Completely Red - 2008 Upper Deck

First, of course, is be sure to get your vote in for the final group of Round 1.

For the Completely Red series today, we're looking at 2008 Upper Deck. Crisp photography. Full bleed. Non-intrusive design. Good set. 2008 gave the Reds some great rookies in Votto, Cueto, and Hannigan. Adam Dunn and Scott Hatteburg have some great diving photos included and the David Ross stare-down is a favorite of mine. Also, doubling up on the Griffey Jrs. Sweet. Upper Deck was really good toward the end. I hope it makes its way back into the mix. Go Reds.

STATS:

Cards - 24

RC's - 3 (Hannigan, Votto, Cueto)

All Stars - 9 (Arroyo, Encarnacion, Griffey Jr. x2, Dunn, Votto, Cordero, Gonzalez, Phillips)

Action to Posed Ratio - 23:1 (sweet)

Bronson Arroyo Crotch Shots - 1

Checklist:

231 Bronson Arroyo

232 Matt Belisle

233 Jared Burton

234 David Weathers    235 Mike Gosling

236 David Ross

237 Jeff Keppinger

238 Edwin Encarnacion

239 Ken Griffey Jr.

240 Adam Dunn

317 Ryan Hanigan RC

349 Joey Votto (RC)

374 Ken Griffey Jr. CL

463 Homer Bailey

464 Francisco Cordero

465 Aaron Harang

466 Alex Gonzalez

467 Brandon Phillips

468 Ryan Freel

469 Scott Hatteberg

470 Juan Castro

471 Norris Hopper

707 Johnny Cueto RC

774 Aaron Harang CL

Go Reds.

Final Group of Round 1 - Vote!

Last day of the regular season. Last group of Round 1. Much unlike my Redlegs, the Ridiculous tournament is NOT limping along into the next round

Vote for your favorite 4. Voting closes Tuesday at noon eastern.

Card #1 - 1986 Donruss Highlights Ernie Lombardi

Card #2 - 2003 Topps Gallery Joe Morgan

Card #3 - 2007 Upper Deck Adam Dunn

Card #4 - 2003 Flair Greats Ernie Lombardi

Card #5 - 1992 Upper Deck Rob Dibble Team Checklist

Card #6 -  1998 Upper Deck Pokey Reese

Card #7 - 2010 Topps Turkey Red Johnny Bench

Card #8 - 1933 Goudey Earl Adams

Card #9 - 1979 Topps Johnny Bench

Card #10 - 1981 Donruss Johnny Bench

Card #11 - 1999 Topps Brett Tomko

Card #12 - 1998 Fleer Tradition Bret Boone

Card #13 - 1976 SSPC Dave Concepcion

Card #14 - 1961 Post Billy Martin

Card #15 - 1970 Kellogg's Jim Maloney

Card #16 - 2012 Topps Historical Stitches Joe Morgan

Go Reds.

Round 1/Group 31 Results

Four different decades will represent Group 31 in Round 2. The '73 Joe Morgan, one of the first vintage cards of an All Star I got as a kid, wins the group. Nearly behind is the T206 Hans Lobert. Sneaking in are the '93 Bip and the '58 Bailey/Tebbetts/Robinson. Sweet. The final group of Round 1 will be up later today. Go Reds.

Two Thirds of a Blaster > A Blaster

There are surprisingly mixed feelings about JustCommons, which baffles me. To be fair, the mixture isn't love/hate. It's more love/meh. Personally, I love it. I could buy a blaster, a repack, some rack packs, or whatever, and get a whole bunch of crap I don't want, or I could drop a few bucks at this site and get a bunch of crap no one else but me wants. My crap is so much better than a department store's crap. Obviously. Plus, free shipping. I mean come on. 

I'm in the process of eliminating every card from my home that isn't a Cincinnati Red. Moreover, ridding myself of Cincinnati Reds doubles. The purge will teach me a grand lesson. Spend zero more dollars on cards that aren't emblazoned with the Reds logo. So JustCommons is ideal to fill in the gaps of missing cards. I open a mailer with 100% new Redlegs. It's sweet.

The latest foray was $14, or less than two thirds the price of a blaster (including tax). This haul is so much better. Let's roll.

All the non-rookies from 2013 Prizm. Remarkably similar to last year's. Griffey is usually donning his Mariners blue in new cards, understandably, so its nice to see him in Red. And Barry is usually pushed aside for Bench/Morgan/Perez, so its also nice to see him in...black? Sure, why not. I didn't pick up any of the RCs. Needlessly overpriced.

Nine 1997 Bowman International. As usual, the scanner has trouble with these. Good group though.

Some 2007 Topps Chrome Refractor goodness. I'm a big fan of this set. Black and red is always great.

2008 Topps Opening Day Gold serial numbered out of 2199. Why 2199? Topps had been numbering the base sets out of the year in question for awhile now. Why change it so slightly for the OD? Who knows. But if that means it was 10% more likely I'd find a couple, then I approve.

2005 Bowman Gold (yes, that sig is gold foil) Adam Dunn, 1995 Bowman Gold Foil Calvin Reese. Sweet.

Three 1997 Bowman Chrome, including Mr. Larkin. Finishes the set.

1992 Upper Deck Minors. I had three from this set. Now I have eleven. I think I'm still missing one or two.

Bowman goodies. I had the three 2010's in black border and didn't realize that was a parallel. Solved.

Upper Deck goodies, closing out a lot of sets.

CC, Score, and Score select. Closing out these sets as well.

Fleer goodies. Mystique is a good looking set in person.

Topps base sets. Half of these are replacements for cards I mailed out to get signed. The other half, I just had no excuse not to own. Particularly the Griffey.

And the last four. 2013 Cooperstown Edd Roush (nice inclusion), 1979 OPeeChee Dave Concepcion (cut poorly in that special way that only vintage OPeeChee can do), 199someting Donruss Sean Casey RC, and a 1991 Stadium Club Charter Member Billy Hatcher I was unaware existed until a month ago. Sweet.

So there. $14 for 70 cards, all new to the collection. Sorry Wal-Mart and Target. Your card aisle sales will drop one trillionth of one percent. Woe be unto you.

Go Reds.

Two Groups To Go! - Vote in Round 1/Group 31

Only two more groups in the ridiculous first round of the Ridiculous tournament. We're 120 cards strong in Round 2, down from 480. Pretty sweet.

Vote for your top four. Voting closes Sunday at noon eastern.

Card #1 - 1995 Pinnacle Barry Larkin

Card #2 - 1993 Leaf Hal Morris

Card #3 - 2001 Fleer Greats of the Game Johnny Vander Meer

Card #4 - 2009 Upper Deck Brandon Phillips

Card #5 - 1973 Topps Joe Morgan

Card #6 -  2003 Donruss Team Heroes Johnny Bench

Card #7 - 2005 Donruss Champions Adam Dunn

Card #8 - 1993 Upper Deck Juan Samuel

Card #9 - 2005 Topps Season Highlights Ken Griffey Jr.

Card #10 - 1958 Topps Birdie's Young Sluggers ft, Bailey/Tebbets/Robinson

Card #11 - 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Johnny Bench

Card #12 - 2011 Bowman Platinum Yonder Alonso

Card #13 - 1909-11 T206 Hans Lobert

Card #14 - 2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces Captured on Canvas Adam Dunn

Card #15 - 2005 Bowman Heritage Signs of Greatness Travis Chick

Card #16 - 1993 Stadium Club Bip Roberts

Go Reds.