Why I'm buying a Heritage blaster when I'm not collecting Heritage this year

Well, there's this card here. That's reason enough isn't it? For a wonderful take on this card, and the subjects therein, click here. You'll leave with a new perspective and one hell of a sugar rush.

But other than that, I think I'm zeroing in on a reason why I'm buying Heritage blasters when I've sworn off collecting the set.

Here it is: I enjoy the cards a whole bunch, but since I'm not in a desperate search for cards I need and all of those short-prints, I can relax a little. It's kind of like when I stopped participating in fantasy baseball. I could just sit, back, relax and enjoy a ball game without worrying about the walk-to-strikeout ratio of Ubaldo Jimenez. It's freeing. Things are a lot more pleasant.

That doesn't mean I've quit collecting sets. I'm still doing the Topps flagship thing, and when Allen & Ginter comes out, I'll be right there.

But I think this approach works best with Heritage, because, zounds, what a frustrating pain in the ass this set is. To illustrate, I'm showing the blaster's contents here. You'll see what I mean.

Meanwhile, these cards are available for trade. Some of them are already spoken for as I'll be keeping them for certain generous bloggers. But the rest, except for maybe Maz, are on the block.

FIRST PACK

297 - Aaron Boone, Astros. Another Astro right out of the gate. This'll be off to Cliff at Capewood's again. Boone is recovering from open heart surgery as you all know by now.

224- John Russell, Pirates manager
340- Ian Snell, Pirates
386 - Bruntlett Belts 1st Homer, World Series Game 2
369 - B.J. Ryan, Blue Jays
108 - John Buck, Royals

54 - Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox
86 - Jose Lopez, Mariners

SECOND PACK

191 - Jonathan Broxton, Dodgers (Have him already. A couple of times)

63 - Carlos Beltran, Mets. I think this'll be going to jacob mrley.

129 - James Parr, Braves
424 - Erik Bedard, Mariners
396 - Gary Sheffield, Tigers (already sent it off to Dan of Grand Cards)

487 - Derek Jeter, Yankees, All-Star (SP). First Short-Print and it's one I've pulled already. Hmmm, will you read that sentence again? (that's called foreshadowing, folks).

393 - Ryan Doumit, Pirates
175 - Tim Redding, Nationals

THIRD PACK

64 - Matt Harrison, Rangers
256 - Luis Castillo, Mets
147 - Aaron Cunningham, Athletics
123 - Will Venable, Padres

304 - Jake Peavy, Padres (Dodgers beat him. That's all I'm saying).


25 - Paul Konerko, White Sox

204 - Baltimore Orioles (two out of three ain't bad, guys).

329 - Edwin Encarnacion, Reds

FOURTH PACK

26 - Miguel Tejada

11 - Ross Gload, Royals. This is a cool card.

61 - Jorge De La Rose, Rockies

C66 - Jason Verlander, Tigers, chrome (also on its way to Dan)

211 - Manny Parra, Brewers

47 - Ryan Theriot, Cubs

401 - Dan Uggla, Marlins

274 - Matt Garza, Rays

FIFTH PACK

48 - Vernon Wells, Blue Jays

34 - Ian Kinsler, Rangers

14 - Jeremy Sowers, Indians

C74 - Brad Penny, Dodgers, chrome refractor. Cool. I now have both the regular chrome and refractor card of Penny.

500 - Billy Wagner, Mets, All-Star (SP). Second short-print. ALSO one I've pulled already

295 - Casey Blake, Dodgers (already have him)

355 - Rick Ankiel, Cardinals

192 - Jeff Baker, Rockies

SIXTH PACK

127 - Gaby Sanchez, Marlins

205 - Yunel Escobar, Braves

234 - Juan Pierre, Dodgers (already have him! Ugh)

30 - Grady Sizemore, Indians

79 - Carlos Pena, Rays

BF2 - Bill Mazeroski, Walk-Off World Series HR (although they didn't call it "walk-off" back then. It was more like a "fight-the-crowd-off" home run)

BF5 - Luis Aparicio, Veeck Puts Last Names on Backs of Jerseys Yet the Yankees Continue To Frustrate Fans. (It doesn't really say all of that. I added the Yankee part. It drives me nuts that their names aren't on their jerseys. Do they expect everyone to know who Brian Bruney is?)

419 - Brian Roberts, Orioles (Mr. Pipitone gets this card)

163 - Johnny Damon, Yankees

SEVENTH PACK

264 - Cole Hamels, Phillies

97 - Kevin Kouzmanoff, Padres

NF8 - First Televised Presidential Debate

344 - Rafael Furcal, Dodgers (have him, too! Heritage, here are the Dodgers I am missing: Maddux, Torre, Ramirez, Kemp, coaches. Try to squeeze one of those in the box, please).

389 - Jayson Swipes Base (and he's awfully proud). It says Game 4 on the front, but gives the boxscore of Game 5 on the back. I'm confused.

117 - Michael Bowden, Red Sox

55 - Nate McLouth, Pirates

255 - Blake DeWitt, Dodgers (geeeez).

EIGHTH PACK

22 - Khalil Greene, Cardinals (weird photoshop deal)

254 - Brandon Lyon, Diamondbacks

222 - Charlie Manuel, Phillies manager

293 - Joe Blanton, Phillies

NAP15 - Evan Longoria, Rays, New Age Performer

475 - Derek Lowe, Dodgers (SP). Oh. COME. ON. Third (and final) short-print. All three I've pulled before. I turned Steve down once on the Lowe card. I won't do it again. Steve, if you want it, you've got it.

411 - Paul Bako, Reds

106 - David Eckstein, Diamondbacks

There ya be. I think that pretty much sums up why I'm not collecting the set. Three short-prints in a blaster and I already own all of them. That stuff drives set-collectors loopy.

But some fine cards, as usual. And now that I'm not all worked up over how I'll never get this set completed, I can focus on other things. Like the side of the blaster box where it says you can enter a drawing to win one of the seeded cards. Does anyone do this? If so, does anyone have a story about winning anything?