Buzz Break: Boston Red Sox Mystery Publications Grab Bag

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: Boston Red Sox Mystery Publications Grab Bag
Where to buy: Via Red Sox on MLB.com (find new MLB cards at BlowoutCards.com)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery of what was in this box. (Yes, it was a box and not a bag ... but that's their image.)

Programs/magazines in this box: 10
Official Yearbooks: 1998, 2000, 2015, 2017
Game Programs: May 2021, July/August 2021, 2022 First Edition, 2022 Third Edition, 2022 Fourth Edition,
Other: 2018 Harvard-Yale at Fenway Park

Names on covers: David Ortiz, Kike Hernandez, Nathan Eovaldi, Alex Verdugo, Hanley Ramirez, Dustin Pedroia, Pablo Sandoval, Chris Sale, David Price, Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro Martinez, Rafael Devers, Mo Vaughn and others

What's Buzz-worthy: I'm a sucker for a mystery box and these are easy throw-ins to get to free shipping where I often shop and they're easy breaks with good potential for the price (only $15 direct from the Red Sox on MLB.com ... sometimes less with sales) and I decided to grab a couple more on a recent whim as the quality is there and nearly everything would be clean enough to consider grading, too, if that's your thing. After all, these are coming straight from the Sox ... so old stuff here has been sitting untouched for, in some cases, years and other stuff is new. (Ironically the only one here with a bad issue -- a folded-over corner -- was on a newer program.) That Big Papi Hall of Fame cover is a big winner here -- even if they're not pricey (I didn't check) -- as that one is unique, visual and a clean, crisp piece that would look really, really good in a slab. (I will revisit my box of these and it's likely getting slabbed unless there was an issue I missed taking my photos.) ... As I said last time, this is advertised as a mystery bag but the box was pretty impressive when it arrived as the yearbooks are heavy and thicker media guides full of colorful content for this legendary franchise. The mystery box listing is a little lean on the MLB mothership, simply promising "eight to 12 different publications that can be from the 1980s to current day" with the thought that "you never know what you'll get" but they had me at mystery. I have done these a few times and I don't think I have had too many duplicates yet ... though some I wouldn't mind seeing more than once. Plus the newer stuff is probably a little rarer than people might think vs. past stuff as printed stuff just isn't as needed even at the game. (Phones with instant updates win.) ... There's got to be modest if not decent break-up potential here if one is patient or if the mix gets a little more exotic or key to certain championship teams or players. Also, while magazine-grading is a ton more complicated than card-grading -- and it's not fast or all that cheap -- it's certainly a bit more untapped than cards. A nice piece in a nice grade from never-handled pick-ups like these where they have sat in storage untouched with the team could lead to some gems. All in all, for something different, this one hit the spot -- I just wish I could find the same for other teams. There's very little downside to a cheap, different "break" like this from time to time.

Product Grade: A- (good volume and value)
Box Grade: A (Big Papi Hall of Fame one makes this box a winner)
Fun Grade: B (not cards and can have damage)

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