Bucket or Chuck-It: 2011 Topps Allen & GInter Bargain Blaster

Your results may vary but a recent Bargain Blaster was definitely a Winner for team Phungo.

So yes if you get the chance to pick up a Bargain Blaster of 2011 A&G Bucket List it:

The box went for $11.99 + Tax at a local big box store. 

Phillies

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter
#31 Jimmy Rollins
mini #249 Carlos Ruiz
#179 Shane Victorino

3 Phillies cards one of which is a Chooch Mini.  The Box is a #Winner right there.

Minis

2011 Allen & Ginter Minis
Ginter Back #113 Miguel Montero
#171 John Lackey 
#137 Black Border Carlos Beltran
Pemultimacy #PP7 Antonio Salieri
Uninvited Guests #UG8 Winchester Mystery House
Worlds Most Mysterious Figures #WMF5 DB Cooper

I think 2011 is the last year for 1/pack minis in AnG. Starting last year I think the popular minis dropped to 1:2 packs with several insert sets moving to the conventional card size.

Nice set of non-baseball minis in ths box. I think I was actually at the Winchester Mystery House when I was a younger. It is kind of creepy cool if your a kid. That was during my first visit to California, and is likely the first time I had Tacos. Salieri is the Character played by F Murray Abraham in Amadeus - 2014 will mark the 30th anniversary of the films release. Abraham is still active at age 73.   


Box Hit??

2011 Allen & Ginter Mini NNO James Shields

This card is listed as #222 for the base version.  Not sure if this is a box hit or not. According to Baseball-CardPedia there are No Numbered Minis seeded 1:190 packs, but those are supposed to be serialed to /50. This card of course as no serial so I am confused.  Any Help Gintermaniacs?


Non-Baseball Relic

2011 Allen & Ginter #AGR-JNA Jim Nantz Jacket Relic

Kind of cool picking up this relic card coinciding with the US Open coming to Merion in nearby Ardmore PA. Also Nantz put together a Father's day related book and that sort of fits the present calendar.

2011 Topps Allen & Ginter Crack the Code #104 Huston Street

Special Crack/Code card with funkcy corners that make it look like somebody wrote on them.

2011 AnG Various Inserts/Notables

I think 2011 might be the first year that AnG had the full size inserts including the Floating Fortress (Le Napoleon) , Minds that Made (Dmitri Mendeleev - Periodic Table), and Ascent of Man.

#Winner
As I noted above 3 Phils including a mini out of a blaster makes the box a W for Team Phungo.

Unlike most other folks, I am not a huge fan of AnG. I find the design theme bland, but do enjoy seeing it each year. That being said, I find 2011 Ginter a bit busy designwise.

Another oddity is I find that Ginter is insert heavy, which I do find fun, but for whatever reason that doesn't seem to annoy collectors as much as it does for other Topps releases.

OtherWords - Other reviews of 2011 Allen & Ginter
Daily Dimwit - Hobby Box
Stale Gum - Video
References
Baseball CardPedia - 2011 Topps Allen & Ginter

2008 World Series Rays v Phillies

The Phillies poor clutch hitting continued to haunt them again in game 2. James Shields pitched well in those situations getting key strikeouts. Brett Myers also pitched well, but gave up ground outs that plated runners rather than getting those big Ks. That is a bit unexpected, as Myers is more of a strikeout pitcher then Shields who tends to put the ball in play.

The Phillies needed to get hits with men on and they didn't. Having 28 opportunities to hit with runners in scoring position in two games and getting ZERO runs out of that is almost unthinkable. Hopefully the Phils haven't squandered their series chances already. There is a realistic possibility that they will not get 10 ABs with men in scoring position in any one game the rest of the series.

The Phils normally steady fielding also uncharacteristically let them down. A strong argument could be made that Werth's misplay in the first inning cost the Phils 2 runs, all things being equal that was the difference in the game.

Tonight with Jamie Moyer on the mound the Phillies will need to play well in the field. Moyer pitches to contact and depends on his teammates to play well behind him. The Phils will also need to get some clutch hits - Moyer may give up 3 or 4 runs while hopefully giving the Phillies 6 or 7 innings. This means the Phillies will need at least 5 runs to get the job done. Big hits will be important. A couple of leadoff hits out of Jimmy Rollins will also help.

2006 Topps Bazooka #163 Jimmy Rollins

For a different angle on the game check out Fielder's Choice.

Go Phils!