Don't get too excited. This was a very good pack. Not a Hall of Fame pack. It won't be accepted into the Hall of Fame without presenting the proper accolades. It certainly won't get slightly better over time and build up a meaningless jump in percentages of a percent point.
No. Just a very good pack.
I'll start with, well, the pack:
Respect to Bowman for photoshopping a jersey ON THE FRONT OF THE PACK. Poor Gerrit Cole had never thrown a pitch in that uniform by Spring of 2012, when most of Bowman's photography was done for this set.
Also, if you're not used to Bryce Harper by now, it's going to be a long couple of decades for you.
Ten cards, 8 of them paper and 2 of them chrome. Which is more of a plastic.
You can see what contributed to this being a great pack right away. Only $65.1! Wait. $1.59. As you may have guessed it by now, this came from the wonderful Target bargain-slot-bin-thinger, which also included 2012 Archives, 2009 Topps Chrome, 2012 Heritage and 2012 Gypsy Queen/ However,there was only one of each, save for chrome which there were two - spoiler - they were all really good packs, aside for, surprisingly, the Gypsy Queen. But still, at $1.59, you cannot go wrong. And I sure didn't:
Immediately, we have my favourite thing to see on a card: catchers in gear doing catcherly things. And they're elite catchers, no Geovany Sotos or Mike Nickeas' here. Yadier and Chooch both enjoyed career years in 2012. Yadier made a simple, but hard-to-explain-without-demonstration batting fix (A-C rather than an A-B-C swing - I can explain that in the comments if anyone is curious.) Chooch used some amphetamines to give himself a little extra fire in the ass, and he ended up raking as a result. I'm so desensitized to PEDs at this point that I don't really carem especially for High T or greenies. I'm sure Bud Selig needs a coffee in the morning just like everyone else.
As always with Bowman, rookie cards. Bowman is kind of a pain-in-the-ass with the assortments of what may be considered rookie cards nowadays. I had a conversation with noted case breaker @brentandbecca a week or so ago on this subject, we were in agreement to some extent, but this is my hierarchy:
1. 1st Bowman Card (Paper, usually in Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects)
2. Rookie Logo Card (Topps Series 1, Bowman, Topps Series 2, Topps Update)
3. Other sets and Parallels
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I really feel case breakers have demolished "the rookie card" feel, but I will post more about that when Bowman comes out in May (swoon.)
Ahh, a pair of Aces. Sort of. Price, definitely. MadBum has to "compete" with Matt Cain. But the two's basic pitching stats are more or less the same, with Ks going to DPrice and ERA to MadBum. But then again, DPrice doesn't get to face the (old) Dodgers, Rockies, Astros, Marlins, Padres and other National League "foes" repeatedly throughout the season - replace them with The Tigers, Angels, Rangers, Blue Jays, Orioles and others.
Ahh, getting into the inserts, which are decidedly less infuriating than Topps. Nice gold parallel, probably one-per-pack, but I am not sure. If they are, thank you Bowman. 2012 was an outstanding design, if not for the sometimes crotch-logo placements. I really want Jemile Weeks to succeed, but he can't hit a damn thing. Also, a cameo of Victor Martinez. He can hit many damn things.
Look, guys! Kyrell Hudson!
If you're confused, don't be. Hudson is a low-level Phillies prospect, drafted in the 3rd round of the 2009 Draft. Aut-9 was when the draft first started to get interesting - with some Strazborg guy going 1st overall.
Other notable players drafted before Kyrell: Dustin Ackley, Zack Wheeler, Drew Storen, AJ Pollock, Shelby Miller, Mike Trout, Tyler Skaggs and Tanner Scheppers.
And after: Keyvius Sampson and Max Stassi were the most recognizable, with only Stassi making an appearance in the Bigs - and should be the Astros #2 catcher this year behind resurgent Jason Castro.
Ohh, Jake. A casualty of The Trade and of photoshopping. This guy is going to kill it for three years in Miami and get traded. Maybe even back to the Blue Jays. I can only hope.
I love Bowman's Best. I loved it moreso when it was a release and not an insert, but oh well - I'll take what I can get. I seem to be getting lucky with pulling Josh Hamiltons lately (2011-present) and I don't mind this one bit. There are definitely bloggers out there that dig this guy. Eventually, I need to come around to posting an all-Hamilton trade bait page.
There are supposed to be two chrome prospects per pack. The Bowman's Best counts as a chrome, I guess, at an insertion rate of 1:6. I'll take it.
And finally:
The "other" chrome. May not seem to much to most of you, but AJ Jimenez, a Puerto Rican native, is one of my favourite Blue Jays prospect. I have the paper, paper blue, International, blue wave refrsctor, base refractor and blue refractor of this card. I may have the chromer, but I forget. I have the potential to accumulate a super-rainbow of this card.
So, you know. Great pack for me, but I think it would have been "just ok" if it weren't for the Hamilton. I just love Bowman's Best so much.
No. Just a very good pack.
I'll start with, well, the pack:
 |
| Bryce Harper & Gerrit Cole |
Also, if you're not used to Bryce Harper by now, it's going to be a long couple of decades for you.
Ten cards, 8 of them paper and 2 of them chrome. Which is more of a plastic.
 |
| Click to embiggen for odds and blinding foilage. |
 |
| Red catchers not from The Reds. |
As always with Bowman, rookie cards. Bowman is kind of a pain-in-the-ass with the assortments of what may be considered rookie cards nowadays. I had a conversation with noted case breaker @brentandbecca a week or so ago on this subject, we were in agreement to some extent, but this is my hierarchy:
1. 1st Bowman Card (Paper, usually in Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects)
2. Rookie Logo Card (Topps Series 1, Bowman, Topps Series 2, Topps Update)
3. Other sets and Parallels
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. I really feel case breakers have demolished "the rookie card" feel, but I will post more about that when Bowman comes out in May (swoon.)
 |
| Death to the Grunt Face pitcher card! |
 |
| Goooooaaaaaaaaallllll(d). |
Look, guys! Kyrell Hudson!
If you're confused, don't be. Hudson is a low-level Phillies prospect, drafted in the 3rd round of the 2009 Draft. Aut-9 was when the draft first started to get interesting - with some Strazborg guy going 1st overall.
Other notable players drafted before Kyrell: Dustin Ackley, Zack Wheeler, Drew Storen, AJ Pollock, Shelby Miller, Mike Trout, Tyler Skaggs and Tanner Scheppers.
And after: Keyvius Sampson and Max Stassi were the most recognizable, with only Stassi making an appearance in the Bigs - and should be the Astros #2 catcher this year behind resurgent Jason Castro.
 |
| Lest we forget. |
 |
| Bowman's Best. Misss youuu. |
There are supposed to be two chrome prospects per pack. The Bowman's Best counts as a chrome, I guess, at an insertion rate of 1:6. I'll take it.
And finally:
 |
| (F)GBOAT. |
So, you know. Great pack for me, but I think it would have been "just ok" if it weren't for the Hamilton. I just love Bowman's Best so much.
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