Top Baseball Wax of 2012

Between Topps, Panini, and Leaf, there were a lot of products released into the baseball market this year.  I personally thought that this year's wax was weak, but I just don't really like Topps products that much and they are the main manufacturer.  I have tried to include a variety of product types and price ranges.  The rankings are based on popularity, design, and sales on the secondary market.  Here are my top 10 products of 2012.

10) 2012 Topps Chrome

 

This product has a strong auto checklist and lots of colored refractors.

9) 2012 Topps Finest

 

Another strong auto checklist here.  Plus this includes nice patches.

8) 2012 Bowman Draft Jumbo

 

Bowman draft is a winner every year.  In a few years, the autos could be worth tons.

7) 2012 Leaf Best of Baseball

 

The BEST of baseball, has to make the top 10.

6) 2012 Bowman Sterling

 

Prospect auto with nice color.  Three autos per pack make this apealing to me.

5) 2012 Topps Tier 1

 

Tier One was a big hit with high end autos plus the bat knobs.

4) 2012 Playoff Prime Cuts

 

I LOVE Prime Cuts.  Not as much as last year, but the designs are stunning.

3) 2012 Topps Triple Threads

 

Triple Threads looked good as usual this year.  Sick patches are always a big draw.

2) 2012 Topps Five Star

 

Most expensive baseball product ever.  It had to make the list.  I love the design too.

1) 2012 Topps Museum Collection

 

I loved Marquee last year and love Museum this year.  Framed autos are gorgeous.

Don't agree with my top 10?  Post your's in the comment section below.  Out of all these products, I have only busted Topps Chrome, and Bowman Draft.  So, my opinions of these products are coming from watching youtube breaks plus seeing singles on eBay.  Have a happy New Year everyone.

-20youksox

A Review of 2012's Goals

Hey, everyone!  I would like to use this post to look back on 2012 and see what I did and didn't accomplish from my hobby goals.

1) Get to 500 unique Kevin Youkilis cards in my PC.

I got really close, but I came up just shy.  I am currently at 479 cards with a couple in coming.  I am really bummed I couldn't complete this one but it will be done in a few weeks.

2) Get my collection organized.

This was a fail.  My Youk PC is very organized, but everything else is just shoved in boxes carelessly because they aren't important to me.

3) Post on the blog more.

Another fail, infact I posted significantly less this year.  I have just been so busy this year.

4) Acquire a 2003 Bowman Chrome Kevin Youkilis Gold Refractor Autograph before the world ends.

Well, the world did not end and I picked up one of these.  I barely made this one and I actually just bought the card a couple days ago.  It is still in the mail though.  For those of you who don't know, this card is the HOLY GRAIL of Kevin Youkilis cards comparable to the modern day superfractor auto.  Back in the day, gold was the lowest numbered parrellel number to just 50 copies.

So all in all, I wasn't the most successfull.  The goals I didn't complete will just roll over to next year and I will have a few new goals.  Happy New Year's to everybody and I hope you are able to complete your resolutions!

-20youksox

PS- I hate posting without pictures, so here is a random card from my collection.

Triple Threads Booklet Mailday (with a nice patch)

Hey everyone, got this Triple Threads book card in the mail right before Christmas.  I just got around to scanning it, and this cards is a beauty.  This is my fourth booklet, and it has a great combination of players on it.  From left to right they go Alex Rodriguez, Evan Longoria, Kevin Youkilis, Alex Rios, Nick Markakis, and Wade Boggs.  Two Red Sox player, a HOFer, a future HOFer, and Youk made this pickup an easy decision.  I bought this particular card however because of the jersey peice for Youk.

As you can see, it is a five color patch, but it is not from any of his regular Red Sox jerseys.  After doing a little detective work and looking at several pictures, I have determined that this swatch is from his 2009 All Star Game jersey.  More importantly, it is from the laundry tag.  While I coldn't confirm this right away, I recently bought some evidence that lead me to this conclusion.  I will save that for another post though since I don't have the new card in hand yet.

-20youksox

Christmas Haul Part 2: Singles

This is part 2 of the cards I got for Christmas.  This section will showcase the single cards I got as gifts from my family.  This year, I got 3 singles that were all pretty nice.  I will start off with an on card auto from 2008 Upper Deck Goudey.  This is a nice card and I am trying to build up the auto portion of my Kevin Youkilis PC.  Out of all the types of cards, autos is where I am lacking the most.

Next up is another autograph, this time a dual.  This card features two Boston favorites David Ortiz, and of course Kevin Youkilis.  As a Red Sox fan, it is surprising that this is my first ever Big Papi auto.  This card is also limited to just 35 copies.

And last but certainly not least, I got another Kevin Youkilis 1/1.  This is a magenta printing plate from 2012 Bowman Chrome, and is one of only a few cards featuring Youk as a member of the White Sox.

Definately a great Christmas.  I am so glad I was able to pick up more cards for my Youk PC which currently stands at 479 unique cards plus doubles.  I have a few packages coming in in the next week or so.  I got 2 Triple Threads booklets, and the holy grail of Kevin Youkilis cards.  Also have a peice of hockey memorabilia coming in.  Also, please comment below with anything cool you got for Christmas, and remember to start thinking about goals for 2013.

-20youksox

Christmas Haul Part 1: Pack Breaks

Every year for Christmas, I end up getting some packs.  Ussually I never pull anything as I have horrible luck when it comes to single packs.  This year I got 5 packs of Series 1, 3 packs of Series 2, 2 packs of Updates, and 2 packs of Bowman Draft.  Out of all those, I managed to pull one hit.

A 2012 Bowman Draft Corey Seager Refractor Autograph.  The centering is great, the auto looks nice, and he was a first round draft pick.  I don't really know what calliber prospect he is, but people on ebay are asking $50 on average for this card (I don't know if anyone actually buys them though).  I will say though that I have had luck with Bowman prospects in the past pulling Mike Trout, Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, and Gordon Beckham (it was a nice pull at the time) and I have only opened 4 boxes of Bowman products.  The only thing that I think is wierd is the fact that it is not serial numbered.  In the past, they were usually numbered out of 500 or so.  So, I geuss it isn't really that much better than pulling a base auto although I suppose they look nicer.  Anyone who knows about Corey Seager, please comment below and tell me if he is any good.  Part two will have singles I got.

-20youksox

Merry Christmas

Hey everyone, just wanted to wish you a slightly late merry Christmas.  I would have tried posting yesterday, but Christmas is about being with family so it got pushed off till today.  Anyways, got some cool cards for Christmas this year that I will post over the next couple of days.  Please share what you got in the comments section.  Its also about time to start thinking of New Year's goals, so I am going to start thinking about that.  Happy holidays!

-20youksox

Youk To The Yankees

Last night, my favorite player, Kevin Youkilis signed a one year contract with the Yankees, the team that Red Sox fans hate the most.  But, can you blame him for signing with the ememy?  I would have to say no.  The Red Sox traded him away because they did not want him anymore.  In my opinion this gives him permission to sign anywhere he wants.  Its not like the Red Sox tried to resign him and he went to the Yankees for a little extra money.  I think this was Youk's only real offer because the Indians signed Mark Reynolds, and New York would be the team where he would see the most playing time.  While I am concerned about him being on the same team as rival Joba Chaimberlain, I'm sure they can work their issue out.  Not to mention that New Yorks notoriously short porch will most likely help boost his statistics and help him land a contract next year.  So, when Kevin Youkilis returns to Boston will you BOO him, or will you join in a respectful YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUK chant?  Please comment below with opinions.

PS- I will be collecting his Yankees cards.  I already have cards of him in pinstripes (Chicago), so I don't see what the big deal is.  He's still my favorite player.  This doesn't mean I like the Yankees, just Youk.

-20youksox

COMC Mailday

Hey, everyone.  I have been really busy lately so it has been hard to find time to post.  I am also low on funds, so I haven't really had any maildays until a couple days ago.  Anways I placed an order from Check Out My Cards on Black Friday.  The shipping was reduced and prices were slashed, so for $50, I was able to buy 65 Kevin Youkilis cards I needed for my PC.  This included base, refractors, serial numbered and relic cards.  Since there are so many, I am just going to show the "highlights".  Nothing too exciting (it is to me though!) because I was focusing on low end needs.

These are just some of my personal favorites.  If you want to check out the rest of my PC, feel free to check out my photobucket.  I am expecting another package, plus I am still planning to do the Kevin Faulk post.  I just need to get my iPhone pictures onto the computer.

-20youksox