Bucket or Chuck-it: 2014 Topps Chrome Blaster Break

I picked up a blaster of 2014T Chrome a couple of weeks ago, immediate remorse. $20 for 32 cards that I have basically already seen.

Highlights

2014 Tops Chrome #174 Chase Utley


I got one Phillies card which is the average in a 30 card break and it was a good one, so I can't complain. Bummed to see Chase occupying a lowly common number here but other than that very happy to pick up this card.

I didn't have this card from flagship so I hadn't really taken a close look at it prior - I am going to dedicate an entire posting to this card at some point in the future, but For now I will just reiterate that I am really glad it is now in the Phungo Collection.

 2014 Topps Chrome #10 Masahiro Tanaka (rc)

My first 2014 Tanaka card. An obvious +1 for this blaster, nice to get one of the key 2014 rookies.  I also have it on the Phungo agenda to discuss Mr Tanaka's cards in a future post. Who knows if we will get to it.


*Fractors

2014 Topps Chrome #3 Enny Romero (rc -Refractor)

2014 Topps Chrome #67 Wilmer Flores (rc - refractor)
2014 Topps Chrome #122 Shin-Soo Choo (refractor)

Presenting Mr Flores with his base card and power play parallel. Shin-Soo Choo was in 2014 Topps earlier this year as a member of his former team.  

Refractor b-Sides

The Refractors specify "Refractor" in the bottom right corner (above the Topps Logo). I think they have only done this the last couple of years, but they don't bother distinguishing between the vanilla refractors, rainbows, or x-fractors - Romero is an x-fractor while the other two are the commons.
 
Purple

2014 Topps Chrome #166 Hunter Pence (refractor purple)
2014 Topps Chrome #53 Chase Headley (refractor purple)  
2014 Topps Chrome #62 Zach Walters (rc-refractor purple)  
2014 Topps Chrome #123 Jose Bautista (refractor purple)

Blasters include 4-pack of parallels. Pence and a Rookie Card, highlight the "bonus" pack.

2014 Topps Chrome Connections #CC-RC Robinson Cano

Here we have whatever these are - these puzzle piece cards seem more suited for opening day. I can see a lot of dealers wanting to figure out ways to put these cards together.

Flip

2014 Topps Chrome Connections #CC-RC Robinson Cano (b-side)


The Chrome Connections card runs off and makes a comparison to Junior. For those of you who are interested Ken Griffey Jr WAR through age 31 season was 78.0. Robinson Cano 51.5

Rookies

 

2014 Topps Chrome #91 Christian Bethancourt (rc)

2014 Topps Chrome #127 Tanner Roark (rc)

2014 Topps Chrome #107 Hyn-Jin Ryu (rookie cup)

2014 Topps Chrome #191 CJ Cron (rc)

As usual Chromes late season release date allows for a good mix of rookies. The Ryu isn't a RC but I included it here for the Rookie Cup. 

Bucket or Chuck-It

After opening a blaster of Topps Chrome, I was reminded why I am a flagship collector. $20 for 32 cards is just out of my league - For me Chrome is a Chuck-It, A Blaster is more than I really am interested in, one of those 3 packs with a "Bonus" pack of parallels is probably more my speed.

There is an argument for chrome, the cards are nice and sturdy. the shiny works over the white borders. The checker for Chrome may also be better. Chrome gleans the top talent and rookies which are probably the most interesting subjects from the collects S1 and S2 sets


Sources & Links
Chase Utley Player Collection Index
Cardboard Connection
baseball-ref

Swag from Play at the Plate: 2014 Topps Blue Blaster

At the end of last year Brian over at Play at the Plate ran a contest to win a blaster of 2014 Topps. It was my kind of contest too, All I had to do was comment on a post. And Team Phungo Won!

2014 Topps Blue #312 Jimmy Rollins

There was only one Phillies player in the blaster, but it was a colorful Walmart parallel. Other than that it was a pretty nice box. I had already hoarded 100+ cards via Hangers and Looseys, and it was a pleasant surprise to find out that the blaster didn't duplicate many of the cards that I had already collected. I have developed a taste for hangers so it has been a while since I have opened a blaster. The number of inserts is mindblowing. Since each 8 card pack contains 2 blue parallels plus an insert, technically 37.5% of the cards are not base. To me parallels count as base, but for the completists out there, well I sympathize for their plight.

Highlights - Base

2014 Topps Leonys Martin 
2014 Topps Brian McCann

Check it out a Ranger and a Play at the Plate card. These should put a smile on faces at PATP HQ.

Inserts

Manupatch of 2008 Kershaw RC

These are a bit odd. the "Border" from the original 2008 design is raised, while the pix is inset.

89T Die Cut Sandy Koufax

The blaster was a bit of Dodger Hot Box. Never been a big fan of Die Cuts. Just harder to take care of. That being said the 89T design is a good one to give the Die Cut treatment.

2014 Topps Power Player Wilmer Flores

Just noting the difference from the PP cards and base here. The RCe logo is gone and the Topps moved from right to left. There is good news here if your hate the chrome print, it appears a bit lighter on the Power Play cards.

2014 Topps Blue Mariano Rivera

This was a bit of an oddity, All of the Blue Parallels in the box were of cards with Landscrape Photos, notice these two of the retiring Rivera and the one of Jimmy above. This is a coalation thing I have noticed from Topps previously. In 2008 I got a Hobby Box of S1 where all the Gold Foil stamped cards were Horizontal.

Bleeders

Night Owl referred this years new Red parallels as bleeding walls or something similar. At some point I hope to have some additional thoughts on these, but will note that all 3 of these like the blue instagrams above are landscapes.

etc   

The reamaining inserts. I like the UpperClass cards but find the Future is Now cards meh. For whatever reason I liked the UC cards of Retired players more than these new cards of current players.

All in all a fun break. Lots of new blue cards for the Phungo collection, a couple of cool inserts including a Rollins Parallel. Thanks to the Brian over at Play at the Plate for running a contest that even Team Phungo can win.

More 2014 Topps Review
2014 Topps First Pack