2018 Bowman Ohtani Lottery
Yesterday afternoon, I happened to be at the local WalMarts picking up a few needed things, and checked out the card aisle on the way to the register. Lucky timing paired me with the third party card vendor, who was stocking the seemingly endless case of Panini NFL Blasters.
I asked the guy if he had any new baseball packs that he was going to put up, and he pulled out a 2018 Bowman Baseball Jumbo pack. He said he only had six of the jumbos, and I took them all. With the collecting world having caught Ohtani-fever, I get the impression that retail packs will be slim pickings for the second year in a row.
I wanted to check out some 2018 Bowman, but didn't expect to find much at the retail level.
Oh hell, I'll play the Ohtani lottery! As far as I know, the serial numbered 1 of 1 autographed Superfractor has not yet been found and redeemed for the announced $60,000 bounty. (Certainly that card is NOT hiding in a retail jumbo at a WalMarts...) At least in taking these six packs directly from the vendor's hand, I know they haven't been searched or bounced off the floor a bunch of times...
This being the first pack that I opened, it didn't leave a favorable impression. I got a bunch of players/teams that I don't like, though I did like the cards. I hoped the next five were a bit more my taste. Kershaw wins best base card of the pack because it's a good photo, and it's Kershaw. Dodger dislike aside, you always have to tip your cap to Kershaw...
Nothing against Olson. He's one of my friend Rob's favorite players and his favorite team. But this was the first card in the pack and it immediately bored me...
I have no idea which flavor of Refractor this is supposed to be. There's like 8 parallels of every base card and insert card in Bowman (plus some are autographed!), then it just gets dumb. This one has a number stamped on it. That's nifty... And what's with "Bowman Birthdays"? That's an insert theme? I guess Conforto was born in 1993. Which is the year I graduated high school...
In case you were wondering, I did not scan each pack. I scanned one once, and am going to use it six times! I didn't plan on buying any Bowman today, so I also didn't plan on writing this post. So if I want to cut some corners, I'm gonna!
I liked him as a Tampa Bay Ray. Seeing him as a Giant is so jarring, that this card momentarily became my favorite, due to the strange newness of the image... But I still hate the Giants...
Between the first two packs and Hunter Greene on the wrappers, I'm already sick of the Cincinnati Reds. And that Reds jersey Mahle is wearing looks like his regular jersey was in the wash, so he swiped one from a street vendor outside the stadium.
I like this card a lot, but after spending as much time as I did cleaning up the scans of this card and the Top 100 card of Kyle Lewis, I'm about to declare a moratorium on scanning any more Chrome cards. Either that or my new gimmick for this blog will be featuring the dustiest and lintiest cards I can possibly display...
Speedy rookie centerfielder has not played for Minnesota in 2018, even with Byron Buxton out with injuries. I think Granite is injured too... I absolutely don't feel like looking that up!
Oh well... It was just a shot of Arenado batting or something. It didn't stand out enough for me to even remember it after I opened the pack, let alone setting it aside for scanning... And it definitely wasn't worth digging the packs back out of the box, and hooking the scanner back up. Just picture Arenado in your head... Now picture the 2018 Bowman border around him... There you go...
This pack (with Greene pictured on the wrapper) also had the non-Chrome version of Greene's first Reds card. The 2nd overall pick in the 2017 Draft, after the Twins took high school SS Royce Lewis, though many criticized the Twins for not taking Greene. I would have much rather had Lewis's card than Greene... But Greene is a damn fine prospect. And I'm glad the Twins took Lewis instead!
Pretty sure Donaldson is running the bases after hitting yet another home run against the Twins at Target Field. You can pick that digital scoreboard in right field from a lot of baserunning pictures.
I like these a lot. They remind me of the great Classic Tri-Cards from the 1994 Classic Minor League set. A top prospect from A, AA and AAA, on the same card for each of the 30 teams... While it would have been nice to get a team better than the Padres, I have to think that judging from his first month or so, Christian Villanueva has to be an early front runner for 2018 National League Rookie of the Year...
At least I think this a Gold Refractor... It's Topps, you never know what they are going to do... I'm questioning it because all of the other years that I've gotten a Bowman Chrome Gold refractor, it was numbered out of 50, not 75.
Blackmon's card does a great job of showcasing his awesome beard. However, it obscures his mullet, which is just as important of a defining character trait for everyone's favorite Colorado Rockie...
Depending on whose rankings you buy into, Gonsalves is either the number 3, 4 or 5 top prospect in the Twins system. A left-handed starting pitcher with good control of his secondary pitches, the idea of getting Gonsalves into the starting rotation has had Twins fans interest for a few seasons now...
I like Robles and think he could have a good future in Washington, especially if Bryce Harper leaves for a mega-market team I hate... Like Boston...
Once Hoskins was called up to Philadelphia, he started hitting home runs at a pace that briefly made people forget about the pace that Aaron Judge was hitting home runs. If you are a big fan of only one aspect of the game of baseball, Judge and Hoskins should appeal to you!
And I'm totally fine with that. This is my third Ohtani card. I got that logoless Leaf promo card from that blaster I wrote about, while writing about 1994 Bowman. I also have a 2018 Gypsy Queen Green Retail parallel, from a bonus pack that I opened, didn't scan or write about, and then promptly forgot all about it...
This is a nice card and I'm glad I got even just the basic and most common of the Ohtanis. It was also the top facing card of the pack, visible through the Reds' Greene on the wrapper. Pretty much proof these packs hadn't been searched...
After I credited Berrios with being a good starter for Minnesota, he turned in a couple of bad outings. I watched him last night, he got the win, but pitched fairly bad... He's still only about half my age and has plenty of season left to turn it around...
I can't remember the last time I opened a pack of card and liked a Cleveland card that was inside... That being said, as soon as I saw the Kluber, I loved it... Could be the big C socks or the big N shoes, but I just like this card...
After watching the Rockies play the Cubs a bunch over the last couple of weeks, I am absolutely sick of the Cubs (and especially sick of their fans). And no amount of Kris Bryant making weird teethy faces is going to change my mind!
As soon as I saw this card, I thought of my long suffering Oakland Athletics fan, stuck way out in the New Mexico desert of Artesiastan... He's mentioned Khris Davis as his favorite A, so this one goes out to you Rob!
A couple of seasons ago, Colorado signed first basemen Ian Desmond from the Texas Rangers. Desmond is a good player, but hasn't really fit well with the Rockies. Signing Desmond cost Colorado it's first round pick in 2017, so the 11th overall pick went to the Texas Rangers (I don't remember who they took with the Rockies pick). The Rockies didn't get a draft pick until the mid 40's of the second round. That pick was Vilade.
McMahon won a bench role with the Rockies coming out of Spring Training, but didn't play a whole lot. He also didn't hit a whole lot when he did play. So as of early this week, he is back hanging out in Albuquerque, playing with the Isotopes. He'll be back with Colorado this year. Or midseason trade bait...
I don't know... There's just something about this picture... Harper is obviously admiring his fly ball the same way fat children look at cake... And that is something that belongs on a baseball card... Please don't sign with the Red Sox this winter, Mr. Harper... I want to keep liking you as a player!
I asked the guy if he had any new baseball packs that he was going to put up, and he pulled out a 2018 Bowman Baseball Jumbo pack. He said he only had six of the jumbos, and I took them all. With the collecting world having caught Ohtani-fever, I get the impression that retail packs will be slim pickings for the second year in a row.
I wanted to check out some 2018 Bowman, but didn't expect to find much at the retail level.
Oh hell, I'll play the Ohtani lottery! As far as I know, the serial numbered 1 of 1 autographed Superfractor has not yet been found and redeemed for the announced $60,000 bounty. (Certainly that card is NOT hiding in a retail jumbo at a WalMarts...) At least in taking these six packs directly from the vendor's hand, I know they haven't been searched or bounced off the floor a bunch of times...
Pack 1
Paul DeJong - St. Louis Cardinals
Garrett Cooper - Miami Marlins
Jen-Ho Tseng - Chicago Cubs
Maikel Franco - Philadelphia Phillies
Robinson Cano - Seattle Mariners
Josh Bell - Pittsburgh Pirates
Raisel Iglesias - Cincinnati Reds
Marcell Ozuna - St. Louis Cardinals
Khalil Lee - Kansas City Royals (Chrome)
Heliot Ramos - San Francisco Giants (Chrome Scouts Top 100)
Keibert Ruiz - Los Angeles Dodgers
Austin Voth - Washington Nationals
Greg Deichmann - Oakland A's (Chrome)
Jose Trevino - Texas Rangers (Chrome)
Johan Mieses - Los Angeles Dodgers (Chrome)
Alex Faedo - Detroit Tigers
Taylor Clarke - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jahmai Jones - California Angels
Ian Anderson - Atlanta Braves
Favorite base card:
Clayton Kershaw - Los Angeles Dodgers
This being the first pack that I opened, it didn't leave a favorable impression. I got a bunch of players/teams that I don't like, though I did like the cards. I hoped the next five were a bit more my taste. Kershaw wins best base card of the pack because it's a good photo, and it's Kershaw. Dodger dislike aside, you always have to tip your cap to Kershaw...
Least favorite base card:
Matt Olson - Oakland A's
Nothing against Olson. He's one of my friend Rob's favorite players and his favorite team. But this was the first card in the pack and it immediately bored me...
Most Inserty:
Michael Conforto - New York Mets (Chrome Bowman Birthdays: #92/150)
I have no idea which flavor of Refractor this is supposed to be. There's like 8 parallels of every base card and insert card in Bowman (plus some are autographed!), then it just gets dumb. This one has a number stamped on it. That's nifty... And what's with "Bowman Birthdays"? That's an insert theme? I guess Conforto was born in 1993. Which is the year I graduated high school...
Thanks for making me feel old Bowman...
Pack 2
In case you were wondering, I did not scan each pack. I scanned one once, and am going to use it six times! I didn't plan on buying any Bowman today, so I also didn't plan on writing this post. So if I want to cut some corners, I'm gonna!
Stephen Strasburgh - Washington Nationals
Victor Arano - Philadelphia Phillies
Keon Broxton - Milwaukee Brewers
Freddie Freeman - Atlanta Braves
Rafeal Devers - Boston Red Sox
J.D. Davis - Houston Astros (Texas player named J.D... Seems appropriate...)
Ahmed Rosario - New York Mets
Whit Merrifield - Kansas City Royals
James Nelson - Miami Marlins (Chrome)
D.J. Stewart - Baltimore Orioles (Chrome)
Kyle Lewis - Seattle Mariners (Chrome Scouts Top 100)
Nick Senzel - Cincinnati Reds
Michael Mercado - Tampa Bay Rays
Alex Faedo - Detroit Tigers (Chrome)
Taylor Clarke - Arizona Diamondbacks (Chrome)
Aaron Knapp - Miami Marlins
Nick Solak - New York Yankees
Mike Soroka - Atlanta Braves
Gavin LaValley - Cicinnati Reds
Favorite base card:
Evan Longoria - San Francisco Giants
I liked him as a Tampa Bay Ray. Seeing him as a Giant is so jarring, that this card momentarily became my favorite, due to the strange newness of the image... But I still hate the Giants...
Least favorite base card:
Tyler Mahle - Cincinnati Reds
Between the first two packs and Hunter Greene on the wrappers, I'm already sick of the Cincinnati Reds. And that Reds jersey Mahle is wearing looks like his regular jersey was in the wash, so he swiped one from a street vendor outside the stadium.
This card bothers me a lot more than it should...
Though it is kinda cool that you can almost read the stamp on the baseball Mahle is throwing...
Most Inserty:
Triston McKenzie - Cleveland Indians (Chrome Bowman Trending)
I like this card a lot, but after spending as much time as I did cleaning up the scans of this card and the Top 100 card of Kyle Lewis, I'm about to declare a moratorium on scanning any more Chrome cards. Either that or my new gimmick for this blog will be featuring the dustiest and lintiest cards I can possibly display...
That'll get me the hits!
It's a different, but same, scanned pack!
Pack 3
Rhys Hoskins - Philadelphia Phillies
Francisco Mejia - Cleveland Indians
Cody Bellinger - Los Angeles Dodgers
Anthony Banda - Arizona Diamondbacks
Avisail Garcia -Chicago White Sox
Brandon Crawford - San Francisco Giants
Jesus Sanchez - Tampa Bay Rays (Chrome Scouts Top 100)
Jake Kalish - Kansas City Royals
Domingo Acevedo - New York Yankees
MJ Melendez - Kansas City Royals (Chrome)
Lazaro Armenteros - Oakland A's (Chrome)
Adonis Medina - Philadelphia Phillies
Adbert Alzolay - Chicago Cubs
MJ Melendez - Kansas City Royals
Hunter Greene - Cincinnati Reds
Second Most Twinsiest:
Zack Granite - Minnesota Twins
Speedy rookie centerfielder has not played for Minnesota in 2018, even with Byron Buxton out with injuries. I think Granite is injured too... I absolutely don't feel like looking that up!
Most Rockiesiest:
Nolan Arenado - Colorado Rockies
Oh well... It was just a shot of Arenado batting or something. It didn't stand out enough for me to even remember it after I opened the pack, let alone setting it aside for scanning... And it definitely wasn't worth digging the packs back out of the box, and hooking the scanner back up. Just picture Arenado in your head... Now picture the 2018 Bowman border around him... There you go...
Most Twinsiest:
Byron Buxton - Minnesota Twins
Was very happy to get the Buxton card from packs. Now I don't have to look for one.
Favorite base card:
Hunter Greene - Cincinnati Reds (Chrome)
Least favorite base card:
Josh Donaldson - Toronto Blue Jays
Second Most Inserty:
San Diego Padres - Talent Pipeline (Chrome)
I like these a lot. They remind me of the great Classic Tri-Cards from the 1994 Classic Minor League set. A top prospect from A, AA and AAA, on the same card for each of the 30 teams... While it would have been nice to get a team better than the Padres, I have to think that judging from his first month or so, Christian Villanueva has to be an early front runner for 2018 National League Rookie of the Year...
Most Inserty:
Bobby Bradley - Cleveland Indians (Chrome Gold Refractor: #54/75)
At least I think this a Gold Refractor... It's Topps, you never know what they are going to do... I'm questioning it because all of the other years that I've gotten a Bowman Chrome Gold refractor, it was numbered out of 50, not 75.
But it looks gold... And at least Bradley is a decent prospect....
He's no Royce Lewis...
And definitely no Shohei Ohtani...
How many times can I open the same pack?
Pack 4
Alex Verdugo - Los Angeles Dodgers
Max Fried - Atlanta Braves
Chris Sale - Boston Red Sox
Tommy Pham - St. Louis Cardinals
Andrew Stevenson - Washington Nationals
Marcus Strowman - Toronto Blue Jays
Dansby Swanson - Atlanta Braves
Brian Miller - Miami Marlins (Chrome)
Michael Chavis - Boston Red Sox (Chrome Bowman Trending)
Corbin Burnes - Milwaukee Brewers
Evan White - Seattle Mariners
Adonis Medina - Philadelphia Phillies (Chrome)
Adbert Alzolay - Chicago Cubs (Chrome)
Eric Paradinho - Toronto Blue Jays
Greg Deichmann - Oakland A's
Jose Trevino - Texas Rangers
Johan Mieses - Los Angeles Dodgers
Most Rockiesiest:
Charlie Blackmon - Colorado Rockies
Blackmon's card does a great job of showcasing his awesome beard. However, it obscures his mullet, which is just as important of a defining character trait for everyone's favorite Colorado Rockie...
Most Twinsiest:
Steven Gonsalves - Minnesota Twins (Chrome)
Depending on whose rankings you buy into, Gonsalves is either the number 3, 4 or 5 top prospect in the Twins system. A left-handed starting pitcher with good control of his secondary pitches, the idea of getting Gonsalves into the starting rotation has had Twins fans interest for a few seasons now...
Favorite base card:
Victor Robles - Washington Nationals
I like Robles and think he could have a good future in Washington, especially if Bryce Harper leaves for a mega-market team I hate... Like Boston...
Least favorite base card:
Aaron Judge - New York Yankees
Something tells me that Aaron Judge can expect a whole lot of "least favorite" card awards from me...
Most Inserty:
Rhys Hoskins - Philadelphia Phillies (Chrome 2018 ROY Favorites)
Once Hoskins was called up to Philadelphia, he started hitting home runs at a pace that briefly made people forget about the pace that Aaron Judge was hitting home runs. If you are a big fan of only one aspect of the game of baseball, Judge and Hoskins should appeal to you!
Hey! It's that pack again!
Pack 5
Richard Urena - Toronto Blue Jays
Parker Bridwell - California Angels
Walker Buehler - Los Angeles Dodgers
Erick Fedde - Washington Nationals
Austin Hayes - Baltimore Orioles
Salvador Perez - Kansas City Royals
Aaron Altherr - Philadelphia Phillies
Kolby Allard - Atlanta Braves (Chrome)
Nick Pratto - Kansas City Royals
Mitchell White - Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Thaiss - California Angels (Chrome)
Blake Rutherford - Chicago White Sox (Chrome)
Jorge Mateo - Oakland A's (Chrome)
Michel Baez - San Diego Padres
Delvin Perez - St. Louis Cardinals
Chris Rodriguez - California Angels
Eric Lauer - San Diego Padres
Most Ohtaniyiest:
Shohei Ohtani - California Angels
Well... There you go...
So I got an Ohtani. Just your plain everyday average base card.
No serial number...
No autograph...
No Uberfractor...
And I'm totally fine with that. This is my third Ohtani card. I got that logoless Leaf promo card from that blaster I wrote about, while writing about 1994 Bowman. I also have a 2018 Gypsy Queen Green Retail parallel, from a bonus pack that I opened, didn't scan or write about, and then promptly forgot all about it...
This is a nice card and I'm glad I got even just the basic and most common of the Ohtanis. It was also the top facing card of the pack, visible through the Reds' Greene on the wrapper. Pretty much proof these packs hadn't been searched...
But it's still no Royce Lewis...
Most Twinsiest:
Jose Berrios - Minnesota Twins
After I credited Berrios with being a good starter for Minnesota, he turned in a couple of bad outings. I watched him last night, he got the win, but pitched fairly bad... He's still only about half my age and has plenty of season left to turn it around...
Favorite base card:
Corey Kluber - Cleveland Indians
I can't remember the last time I opened a pack of card and liked a Cleveland card that was inside... That being said, as soon as I saw the Kluber, I loved it... Could be the big C socks or the big N shoes, but I just like this card...
Least favorite base card:
Kris Bryant - Chicago Cubs
Most Inserty:
Harrison Bader - St. Louis Cardinals (Chrome 2018 ROY Favorites)
I honestly do not know who this is...
And he's a Cardinal, which means it's not worth my time to learn...
This is the last time I open this pack.
I promise!
Pack 6
Zack Greinke - Arizona Diamondbacks
Andrew McCutchen - San Francisco Giants (Again, talk about a strange look for Cutch...)
Raudy Read - Washington Nationals
Clint Frazier - New York Yankees
Nick Williams - Philadelphia Phillies
Jackson Stephens - Cincinnati Reds
Mike Trout - California Angels
Jordan Humphreys - New York Mets
Jorge Ona - San Diego Padres
Jahmai Jones - California Angels (Chrome)
Ian Anderson - Atlanta Braves (Chrome)
Eric Paradinho - Toronto Blue Jays (Chrome)
Trevor Rogers - Miami Marlins
Jorge Mateo - Oakland A's
Matt Thaiss - California Angels
Blake Rutherford - Chicago White Sox
Most Rob Smithiest:
Khris Davis - Oakland A's
Don't make me bust out the superkick!
At my age, I'd probably dislocate a hip...
Second Most Rockiesiest:
Ryan Vilade - Colorado Rockies (Chrome)
A couple of seasons ago, Colorado signed first basemen Ian Desmond from the Texas Rangers. Desmond is a good player, but hasn't really fit well with the Rockies. Signing Desmond cost Colorado it's first round pick in 2017, so the 11th overall pick went to the Texas Rangers (I don't remember who they took with the Rockies pick). The Rockies didn't get a draft pick until the mid 40's of the second round. That pick was Vilade.
And that's about all I can tell you about Vilade!
Most Rockiesiest:
Ryan McMahon - Colorado Rockies
Favorite base card:
Bryce Harper - Washington Nationals
I don't know... There's just something about this picture... Harper is obviously admiring his fly ball the same way fat children look at cake... And that is something that belongs on a baseball card... Please don't sign with the Red Sox this winter, Mr. Harper... I want to keep liking you as a player!
Least favorite base card:
Giancarlo Stanton - New York Yankees
Nice Photoshop job Topps... Too bad you couldn't airbrush Giancarlo a soul...
Most Inserty:
Tyler Glasnow - Pittsburgh Pirates (Chrome Bowman Birthdays)
Much less refractory than the Conforto, and without a serial number either...
So this is just a plain old "Who cares?" birthday then, Bowman?
I can relate...
******
Overall impressions...
These are fine. They are decent lower end cards.
I liked last year's design a little more, and the photos on last year's cards were just a touch better.
There's nothing here that I actively disliked, and would buy more of this in the future.
I just don't expect to find much of it on retail shelves.
Thanks Ohtani...
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