Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around it's a baker's dozen (that doesn't include Mayfield ... this time).

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A MARIS WITH A TWIST?
The Card: Roger Maris 2018 Panini National Treasures Game Gear Duals (/49)
The Price: $30
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: I sprung for this card at a slightly higher price than I might normally do for a Maris memorabilia card because of the small sliver of a red patch that caught my eye but remained a mystery. The New York Yankees weren't known for a lot of patches on their uniforms, let alone any red ones, but perhaps this one came from a sleeve? After buying and then doing some homework, I think the pinstripes led me astray. After receiving the card, I remembered an errant comment I heard years ago -- a rumor about Panini looking at a Cleveland Indians jersey at auction -- and I simply Googled "Roger Maris game-used jersey auction" and found a visual that perhaps answered my pinstripe mystery. Then a couple of cross-searches led me here.The Indians wore pinstripes for a time and it was a time when Maris was there. The colors match and the fabric consistency looks to be right, too. Could this be a sliver of a sleeve patch? We don't get a good view there, but it could be. It could also be something from the Kansas City A's though I couldn't find any info on them wearing pinstripes while Maris was there. It's not definitive -- and it still could be a sleeve patch from a Yankees jersey -- but I think I'm comfortable with my newest Maris patch (barely) card.
Grab a box right here: National Treasures boxes (all sports)

Keep reading for a few more interesting items ...

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What: 2019 Leaf Metal Babe Ruth Edition
Arrives: September
Box basics: One Babe Ruth original Yankee Stadium seat card and one other Ruth hit per six-card box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here (live soon)

What's buzz-worthy: Leaf takes a premium look back at "The Bambino" with bat cards, a bat knobs, a bat barrel and a cut autograph among the potential pulls.

Keep reading for more.

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This year's National Sports Collectors Convention is nearly here -- it's set for July 31-Aug. 4 in Chicago with a strong roster of autograph guests ready to sign for collectors who get a ticket and get in line for their moment beyond the ballpark.

Some signers are free if you attend the VIP reception on opening day of the show or buy a VIP ticket package -- a bonus for taking the time to hit every day of the show -- but other signers will take some planning to land the ones you want.

It's tough to see everything at The National -- it's that big -- and the time it takes to work through autograph lines is valuable in that it impedes your shot at seeing it all. With that said, here are my picks -- one per day plus a bonus pick this year -- to grab off the autograph list. (Keep reading for the full signers list in a gallery ... and, remember, times are always subject to change.)

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals just might be to rip fewer blasters this year and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention. Would they capture yours? I'd be interested to know -- sometimes they might, sometimes they won't and that's fine. It's a buyer's market out there with plenty of options and bargains as well as high-end gems to chase.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... and this time around it's a mix of hits and basics.

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A SMALL USA BASEBALL GEM
The Card: Tony Zych 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars USA National Team Premier Materials Cap Flag Patches (/4)
The Price: Under $10
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: USA Baseball products have some types of hits you just don't see elsewhere and they aren't all one-of-kind creations, either. Zych was still a college player here but he did make it to The Show for three seasons with the Mariners but he's ultimately not why you see this one here -- it's because it's a unique patch from a cap that's a small version of a larger chase that USA sets are known for. This USA crop in this particular release is stacked between all of the USA ink and mem cards and a strong list of names who have made MLB. Other players with cards like this one in those cheap boxes? Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Trevor Bauer, Gerrit Cole, Sonny Gray and Kolten Wong. There are 27 players with these cards, though not all have four copies. Either way, this one is a gem to me as I have always had a soft spot for prime USA stuff. Why? Because I've actually pulled some -- they're far from impossible finds and they're not from high-end boxes price-wise.
Grab a box right here: 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars

Keep reading for several more interesting items ...

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Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Wander Franco, SS, Rays — Class A MiLB Charlotte Stone Crabs
Baseball America’s highlight line: “After scorching the Midwest League for half a season, the Rays promoted Franco to high Class A on June 25. In five games, he has walked as many times (four) as he’s swung and missed. He’s also scored as many times as he’s swung and missed. He’s got six more hits than he has swings and misses. He’s younger than every player on this year’s USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team, and he’s already in the Florida State League. If the start to his tenure with Charlotte is any indication, he’s going to have no trouble reaching Double-A just after turning 19 years old."

CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 360
First Chrome auto: 2019 Bowman 
One auto to consider: 2018 Elite Extra Edition
Buzz’s card take: Nearly half of his cards are autographs yet there's still plenty of demand -- and if you somehow don't know his name the ship has sailed on sleeper/bargain cards. He's easily among the top prospects in baseball and Baseball America had him fourth heading into this season. He's hitting .335 with 17 doubles, five triples, eight homers and 35 RBI in 67 games this season -- not quite as strong as last season in rookie ball at 17. The age is the thing here and if he improves quickly as he advances at a young age he's worth the big bucks being paid for his cards. The good news is that there's a lot to choose from if you're hunting them. I didn't find that highlight line to be all that overwhelming -- I get it, he doesn't swing and miss -- but his stats also weren't as crazy as I had expected when I checked them.

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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There were almost as many runs scored in Saturday's London Series game as there are Topps Now baseball cards today.

They're not all from the game that the New York Yankees won 17-13 over the Boston Red Sox but a number of them are, including Relics from two English icons who got VIP access at the game and gifts from both teams, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. 

It's not the first time that public figures have been in the mix -- a Chicago Cubs White House visit in 2016 comes to mind -- but it just might be the first where a Relic is involved. A 29-card day also just might be a record for the real-time cardboard program.

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Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Deivi Garcia, RHP, Yankees — Double-A Trenton Thunder
Baseball America’s highlight line: “Garcia continued one of the best seasons by a pitching prospect by spinning a masterpiece against Richmond. He struck out the first eight batters and was in complete control the rest of the way. The performance boosted his strikeouts per nine innings to 15.1, the best in the minors among qualified starters. It also tied the Trenton franchise record for strikeouts in a game, which was set by Adam Warren in 2010."

CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): Just MiLB team set cardboard 
First Chrome auto: Still to come
One auto to consider: Still to come
Buzz’s card take: You may remember seeing this guy here about a year ago and nothing has ultimately changed on the cardboard front. He's just 20 and rising in the minors so that cardboard should be coming at some point. He's 3-4 with a 3.02 ERA and a ridiculous 100 strikeouts in 59-plus innings pitched this season so there should be some serious demand once that first ink hits. His few MiLB team sets should be watched right now, too. (There's next to nothing on eBay right now for him.)

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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Here's a look at the top five players on this week's Baseball America Top MLB Prospects Hot Sheet and their seasons so far. It's a little something to help those who might want to dabble with prospecting -- some basics on their baseball cards alongside a highlight line from those more scouting-minded. We may not do this every week, but we'll check in on BA's top crop from time to time for the remainder of the season.

1. Drew Waters, OF, Braves — Double-A Mississippi Braves
Baseball America’s highlight line: “It’s not like Waters wasn’t having an excellent season when June began. But his .416/.566/.828 June has unquestionably pushed him to the point where he is the most productive hitter in the Southern League. Waters now leads the league in nine major offensive categories including batting average (.338), slugging percentage (.535), OPS (.916), extra-base hits (36) and total bases (147). ... There are 35 Triple-A hitters slugging .550 or better. There are only three Double-A hitters slugging above .550."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 300
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman Draft
One auto to consider: 2016 Leaf Metal Perfect Game
Buzz’s card take: This isn't the first time you have seen him here and not much has changed for him on the cardboard front release-wise -- no new ink this year. As said last time, about a third of his autos can be found in the 2016 Leaf release, while his 2017 ink arrives in a number of prospect brands as a pro. He's a Top 100 prospect across the board but the Braves have plenty of talent on the roster -- so it's a good thing he's just 20.

Keep reading for the rest of the top five ...

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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 pack: 2019 Topps Now Future World Series baseball cards (one pack)
Where to buy: Click here (previously only offered via Topps.com)
Cards per pack: 3

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What: 2019 TRISTAR Hidden Treasures New York Dynasty autographed baseballs
Arrives: May 22
Box basics: One autographed baseball per box (12 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: TRISTAR's autographed baseball chase brand takes a New York twist once again with a release that's about the Yankees wth a chase that includes more than just standard signed baseballs.

Keep reading for more and a gallery of what's in this one.

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David Robertson will soon take the mound for just his third big-league franchise as the closer on a Philadelphia Phillies team that includes one of MLB's biggest stars as well as a number of young players all looking for one thing.

A World Series ring.

Robertson got one of those a decade ago when he was in just his second year with the New York Yankees. Since then, he's racked up 137 saves (11th-best among active players once Craig Kimbrel re-signs) and despite that success he's not the easiest player to collect. Want a certified autograph card of him in any MLB uniform? It doesn't exist. That alone should be enough to have you reacting like this.

But that's where a little collecting game-used comes in ... at least for my collection.

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Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

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DEREK JETER'S CLEATS
The Item: Derek Jeter 2018 Topps Diamond Icons game-used cleat card (1/1)
The Price: $210.50 after five bids (with five-plus days remaining)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is a one-of-a-kind crazy card with the bottom of one of this future Hall of Famer's cleats embedded into the piece. These rare pulls came from a high-end brand that's loaded with nothing but hits and these are among the most-unique cards Topps has ever made. Simple as that. It will be a fun auction to watch, though for my personal tastes I might just chase a common player's cleat -- or a complete Jeter cleat. (I think it might get that kind of pricey with this auction.)
Similar Pieces: Check out Derek Jeter autographs on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for 2018 Topps Diamond Icons

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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Brandon Nimmo's path to Major League Baseball and a spot in the New York Mets lineup is far from a traditional one as he grew up in Wyoming where playing high school baseball isn't even an option.

He's a product of American Legion play -- and already a Hall of Famer there -- but that didn't stop him from being taken 13th in the 2011 MLB Draft and making his big-league debut three years ago at age 23. Nimmo, whose first prospect cards can be found in 2011 releases and who has just three Rookie Cards from 2016, was one of the Mets' bright spots last season with 17 homers in 140 games while hitting .263. The homers were third on the team behind Michael Conforto, Todd Frazier and Asdrubal Cabrera ... but that's not why we're here today.

Nimmo led all of MLB with 22 HBPs -- and the ball you see above connected for one last season.

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Making it to The Show takes a little bit of luck, a lot of talent, a lot of work and often help from others such as coaches and family members.

Photographer Bill Stephan with his son's dog, Wilson.

While New York Yankees prospect Trevor Stephan hasn't gotten there just yet, he does have a taste of big-league cardboard and he had some family help there, too. How? His dad, Bill, was the photographer for several of his baseball cards made so far showing him as a member of the Yankees organization.

"I knew there was a possibility that Topps would use one of my photographs as they contacted me through my son’s agent before spring training [last year]," said the 55-year-old manufacturing executive and father of two. "For a baseball dad, it’s a pretty cool thing to have one of your photographs used as a baseball card image. I wasn’t concerned about being paid."

The 23-year-old pitcher appears on more than 150 different cards in all from three 2017 prospect releases and five products from last year -- and his dad's photos can be found on cards in at least three of them, 2018 Bowman Chrome, 2018 Bowman Draft and 2018 Bowman Platinum along with all of their various parallel versions.

Those baseball cards show the 6-foot-5 225 right-hander and former University of Arkansas standout as a member of the Staten Island Yankees but were edited to reflect the uniform of the 27-time World Series champions. In two seasons of minor-league ball, the former third-round pick is 7-10 with a 3.18 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 158-plus innings. Early last season, Baseball America noted his quick path to Double-A ball and noted he "could be closer than expected to The Bronx."

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There are eight guys with realistic chances at being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame tonight (announcement is set for 6 p.m. EST on MLB Network) and there's one good thing to be had here for potential new baseball card collectors or veterans still needing them.

Most of them have Rookie Cards can be easily landed thanks to the timeframe when they were made -- and they have plenty of cards to chase in boxes made since.

The first lock of the bunch is former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, MLB's career saves leader (652), who is a contender for the highest Hall of Fame voting percentage ever. That mark is 99.6 percent of ballots and is held by Ken Griffey Jr. back in 2016. Unlike Griffey -- and others you'll see here -- Rivera has just one Rookie Card. It can be found in 1992 Bowman, a set that added gloss and white stock into the brand's repertoire along with a deeper checklist (and guys in street clothes). Rivera has more than 5,500 different cards but only one gets the RC label -- that's a rarity in this day and age that helps bolster its value. (If you want one, buy it graded. They have been counterfeited.) >> Check out his autographed cards (and more) on eBay

Who else is out there and potentially headed to Cooperstown?

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Just 10 of the most-notable items in the sports world that were sold in 2018 totaled more than $8.4 million, ranging from a $2.8 million 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card to a baseball signed by the first class for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

And they all had one thing in common -- PSA or PSA/DNA authentication.

The Newport Beach, Calif.-based company recently took the time to examine the markets last year and touted its Top 10 for 2018. Keep reading to see everything on the list.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

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What: 2018 Topps Transcendent Collection Japan Edition baseball cards
Arrives: Dec. 21
Box basics: 11 autographed cards -- and plenty more -- per box
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Topps' biggest high-end baseball brand gets a Japanese edition with a sole focus on two of the biggest MLB stars from the country -- Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani.

So, what comes in this one? Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

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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: Two 1/1 Logoman cards in one box, "Derek Jeter is not a top-five Yankee," which RC matters more, big pulls and more in today's edition.

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What: 2019 Topps Opening Day baseball cards
Arrives: March 13
Box basics: No hits guaranteed per 36-pack box (20 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Opening Day returns for its 20th season with an insert in every pack, autographs and Relics in the mix -- and things even get a little dirty again, too.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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Collectors who ripped into packs of 2018 Bowman and found a Lucky Redemption now know their card.

It's New York Yankees rookie infielder Gleyber Torres.

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What: 2018 Historic Autographs Capitol of Baseball Series 1
Arrives: Nov. 7
Box basics: Two PSA/DNA authenticated cut autographs per box (10 boxes per case)
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: Historic Autographs looks back at seven great teams in New York City MLB history for this first of at least two planned releases -- this one will include "an overload of Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio autographs" for starters.

Keep reading for more information.

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Have you seen the latest cool or interesting items on eBay? If not, you just might see some of those here every week as we're launching a weekly version of our eBay Buzz pieces that pop up from time to time. We’ll spotlight some items that have a story or just wow us with how much interest it might have — and we’re not just talking baseball cards, either.

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SENIOR BOWL GAMER ... OF A HALL OF FAMER
The Item: Brett Favre 1991 Senior Bowl game-used and signed jersey
The Price: $22,000 Buy-It-Now (or best offer)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: The Senior Bowl has a rich history and a number of college stars who went on to NFL greatness after the big game -- and there are many who didn't. While you can find players' Senior Bowl jerseys placed into cardboard in recent years, a past gamer might be much rarer than you think. And one from a player of Favre's caliber? Well, that's an elite piece. This one came directly from Favre himself after being put on the market via Hunt Auctions in 2017. These aren't team colors that we most commonly associate with this Hall of Famer, but it's a one-of-a-kind piece compared to many potential gamers for his pro teams. It's impressive.
Similar Pieces: Brett Favre items on eBay
The BlowoutCards.com Hunt: Click here for NFL boxes

Keep reading for four more interesting items in this week's roundup ...

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You may not know his name but Luke Voit has been a force for the New York Yankees this week.

The 27-year-old first baseman homered for the third straight game on Tuesday, upping his season total to seven with his second team of the season. He's hitting .322 in 19 games for the Yankees since he was traded there on July 29 with some international bonus slot cash for pitchers Giovanny Gallegos and Chasen Shreve. 

As for cardboard? There's just one place to find him -- 2017 Topps Update and its parallels (as well as its Mini version and Chrome Mega Box version). As for Yankees cardboard? There's just one place to land him ... for now ... and it won't be easy.

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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: New York Yankees autographs, big pulls, football season is here and more from around the collecting world.

Continue reading →