Just Kidding On That Not Wanting Anymore Bowman Chrome Thing I Said

“It seems my hypocrisy knows no bounds.”  Doc Holliday-  Well, not really Doc Holliday, but Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone.  I don’t know if the real Doc Holliday ever actually said this, but the quote is apropos to my post.

I think I may have recently implied that 2012 Bowman Chrome was a rip off.  At least the blaster I got kind of was, even though it had an autograph and the base cards in each pack were 100% refractors.  Even with that, it was still a measly 24 cards for $20 and I wasn’t thrilled with it.

I vowed to not buy anymore.  However, later that night I watched Chris Olds open some rack packs online that contained the green retail parallels and thought, “you know, those green refractors are pretty cool.”

You know what?  The green parallels are pretty cool, and I have some to prove it as I completely flip flopped and bought a couple of rack packs:

I also got an auto:

Again, someone I am completely unfamiliar with, but I’ll take it.

In my defense, I won a $50 gift card at work last week and used that to pay for the cards.  AND I might add I gave the remainder of the card to the lovely wife.   When I gave it to her,  I was hoping she would say something like “No, my sweet handsome husband.  You keep it.  I want you to have it.  You can go back to Walmart and spend the rest right after our steak dinner with mushrooms and roasted asparagus and fresh chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  I’ll put the kids down by myself while you shop for cards, and when you get back we can watch the MLB network and then I’ll show you what I bought at Victoria’s Secret today.”

But that didn’t happen and she still has the gift card.

When A Hot Pack Is Not So Hot

As I mentioned on twitter today, I saw 2012 Bowman Chrome in Walmart today, and yes, I helped myself to a blaster.  I should clarify:  by "helped myself" I mean to say that I purchased one.

I have been pretty stoked about Bowman Chrome for a while now, mostly because of the Futures Game inserts, particularly Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi (former Naturals) and Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt (Rangers prospects).  I was fortunate enough to go to the Futures game this year, so I thought it would be cool to get a set of cards based on that game. 

My enthusiasm dipped a little when I got out to my truck and began opening the box.  It was at this time that I saw that each pack contained:  three cards.  Three. Measly. Cards.   Topps Chrome and Bowman Platinum with 4 each was bad enough, but a $20 blaster with only 24 cards in it?  Almost $1 a card?

It was too late at that point for buyers remorse as I'd ripped the plastic off the box.  So I opened the first pack.  It included no one of interest to me.  However, all three cards were refractors.  Hmm.

I opened the second pack.  Again, all three cards were refractors, and this time I got one of my favorite players:

3rd pack was opened, and 3 more refractors.  I think I hit a "hot box"? 

I should take a step back and make sure my assumption of the definition of a  "hot box" is correct.  A hot box is a box that is heavy loaded with goodies (parallels, hits, etc.), correct?  According to the stated odds on the box, refractors are inserted 1 per 4 packs.  So far I have 100% refractors.  Is this a hot box, or a mistake on Topps part?

So 3 packs into the blaster, with the realization I've likely hit a hot box, I'm now not so bummed about my purchase anymore.  What kind of huge hit was in store for me?  Come on Darvish auto!

Pack 4 held my first Futures game card (and two more refractors):

Not one of the guys I really wanted, but a good pull all the same.  I like the looks of the insert set and will definitely chase the rest.

Pack 5 contained all refractors, but of no one I cared about.

Pack 6 contained all refractors, but of no one I cared about.
However, pack 7 held an auto (and 2 refractors of no one I cared about)!  Yea!

J.R. Grahman!   Er, yeah, don't know who he is.  I'm not poo-pooing this card.  I just don't know anything about him.

Pack 8 contains 3 more refractors of dudes I don't care about and my hot box ends with a whimper.

If you would have told me ahead of time I was getting a hot box and an auto, I would have been doing cartwheels into Walmart and gladly handing over my $20.

Except.... what a dud.