Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

PULLED FROM THE FIELD ...
The Item: Home Run Derby X used baseball from Dunkin' Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats (Aug. 11, 2023)
The Buzz On This: This could have made its way into my monthly Collecting Game-used series here on The Buzz, but instead, I'll break up my pair and use one of them right here this time. Why? This exhibition event took place at a MiLB venue with four former MLB players leading the way smacking baseballs around the park -- Jonny Gomes, Jake Arrieta, Dexter Fowler and Nick Swisher. I read that the baseballs were not made to be sold, so the only way one could get their hands on them was to be there ... and with one of the four names being a player I collect, I did some power-shopping and landed a pair of them from a seller in Connecticut. Why? Just to have something from the event that's tied to my player. Who smacked this ball out of the park? No idea. There's no paperwork, there's no MLB Authentication sticker ... it just is what it is. I'm surprised that this event has never had any kind of card presence and really the only thing I have seen beyond used baseballs are posters ... but even those don't seem plentiful. This was from the second year of the traveling series -- the 2022 events were international and last year they showed up in different MiLB parks -- and this event was the first on American soil in 2023. The final score between the top two teams was 49-48 ... so a lot of baseballs went flying that day.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can find in MiLB.

Continue reading →

Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

THE BIG DOG
The Card: Chico "Man's Best Friend" -- 2021 Choice El Paso Chihuahuas
The Buzz On This: MiLB mascot cards always get a slight look from me, but since there are simply so many -- they are apparently a staple of team sets these days as they are one of only a few sources of continuity from year to year -- not that many actually stand out ... or, really, only the best-looking ones stand out to me. And like this guy, I'll bite. Chico is a bit different, though, as I've actively picked off most cards for this mascot with one of the baddest logo appearances in all of MiLB and also an appearance on one of the best caps. This card had eluded me but I think it's a solid one with a simple design, a clean at-the-game photo, and the basics.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can find in MiLB.

Continue reading →

Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

A HALL OF FAMER'S OLD SOX
The Card: Mike Piazza 1999 Arizona Fall League #29
The Buzz On This One: No, the Hall of Famer wasn't crafting his game on the side while playing for the Mets. This one is a flashback piece included in a 30-card set for the AFL where prospects get to work on their game in the off-season. I think I found this one -- the full set -- in a bulk lot that, for the most part, wasn't all that eventful ... so this one stood out. Who else was in this one? A who's who of "Who?" Maybe, maybe not ... Ryan Anderson, Milton Bradley, Pat Burrell, Michael Cuddyer, Jack Cust, Jason Grilli, Jim Morris (The Rookie!), Corey Patterson, Vernon Wells and others ... actually, quite a few big-leaguers but not a lot of card-value guys all these years later. I bet there are some Piazza fans who might not have even seen this card before -- at least I hadn't -- so that's why it bats lead-off this time.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can (almost) only find in MiLB.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: World Series, MLB breaks, Living Set changes, Arizona Fall League, 1990 Donruss variations and ... don't click that if you're a Red Sox fan.

Continue reading →

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Gardner Minshew, scouting the Arizona Fall League, a Walking Dead case delivers and more break highlights from around the collecting world.

Continue reading →

The stars of the Arizona Fall League will have new baseball cards ... now.

This is thanks to the 2019 Bowman Next sets up for grabs beginning today initially only via Topps.com. Six squads of the AFL can be found via 10-card team sets for $29.99 apiece or with autographed versions where a buyer gets one card with ink for $79.99. There are two signers per team, so if a collector buys two sets from Topps they are guaranteed both signers.

Continue reading →

Fans at the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game will get their hands on some baseball cards created for the All-Star event.

Topps has created a 10-card set for the Saturday showcase that starts at 8 p.m. Eastern and will air live on MLB Network. It will be distributed in five-card packs to fans in attendance.

Continue reading →

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Bowman Chrome MLB (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 12 (six per mini box)
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 60
Base set completion: 
23 of 100 (23 percent)
Duplicates: 0
Prospect set completion: 
24 of 100 (24 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Ichiro Suzuki, Kris Bryant, Francisco Lindor, Mookie Betts, Jose Abreu

Rookie Cards (9) – Andrew Benintendi, Yoan Moncada, Orlando Arcia, Hunter Renfroe, Yulieski Gurriel, Jordan Montgomery, Robert Gsellman, Jharel Cotton, Tyler Glasnow

First Bowman Cards (8) – Chris Paddack, Austin Hays, Miguelangel Sierra, Tomas Nido, Jorge Ona, Jameson Fisher, Jazz Chisholm, Luis Alexander Basabe

Continue reading →