Opening Day and FairField Re-Packs

Happy Opening Day!

I wasn't planning on any sort of Opening Day post.

Which is really shortsighted on my part...

Opening Day for me involves traditions dating back to the earliest days of having access to cable television. I used to flip between coverage on whatever channels were broadcasting baseball that day. In earlier years, I'd take the day off work so watching would go uninterrupted.

Most of those years, I would sit in front of the television writing about those games and my thoughts on the season in my notebooks. That was tradition for most of my life.

As the years have gone on, that tradition gets modified as we go. I don't skip work for the games anymore, and I rarely get to watch a full day's games uninterrupted. But, I woke up early for live coverage on the MLB Network this morning, and am satisfying the itch to write about baseball here.

I will still watch as much of the games today as possible, though I have to go out to run some Aarons later today...

Since I had already started this FairField Re-Pack story a couple of weeks ago, it could easily be tweaked for an Opening Day flavor, and used today...

And that's what I've done!

Life has been chaotic lately, and for reasons related to chaos, I needed to make a run to the local Walgreens to pick up a prescription. Local as in two blocks from the apartment. So at least it's close...

Being Englewood, I was able to park the car next to a veritable "I Live in Englewood!" Starter Pack. In this picture you can see: A stolen shopping cart from WalMarts, an empty bottle of Gentleman Jack Daniels, soiled baby diaper and an empty single joint medical marijuana container.

Oh, and a bottle of water!

I was told by a friend of mine, that the perspective on this photo was really strange. I admitted that while trying to get everything into the photo, I had to bend awkwardly and put a great deal of effort into getting this shot. But I should have just gone behind the car and taken it from there... It would have turned out a lot better...

I'm also aware that my everyday walking around disguise is that of a homeless man of multiple years' experience, so I'm going get extra attention as I walk through the store, back to where they keep the drugs. And even though I look like I brought all that crap to the parking space adjacent to my car. No, I'm not here to shoot up heroin in your customer restroom. Just here to pick some up in it's currently socially acceptable form.

Anyways... 

I usually make a detour through the toy aisle, just to check out their overpriced items. And there is almost always a Walgreens clerk in that aisle. If I'm willing to look at merchandise while standing nearby a working employee, I'm probably not going to set the store on fire in the name of Jesus...

And also... Walgreens are a well known seller of the FairField Re-pack. 

A company that buys bulk singles and unsold retail wax, at a massive discount. Then repackages what they've bought, into small overpriced doses. Genius really, because even though you know going in that you aren't going to get stuff you really want. You will get stuff that you kind of like, and may even need for sets and team/player collections.

Something relatively smart came out of Iowa!

Today the only options they had were 100 loose cards and 1 unopened pack for $5.

I'm game... Let's see what we have here!

*******

Greg Maddux - Atlanta Braves - 2015 Topps Archetypes

Maddux was the featured card, showing through the box window. I don't know weather I have this card or not. But as far as Braves cards go, this one at least looks nice. And as much as I hate the Braves, I just can't hate Greg Maddux. I can strongly dislike him...

Rich Sauveur - Kansas City Royals - 1993 Topps Gold

Paul Assenmacher - New York Yankees - 1994 Score Gold Rush

Bob Wickman - New York Yankees - 1994 Score Gold Rush

I'm just not a fan of foil cards. They diminish the photo they obscure, and scan like crap. I don't want to spend hours retouching them in Photoshop, so I'm just going to post them online looking crappy...

Wickman was another featured player in my personal Junk Wax Prospector portfolio. In his early days as a White Sox prospect, I'd read in Baseball America how he'd lost part of his finger as a child. As he grew and learned how to pitch, the lack of part of his finger gave his offspeed pitches extra spin, making him a very effective relief pitcher.

Jeremy Giambi - Boston Red Sox - 2003 Topps Home Team Advantage

Sonny Gray - Oakland Athletics - 2014 Topps

Bryce Harper Checklist - Washington Nationals - 2014 Topps

Gerrit Cole - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2014 Topps

Albert Pujols - Anaheim Angels - 2014 Topps

Miguel Cabrera Checklist - Detroit Tigers - 2014 Topps

Matt Holliday NL Wild Card- St. Louis Cardinals - 2014 Topps

Yasiel Puig Checklist - Los Angeles Dodgers - 2014 Topps

Josh Donaldson - Oakland Athletics - 2014 Topps

Freddie Freeman - Atlanta Braves - 2014 Topps

Jay Bruce - Cincinnati Reds - 2014 Topps

(That's quite the run of 2014 Topps stars...)

Jordy Mercer - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2013 Topps

Dwight Gooden - Turn Back The Clock - New York Mets - 1989 Topps

Mike Diaz - Chicago White Sox - 1989 Topps

German Jimenez - Atlanta Braves - 1989 Topps

Steve Lombardozzi - Minnesota Twins - 1989 Topps

Hey! A Twins card I need! And a nice batting cage photo!

Jack Lazorko - California Angels - 1988 Score

Gary Redus - Chicago White Sox - 1988 Score

Junior Ortiz - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1988 Score

Terry McGriff - Cincinnati Reds - 1988 Score

Jeff Sellers - Boston Red Sox - 1988 Score

Albert Hall - Atlanta Braves - 1988 Score

Roger Clemens - Boston Red Sox - 1988 Score

Bruce Hurst - Boston Red Sox - 1988 Score

Tom Hume - Philadelphia Phillies - 1988 Score

(That's quite the crappy run of 1988 Score yuck..)

Gary Peters - Boston Red Sox - 1989 Pacific Baseball Legends

I remember finding some packs of these at gas stations in my hometown. I didn't appreciate them then, but I would sure like to get a bunch of these now... Great historical photos of players that aren't seen everyday.

Mike Walker - Seattle Mariners - 1992 Donruss The Rookies

Mickey Morandini - Philadelphia Phillies - 1991 Upper Deck

Rody Seanez - Cleveland Indians - 1991 Upper Deck

Greg Maddux - Atlanta Braves - 1996 Upper Deck - Best of a Generation

Angel Pagan - San Francisco Giants - 2017 Topps

Madison Bumgarner - San Francisco Giants - 2017 Topps

Justin Turner - Los Angeles Dodgers - 2017 Topps

Aaron Sanchez League Leaders - Toronto Blue Jays - 2017 Topps

Wilson Ramos - Washington Nationals - 2015 Topps

Jedd Gyroko - San Diego Padres - 2015 Topps

Erick Aybar - Anaheim Angels - 2015 Topps

Jarrod Dyson - Kansas City Royals - 2015 Topps

Trevor Plouffe - Minnesota Twins - 2015 Topps

Aaron Sanchez - Toronto Blue Jays - 2015 Topps

Anthony Gose - Detroit Tigers - 2015 Topps

Lou Marson - Cleveland Indians - 2012 Topps

Asdrubal Cabrera - Cleveland Indians - 2012 Bowman Chrome

Bill Long - Chicago White Sox - 1988 O Pee Chee

Bill Long - Chicago White Sox - 1988 O Pee Chee

Yup... Needed two of these...

Dallas Keuchel - Houston Astros - 2016 Topps Team Set

Ian Desmond - Washington Nationals - 2014 Topps

Ryan Zimmerman - Washington Nationals - 2014 Topps

Vladimir Guerrero - Montreal Expos - 2000 Topps

Don't need it, but welcome a double of this card... Maybe it's a triple?

The MLB Network played the Blue Jays Cardinals Spring Training game from Olympic Stadium in Montreal a few nights ago. They were showing the game live, instead of on delay like most of the Spring games air.

I watched the whole game, which was tied 0-0 with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Blue Jays were the home team, so it their their last at bat. Both team's managers already said they would not play extra innings, and the game would end in a tie.

Up for Toronto was Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays 3rd baseman and son of the Expos Hall of Fame right fielder. Who was also in attendance. Guerrero Junior is wearing his father's #27 uniform number for this exhibition game. Olympic Stadium is filled with screaming fans, many of whom are wearing Expos jerseys. Many of those with Vladimir's name and number on the back.

Just as his dad used to do for the Expos, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. crushes the pitch to deep left center field for a walk off game winning home run.

Granted it was just a spring training exhibition game. But you can't script baseball better than that!

Wade Boggs - Tampa Bay DEVIL Rays - 2000 Topps

For the duration of his 5 year contract with the New York Yankees (1993-1997), I could never get used to Wade Boggs cards where he wasn't playing for the Boston Red Sox... Seeing Boggs in a DEVIL Rays uniform kinda fries my mind on an even further plane...

Jacoby Ellsbury - New York Yankees - 2014 Topps

Justin Verlander - Detroit Tigers - 2013 Topps

Stephen Strasburg - Washington Nationals - 2013 Topps

Mike Trout Defense POY - Anaheim Angels - 2013 Topps

Chris Davis - Baltimore Orioles - 2014 Topps

Matt Holliday - St. Louis Cardinals - 2014 Topps

CC Sabathia ALDS  - New York Yankees - 2013 Topps

Jason Kipnis - Cleveland Indians - 2013 Topps

Jack Wilson - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2001 Bowman Heritage

Brandon McCarthy - Chicago White Sox - 2005 Topps

I don't have much 2005 Topps, but I kind of like the look of the set.

Dusty Hughes - Kansas City Royals - 2010 Upper Deck

I'm too far away from completing the 2010 Upper Deck set to have a list, but I still have all of them. It's the one recent set that I didn't get rid of a single card, when I went through the last mass dumping. This being Upper Deck's last baseball set, I kind of want it to bookend next to the classic 1989 debut.

Especially with the not subtle at all F.U. to Selig's licensing decree... If you're going out Upper Deck, go out with both middle fingers blazing!

Hansel Izquierdo - Florida Marlins - 2002 Bowman

Some of the earlier attempts at bad Topps Photoshoppery...

Jeff Verplancke - San Francisco Giants - 2002 Bowman

Manny Parra - Milwaukee Brewers - 2005 Bowman

Sid Bream - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1990 Fleer

Herm Winningham - Cincinnati Reds - 1990 Fleer

Ralph Milliard - Florida Marlins - 1996 Bowman

Jeff Fassero - Montreal Expos - 1993 Topps

And an Expos card I needed!

David Hulse - Texas Rangers - 1993 Topps

Dallas Keuchel - Houston Astros - 2017 Topps Award Winner

Curtis Granderson - New York Yankees - 2011 Topps

Barry Larkin - Cincinnati Reds - 2017 Topps Legend

Matt Riley (Baltimore) - Mark Mulder (Oakland) - CC Sabathia (Cleveland) - 2000 Topps

Rookie card of a flame out, a solid major leaguer and a borderline Hall of Famer. 2000 Topps is another set I don't have a lot of, but like what I've seen...

(I do have a factory sealed X-Mess set, but I don't count that because I've never looked at it...)

Vernon Wells - Anaheim Angels - 2011 Topps

Alex Rodriguez & Jason Giambi (Yankees) - Jim Thome (Indians) - 2012 Topps

Kendrys Morales - Seattle Mariners - 2015 Topps

Ichiro (Mariners) - Joe Mauer (Twins) - Vladimir Guerrero (Baltimore) - 2012 Topps

Odd mix of players with a common link. The top three active American League Leaders in career batting average. I already have it, but it's worth showcasing.

Felix Hernandez (Mariners) - Johan Santana (Twins) - Mariano Rivera (Yankees) - 2012 Topps

Michael Bourn - Cleveland Indians - 2015 Topps

Rafael Belliard - Atlanta Braves - 1991 Stadium Club

Mark Leiter - Detroit Tigers - 1993 Upper Deck

Dennis Eckersley - Oakland Athletics - 1988 Donruss

Junior Ortiz - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1988 Score

Steve Lyons - Chicago White Sox - 1988 Donruss

Jerome Walton - Chicago Cubs - 1992 Donruss

R.J. Reynolds - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1988 Donruss

The tobacco company -not the player- makes Winston cigarettes. Which was my brand for 20 years. 

It's now been over 8 months since my last cigarette. 

And not a day goes by that I don't REALLY want one...

Randy McCament - San Francisco Giants - 1990 Upper Deck

Jeff Robinson - Pittsburgh Pirates - 1990 Upper Deck

Juan Agosto - Houston Astros - 1990 Donruss

Jim Barr - California Angels - 1981 Donruss

FairField likes to throw a few "vintage" cards in each Re-Pack. They add in a little wow factor, and are usually interesting at worst. With Jim Barr, you get some very ancient looking outfield stands behind him. And the "classic" Angels uniforms, which I still feel look a lot better than what they currently wear. (Not the Disney mess of 1997-2001)

Luis Aguayo - Philadelphia Phillies - 1988 Score

Marc Sullivan - Boston Red Sox - 1988 Score

Jerry Reed - Seattle Mariners - 1990 Donruss

Mike Squires - Chicago White Sox - 1980 Topps

The 1979 White Sox apparently trained at some neighborhood softball field. Behind Bob's house...

Orel Hershiser - Los Angeles Dodgers - 1988 Score

A.J. Burnett - Pittsburgh Pirates - 2015 Topps

My chosen unopened pack that has been tossed around the floors of around warehouses was of 2016 Topps Opening Day... Let me take a moment to contain my excitement.

I've already used the full pack scan at the beginning of this story, so I'm just going to focus on the Opening Day logo. Partially obscured by a "Fred Meyer" price tag. I've never lived in a part of the country that had Fred Meyer stores. So, there's that...

Trea Turner - Washington Nationals

Turner would be the top star of the pack, that was completely uninspiring...

Julio Teheran - Atlanta Braves

A.J. Pollock - Arizona Diamondbacks

Wilmer Flores - New York Mets - Superstar Celebrations

This isn't a bad concept for a card series. 

Exclusive to Opening Day, I could see these as fun to collect.

Odrisamer Despaigne - San Diego Padres

Jung Ho Kang - Pittsburgh Pirates

Billy Hamilton - Cincinnati Reds

So that's how that went. I'd hoped for a better variety of years, but the box was very top heavy with stuff from the last five years. It was shockingly light on Junk Wax, which is what I was expecting to find a bunch of going in.

I also expected to keep less than a third of the cards in the box, when all was said and done. That also happened. More than two thirds of these cards ended up in the garbage. While I'm briefly saddened by taking such a drastic action, I feel that by taking these cards out of circulation, I'm improving the value of the other cards still on the market.

Too bad there's no way I just return them to FairField...

You'd think they'd be up for that!

******

One week later, I found another flavor of Fairfield Re-Pack... That of the unopened pack Re-Pack! 10 packs of cards that didn't sell at full retail price. So now you get 10 of those packs, that have bounced off retail floors for several years, before finding their way to you for $12.

Here's what I got:

1 - 2017 Topps Series 2 Jumbo

3 - 2017 Topps Series 1 Wax

3 - 2017 Topps Opening Day Wax

1 - 2017 Allen & Ginter Wax

2 - 1990 Donruss Wax

1 - 2016 Topps Series 2

Wow... That collection is all sorts of awful... 

A bunch of new nothing and two out of place 1990 wax packs...

I opened all of it and the packs and the best thing I came out of it was this...

A 2017 Opening Day Incredible Eats card of the Coors Field Rocky Dog. 

Now this is a card I can support! 

When I moved to Colorado in 1996, I was able to enjoy a new "home stadium" for baseball food options. And Coors Field blew the roof off the Metrodome in terms of stadium food. (And everything else...) Once I tried the Rocky Dog at Coors Field, I was hooked.

To the degree that I even switched brand of hot dogs I buy in stores...

A foot long Hebrew National, grilled at multiple outlets along the Coors Field concourses. But I will just go with ketchup and diced raw onions on mine.

And I've never had a better hot dog.

******

One other sad note on this Opening Day... Shortly after waking up this morning, it was announced that Le Grand Orange had passed away at the age of 73.

Traded to Montreal by the Houston Astros in January 1969, Staub became the first superstar for the Expos. He endeared himself to the city and it's fans by learning to speak French. He said that he wanted to be able to communicate with children when they'd ask him a question.

Montreal traded Staub to the New York Mets just before the 1972 season started, netting the Expos three players who would start for the team into it's late 1970's stretch of successful seasons, leading to their 1981 playoff appearance.

Staub did make a half season return to Montreal in 1979, before moving onto Texas and back to the New York Mets. After retiring from baseball in 1985, Staub spent his later years doing a lot of charity work in and around New York City.

*****

Happy Opening Day all...

I'm hoping everything I need to do today is wrapped up early enough that I can watch
the Colorado Rockies open the season in Arizona against the D-Bags, at 8pm tonight...

Got a buncha Hebrew Nationals in the fridge and popcorn in the cupboard...

It's time for baseball!