Jan 31, 2010

The Best Thing About 2010 Topps

Photos are decent. The design works pretty well for me, I'm a sucker for team logos incorporated into the design. The inserts are far too numerous, but I like a few of them. Pictures on the front and back, but to top it off, the pictures are different. A definite plus. Add it all up, and we've got a pretty good base set to chase after.

All of this is nice, but I didn't discover the best part of 2010 Topps until I started sorting my cards tonight and flipped them over. Believe it or not, you can actually read the numbers of each card on the back. And I'm not talking by having every light in your home on, bifocals in place and straining your eyes. All you have to do is glance at the number and you instantly know what it is. A big white number, surrounded by a black background. Thank you Topps. This is quickly becoming one of the few sorting experiences I've truly enjoyed.

Hopefully you're enjoying your 2010 Topps experience as well. As you come across those Angels inserts, gold cards, black cards, etc. just remember your buddy over at I Heart Halos. He'd be happy to send you whatever he can in return. You see he has made the stupid decision to chase after an Angels master set, short of any 1/1s.

Go Halos!

Jan 27, 2010

The Frustrations of Technology

Finally, after a week of watching everyone east of California open packs of 2010 Topps found at their local Target, yesterday I was able to get a handful of packs for myself. I ripped them open with glee, happy to have my hands on a new product and a new set to pursue. New Angel cards to look at with happiness, really like the look of the Howie Kendrick and Kendry Morales cards, and also a few to look at with disgust, f'n Lackey.

After going through my stack a few times, I was excited to scan a few cards, put my thoughts down on the ol' I Heart Halos blog and entertain the world with my thoughts. I hooked up the scanner to my old laptop (the only one that's compatible with the scanner) and set off to work. Then...nothing.

All the excitement was quickly drained from my body as I stared at error message after error message, telling me my scanner was unable to connect to the computer. All my fantastic insights and clever musings would have to remain in my head and never be shared with the world. Truly a tragic day and this is a problem that must be remedied. The quests for a new scanner shall begin shortly and if I'm able to obtain one before too long, you just may be privy to my delightful musings.

Go Halos!

Jan 9, 2010

A Depressing Off-season Continues

First Figgy heads off to our rivals in the greater Northwest. You kinda knew he was going, but it still stings a little. Seeing him play against us will be painful, especially since we probably won't have the same luck in throwing him out while stealing that every other team seems to have.

Then, Lackey bolts for Boston and goes from adored winner of Game 7, to hated turncoat. Nice to know being in ace in Anaheim wasn't nearly as important as being a #3 in Beantown. Whatever.

Finally, the last of the big 3 is headed out of town and of course going to another division rival, this time Texas. I know that statistically Matsui should be an upgrade, but it just doesn't feel right. Vlad was fun to cheer for and of course incredibly frustrating at times as well. You can only watch him swing at pitches 2 feet out of the strike zone so many times before you start to question his hitting IQ.

The bigger problem with Vlad was that he was the face of the franchise. Sure, he had no business hitting cleanup for the last half of the season, but would it have been so hard to just move him down in the order and reap the benefits of a hitter in the 6th or 7th hole who had some pop?

Photobucket
One less smiling face to adorn Angel cards in 2010.

As far as baseball decisions, I can understand letting Figgy and Vladdy leave, I can even make the case that Lackey wasn't worth nearly that much money, especially over 5 years, but the problem is I'm a fan. And so is my daughter. Every time she sees me watching football she asks when the Angels will be back on. I try to explain the calendar how there is a season, but that has little effect. So as she scampers away she chirps about seeing Figgy and Vlad. Not sure that explaining the free market and the dynamics of free agency is going to go over well.

We're gonna miss you Vlad and Figgy. Hope you choke on your chowder Big John.

Go Halos!