Trade Bait - 2013 Topps Eddie Murray Rookie Reprint Cloth Patch Card

This is what I have (courtesy of the Carl Crawford Cards blaster pack mega-trade!)

This is what I want...

Leave a comment or send me an email if you want to trade.

Thirty Days Late and Two Dollars Shorter

I am not a trailblazer.  I realize that I'm about 30 days behind the curve when it comes to posting anything about 2013 Topps, but that's just the way I roll.  In my house, I'm still exploring the wonders of a PlayStation 2.  Heck, I'm content playing my Civilization II game from 1996, in lieu of newer, higher resolution releases.  It's just the way I am.

Why be the one to spend a whole lot of money now on the newest product, when you can spend a lot less on the older models that are new to you?  Also, I think I learned my lesson with the 2011 Topps release because I took the Diamond Giveaway promotion hook, line and sinker.  I probably bought about seven blasters and untold packs just to get Giveaway Codes, and I'm no where near completing that set.  Which is why in 2012, I didn't buy a single pack, and just bought the complete set when it was 30% off.  Savings.

All of this brings me to 2013, and I had made a resolution to not purchase any packs this year and not buy the set.  My goal for 2013 Topps is to complete the set entirely via trades.  I've had some generous offers that included trading me the complete Series 1, but I respectfully turned them down.  You see, I want to collate a set entirely via trades.  It just seems like more fun than to have it generously plopped in your lap.  Crazy?  Maybe.

Well, my plans were derailed a tad last week when I had to make a milk run to the The Wal-Mart.  I am waiting on a couple of trade packages from some great bloggers that include some 2013 Topps packs, but I still felt the urge that night.  I intentionally parked at the "other" entrance, you know, the one on the opposite side of the card aisle in a feeble attempt to avoid temptation.  When I walked in the store, my brain immediately said, "You need to go to the bathroom", which is perilously close to the card aisle.

Well, I think my brain was subconsciously telling me to check out the cards, and I ended up grabbing just one pack of 2013 Topps...and some milk.  So, one month after everyone has done their pack posts, here goes mine...

Ugh, a Giant is my first card of 2013, but that 1972 Ted Williams mini saved the pack.  What an awesome card!  Now all I need to land is the Tony Gwynn mini!!

Topps, yo tengo la solución!

Here's the back story, in case you've been on the Carnival Triumph.

Wanted! - 2013 Topps

Percent Completed: 78.5%

Red indicates pending trade...

#	Player	#	Player	#	Player
2	Derek Jeter	109	Kirk Nieuwenhuis	235	Jake Westbrook
11	Yu Darvish	111	Casey Kelly	236	Joe Nathan
18	Mitch Moreland	128	Buster Posey	237	Brandon Lyon
22	Clayton Kershaw	134	Jake Arrieta	245	Jason Isringhausen
23	Jemile Weeks	141	Carlos Santana	251	Sean Marshall
25	Mark Teixeira	144	Jason Bay	256	Madison Bumgarner
30	Neftali Feliz	148	L.J. Hoes	262	Kevin Correia
34	Felix Hernandez	159	Felipe Paulino	266	Albert Pujols
41	Daniel Hudson	162	Kyle Seager	272	2012 NL RBI Leaders
43	R.A. Dickey	165	Ramon Hernandez	281	David Hernandez
45	Travis Ishikawa	167	Luke Hochevar	286	Jurickson Profar
47	Howie Kendrick	183	Drew Hutchison	292	Matt Thornton
53	Alex Cobb	187	Nick Maronde	296	Didi Gregorius
58	Jeremy Hellickson	188	Brian Fuentes	299	Darwin Barney
59	John Axford	190	Daniel Descalso	305	Shelby Miller
62	Tommy Hunter	192	Javier Lopez	308	Desmond Jennings
72	Gerardo Parra	197	Tyler Cloyd	309	Endy Chavez
73	Brandon Crawford	203	Wilson Ramos	310	Edwin Encarnacion
78	Dylan Bundy	212	Eric Chavez	314	A.J. Ellis
99	Paco Rodriguez	213	Alex Rodriguez	317	Baltimore Orioles
100	Mike Moustakas	217	Brian Matusz	319	Brian Bogusevic
102	Denard Span	222	Jason Heyward	320	Michael Young
103	Evan Longoria	231	Melky Mesa	323	Michael Brantley
107	Joe Mauer	233	Edwin Jackson

 

Redefine the Design - 2013 Topps

Today is the BIG day (for some of you), and Topps is releasing Series One of the 2013 flagship.  Growing up, this day never existed.  One day you went to the local pharmacy, and they were selling 1986 Topps.  The next day, the pharmacy had 1987 Topps on the counter.  There was no countdown, there was no hype.  It just happened.

Call me old fashioned, but I liked it that way.  There was no build-up for the inevitable let down.  I wasn't dreading TOO MANY INSERTS, or the thought of chasing Short Prints to ruin my day.  Back then, cards changed like seasons, one day it was winter, then next it was spring, and we survived.

I never saw the newest release until I opened a wax pack or caught a glimpse of the new cards on the display box.  When 1990 Topps came out, I didn't have time to freak out over the design.  Before I knew it, I'd bought 10 packs for $5 and 150 cards were in my hands and ten sticks of gum were in my mouth.  I was happy and didn't care that the cards looked like 1975 Topps on acid.  I was HAPPY dammit!

Now, 2013 Topps rolls out today, and we've seen the design for what 14 months? I kid, sort of.  I was alright with the 2013 design sometime back in 2012, but now I'm not sold.  I'm already over the set before I've even held the cards!

So, on the first official day of the 2013 Topps release, I'm releasing my own redesign.  I think these changes are appropriate and suitable for the uninspired design.  There is something isometrically 1989-ish about this design, what is missing to tie it all together????

Before

 

After

PS - I'm sure I'll collate a set out of OCD tendencies...