All Hail the King! (a Box Break)

Nice try, Topps.  I will never forgive you for the trespasses you have committed against me in the past.  This box of 2013 Topps Chrome Baseball was quite nice, nevertheless.  I don't buy as many baseball hobby boxes as I used to - namely because I feel Topps is uncreative and doesn't provide enough value, while Panini and Upper Deck aren't as desirable because they lack MLB licenses.  Consequently, I've gravitated toward buyback, oddball, or prospect boxes like what Leaf or Pastime has been putting out.

This type of purchasing behavior doesn't help people like my friend "J," though, who owns a brick and mortar sports card shop in Northern California.  It's just easier and cheaper for him to stock and sell Topps (and Panini and Upper Deck to a lesser extent) products to the masses than stuff from lesser known brands.  So, once in a while I'll visit his store and buy some Topps (usually Bowman) cards from him.  Solidarity!  Bros!

Here's some highlights from a semi-recent 2013 Chrome Baseball box I got from my friend:

Todd Frazier desert camo refractor numbered to 15 and a Joey Votto black refractor numbered to 100.  The camoflage border is different.  I like it.

 Rookies!

This Darin Ruf rookie autograph was actually the last hit I pulled.  At that point the card was just a third "bonus" hit to me.  You'll see why.  (Yes, indeed, three hits.)  The Ruf auto is in my trade bait.

Paco!  This was the first hit I pulled out of the box.  Man, what a year the Dodgers had.  Also, what great rookies we had this season.  I wanted a Paco Rodriguez rookie autograph card, and I pulled this redemption.  I still don't technically have it in hand, but I eagerly await the arrival of the actual card from Topps in like 12 years.  It's a "variation" too, so I imagine it's a refractor of some sort.  I already own a Yasiel Puig prospect auto.  It'd be awesome to have Hyun-Jin Ryu's rookie auto too.

"HUURRRNGH!" I believe was the reaction when I pulled this beaut.  "King" Felix Hernandez bigass four color patch auto, #'d 03/10.  What a monster patch!  This makes for my second Felix autograph card.  I didn't even know these existed in 2013 Chrome.  Imagine my surprise when I opened the surprisingly thick pack and found this dude in there.  Awesome!  I think the patch is from the Seattle Mariners away jersey?  What portion exactly?

Speaking of the Mariners... it'll be super bananas if they manage to pull off signing Robinson Cano!  Payday.

Panini comes through in a big way

In my experience, Panini products can be inconsistent as far as quality of hits and value are concerned, but they are generally good in terms of card condition, collation, and entertainment.  Most importantly, however, Panini has a great customer service infrastructure - especially compared to the other heavy hitters in Topps and Upper Deck.

Redemptions are super annoying.  One could even venture to say that redemptions are decidedly immoral and dishonest in a business sense.  Card companies should be obligated to fulfill their redemptions.  If only they were legally, and not just morally, obligated to do so (and not even then) - right?  Perhaps at this point many hobbyists deem them to be a necessary evil.  None of this is news.  When I have had to deal with redemptions, though, I never had any major issues with Panini.  Compared to Topps and Upper Deck, Panini just does their job, as any card company should do.  Panini took the time to build an efficient, organized online system for customers to submit redemptions, get replacements for damaged cards, make quality assurance requests, request authentication, and even to just ask random questions.

I have an apoplexy every time I deal with Topps' customer service.  I'd rather get punched in the testicles repeatedly by Manny Pacquiao than deal with Upper Deck again.  The amount of disrespect these two companies have shown me in the past is akin to them punching my sister in the face and then taking a massive dump in my favorite Dodgers hat.  Also, after reading numerous interactions and customer experiences online, it seems like you have to brown-nose Topps or bribe Upper Deck to get any help with your redemptions.  Yes, if you watch video box breaks on YouTube where someone opens old Upper Deck product and receives an expired redemption, you will sometimes notice someone who comments about how they mail the expired redemption card along with a Pizza Hut gift card so that the employees at UD will hook them up.  Fucking Pizza Hut?  Just do your jobs.  We all know the cards (or equivalent) are already there, you criminals.  I once pulled an expired redemption card for a Fred McGriff Sweet Spot autograph and Upper Deck sent me back a Michael Young single swatch jersey relic.  Really?  That was really the best you could possibly do?

Before this post gets too long... bottom line, Panini isn't perfect by any means, but at least they try.  Any of these companies could take almost two years to get you your redeemed card (which was the case for me here, and if at all the same one you redeemed in the first place), but I have never felt like Panini secretly hates me for some reason and is punishing me for some imagined slight.  Like how Michael Bay punished us all with Transformers 3.  No, I am not overreacting to any of this.  Also, I can't be the only one with such shoddy customer service experiences?

Left: Bill Walton, Private Signings on-card autograph.  Right: Kevin McHale, Private Signings on-card auto.  A pair of Celtics greats.  I do not know what set these cards come from.  Preferred?  Hoops?  Black Box?

I originally redeemed two Tom Gola signature cards from 2009-10 Panini Hall of Fame.  Imagine my surprise when I saw these two beauties come in the mail instead!  Absolutely awesome.  Panini came through in a big way for me, and I appreciate it.