I just have to admit it. I can't resist repacks.
I didn't start out looking for a repack, but darn it, before I knew what hit me, I found myself pulled back into the repack cycle once again.
It all started a few days ago I saw a beautiful Kenta Maeda insert that someone pulled from a pack of 2017 Heritage. Well, I thought - in my unrealistic hunter/collector logic - if that guy can pull a Maeda, surely I can too...or at least an Adrian Gonzalez base card.
So off I went to my local Target. No Heritage in sight. Ugh!
OK, what else was available? Nothing but flagship Topps. More ugh! I didn't want to drop $20 on a blaster, as my original plan was just to find a couple of lucky packs.
The box containing individual Topps packs was picked through and disorderly. I figured some 12-year old messed them all up, and then I figured some 35-year old, cherry picking, pack sniffer had a go at the box. My chances at an lucky insert were dashed. Thrice ugh!
A reasonable man would have just walked away and gone to a different store. That's what a reasonable collector would have done.
And then, I saw it.
Look at who was staring at me through the window. Kenta!!
50 cards! 4 packs! A mystery bonus! All facade of self-discipline was gone. I hadda have it. Before I knew it, I was in the self-checkout line, repack box in hand, and my heart rate rising.
As soon as I was home, I started in on it. First up was the bonus. It was another one of those mini-mites. This time it was a White Sox catcher. The only mystery to me was "who would want this?"
Next I went for the 50-card repack. Here's what I found...(I mean, besides the 20 or so Astros cards that brought great feelings of regret and buyers remorse)
And prospects cards....so many dead prospects....
Even Drew Hall looks like he knows he's never gonna make it in The Show.
Anybody collect Durham Bulls with unspellable names?
Anybody collect Yankees prospect checklists with Bernie Williams listed?
I got a few O-Pee-Chees for those so inclined...
The Astros even infiltrated the O-Pee-Chees...
Who wants Rick Sutcliffe with perfect hair on O-Pee-Chee?
I still had four packs to find some magic...
The best card from each of these packs...
The Morgan is one of those Bergman Bests. Maybe Nachos Grande would like this?
Another insert. This time Mike Trout.
Last chance for a Kenta Maeda...or Carlos Ruiz...any Dodger would do at this point....
From Stadium Club (and I had to try hard to find a card to showcase from this pack)...
Last pack, last chance...
Ugh!
Repacks...never again!
Aloha!
"Repacks...never again!"
ReplyDeleteYeah - right.
You know me well, sir.
DeleteI too find myself trying hard to fight the urge to get repacks, be it the 100-card, $5.99 ones from Walgreens or these from Target. I've had some that are really good and some that have been complete busts, but that's ok, because I always have a lot of fun opening them. Plus the Target ones I've found provide a little more variety for the price (50-card box, four packs, and the bonus prize) as opposed to the ones from Walgreens which are just 100-card bricks. However, reading this post makes me want to go grab a repack or two from somewhere and try my luck again.
ReplyDeleteAs for your comment regarding Durham Bulls, get in contact with Tim B. from the blog "I Love the Smell of Cardboard in the Morning", he's a Durham Bulls collector and would more than likely be willing to take those off your hands.
Good tip on Smell of Cardboard.
DeleteI left a couple of boxes behind on the shelf at the store. I chose the one I did because of Maeda in the window. I may be back for the others!
"Never again!"
ReplyDeleteAt least not until the next time. I opened a rack pack of Heritage today that made me wish I had my $5.98 + tax back.
Right? After a few packs of the new product, I'm back on that repack train.
DeleteI honestly think they buy tubs of junk wax from people who thought it would be their retirement and then just grab a handful of cards to put in each repack box.
ReplyDeleteHa - Good call. I might like that job.
DeletePrince Williams Yankees cards, woof, what a throwback.
ReplyDeleteOne guess at how far back I'm gonna be throwing those...
DeleteI don't even bother with repacks anymore. When I first started blogging I would buy them just about every Target trip, but they just weren't fun to me. Too many cards that no one would want.
ReplyDeleteIt's like buying packaged sawdust.
DeleteBut they keep pulling me back in!
Looks like the best thing from this repack was the rub followed by the tingle.
ReplyDeleteI'll show myself out.
Tip your waitresses, ladies and gentlemen!
DeleteI'm pretty sure that in every repack I've opened, there was a Von Hayes card.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta have that Von Hayes O-Pee_chee card to round things out.
DeleteYou want it, right? Right?