My Exquisite Cards

I Am Joe Collector had the exquisite case break a few weeks back. I figured it was about time to gloat over what I got. I usually get in on his breaks because it gets me a lot of cool stuff that I wouldn't usually buy on my own. You know...like Exquisite.

I think the high end prices are ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I understand the reasons why they cost that much. At least I understand from an elementary economic supply and demand type of view. But it's still ridiculous.

I don't want this to come off as a grumpy "high end is the devil" and "what about the poor children" kind of rant. I have nothing against high end and I'm glad it exists and I think it's good for the hobby. What I mean is that when I step back a little, I realize that I'm a grown man that considers it reasonable to spend around $200 for a pack of baseball cards with 5 cards in it.

That's not something that I would necessarily tell my friends at the bar. They wouldn't understand. They would think I've lost my marbles, and I'm not sure they would be wrong. That's why I say it's ridiculous.

That doesn't mean I don't want them. And when Stusigpi gives me a reasonable opportunity to get some, you better believe I'll be in on it.

I got 2 spots which got me 2 cards, and I won one of the base cards as well.

Vlad the Impaler base card.

Travis Hafner Auto 18/50

This is probably my favorite card, being a Tribe fan and all. I still have (probably unrealistic) hopes that he can pull out of his 3 year slide and re-emerge as one of the games preeminent sluggers.

And, he's from North Dakota so...Yahhh, Ohh Yahhh...You betcha.


Alexi Casilla/Don Kelly Dual Auto 20/35

I've heard of Alexi Casilla, and my initial reaction was a good one. However, Baseball reference has his similar batters as Jay Partridge and Arthur Irwin. Yeah, that dampens the enthusiasm a bit.

I haven't heard of Don Kelly. Now on his second go round with the Tigers, he's been released by the Pirates, Diamondbacks, and Tigers in the last few years. Not even a trade for a player to be named later or a gift certificate to Sizzler. Not encouraging. But, a very pretty card.

Miguel Montero Auto 15/20

Starting most of the Diamondbacks games at catcher this year, Miguel looks like he's in line for a pretty good, and possibly great, major league career. Nice pull on this one.


Chad Billingsley/Hong-Chih Kuo Dual Auto 6/10

I think this is a great pull. I like Billingsley. He's a hometown boy from right here in Ohio. I know he's not had a great year this year, but I think he's the real deal and is going to have a nice career. He was one of the names being thrown around, along with Kershaw, in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes this summer. I don't know exactly what the package was (or if it was just rumors). I know that what we got was a 19 year old fireballer who was on the disabled list at the time and just had shoulder surgery. So, yeah, I'd have preferred Chad.

Hong is a fixture in the Dodger's bullpen and as far as I can tell is pretty lights out.

Really nice card.

Great cards all around. 2 autos and 2 dual auto. All pretty low numbered. All look great. All cards that I wouldn't have gotten of my own accord (except maybe the Hafner if I ran across it on the Bay) out of a product that the idea of busting myself is some sort of future dream.

Thanks for the opportunity Jeff. Good times.

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