Case Break: 2016 Strata Baseball

 

So this was my big Black November purchase from Blowout. I'd never done a case of anything before, but this seemed like a really good deal so I bit the bullet and took a shot. Here's what I got

Box 1
Rob Refsnyder Auto
Sonny Gray Auto/Jersey


Box 2
Carl Edwards Jr Auto (#3/125)
Kevin Plawecki Auto Patch(#1/75) (Nice patch..horrible player)

Box 3
Billy Wagner Auto Black (#25/50)
Jacob DeGrom Jersey

Box 4
Tyson Ross Auto (#60/99)
Jacob DeGrom Auto Patch (#4/25) (Again awesome patch that has a nice chunk of the Mets logo)

Box 5
Tom Murphy Auto
Greg Bird Auto Jersey (#2/50)


Box 6
Anthony Rizzo Blue Parallel Auto Redemption
Manny Machado Jersey

Box 7
Ken Griffey Jr. Strata Signature Redemption
Madison Bumgarner Jersey (#84/99)

Box 8
Brian Johnson Auto
Steven Matz Auto/Jersey

Box 9
Francisco Lindor Auto
Luis Severino Patch (#16/50)

Box 10
Nolan Arenado Auto (#5/75)
Kevin Plawecki Auto/Jersey (Noooo why him again?!!?)

Box 11
Jorge Soler Auto
David Ortiz Jersey (#37/99)

Box 12
Jacob Degrom Auto/Jersey (45/99)
Luis Gonzalez Strata Signature (#16/25)

Overall Thoughts: Well...what a disaster. I was really looking forward to busting all this wax and to say it was a total bust overall (The Elite, Prizm and this) would be an understatement. So again, this a 2 card per box product so obviously it's hit or miss but man I've been on such a slump since September that it would've been nice to pull something super awesome. Don't get me wrong, I love Griffey, he's my favorite player, and honestly it's probably now my 4th biggest pull of the year, but a)it's a redemption so I have to pray Topps makes it and B)it still doesn't cover the rest of the break which was boring and bla to say the least. A ton of low end autos (Tom Murphy, Refsnyder, Bird, Brian Johnson types) the Shadowbox Signature sucked (Luis Gonzalez) and I got two Kevin Plawecki Auto Jerseys (ugh). The DeGrom Auto Patch is nice, but man it was a Mets overkill box as I got three DeGroms, Two Plawecki, and Steven Matz. There isn't even a card that's close to being anything good outside of the Griffey and DeGrom (I mean the Rizzo is OK, but nothing earth shattering and again it's a redemption). I was hoping for a pick me up as shit has been so awful lately on the personal side, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. Unless I get boxes for my birthday or Christmas, I'm done busting wax this year. (I've said that before, but this time..it's the truth, I can't afford to lose my ass on this stuff break after break). It's just not really worth it period. I thought buying a case would ensure at least one earth shattering card. I get jealous looking at the breaks on Blowout and seeing one guy pull a David Wright Auto Logoman, Kris Bryant Redemption in his case or another getting a Tanaka Logoman, Rickey Henderson Patch Auto Redemption, Kris Bryant Auto Redemption, and Clayton Kershaw Auto Redemption in his case and here comes me with a pretty much bust of a case. Here's pics of the cards I got

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 5 Pulls of 2016
#1- 2016 Topps Tribute Superfractor Autograph Alex Gordon (#1/1)
#2- 2015-16 Panini Prizms Rookie Signatures Silver Prizms Kristaps Porzingis (#25/25)

#3- 2016 Topps Tribute Milestone Relic Game Used Ball Kris Bryant (#5/10)

#4- 2016 Topps Strata Signatures Ken Griffey Jr. Redemption
#5-2016 Donruss Signature Marks Gold Terry Bradshaw (#1/5)