2006 Greats - Packs 4 to 6

I'm still not feeling any love for this set,  but I must forebear for several reasons. First, it is important to me that you, my public, have an opportunity to see what came in this box and lay a claim to any cards that might interest you.  Second, I really don't have anything else to blog about at this point.  With work being busy and the weather being hell-fire hot, I haven't had the time or enthusiasm for anything hobby related.


So, let's knock this puppy out.  Again, all cards are available for trade unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Pack 4

19 - Cal Ripken, Jr - Baltimore
33 - Eric Davis - Cincinnati
96 - Whitey Ford - NY Yankees
NYY-DM - Yankees Clippings Don Mattingly

This insert set (which also includes the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, Cardinals, Tigers, and Reds) seems to me to be pretty much a direct rip-off of the "Forever" inserts from the 2004 Greats set.  I am not sure if the initial conception of this set and it's inserts was done prior to Upper Deck acquiring Fleer or after (I suspect after), but regardless, it pretty much seems phoned in.

Between, the two sets they expanded the insert set from 29 to 70 cards and included game used, auto, and game used+auto parallels to the inserts (2004 only had game-used parallels). That also annoys me on several levels.  I generally think that insert sets should be limited in size.  70 card insert sets related to a 100 card base set seems ridiculous.  It goes from ridiculous to absurd when you add three different parallels to the 70 card insert set that is related to a 100 card base set (which also has two parallel sets).  Forget about ever building a master set of this.  Not that I would try, but even if someone was so inclined, it would be virtually impossible.  Click here for a checklist to see what I mean.

NG-JW - Nickname Greats - Jim "The Toy Cannon" Wynn

Now this is the one insert set I really liked. Original concept, solid design, only 33 cards and only 1 parallel (auto).

Pack 5

23 - Dave Concepcion - Cincinnati
73 - Randy Hundley - Chicago Cubs
84 - Sparky Lyle - NY Yankees
89 - Tommy Herr - St Louis

Remember about 5 seconds ago when I said the base set had two parallels? This is one. Despite what the checklist said, the base set had a green border and the parallels had, respectively, pewter and copper borders.  I think this is pewter, but I am not sure and don't care enough to find out.

DEC-TG - 90s Greats Tony Gwynn - San Diego

Pack 6

6 - Bill Freehan - Detroit
47 - Harmon Killebrew - Minnesota
72 - Ralph Kiner - Pittsburgh
CIN-KG - Reds Greats - Ken Griffey, Sr

 NG-EV Nickname Greats Ellis "Bubba" Valentine Autograph

My first of two autographs and 3rd of 4 hits.  The last nine packs are going to be a long slog to get through.   Again, I like this card. I have had a passing idea just to collect this insert set, but I my collecting focus is too spread out now so, in the end, I decided against it.  So, this is available for trade.

Hopefully, I can knock this off at a faster clip than once a week.  There is a special delivery coming soon and a show in mid-August.