new release pack purchase brings mo final tributes, including a perfect one that just happens to be a short print

i treated myself to some packs of cards last friday.  i was looking for a heritage blaster, actually, as i have been vacillating about putting together a set this year due to the fact that the 1965 design is my favorite from that decade.  unfortunately, all i could find at the target i went to was packs.  so, in addition to a couple of packs of heritage, i bought a blaster of 2014 topps opening day.  it didn't suck.

one of the first packs i opened featured a mariano rivera card

which is cool because i collect final tributes.  this one was different than the one in the flagship release and it is pretty much perfect in that the photo with the tip of the cap is one of the best images to use for these types of cards.

two packs later, i found this blue parallel of the retired yankee closer

which matches the photo used in the flagship set for rivera's non-checklist card.  i flipped the card over and saw his career stats

 the weird thing was, when i flipped the other card over, i saw the same thing

that means mariano rivera final tribute photo variation short print!  i still think short prints in a low end product like opening day is dumb, but i am willing to admit that i am happy to have pulled that card.

i also picked up a couple packs of 2014 donruss and found another rivera final tribute

 with his career totals on the back

this is one of very few 2014 donruss cards that i will keep.

one card i will for sure not keep is this andrew mccutchen studio insert.

i guess the studio inserts are not too common.  i also pulled a giancarlo stanton diamond king if anyone is interested.  

i will be keeping this card of clayton kershaw

but i won't really be seeking out any more 2014 donruss (please note that i had already purchased a single at a card show the previous weekend that will be part of an upcoming post).

as for the rest of the opening day packs, the only dodgers found were this hanley ramirez

and this matt kemp 'fired up' insert

i found a couple of mascot cards, some superstar celebrations, and a couple of those lenticular cards, too.  plus some double plays - jose altuve

 jonathan schoop

 and kolten wong

as for the heritage packs, they didn't yield much.  one sp (wilin rosario), a couple of inserts (astrodome and michael wacha), a chrome parallel (francisco liriano), but just one dodger - this zack greinke red border parallel

the packs did help me decide that i am out as far as building the heritage set this year, but i am on the lookout for dodgers (especially more red bordered ones).

so, in a surprise twist, it's opening day that comes through with perfection and not heritage. donruss was never in the running.