Take a Chance on Me

Don't worry, this post has nothing to do with ABBA.  Besides, I totally don't like ABBA at all.  Why would you even ask that?  OK, maybe they have a few good songs... OK, maybe you caught me.

Oh, hey, look - a distraction! 

The reason I chose that song title for this post is that I recently took a chance on a novel newish product that I recently saw on Target shelves.  I say newish because I have no idea how long they've been there, I'm not known for my observation skills.  Has anyone seen these boxes before?

Yea, I ripped it open before I took a picture of it for the blog.  I'm not known for my patience either. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!... Crap, there's ABBA again.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, this box from re-pack specialists Fairfield Sports offers three packs of baseball cards and guarantees either a relic or autographed card.  I like where this is going.

Although, it was a tad pricey for such a gamble - $11 and some change.  If I happened to pull a Billy Herman bat card or an Andre Dawson signature as the box flaunts, then it would absolutely be worth it.  However, I'm sure there's plenty of Felix Pie junk laying around the repack office.

But, I'm a sucker for such things, so of course I grabbed one.

I got a pack of 2012 Topps Opening Day and two other packs whose contents were so uninspiring that I no longer remember what they were.  The only Cub connection in any of the three was this guy:

Right before he took a year to tour Japan.  Casey McGehee was a middling third base prospect and the Cubs gave him a cuppacoffee at the end of 2008, mostly as an award for being a good organizational guy.

Soon after the season ended, they lost him on a waiver claim and no one though much of it. Who knew he'd go on to be a (mostly) useful player?

He's back stateside now with the Marlins, Godspeed Casey!

But, I still had the relic/auto card to look forward to at this point, so who care that the packs were uninspiring.  So, who and what did I get?

Hmmm.  Well, I'd rather pull this than a sweated on jersey swatch from Jason Dubois.   Walker was a huge fan favorite in Chicago, mostly with the ladies, and played a decent second base.  The journeyman batted .285 with 23 HR and 138 RBI over 333 PA in 3 years in Cubbie blue; not earth shattering, but pretty decent numbers.

He might have been a part of some really disappointing teams (2004-06), but I'll always remember him fondly for his hustle.  Plus, his Cubs career began shortly after I went from "Oh, I like baseball" to rabid Cubs fan during my high school years.

Donruss made a pretty cool looking card too.  It's hard to tell in the picture, but it's all nice and shiny and the design evokes the Wrigley Marquee; excellent touch.  Even if it is a sticker autograph and the top edge came somewhat nicked up, this card easily becomes my first-string Walker card.

Now, I would have rather gotten more for eleven bucks than a Casey McGehee base card and a Todd Walker sticker auto, but it certainly could have been worse!

With that out of the way, I'm definitely not going to go and spin my S.O.S. and Dancing Queen 45s while singing along poorly.  Why would you even think that?

*Sigh* I'll leave my man-card on the table...