Zoom In, Zoom Out

I've noticed I have been stating the phrase, "you get what you pay for"

Don't get me wrong, I love a deal just as much as the next collector.  Dollar meal deals, happy hour specials, left overs for lunch, the many uses of cardboard, recycled mailers, 10 cent bottle deposit, the list, goes on.

Sure, saving money is important, but to what extent?

When it comes to your cards, what do you expect to get out of a pack, a team set, a complete set, etc?  We all know the price tag associated with collecting cards, they are not cheap.  To quote Mrs Hot Corner this week, "You only get 5 cards a pack?"

So, as I have noticed between this season's cards and years past,  let's take a peek at any re-tread cards.

Wow, really close to the same pic, I would imagine a Cy Young winner has plenty of similar mechanics in delivery, so we'll give Topps a pass here.

At first, I thought the '13 Gypsy edition was a SP, so a regular base print in '14 may make sense. 

Maybe this is just a blip in the Topps production line.

I am positive I am not the first one to make this investigative baseball card blog revelation, but in the end, what am I paying for?  Zoom In, Zoom Out?  

Can there be such a drought of originality?

I believe the phrase I am grasping for is, a desire for a card that is unique. 

Don't get me wrong, I love the  hobby.  There are plenty of gripes of how to make it better, but this seems to be the most glaring to me.  There is no reason for the same photos, year in and year out.

Keep it Hot on the Corner, Pat

Mr. Irrelevant

The Hot Corner enjoyed some set completion this week from two different sources.

I used to be a HUGE NFL Draft fan, spending the entire weekend following each round.  Most times in my set building I remember the first card of the season and the last card needed to finish off the set.

First, the money pit that is Topps Heritage base set came to a close with the addition of Mr. Chisenhall.

I completely bailed on my Heritage game plan for the year --- good things come to those who wait --- however I was swept away with the insanity and polished off the base set this past week.

This last weekend, Mrs. Hot Corner suggested I head over the to Up North LCS.  I didn't hesitate a buzzed on over.  I had been meaning to tie up some loose ends on the 1984 & 1985 Topps sets and not five seconds in the door, we closed the book on 1984 Topps.

Keep it Hot on the Corner, Pat

TOW: And One More makes 8,100

Tigers on the Wall is only a couple days late,

I am starting to get more organized with checklists and providing some perspective & direction of acquiring more team sets.  Right now I need to average about 4 cards a day to get to 9,000 by the end of 2014

But less about me and more about cards.

Jedi Jeff, hooked me up with this 1990 Starline Long John Silver Alan Trammell, a forty card set provided in the era of mass production (that is what the hell this oddball is, Jeff!)

A nice '13 mini sent by the 2x3 Jedi

It finally happened this last month, Cabrera eclipsed Trammell in my all-time player collection, and he leads at about 270 to 261, but Trammell for sure is my All-Time Tiger.

My LCS just got in a 1962 team set, so I am inching closer to this by adding these three.

That Koplitz is one photo-shopped mess.

Pull of the month - I am down to six cards on my '14 Heritage base set, so why would I splurge on any more packs of the grubby set?  Cause I love rippin' packs.  So I ripped four blister packs from Target and gained a couple for the set but picked up the Black parallel Scherzer and....

JV is the ace of my fantasy team too, so very fitting to get this hit!

Team sets completed this month: completely cheating --- I have been taking advantage of the master sets available on the bay with all this seasons product coming out.

• 2014 Gypsy Queen
• 2014 Topps Opening Day
• 2014 Topps Opening Day Blue
• 2014 Topps American League All-Stars
• 2104 Bowman
• 1999 Topps Traded (completed)

How bad is the AL Central?

Keep it Hot on the Corner, Pat