Repacks, ahoy!

Have you ever had one of those days?

A day where you feel the absolute need to bust something card-related?

I have.

In fact, I went through it this afternoon.

For whatever reason, I woke up with an extreme "itch" to open some packs this morning. I can't explain it.

As I headed to Target with my dad this afternoon, I contemplated how to best quell this strange desire.

I didn't have much money, and I hadn't planned on opening any more 2013 Topps. Rack packs didn't seem all that attractive to me, and I didn't want to plop down another three bucks for a four-card pack of Topps Chrome.

That's when I saw them.

The repacks.

Until that point, the option of purchasing a repack had slipped my mind for the entire day.

With 100 cards for a budget-friendly four bucks, a good ol' Fairfield repack was the perfect option to cure my unexplained "itch".

Once I saw this nifty orange refractor of "binder guy" Jon Lester through the "window" of the initial package on the shelf, I knew it was the one for me.

Into the shopping cart it went.

In the end, I ended up springing for a single pack of 2013 Topps as well. Since it proved to be quite unspectacular, I'll refrain from letting it infiltrate this post. Believe me, you're not missing much.

This post is all about the repacks.

In the end, it definitely managed to scratch that burning itch I'd had for most of the afternoon.

Let's meet some of the guys who made that "cure" possible, shall we?

Every repack seems to produce a couple "gripping" cards.

Cards that, for whatever reason, just seem to capture my attention.

Although I'd already had this one in my collection for a while, I couldn't help but stare at it once it fell out of the repack.

After all, it's exactly the type of card that makes Pinnacle the most underrated brand in hobby history.

From what I can tell, it looks like former Pirates pitcher Randy Tomlin is having some arm issues here, voicing his concerns with the team trainer. Which reminds me...

Even though his face is largely obscured, how often do you see any hint of a trainer on a big league baseball card?

Not often.

Cards like these are what make me a regular repack customer.

Again, I already have this card.

But, despite its awesomeness, I haven't shown it on the blog to date. After it fell out of the repack, I knew I needed to rectify that massive oversight on my part.

Here's your time in the spotlight, Mr. Conine.

Sorry it took so long.

Well, it's official.

This card confirmed my longtime suspicions.

The "Eck-face" is officially a thing now.

Tell your friends.

Don't try to be sly, dudes.

I know you don't care about executing a believable hitting shot, Mr. Canseco. You just want to show off your mullet.

You too, Travis. Don't even act like you weren't trying to give us tickets to the "gun show" with that pose.

Athletes.

Always trying to make themselves look good.

Here, we have a couple new additions to my many "mini-collections".

Both my "double play" and "autograph" groupings have been growing my leaps and bounds lately.

I sure hope that continues.

I've grappled with starting yet another "mini-collection" in recent weeks, although the idea is far from new around here.

My interest in "bespectacled ballplayers" has been picking up in recent months.

While I'm not sure that I'll ever devote a specific portion of my collection to them, I'll probably try and pick up a few here and there at the next few shows.

This repack provided a few neat ones. None of them could sniff the greatness of this well-airbrushed Ron Davis, though.

Those are some mean specs right there.

Moving on, we have a couple wood-grain rookies of a couple blogosphere favorites.

It's a bit hard to believe that a guy in 1987 Topps was still active as of 2012.

Jamie Moyer is indeed an "ageless wonder".

Although names like Randy Tomlin and Luis Alicea are always fun to discover, every repack needs a little "star power".

In that regard, this repack certainly didn't disappoint.

This afternoon's repack extravaganza even caused me to have a bit of an epiphany.

After seeing this pair of terrific action shots, it hit me.

Leaf really wasn't all that bad of a brand. 

While their designs almost never stood out, their photo selection certainly did. I may have to do a little digging through my binders and write a post about it one of these days. 

Plus, am I the only one who thinks former-Astro Phil Plantier's arms are about to fall off?

That follow-through doesn't look very comfortable.

Still, that's what makes it such a great card, though.

Thanks, Leaf.

I have a suggestion to all the repack companies out there.

Keep the minor league cards coming.

Somehow, even cards of managers and pitching coaches are cool if they're from the minor leagues.

Is the "Quirk-face" about to become a thing, too?

Possibly.

I might have to bring that one back the next time I find myself exasperated or aggravated about something in this hobby.

In hindsight, the "Quirk-face" is certainly applicable to the amount of money that people dropped on Todd Van Poppel rookies back in the day.

Man, did people take a bath on that one.

Funny faces and once-touted rookies are staples of repacks everywhere.

That's part of what makes them great.

Despite the orangey refractorness and bespectacled goodness that this repack held, I have to give Mr. Glavine the "Best Of" award.

Like the Lester, it was one of the cards that was visible through the little "window" of the repack.

Anyone who knows my obsession with "pitchers at the plate" probably understands how prominent of a find this is.

To me, it doesn't get much better than a shot of a 300-game winner and future Hall of Fame hurler on the basepaths.

Plain and simple.

So, what have we learned today?

If you ever find yourself with a similar "itch" to bust something, I have one simple piece of advice.

Try a repack.

It definitely worked for me.