Favorite Pack I've Opened This Year

I don't mind the Donruss brand in recent years. In fact I've enjoyed opening packs of it with the good number of inserts in the larger retail 'value' packs. I'd seen good things from Optic breaks this year and wanted to get my hands on some. I opened a 16 card pack the other day and it was the best pack I've opened so far in 2017.

Here are the best of the base cards, of which there were six. Anytime I pull cards of my main player collection guys, I'm happy. Glad to add the Freeman to my collection. I liked the Donruss design this year and I like the shiny version from Optic even more.

Here are the non-Prizm (refractor) inserts. Mancini and Bregman are both having solid rookie seasons. Excited to pull multiple Braves in the same pack, and getting to see Albies with the big-league club in recent weeks has me excited for the future of the Braves.

Each of the 16 card packs have four Purple Prizm cards in them. The first for me was the guy on the pack, Mickey Mantle. It's not every day that you pull a Mantle. The regular Diamond Kings are less exciting but Kluber sure is making a run for AL Cy Young.

Here's the lone regular Prizm. I had to look up Paulino. He's started 6 games for the Astros this season but is currently suspended for a positive test for a banned substance.

The rest of the purple prizes from the pack. Hard to argue with Prizms of Gwynn and Trout, and I'm pleased to add to my small Benintendi collection.

Keeping the Freeman and Benintendi, but the rest are up for grabs. Looking to trade for other Braves from this set and I'd also like to pick up cards of Mookie Betts and Rafael Devers from this set. This was a great pack that will probably lead me to going back and picking up a few more.

On a side note, I'm hoping to make it to my first card show in over 10 years on Saturday. Should be fairly small but I'm excited even if it is. I'll have a recap sometime next week, even if I strike out at the show and end up picking up another pack of Optic.

Hit Milestones

2,000, 10, and 1. Three numbers that came up during last night's Braves/Dodgers game. Two go with an Atlanta veteran outfielder and a favorite player of mine. The other was a first hit for a Braves top prospect. Let's start with the veteran.

Nick Markakis reached the 2,000 hit milestone last night with a fourth-inning single off former Brave Alex Wood. He added number 2,001 later in the game. Nick has never made an All-Star appearance. He does have two Gold Glove awards and is 2nd all-time in fielding percentage as a right-fielder. 

These are the first two Markakis cards from 2017 I've picked up. Still need to pick up Series 2.

Here's the stat for Markakis that jumps out at me. He's 10th among active players in hits. Here's a list of guys behind him who are the same age or older:

Adrian Gonzalez (35)

Brandon Phillips (36)

Joe Mauer (34)

Chase Utley (38)

Dustin Pedroia (33)

David Wright (34)

Hanley Ramirez (33)

Yadier Molina (34)

Ryan Braun (33)

Edwin Encarnacion (33)

Joey Votto (33)

Ryan Howard (37)

Brian McCann (33)

There's a lot of All-Star appearances in that list. Markakis is a model for consistency and solid play. Outstanding career with hopefully several more years left.

Still adding versions of 2016 Topps to my collection. These bring the total to five cards for Markakis (Series 1, Gold, Opening Day, Chrome, Mini).

This brings us to someone who's career is just getting started at the big league level. Ozzie Albies broke through with his first hit, a three-run home run in the 9th inning of last night's game. I love seeing guys get their first hit as a home run. Same thing happened with Rafael Devers for the Red Sox the other day. Here's hoping Ozzie gets to 2,000 someday. 

Turn that Braves frown around, collect 2016 Bowman!

The Braves are performing better as of late, but overall the team's major league season has not gone well. Freeman has been cold, then hot, and now cold again, with the cold stretches being longer. Teheran pitched a gem the other day, but it hasn't been enough as the young pitching is not there yet and the bullpen has been poor.

Here's Freddie and Julio from the veteran portion of the set. I also picked up a Mookie for that player collection. 

Luckily Bowman 2016 is loaded with Braves minor leaguers to give Braves fans some hope for future seasons. 

Dansby was promoted to AA at the end of April. For the combined season between A-Advanced and AA he is hitting .270. The plan is for he and Ozzie Albies to make up the future middle infield for the Braves. Albies is just 19 and already playing for AAA Gwinnett and has hit well as of late. Tyrell Jenkins was recently called up to the big league squad and will work out of the bullpen, hopefully giving that unit a boost. He's had good success in AAA this year.

The Braves have a bunch of other prospects in this set but these were the three that stuck out to me to pick up.

I also grabbed a card of Red Sox prospect Mauricio Dubon. He was my favorite player on the 2015 Greenville Drive and was recently named an all-star in the A-Advanced Carolina League. Excited to see how his career progresses. Will be interesting to see if he is dealt as the middle of the infield for the Red Sox seems pretty set going forward, particularly at short with Bogaerts.