Sunday's Afternoon Blaster - 2010 Bowman Chrome

Welcome to this week's Sunday Afternoon Blaster.  Since the Rapture did not happen or maybe it did and I was left behind.  Either way, I decided to celebrate by doing the same thing I did last Sunday...buy a blaster of cards.  This set was about one person and one person only...Stephen Strasburg (aka Mark Prior 2.0, aka David Clyde Part 30).  Don't get me wrong I hope Strasburg has a nice comeback and a great career, but it probably won't happen and it is also why I am not a prospector.  I will also avoid Harper-mania this summer because he will probably become the next Travis Lee.  Most prospects fail kids, sure you might miss out on one big one, but you also didn't pay for 150 busts.  Enough of my rant, let's take a look at last summer's hot set.  Goal for this box is one Rockie I do not own, which should be easy enough since I only have one base card and 2 refractors.

Card coloration is it's availability

white = I'm keeping it

green = available for trade

red = already claimed/traded

Today's blaster is 2010 Bowman Chrome...8 3 card packs, nothing guaranteed.

On with the show.

pack one

122 Hanley Ramirez - Marlins

15 Chris Carpenter - Cardinals

BCP167 Rawley Bishop - Tigers

pack two

78 Kevin Slowey - Twins

195 Jason Donald - Indians

BCP159 Anderson Hidalgo - Twins

pack three

5 Jair Jurrgens - Braves

132 Tim Lincecum Refractor - Giants

BCP156 Kevin Mahoney - Yankees

pack four

38 Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies

USA-18 Blake Swihart - USA Baseball

BCP219 Robbie Erlin - Rangers

pack five

106 Francisco Liriano - Twins

151 Shin-Soo Choo - Indians

BCP147 Brayan Villarreal - Tigers

pack six

77 Nelson Cruz - Rangers

115 Lance Berkman - Yankees

BCP210 Matt Davidson - Diamondbacks

pack seven

130 Aaron Hill - Blue Jays

152 Raul Ibanez - Phillies

BCP196 Jason Kipnis - Indians

pack eight

79 Paul Maholm - Pirates

USA-9 Dillon Maples - USA Baseball

BCP133 Rafael Dolis - Cubs

IMPRESSIONS
Design: D+
Bowman is known as the home of the rookie card, not as the home of great design.  Bowman looks way too similar every year with the black border and different shaped photo.  I understand that there are only so many ways to make a card design, but they really need to change it up a bit.  This one is boring even for Bowman

Inserts / Hits: C
Not much of anything, but at least my refractor was of a star (even if it is the worst possible team for me to get).  The regular veteran refractors (1:6 packs) don't really stand out in this set, because I was ready to complain about missing out on one when I went back through and saw on the back that Lincecum was one.

Value: D
This was not a discounted blaster so I spent the full $19.99 on it.  Yeah I knew it was not worth the price, but I figured why not take a shot.  I love busting wax even though it is often overpriced and it would be easier and cheaper to buy singles.  I will still buy more as long as I am able to (but not of this product).  Check back in 3-5 years, because the grade may go up as the prospects become rookies.

Rox in the Box: 1
I did accomplish my goal of getting a needed Rockie. The only base card I had for this set was Brad Hawpe, so getting Tulo was nice.  Not $20 nice, but still not horrible.  Since there are only 24 cards per blaster and 8 of them were Indians, Twins, and Tigers and 2 others were USA high school players; I consider myself lucky to have gotten one Rockie, let alone Tulo.

Will I Collect This Set: F
Nope.  One word: curlitis.  Well one made up word.  You all know about and are probably sick of hearing about the curling issue for 2010 chromes.  Plus I have no interest whatsoever in the USA baseball guys.  I think Topps is just trying to get another Mark McGwire instance where this set sells like mad 15 years later (like the 1985 Topps in 1998-2000).

Overall: C-
Over-hyped prospects, generic design, awful quality control, and only 3 cards per pack means this was not my best purchase ever.  But it was still (barely) better than getting a 1990 Upper Deck Gem Mint Fred Lynn, so it could have been worse.  Well, the world could have ended, so it REALLY could have been worse.  Claim away for any you might want.