#SuperTraders: What Are You THINKING Tony?

I complain as much (or more) than the next person about the logoless nightmares that we sometimes get with Panini. Yet, I still collect those cards. They are Brewers, after all, and all Brewers deserve a good home.

I mentioned yesterday that I hope everyone is okay with my decision on what to open for the #SuperTraders -- at least this round, where I'll open something. Coming up in the future, I plan to send out envelopes filled up with cards to folks.

This time, though, and in the interest of starting with ripping wax -- something I have not done much of in the past year or so -- I thought I'd pick up some reasonably priced boxes and rip a few different boxes to contribute to everyone. Hopefully y'all like these. If not...well...

R.E.M. will always hold a special place in my heart as a band thanks to me spending three-plus years in the greatest college town in America -- Athens, Georgia. I don't need anyone else's rankings to argue with me on that -- I know there are rankings that say that is not true. Athens is inexpensive, has great food (after all, Top Chef regular Hugh Acheson calls it home), and has great music too...such as R.E.M.

But I digress, though I have my apologies in now, at least.

So, without further fanfare, here's what I am going to break up and send out over the #SuperTrader world.

Let's start with the basic stuff:

1.  Blaster of 2012 Panini Cooperstown 

Why: Because I ordered from Dave & Adam's Cards, and they threw it in for free.

Logistics: As with any older sets/cards, the predecessor teams will go to the current version (St. Louis Browns to the Orioles collector, Yankees to hell, er, sorry, wait -- New York Giants to the San Francisco Giants, Montreal to the Nationals, etc.).

Players who played for multiple teams in their career will go to the team whose logo appears on their plaque in Cooperstown. If no logo appears (ahem, Greg Maddux, I'm looking at you) or a team isn't named, then I will random the card off to the team or teams for whom the player played. Note: I'm into fairness, so this will be a weighted average, meaning one entry for each year the player played. The Dodgers get two shots at Maddux, while the Braves get 11.

Disclaimer: I am going to keep any negro leaguers or any league presidents that may appear unless there is some huge cry from someone for that Ban Johnson or Kenesaw Landis card.

2.  2014 Donruss Baseball Factory Set

Why: It was on sale very cheap -- barely over $20 -- when I ordered from D&A.

Logistics: I don't recall if there are any multi-player cards. If there are, they will be randomly assigned to one of the teams (assuming that the players on the card are on teams that are claimed).  

Disclaimer: If there are multiplayer cards with Brewers players on them, I'm keeping them, unless I have the card already in which case, I'll mail it out.

3. Panini Contenders Baseball 2015

Why:  Another reasonably priced box from D&A -- one of their "specials", in fact. Plus, come on -- two Vanderbilt Commodores on the box? Plus, it's an issue that I have seen some buzz about on the blogs as being one in which people had some interest.

Logistics: The players are shown on their college teams. I'm assigning players to the team that drafted them, if the cards themselves do not indicate a particular major league team.

That said, with players who have been traded already -- as I look directly at Dansby Swanson -- I am open to sending that player's cards (if any) to the team who employs them now. Frankly, it depends on whether the card says, "Arizona Baseball Team" on it or not when I open it. 

EDIT:

So, in opening these, there are a ton of retired players in college uniforms. I'll handle these like the Cooperstown cards like a Maddux -- a weighted randomization.

Disclaimer: Same rules for multi-player cards applies. However, I reserve the right to keep any cards that show multiple Vanderbilt players on the same card. In other words, I'm keeping the box. I hope in the future that the Brewers someday draft a Vanderbilt player. Even if that guy sucks, he'll be an automatic PC.

I'll add that this set is the one about which I have the most trepidation -- but with 6 autographs, I'm hopeful for a good return.

4. 2012 Topps Mini

Why: To be honest, because I need a lot of them for my own collection. I have some, but not many. I also tend to think that not many people buy the minis because, well, Topps has a history of screwing over people who buy them at full price by dumping them on Black Friday...by which point people have forgotten about the minis and moved on to whatever they move on to.

Logistics: Same rules on the multiplayer cards as Donruss. I need a lot of multiplayer cards -- 4 of them, actually -- so I'm grabbing those and being greedy. Otherwise, they will be randomed off.

Disclaimer: Sometimes, Minis are boring. I hope this box isn't. That said, if someone would like the physical box, let me know. Otherwise, I may random it off too.

5.  2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee

Why: I don't have many of these in my collection. I love the look of these cards. The box has cards on it, too! I'll cut up the panel unless the four teams involved -- the Mariners (Ichiro), Cardinals (Pujols), Rangers (Hamilton) and Rays (Longoria) -- want to play RoChamBeau for it or if they would rather I keep it intact and send it to the random winner of the four of them.

Logistics: Same as before. I'll keep multi-team cards with Brewers, y'all get the rest randomed off.

Disclaimer: Dude, isn't that MLB hologram on the box totally sweet? It makes me into a stoner staring at it.

Of course, that song does not describe me at any point in my life. Never been much of a pothead, to be fair. Not that I have any problems with it.

Anyway, I hope you guys and gal in the #SuperTraders enjoy these cards. I'll scan in the parallels/autographs/best cards for each box as I go through them.

Thanks, y'all.