Sunday's Afternoon Blaster - 2009 Upper Deck O Pee Chee

Welcome to this week's Sunday Afternoon Blaster.  It's been a rough week with very little sleep due to late night storms/tornadoes.  My town was a lot luckier than some, but we didn't know that beforehand.  So this week I am thankful that my town escaped damage and I hope all those negatively affected by these storms can get back to normal as quickly as possible.  Needless to say, I need the distraction of opening some cards today.  So that gets us to this week's set.  This is the first "rerun" that I have had in my Sunday Afternoon Blaster and from the looks of my Wally World it's not going to be the last.  I know of one blogger collecting this set and patiently waiting for me to post a 2nd blaster for a pending trade, so for him and anyone else needing cards from this set here we go.

Card coloration is it's availability

white = I'm keeping it

green = available for trade

red = already claimed/traded

And the best thing about these blasters, the back panel cards

Today's blaster is 2009 Upper Deck O Pee Chee.  15 6 card packs (1 black border per), nothing guaranteed.

On with the show.

pack one

377 Jesse Carlson - Blue Jays - Ryan H

477 Lastings Milledge black border - Nationals

1480 20th UD Retro Pedro Martinez - Red Sox

554 Joe Mauer Moments - Twins - Ryan H

417 Jered Weaver - Angels

176 Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Rangers - Ryan H

pack two

420 John Lackey - Angels - Ryan H

103 Joel Hanrahan - Nationals - Ryan H

202 Brett Gardner black border - Yankees - BABenny

572 Bobby Parnell - Mets - Ryan H

357 Russ Springer - Athletics

238 Mike Hampton - Astros - Ryan H

pack three

129 Carlos Gomez - Twins - Ryan H

459 Jeff Niemann - Rays - Ryan H

364 Troy Tulowitzki black border - Rockies

512 Dodgers team checklist - Dodgers - Ryan H

299 Nelson Cruz - Rangers - Ryan H

298 Gabe Kapler - Rays - Ryan H

pack four

53 B.J. Upton - Rays - Night Owl

361 Ted Lilly - Cubs - Ryan H

209 Hank Blalock - Rangers - Ryan H

FF14 Hanley Ramirez Face of the Franchise - Marlins

20 Brian Roberts black border - Orioles - Ryan H

597 Jordan Schafer - Braves - Ryan H

pack five (nice star pack)

185 Edinson Volquez - Reds - Night Owl

55 Jay Bruce - Reds - Ryan H

80 Lance Berkman - Astros - Ryan H

549 Carlos Zambrano Moments black border - Cubs

513 Giants team checklist - Giants - Ryan H

105 Francisco Liriano - Twins

pack six

328 Brian Buscher - Twins - Ryan H

291 Gary Sheffield - Mets

147 Derrek Lee black border - Cubs

548 Adrian Gonzalez Moments - Padres - Ryan H

475 Hanley Ramirez - Marlins

14 Jason Giambi - Athletics - Ryan H

pack seven

382 Blake DeWitt - Dodgers - Ryan H

474 Mark Buehrle - White Sox

267 Brandon Moss black border - Pirates

580 Matt Tuiasosopo - Mariners - Ryan H

71 Braden Looper - Brewers

60 Adam Dunn - Nationals

pack eight

89 Chris Snyder - Diamondbacks

196 Jeremy Hermida - Marlins - Ryan H

AW9 Tim Lincecum The Award Show insert - Giants

333 Joe Saunders black border - Angels

527 Yankees team checklist - Yankees - BABenny

56 Huston Street - Rockies

pack nine

269 Jose Arredondo - Angels

131 Adam Wainwright - Cardinals - Ryan H

337 Kevin Slowey - Twins

403 Yovani Gallardo black border - Brewers

534 NL HR Leaders (Howard, Dunn, Delgado) - Phillies, Diamondbacks, Mets - BABenny

438 Eddie Guardado - Rangers - Ryan H

pack ten

57 Bobby Crosby - Athletics

198 David Weathers - Reds - Ryan H

142 Edwin Encarnacion - Reds

329 Randy Wolf black border - Dodgers - Spiegel

565 Josh Geer - Padres - Ryan H

454 Jon Lester - Red Sox

pack eleven

393 Mike Cameron - Brewers - Ryan H

400 Evan Longoria - Rays

521 Rays team checklist black border - Rays

520 Pirates team checklist - Pirates - Ryan H

138 J.P. Howell - Rays

206 Ryan Freel - Orioles - Ryan H

pack twelve

324 Chris Coste - Phillies

WK4 J.D. Drew Walk Off Winners insert - Red Sox

405 Chris Dickerson black border - Reds

578 Trevor Crowe - Indians

335 Conor Jackson - Diamondbacks

402 Sean Gallagher - Athletics - Ryan H

pack thirteen

450 Cliff Lee - Indians

257 Pedro Feliz - Phillies - Ryan H

70 Ryan Braun black border - Brewers - Spiegel

1475 20th UD Retro Michael Young - Rangers

555 Fukudome/Theriot Moments - Cubs

79 Raul Ibanez - Phillies - Ryan H

pack fourteen

58 Jose Valverde - Astros - Ryan H

30 Kevin Youkilis - Red Sox

92 Brandon Inge black border - Tigers

NY21 Carlos Delgado New York New York insert - Mets - BABenny

585 Mike Hinckley - Nationals

pack fifteen

252 Aaron Cook - Rockies

308 Jo-Jo Reyes - Braves - Ryan H

MM7 Jimmy Rollins Midsummer Memories insert - Phillies

344 Mike Napoli black border - Angels

533 AL HR Leaders (Cabrera, Quentin, ARod) - Tigers, White Sox, Yankees - BABenny

227 Jason Bay - Red Sox

IMPRESSIONS (caution only about 50% new material, think of it as a self homage)
Design: C+
The design of the set is very simple and yet it somehow works a bit.  It is very reminiscent to me of 1961 Topps (which I don't like) and 1976 Topps (which I do like).  This set fall somewhere in between those two, right about the middle of like and don't like.  I do like the fact that the cards are on cardboard stock, but not the thicker Heritage type cardboard.  More like a slightly thicker overproduction era Topps card.

Inserts / Hits: C+
Once again, I love the Face of the Franchise insert set.  It is just everything a great insert set should be.  The Midsummer Memories and The Award Show are nice ideas, but they don't do anything for me as far as design.  The New York New York is everything wrong with an insert set, because you eliminate 28 teams worth of collectors before you even start with a design.  The "new" insert in this blaster was Walk Off Winners which would be good except the one I got celebrates a walk off single, which is kind of lame honestly.

Value: B+
How can you complain about 15 packs of cards from 2009 for $12?  Well I mean, I have complained a bit, but none of it has to do with the price.  This would get an A+ with a guaranteed hit, but still pretty good anyway.

Rox in the Box: 3
Great for me.  All 3 of the Rox in this box were needed by me, which was difficult because I nearly had the whole base team set (well not nearly but I had over half).  Anytime I get a Tulo, let alone a parallel Tulo, it's a good day.  I am very happy with this selection.

Will I Collect This Set: D
Well, after seeing it in person and with all the C+'s, I have decided to not pursue collecting this set.  I like it, but I don't like it enough and you can't collect everything (at least not on my budget).  I will be pursuing the Face of the Franchise insert set though.

Overall: C+
A nice "throwback" set, but overall kind of average.  The best thing about this blaster is the cards on the back of the box.  They really bring back memories of my ten year old self asking the local store clerks if they had any empty card boxes that I could have.  Claim away.