"Had" to stop by Target on the way home

I stopped by Target on my way home from work today and, lo and behold, brand spanking new 2012 Topps was sitting on the shelf.  I looked Friday just in case they had snuck it on the shelves early but no luck.  Today was a different story.  I arrived in the card aisle at the same time as another collector also strolled up.

"You're looking for the same thing I am aren't you?" he said.  "Yup!"

This is the first time since the Target opened (in 2008) that I actually saw somebody else perusing the card displays at the same time I was.  We talked for a minute or two about cards and how we each did with the Diamond Giveaway.  He got 2 Diecuts, the same as I did.  I asked him what his thoughts were on packsearching and he made it clear he was definitely against it and he had never run across any at this Target.  So after exchanging pleasantries and forgetting to pimp my blog, I grabbed a hanger box and hurried towards the register with 1 person in line buying 3 bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide.

You're not here for shopping stories or missed opportunities to grow my blog, you're here for the breakdown:

Adam Jones makes a cameo appearance on this card.  This is a perfect opportunity to throw this idea out there.  I think I'm going to start a binder of cards that Orioles make a cameo appearance on.  O's in the background, breaking up double plays, sliding into bases, play at the plates.  If you are flipping through cards and see an Orioles cameo, let me know because I want it.

This is just too cool of a card not to post up.  I think its from Nolan's walk-off HR against the White Sox.  Or, he just flied out and Buck is giving him "the business."

 These look almost like the liquorfractors just a little more gold in coloring and smaller speckles

 The 87 minis are kinda neat.  I don't know if there are any Orioles in the set.

 Bleh, done before, twice.

 These look pretty cool but I think I've seen the design similar to it in a UD product.

 These look great with the gold foil stamp, but the 3000 hits is too light.

 Why didn't they gold stamp these like the card above.  It looks cheap without it.

 Too much empty space on this card.

 Too much empty space on this card.

 My 2 Target Red Bordered Exclusives are 2 former Oriole 3rd basemen.  Hopefully Bell will run with his next big league opportunity and he won't be "former" anymore and possibly more "future".

So my impressions of series 1.  I think the base cards are pretty nice looking.  Some of the inserts are just "OK".  It really looks like some of them are clearly designed for relic pieces or sticker autographs (too much empty space).  I can't wait to bust more when my hobby box comes on Wednesday.