This ball isn't that ball ... but imagine if it was.

That was my first thought when I dug out this one from my reserves for this Collecting Game-used series last night as St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas was two outs away from a career game -- a no-hitter that came up one strike short of reality -- Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

My second thought was, man, how much has the game-used world changed in just a few years with a couple new touches from MLB and MLB Authentication? The MLB Film Room didn't exist back when this baseball was used -- details below -- and the notation on the authentication is pretty basic ... real basic. That's been improved since then, too. This is a game-used ball with some nice use to it (came from a grab-bag style box) and with a couple of MLB All-Stars attached from a game a little earlier in their careers. Since there was no Film Room then I can't instantly call up a clip of the play and see it in action ... though there's a chance the game is online somewhere. I've been spoiled being able to photo-match or at least see videos for almost every ball I've had here recently ... I'll let the basics tell the story on this one this time.

Keep reading to see the details.

Continue reading →

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 8.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hanger box tray)
The cost: Will vary -- click for hobby and other formats

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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: 2019 Topps Chrome baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: Click here

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 96
Base set completion: 
70 of 204 (34 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Kris Bryant, Buster Posey, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Trevor Story, Matt Olson, Max Scherzer, Anthony Rizzo, Freddie Freeman, Justin Verlander, Rafael Devers, Joey Votto, Jacob deGrom, Rhys Hoskins, Christian Yelich, Eric Hosmer

Rookie Cards (20) – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Yusei Kikuchi, Jeff McNeil, Ramon Laureano, Dakota Hudson, Touki Toussaint, Chance Adams, Cionel Perez, Taylor Ward, DJ Stewart, Josh James, Kevin Kramer, Corbin Burnes, Francisco Arcia, Jake Bauers, Luis Urias, Michael Kopech, Jake Cave, Jacob Nix

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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Um ... Bartolo Colon? (It's about RCs.)

Rookie Cards (16) – Juan Soto, Mike Soroka, J.D. Davis, Willy Adames, Austin Gomber, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Miles Mikolas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Tyler Beede, Mitch Garver, Freddy Peralta, Yonny Chirinos, Tomas Nido, P.J. Conlon, Nick Kingham, Braxton Lee

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: 2018 Topps Holiday Box baseball cards
Where to buy: Click here

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 98
Base set completion: 
92 of 200 (46 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Kris Bryant, Andrew Benintendi, Jose Altuve, Christian Yelich, Jose Altuve, Adrian Beltre, Anthony Rizzo, Trea Turner, Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Seager

Rookie Cards (17) – Ronald Acuña Jr., Walker Buehler, Victor Robles, Mike Soroka, Tyler O'Neill, Nick Williams, Amed Rosario, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Hicks, Willie Calhoun, J.D. Davis, Brian Anderson, Chris Stratton, Fernando Romero, Tyler Mahle, Joey Lucchesi, Chance Sisco

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: 2018 Topps Holiday Box baseball cards
Where to buy: Click here

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 98
Base set completion: 
92 of 200 (46 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Aaron Judge, Manny Machado, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo, Corey Seager, Blake Snell, Dansby Swanson, Jose Ramirez, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Bregman, Nolan Arenado, Joey Votto, Paul Goldschmidt, Jacob deGrom, Buster Posey, Francisco Lindor, Yu Darvish, Javier Baez, Ichiro Suzuki, Bryce Harper

Rookie Cards (23) – Ronald Acuña Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Ozzie Albies, Miles Mikolas, Fernando Romero, Tyler Mahle, Joey Lucchesi, J.P. Crawford, Gleyber Torres, Amed Rosario, Scott Kingery, Christian Villaneuva, Mike Soroka, Jordan Hicks, Willie Calhoun, Nick Kingham, Jack Flaherty, J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith, Francisco Mejia, Garrett Cooper, Chris Stratton, Tyler O'Neill

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: 2019 Donruss baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 11 (10 standard, one bonus)
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 88
Set completion: 
45 of 150 (30 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Juan Soto, Mike Trout, Rhys Hoskins, Aaron Judge, Clayton Kershaw, Cody Bellinger, Ozzie Albies, Kyle Schwarber, Madison Bumgarner, Victor Robles, Albert Pujols

Continue reading →

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 1.

The box: 2019 Topps Series 1 baseball cards (hobby box)
The cost: Click here (several formats)

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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: 2018 Topps Holiday Box baseball cards
Where to buy: Initially at Walmart ($19.99)

Packs per box: 10
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 98
Base set completion: 
92 of 200 (46 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Andrew Benintendi, Jose Altuve, Aaron Judge, Manny Machado, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo, Trea Turner, Christian Yelich, Adrian Beltre, Corey Seager, Blake Snell, Albert Pujols, Gary Sanchez, Dansby Swanson, Jose Ramirez, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Bregman

Rookie Cards (19) – Ronald Acuña Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Miles Mikolas, Fernando Romero, Tyler Mahle, Joey Lucchesi, Walker Buehler, J.P. Crawford, Gleyber Torres, Amed Rosario, Scott Kingery, Christian Villaneuva, Mike Soroka, Jordan Hicks, Willie Calhoun, Nick Kingham, Jack Flaherty, J.D. Davis, Chance Sisco

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: 2018 Topps Update baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (several formats)
Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 360
Base set completion: 
315 of 300 (95 percent)
Duplicates: 4

Base cards of note – Aaron Judge, Jose Altuve, Max Muncy, Manny Machado, Alex Bregman, Ichiro Suzuki, Max Scherzer, Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, J.D. Martinez, Justin Verlander, Giancarlo Stanton

Rookie Cards (75) – Notables include Ozzie Albies, Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, David Bote, Tyler O'Neill, Shane Bieber, Scott Kingery, Dylan Cozens, Rhys Hoskins

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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Chase Utley (it's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (21) – Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery, A.J. Minter, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merandy Gonzalez, Shane Carle, Mike Soroka, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Suarez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Miles Mikolas, Ryan Yarbrough, Austin Meadows

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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (this and other hobby/retail formats)

Cards per box: 35
Cards in this box: 34
Base set completion: 
30 of 200 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Pablo Sandoval, Bartolo Colon (this one's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (7) – Miles Mikolas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Fernando Romero, Marcus Walden, Freddy Peralta, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver

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: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
62 of 200 (31 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Pablo Sandoval, Chase Utley

Rookie Cards (20) – Shohei Ohtani, Scott Kingery, Alex Blandino, Austin Gomber, A.J. Minter, Miles Mikolas, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Austin Meadows, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Ryan Yarbrough, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Merandy Gonzalez, Willy Adames

Continue reading →