweet Swatch Johan Santana (white) – looks like there’s a crease in the upper-right corner

-3 Adam Dunn
-93 Tom Glavine
-30 Dan Haren
-YSL Game 685 Red Ruffing

Hobby Pack 6:
-13 Billy Butler
-40 Freddy Sanchez
-67 Lance Berkman
-Sweet Beginnings Auto Greg Smith #’d 252/399

-95 Travis Hafner
-32 David Ortiz
-59 John Smoltz
-YSL Game 610 Tony Lazzeri

Thoughts on the hobby box:  Definitely disappointed.  The only autograph was a pitcher I’ve never heard of.  I would have loved to pull a Sweet Spot auto.  The fact that Upper Deck collated two similar triple memorabilia cards also made the break a disaster.  Only picked up one card for my personal collection (Trevor Hoffman).

As far as the base set design goes, it’s ok.  I like the faux stitching used on the cards.  The photography is also good, but not on par with the photos used in Upper Deck’s flagship set.

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