My Disappointing Heritage Blaster

On my way home from work on Thursday, I stopped my Modell’s really quickly to see if they had 2011 Topps Heritage yet. They have a puny card display that is usually pretty empty. Lo and behold, they had Heritage - blasters, loose packs, and packs that came in cardboard packaging…but had the same number of cards as the loose packs (9). I don’t really get it. Based on other bloggers' reviews of the blasters, I should have just gotten a pack to see the cards, and been done with it. But I got greedy and bought a blaster. I know I’m due for a good hit soon…a relic or an auto, so I figured this would be it. Not true. Should have trusted my gut.

Now, I must say I really like the base cards. The card stock is great. The design from 1962 is cool, and the packaging is awesome. Love the green wrappers (1987 Topps anyone?), and I love the feel of the cards. Cardboard is good. The problem is, it’s boring opening these packs. Nothing shiny or off-colored sticks out. It really did feel like I was opening a pack of 1987’s with the 1962 design. It was just that boring. I guess I like inserts/parallels more than I thought I did. Have you ever bought a box or blaster, and about two packs in you know it wasn’t a good idea? That’s how this was. I did get some nice base cards, and I’ve highlighted each pack below. The odds of SPs are 1:3, and I got three (woohoo, beat the odds) but they don’t feel very special. I did manage to get two inserts – a Harmon Killebrew Flashback and a Ramon Hernandez Chrome #'d to 1962. Both are completely available for trade.

On a side note - is this set sponsored by Nike? I feel like every other player has the swoosh in a very prominent place.

I also managed to get three Yankees and a couple Babe Ruths. The Yanks I got were Teixeira, Pettitte, and Hughes. I’d like to get the rest of them (especially the Russell Martin – I like cards of new acquisitions), but probably won’t be buying any more packs.

Pack 1:
340 Billinglsy (did a double take, he looks like Kevin Brown in this pic)
421 K Rod
83 Carpenter
229 Ciriaco
486 Prado SP (really? Prado is an SP?)
384 A's Team
98 Twins Team
223 Theriot
222 Franklin Gutierrez

Pack 2:
42 N Cruz
308 Bay
60 NL Strikeout Leaders
162 Alex Gordon
133 Torres
408 Coghlan
138 Babe Ruth The Famous Slugger
506 Colvin
158 Braves
5 of 6 Checklist

Snoozefest so far. This box was a bad idea.

Pack 3:
299 Descalso
240 Nady
181 Gee
473 Sporting News All Star Joe Mauer SP
257 Kazmir
199 Aroldis Chapman
15 Carmona
267 BJ Upton
34 Bieber Kinsler

Pack 4:
316 Mauer Sends One Into Orbit
19 McGee
392 Sporting News All Star Ryan Zimmerman
152 Riggleman
260 Cain
188 Freddy Sanchez
271 Jeffress
234 Josh Hamilton Rangers Retaliate
205 Rolen

Pack 5:
201 Beckett (someone take this from me)
400 Teixeira (woohoo!)
273 Chris Perez
61 Brewers
50 Pujols
491 Torii Hunter SP
355 Matusz
275 Butler
4 Zobrist

Pack 6:
136 Babe Joins Yanks
368 Arencibia
46 Hamels
309 Alonso
104 Domonic Bfrown
49 Jordan Brown
331 Bronson Arroyo Mike Leake
254 Chris Carter
179 Latos

Pack 7:
287 Feliz
255 Edwin Jackson
204 Bogusevic
166 Slowey
394 Sporting News All Star Ryan Braun
Flashbacks Killebrew
156 Conger
310 Pettitte
102 Capps

Last pack:
173 Peralta
376 Huuuughes!
345 An Elf named Dustin
47 Fukudome
C47 - Chome Ramon Hernandez 654/1962. Meh.
361 Wolf
62 Inge
180 Thome
177 Happ

There it is. Overall, a massive waste of $21. Glad to trade any of these away, just let me know what you need!