Pack Break Week 2: 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen

More than two weeks ago, I bought six random packs at Target, hoping to have another Pack Break Week celebration before the end of the season.  Unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control forced what was supposed to be a one week adventure into a three week disaster.  Am I disappointed?  Yeah.  Only because it means, once again, that I failed to finish something that I either promised to have done by a certain time, or because what I thought would be a great idea became a challenge when actually applying it to this humble little blog.

But no more.

With the 2011 season now over, it is time to refocus.  And it is time to actually deliver on the promises.  (I better, otherwise, this blog will just nosedive into insignificance and irrelevance).

So let's (finally) conclude Pack Break Week with the final pack of the bunch, 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen.

Reaching into the history of trading cards once again, Topps re-introduced the Gypsy Queen, a product from the 1800's, to 21st century collectors.  Many of the original photos from the original set came from the same photographer as those used in another legendary set, Old Judge.  But the Gypsy Queen in today's product actually included "Gypsy Queens," to go with cards of our baseball heroes. Some called it a gimmick.  I call it genius. But they short printed the Queens, so getting one in my pack most likely was not going to be in the cards (ha ha ha).
Here is what was waiting for me when I opened my pack of 2011 Gypsy Queen:

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

• #64 Josh Hamilton
• #221 Martin Prado
• #244 Scott Kazmir
• #SF14 Alcides Esobar Sticky Fingers
• #320 Dexter Fowler Mini Card
• One Thick blank filler card (had hoped for a relic, this must be Topps effort to thwart pack searchers)
• #HH24 Rogers Hornsby Home Run Heroes
• Checklist 4 of 4

Some quick thoughts.  If Escobar is supposed to have sticky fingers (I'm guessing for defensive prowess), why does it look like he missed the ball?  Other than that, it's a decent pack.  It would be one that would make me want to buy more. But at this point, I think I'll wait for set prices to go down.
So finally, Pack Week 2 ends.  Just like our MLB season.  Tomorrow, I will start the process of naming players to my 2011 End of the Year All-Star Teams.  A number of obvious names, and maybe some surprises, will fill out both 36-man rosters.  But before I get to that, I have to (finally) show the results of the 2010 All-Star Game simulations. 

Once again, I have to make good on these things.  Maybe one day, I'll get back to the Randomizer and the Archives project. 

Better sooner than later.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama