2011 Topps Opening Day 2 blaster break

As I have mentioned in my comments on several blogs, I LOVE the Opening Day set this year.  The main reason is the inserts, I like none of the flagship inserts while I like most of the Opening Days.  The Spot the Error are kinda weird and the Opening Day Stars are not very good in person.  I am questioning whether I actually love Opening Day or if the flagship set is just so disappointing to me that I need to love it.  Since I am not Dr. Freud, I don't care.

I am going with I love the set and I am going to attempt to build a master set of this year's opening day, including all the insert sets, the parallel set, and the auto set.  Plus one extra of each of the Rockies in the sets.  Can it be done?  Yes.  Will I be able to do it?  Time will tell.

I will format the pack openings much like my Sunday Afternoon Blaster, meaning any dupes are labeled in green and are for trade. 

Card coloration is it's availability

white = I'm keeping it

green = available for trade

red = already claimed/traded

The only problem with the set is the cover "boy"

Let's get started.

BLASTER #1

pack one

41 Aubrey Huff - Giants

114 Ervin Santana - Angels

56 Brian Bogusevic - Astros

Spot the Error 5 David Ortiz - Red Sox

88 Carl Pavano - Twins

59 Russell Martin - Yankees

184 Austin Jackson - Tigers rookie cup

pack two

129 Ike Davis - Mets

74 Fausto Carmona - Indians

101 Brian Wilson blue parallel - Giants 1963/2011

M-3 Baltimore Orioles mascot - Orioles

196 Brian Roberts - Orioles

215 Mark Teixeira - Yankees

139 Michael Young - Rangers

pack three

73 David Aardsma - Mariners

65 Mike Stanton - Marlins rookie cup

4 Jason Kubel - Twins

PFP-3 Calvin Coolidge - Presidential First Pitch

151 Adam Wainwright - Cardinals

136 Gaby Sanchez - Marlins

210 Drew Stubbs - Reds

pack four

62 Mat Latos - Padres

123 Stephen Drew - Diamondbacks

50 Albert Pujols - Cardinals

SC-8 Vladimir Guerrero Superstar Celebrations - Rangers

200 Robinson Cano - Yankees

191 Corey Hart - Brewers

172 Jorge Posada - Yankees

pack five

106 Todd Helton - Rockies

31 Chris Sale - White Sox

TTOD-3 Trevor Cahill Toppstown - Athletics

UL-8 Adrian Gonzalez Stadium Lights - Red Sox

164 Grady Sizemore - Indians

144 Brett Gardner - Yankees

159 Dan Uggla - Braves

pack six

95 Josh Johnson - Marlins

16 Max Scherzer - Tigers

M-8 Dinger mascot - Rockies

ODS-3 Alex Rodriguez Opening Day Stars - Yankees

150 Matt Cain - Giants

170 Logan Morrison - Marlins

179 Prince Fielder - Brewers

pack seven

46 Yadier Molina - Cardinals

119 Alexei Ramirez - White Sox

91 Andres Torres - Giants

SC-10 Carlos Pena Superstar Celebrations - Rays

UL-9 Jason Heyward Stadium Lights - Braves

93 Aaron Hill - Blue Jays

36 Daniel Descalso - Cardinals

pack eight

35 Vladimir Guerrero - Rangers

13 Carl Crawford - Red Sox

92 Nick Markakis - Orioles

PFP-5 Richard Nixon - Presidential First Pitch

17 Ryan Dempster - Cubs

203 Neftali Feliz - Rangers rookie cup

127 Nick Swisher - Yankees

pack nine

3 Jon Lester - Red Sox

84 Brian Matusz - Orioles

64 Miguel Tejada - Giants

2 Shin-Soo Choo blue parallel - Indians 0812/2011

M-10 Billy the Marlin mascot - Marlins

135 David Ortiz - Red Sox

19 Carlos Marmol - Cubs

pack ten

78 Garrett Jones - Pirates

67 Johnny Cueto - Reds

11 Jaime Garcia - Cardinals

TTOD-10 Tim Lincecum Toppstown - Giants

5 David Wright - Mets

130 Justin Morneau - Twins

60 Aroldis Chapman - Reds

pack eleven

90 Chase Utley - Phillies

98 Angel Pagan - Mets

21 Martin Prado - Braves

SC-3 David Ortiz Superstar Celebrations - Red Sox

22 Hunter Pence - Astros

219 Matt Garza - Rays

39 Kurt Suzuki - Athletics

Not a bad start...no dupes, one blue parallel of a good likable player and one of douchy goofball who happened to have had a fluky season.  Additionally, I got at least one of every inserts (excluding autos).  I am also okay with the photoshopping of new uniforms in this set (odd that they didn't put Garza in a Cubs uniform though), because that is the team they will be playing for on 2011 Opening Day.  The flagship set I consider more of a yearbook, so they should put the player in the uniform from last year.

BLASTER #2

pack one

126 Brian Duensing - Twins

54 Ian Stewart - Rockies

179 Prince Fielder blue parallel - Brewers 1309/2011

M-23 Rangers Captain mascot - Rangers

213 Matt Holliday - Cardinals

131 Chris Carpenter - Cardinals

82 Brennan Boesch - Tigers

pack two

46 Yadier Molina - Cardinals

119 Alexei Ramirez - White Sox

91 Andres Torres - Giants

PFP-6 Woodrow Wilson - Presidential First Pitch

28 Edinson Volquez - Reds

208 Matt Kemp - Dodgers

189 B.J. Upton - Rays

pack three

35 Vladimir Guerrero - Rangers

13 Carl Crawford - Red Sox

92 Nick Markakis - Orioles

SC-18 Derek Jeter Superstar Celebrations - Yankees

93 Aaron Hill - Blue Jays

36 Daniel Descalso - Cardinals

17 Ryan Dempster - Cubs - Jon from Community Gum

pack four

3 Jon Lester - Red Sox

84 Brian Matusz - Orioles

64 Miguel Tejada - Giants

TTOD-13 Ian Desmond Toppstown - Nationals

203 Neftali Feliz - Rangers rookie cup

127 Nick Swisher - Yankees - AJ

135 David Ortiz - Red Sox

pack five

78 Garrett Jones - Pirates

67 Johnny Cueto - Reds

M-12 Kansas City Royals mascot - Royals

ODS-4 Josh Hamilton Opening Day Stars - Rangers

19 Carlos Marmol - Cubs - Jon from Community Gum

5 David Wright - Mets

130 Justin Morneau - Twins - David

pack six

80 Jeremy Hellickson - Rays

94 Jimmy Rollins - Phillies

14 Ben Zobrist - Rays

SC-16 Jose Reyes Superstar Celebrations - Mets

201 Madison Bumgarner - Giants

199 Francisco Liriano - Twins

111 Nelson Cruz - Rangers

pack seven

100 Miguel Cabrera - Tigers

24 Andrew Cashner - Cubs

79 Heath Bell - Padres

PFP-9 John F. Kennedy - Presidential First Pitch

206 Rafael Furcal - Dodgers

214 Bobby Abreu - Angels

178 Joe Mauer - Twins

pack eight (short one card)

104 Victor Martinez - Tigers (damaged)

81 Jay Bruce - Reds

82 Brennan Boesch blue parallel - Tigers 1455/2011

M-15 Mr. Met mascot - Mets

37 Tim Hudson - Braves

15 David Price - Rays

pack nine (short one card)

1 Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies

103 Jose Bautista - Blue Jays

UL-3 Robinson Cano Stadium Lights - Yankees

32 James McDonald - Pirates

76 Chris Perez - Indians

202 Mike Leake - Reds

pack ten

27 Andrew McCutchen - Pirates

45 Desmond Jennings - Rays

43 Jered Weaver - Angels

SC-7 Jim Thome Superstar Celebrations - Twins

146 Gavin Floyd - White Sox

53 Bronson Arroyo - Reds

7 Mickey Mantle - Yankees

pack eleven

120 Roy Halladay - Phillies

57 Zack Greinke - Brewers

70 Freddie Freeman - Braves

Spot the Error 9 Buster Posey - Giants

110 Ichiro - Mariners

166 Ian Kinsler - Rangers

177 Magglio Ordonez - Tigers

Well, I got shorted two cards, had one damaged card, and had quite a few dupes so not the best blaster ever.  Interesting that the dupes were all in the exact same order in both blasters.  I can see potentially good things and potentially bad things with that collation technique.  The good is it would probably not leave you one card shy of a set.  The bad is when you get one dupe you are basically guaranteed getting multiple dupes.  Oh well, a little trade fodder and at least no dupes were of inserts.  I will probably pick up a third blaster for Sunday and then rely on trades to attempt this master.  But for now here are some pics.

I love that a Rockie is card #1 in this set.  Anything to get more visibility is good in my book.  Why, oh why, is Mickey Mantle in this set?  He isn't on the Opening Day roster this year, there is no point in including him.  Lastly, one of the new uniform cards of Dan Uggla in his new Atlanta duds.

 Here are the three rookie cup cards I got.  I don't like the tiny cups though, although they are better than the gray monstrosity from the base set in 2010.

 Here is the back of Justin Morneau.  As you can see the little right sidebar note is different showing first Opening Day start (for most) instead of a Topps historical card number.  On a side note, am I a bad person because of the thoughts I had reading about the "special Slurpee" from Nick Punto.  Yep, you thought it too.  Okay I feel better about myself now.

 Here are the blue parallels.  That Shin-Soo Choo is absolutely gorgeous with the blue border.  These will probably be the most difficult part of my master set, so if you have ANY that you don't want or need please contact me.

 I like these two inserts a lot.  The Superstar Celebrations back gives a brief description of the game that the photo is from.  This one of Vlad is from the ALCS final game and man what a great photo that is.  The Stadium Lights (or Under the Lights) inserts I'm sure you have seen already, but if you didn't know parts of them glow in the dark.  Cool idea.

The Opening Day Stars is just poorly constructed, think old Sportflics with two images instead of three.  Good concept, bad execution.  Well, here we have Dinger.  The stupid little Barney the Dinosaur mascot of the Rockies.  I will have a full post on Dinger and why he sucks probably next week, but overall I like the mascots set.  I don't know why all 30 teams aren't represented though in this 25 card set.

Finally, we come to my favorite of the insert sets, the Presidential First Pitch.  They are wonderfully designed and I sort of like political inserts as long they don't occur every year and don't have an agenda.  My favorite is the Kennedy because it also show Lyndon Johnson in the background.  Oddly though, the pic is from the 1962 All Star Game (first time ever for a President) rather than Opening Day.


After this upcoming Sunday's Afternoon Blaster, I will be putting up wantlists for this set definitely and probably others if I can get them together.