Pack Break Week 2: 2011 Topps Attax

We now return to Pack Break Week. Thanks for your patience.

So last week, I decided to go ahead and open one pack of cards that I bought last weekend at Target. Las Thursday, I opened my first pack of Topps Lineage.  Today, it's time to open a pack of 2011 Topps Attax.

Ah yes, Topps Attax.  For the third straight year, Topps put out a card game for kids to play.  This product does not count towards MLB Properties 17-product quota.  It's a simple game really, it puts Pack Wars in a baseball game-type setting.  Higher number between batter vs. pitcher determines if a run "scores" or if the batter is out.  Most runs after "three innings" (or all nine batter cards are used once), wins. 

But this year, Topps added a bunch of extra features and conditions so that the Attax game can be played a bit more like a real baseball game.  It's got strategy, it's got drama...it's got mascots (woo hoo).  The more complex rules can be found in every starter kit of Topps Attax (still available at your local big box store).

Okay, back to the break.  Here is what was waiting for me when I opened my pack of 2011 Topps Attax:

The cards that came out of the pack are (in the order of how they were packaged):

• #165 Nick Markakis
• #76 Drew Stubbs
• #25 Bobby Abreu
• #66 David Ortiz
• #177 Ricky Romero
• #117 Jonathan Papelbon

• #213 Dinger (Rockies Mascot) Refractor???
• #112 Joe Mauer
• #47 Chase Headley
• #167 Omar Infante
• #124 Josh Hamilton
• #41 Carlos Peña

My thoughts. It's a decent booster pack.  Dinger gives the batter a +10 boost when "entering the ballpark" (whatever that means).  The diamond theme is prevalent as there are diamonds at the bottom right corner of every card (I think depending on the gem, it determines rarity...not sure).  Got a Cub (Peña), so I'm thrilled.  I have to, eventually, sort out what I actually have and then decide if I want to go for it (a complete set) or not.

The pack also came with a checklist or all 258 cards (206 players, 25 mascots, and 27 stadiums). A couple of questions.  The checklist does not name every mascot (like Dinger, or Billy the Marlin).  Was Topps not allowed to include the names of the Athletics, Blue Jays, Braves, Diamondbacks, Orioles, Royals, and White Sox mascots?  And where is Lou Seal (the Giants mascot)?  I know the Cubs, Angels, Dodgers, and Yankees don't have mascots, so I'm not worried about them. But where's Rosie Red's card?

Also, there are 27 stadiums listed (the Marlins, Athletics, and Rockies parks are excluded). Progressive Field, the home of the Indians, has a card here.  So why doesn't it have a card in the 17-card retail set? 

The next pack to be opened will be the pack of Series 2.  Can't wait to see what it includes.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama