A name I didn't expect to see again in MLB arrived in Atlanta this month and that got me thinking about a stash of game-used baseballs I had picked up on the cheap long ago but hadn't yet posted about in this Collecting Game-used series.

I did some digging and, yep, that name was in there.

Robinson Cano is filling in at second base for the Braves right now after Ozzie Albies' foot injury has him out until optimistically late next month and he's that name. My find is nothing dramatic but it's a ball from a past game with him attached that was deep in my $10 stash -- yep, only $10 -- from awhile back, and it turned out it's a ball with a little surprise to it thanks to its MLB Authentication and clips one can see right now on the MLB Film Room.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

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This month's item in the Collecting Game-used series is one that's simple ... but it shows the life of a ball can be brief but still have some fun trivia attached.

This one? It's another of my $10 bargain-bin balls picked up in the past -- a former league MVP who's now in New York being the key name that made me grab it. It's nothing too dramatic, but it definitely shows some use -- and this one is even attached to a pair of pitches.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action thanks to the MLB Film Room.

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If you're a regular reader of The Buzz, then you know that Collecting Game-used  is a monthly department offering up a quick look (well, at least most of the time) at a piece of game-used memorabilia in action.

A deep part of my stash for this series are MLB Authenticated baseballs -- a simple kind of item that you can find with more details than ever and plenty of players' names often attached -- and that's what we're getting back to this time. Why do I say that? Well, with the MLB lockout, the MLB Film Room video database that lets you see pretty much anything from recent seasons went dark just like all those rosters on the MLB site and the MLB Network -- at least for current players. All those trivial clips of memorabilia-making moments that aren't home runs or strikeouts are back ... and this time I'll offer up something that we won't be seeing much of again ... some pitcher vs. pitcher action.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

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Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

MONEYBALL DOWN ON THE FARM?
The Card: Amanda Brady 2021 Choice Hudson Valley Renegades #34
The Buzz On This One: When was the last time you saw an "advanced scouting analyst" baseball card? This is a first for me and I've seen quite a bit of oddball cardboard in my time doing this series. Brady is an analyst in the Yankees organization and this card is "exactly what I always dreamed my first baseball card would be," she tweeted. There's a pretty good chance there are other analyst cards to come as the MiLB checklists continue to include the non-traditional but, right now, this is the only one I've ever seen.

Keep reading for more examples of weird baseball cards you can (almost) only find in MiLB.

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This month's item in the Collecting Game-used series is one that's simple ... but it shows the life of a ball can be brief but still have some fun trivia attached.

This one? It's another of my $10 bargain-bin balls picked up about a year ago now -- but it's one that now has two World Series rings attached to it. It's nothing too dramatic in terms of use, but visually it does show more than others out there might when it comes to game-used baseballs.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action thanks to the MLB Film Room.

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As you probably know if you're a regular reader here, Buzz is a fan of the game-used bargain bin just as much as any other ... so this is a result of one of those digs.

This month's item in this Collecting Game-used series? Well, it's another $10 game-used baseball from a recent Philadelphia Phillies firesale -- and it's one with a likely future All-Star's name attached. That name is Dansby Swanson, the Atlanta Braves shortstop who's in the midst of a career year this summer with new highs in hits, doubles, homers and RBI with plenty of time left to play.

The ball? Well, you can keep reading to see the details and see it in action.

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What did you land for your last $10 spent 0n collectibles? There's really no wrong answer there -- and there are a lot of possibilities for collectors of pretty much anything out there right now -- but not that long ago I landed a dozen game-used baseballs from the Philadelphia Phillies for, yep, $10 apiece.

This is one of those balls -- and it even included a BallQube -- but I still think it's a nice item for the price.

It wasn't a blind-bag scenario as I picked off a dozen MLB Authenticated game-used baseballs from the cheapest of the cheap -- picking out highlights from a spreadsheet -- as the team was burning off end-of-year inventory along with other balls from the past. The cool part about collecting from the MLB bargain bin for stuff from recent years? You can often find your exact ball (or see other dated game-used items) over in the MLB Film Room, which is a searchable database of pretty much every single play.

You can keep reading to see the details on this one ... and the ball in action.

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The life of this fully authenticated game-used MLB ball isn't all that impressive -- I liked it for a team clearance $10 pick-up, though given player names attached -- but the reason you see it here for this month's Collecting Game-used series item is that it's an example of how something launched online last fall might spark more interest in game-used memorabilia.

Thanks to the MLB Film Room, you can find countless memorable (and many forgettable) video clips of plays from past games all in database form. You can search by names, players, teams, plays, etc., and to a degree that should add some interest to game-used pieces like this ball ... and maybe some value beyond the authentication statements that are also in a database with every ball.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

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This month's Collecting Game-used item is really just a tip ... a reminder to watch out for postseason offers from teams that need to get rid of stuff that has piled up over the last year.

Fire-sale Season for MLB teams is all about stuff that's left over for them ... knowing that another season's worth of game-used items will be showing up before you know it -- and even they don't have unlimited amounts of space (or maybe patience) for used equipment to pile up.

The ball you see above? Yes, it's oddly pearl white -- clearly not prepped and rubbed-down for game use -- and it's got a shockingly neon green color on it, too. Meanwhile, green is something I didn't have to cough up to get this particular ball into my hands.

It was a freebie, a throw-in -- a batting practice home run ball -- with the purchase of a dozen game-used balls via Phillies Authentics. It's fully authenticated just like the baker's dozen of baseballs I grabbed for just $10 a ball. Shipped. And it wasn't even a mystery box situation, either -- I'm a sucker for those -- as I got to pick my dozen off a list.

The only mystery was whose name was attached to this one.

You can keep reading to see the details ...

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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 box: 2020 Topps Utz Snack Pack (12 oz. Sharing Pack)
Where to buy: Check here ... BlowoutCards.com for other MLB

Can't find anything MLB in the card aisle? Don't forget to check the snacks ... there's a chance you might not strike out.

Keep reading for a full breakdown and a gallery for this one.

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Group breaks have been a game-changer for the card industry for several years now and from time to time Buzz will jump into a BlowoutTV break of some type and break down the results of what he landed by picking up a team. There are near-daily breaks right here with Matt on Blowout TV during weekday working hours and even more from Houdini and others over on the forum in the evening.

Now, it's time for this post's break breakdown -- two spots in a pair 2020 Topps Allen & Ginter cases.

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This ongoing Collecting Game-used series is one that typically is all about a notable name or an item exactly photo-matched as it was caught in action. This time? It's a little bit of that second one but really with a little more dumb luck involved.

Buzz is on a mailing list for Philadelphia Phillies gamers that include spreadsheets and info on everything the team has up for grabs -- the better the name, the higher the price at most times (especially on the home team) -- and I use their listings to scout opposing players that they can often under-price. Meanwhile, elsewhere out there there are also mystery-bag scenarios for the Phillies where you can pick the date and get a ball (drop-shipped direct from the team) from that game ... but without the choice of which exact ball you get.

This time? I went the mystery route -- a cheaper route -- but after scouting a list where nearly every name out of nearly a dozen was a strong one (a young player with higher-value potential). What happened? Well, I got perhaps one of the worst pairings about who used the ball from that day ... but it was for a super-unique play with super-slow-mo details visible on the Interwebs. So, Phillies picker, while I didn't get a name I wanted ... I salute your selection.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

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They're not easy pulls, but they're cards in 2020 Topps Opening Day that are unique and figure to be ones that could hold interest over time as they might not be ever made again.

Arriving today in packs of that low-end but loaded-with-the-unusual brand are 11 Ballpark Profile autograph cards that showcase people who are probably known well by their hometown fans but might be relative unknowns to others.

In most -- but not all -- cases, these are cardboard debuts for those in the set and they are certainly all first-time certified autographs.

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Sometimes, it's just dumb luck.

That's the lesson of this month's Collecting Game-used item. In short, this baseball had been sitting on my desk a while now -- I picked it up via a grab bag/mystery box via Fanatics for a cheap price (less than two blasters) -- and figured I'd finally do a photo check for the players noted on its MLB Authentication.

It had three names attached but none that made me really want to go look -- the downside of a mystery box -- but it turned out to be a jaw-dropper thanks to details mentioned in info from the photographer who's noted above. This swing from Wilmer Difo came in the eighth inning -- his only swing of the at-bat -- that made this one a match.

You can keep reading to see the full details ... and the ball in action.

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Not all gamers are super-impressive. In fact, some are nearly anonymous but since they are tied to a certain player there can be more appeal than other items that might look just like it.

This month's game-used piece? Well, it's the game-used ball above -- and it's arguably the least-impressive item of the bunch in this series so far but it's also one that cost less than the price of two blaster boxes and was in a mystery box from Fanatics. This one's all about some timing.

So, this time, we'll bring this ball's life back to life -- as least as best we can -- with its key player attached being Washington Nationals veteran Ryan Zimmerman, who had a pretty solid game on Monday and whose Nats career could be coming to an end this year.

You can keep reading to see the details.

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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. Joe Ryan, RHP, Rays — High Class A Charlotte Knights
Baseball America’s highlight line: “The man with the unhittable fastball was at it again this week, when he flirted with a no-hitter in the first game of Charlotte’s doubleheader with Bradenton. He settled for a one-hit masterpiece that briefly put him on top of the minor league strikeout leaderboard. His 159 strikeouts are more than any Rays minor leaguer accumulated all of last season."

CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): Only MiLB team sets
First Chrome auto: None yet
One auto to consider: None yet
Buzz’s card take: That highlight line should say plenty ... and that should prime the interest for his first autos when they arrive. When? Well, ideally the sooner the better. This week's release, Bowman Sterling, does not include him. The team set you see above, 2019 Choice Bowling Green Hot Rods, should be plentiful and will likely be broken often as one of the other players in that set is Wander Franco.

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

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They can't all be the longballs.

In fact, most game-used baseballs that arrive into collectors' hands are far from that. They're often the near-anonymous pitch in the dirt or an even worse (unless you collect pitchers) swing-and-miss that touched absolutely nothing but leather.

But this one from Curtis Granderson? It's a bit different -- and the video I found researching this one shows you nearly every step in the life of this baseball.

You can keep reading to see the details ... and the ball in action.

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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 7.

The box: 2011 Leaf Pete Rose Legacy baseball cards
The cost: Click here (when available) ... here for guaranteed Rose ink right now

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

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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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Not all game-used baseballs are the same, despite the fact that they're all a pair of leather panels with 108 stitches holding it all together.

Some are hits or other big plays -- others are beanballs -- but many are fouled off or even semi-meaningless pitches in the dirt that quickly get discarded from play in favor for a cleaner ball that won't act erratically when they fly due to foreign substances.

The ball you see here? It was used for less than two minutes two summers ago by emerging Atlanta Braves star Mike Foltynewicz, who'll make his MLB debut for this season this weekend. This ball was used for just under two minutes -- just five pitches -- before it ended up in a Fanatics game-used ball mystery box.

You can keep reading to see the details ...

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Bryce Harper is headed to the Philadelphia Phillies.

The contract to come? A record-setting 13-year $330-million deal that would lock him in until age 38 and his 20th MLB season.

Harper, who's been on cards since he was was on the USA Baseball 16U team back in 2008, was the 2015 National League MVP when he hit 42 homers with a .330 average. Last year he hit .249 with 34 homers, upping his career total to 184 in seven seasons all with the Washington Nationals.

So, what's next for his cardboard?

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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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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. Eloy Jimenez, OF, White Sox — Triple-A Charlotte Knights
Season so far: Hitting .326 with 20 doubles, 15 homers, 52 RBI and 0 SBs in 73 games
Baseball America’s highlight line: "After an extended stint on the disabled list, the White Sox’s No. 1 prospect returned on July 15 and quickly kicked off the cobwebs. ... He’s already socked half as many home runs (five) in 20 games with Charlotte as he did in 52 with Double-A Birmingham."
CARDBOARD BASICS
Approximate card total (so far): 730
First Chrome auto: 2017 Bowman
One auto to consider: 2013 Leaf Metal Draft
Buzz’s card take: If you don't know his name, it's too late to get in on the cheap as he was ranked as the No. 4 prospect entering this season by Baseball America and MLB.com. He was a key in the Jose Quintana trade and that means his present cards will show him in White Sox colors instead of Cubbie Blue as his first Chrome auto does. As long as all goes well health-wise, you should see him in the majors soon. In five MiLB seasons he's hit .306 with 58 homers and 258 RBI in 373 games.

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 box: Fanatics Philadelphia Phillies game-used baseball mystery box
The cost: $39.95 (via JCPenney.com)

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

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On the outside, the MLB game-used baseball you see here looks much like any other ball -- whether it was a home run, a pitch in the dirt or a foul ball.

What makes this ball unique and any other like it? That little hologram and its code, which unlocks its uniqueness. If you're a veteran collector, this is nothing new -- the MLB Authentication program has been around since 2001 helping get collectors as close to game as possible with items pulled straight from the field of play (or the players' backs) to be stickered and authenticated forever.

But one recent development of the last season or two is some added information about baseballs in particular -- specific play sequences including players involved, pitch speeds, pitch types and anything else of note -- and that makes even these somewhat-typical-looking baseballs a little more interesting.

This ball? I got it from a grab bag of sorts ... keep reading for the details.

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