2008 Topps Heritage High Numbers (and Updates and Highlights) Two Pack Break

I like to call this pack break "The Unsuccessful Search for Kershaw" (spoiler alert).  Remember back in the days of multiple card companies with licenses (after 2005) that there was a limit on how many sets a company could produce each year?

Because of this, this strange hybrid packing system was created where there was a Topps Heritage High Number series (the first of its kind) packaged with two cards from the Update and Highlights series, even though there was already a separate Update and Highlights series.  This was ostensibly done so that the Heritage High Numbers series wasn't counted as a separate release, but rather a "supplementary" release to keep those license limits numbers down.  Of course, that whole story might be wrong.....

Because of this weird hybrid system, there was a double opportunity for a rookie pull of the top pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw.  I dove in eagerly and awaited the ultimate disappointment.

Pack 1

The Pack 1 highlights for me both had Phillies connections.  The Brad Lidge is a nice memory of the halcyon days of the team.  Matt Harrison was traded to the Phillies in the Cole Hamels deal for salary purposes and has retired due to ongoing injuries.  He did have a great 2012, though.   The Harrison is an SP and the Thames is a chrome parallel /1959 (Remember when the chrome parallels were numbered to the year of the Heritage homage rather than /999?).

Pack 2

When I opened pack 2 and saw the "star rookie" design, my hopes did rise a little.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  Carlos Gonzalez was briefly an Athletic and then traded to the Rockies in the deal for Matt Holliday (anyone remember that?).  Justin Masterson is best remembered for being the Indians Opening Day starter for three straight years.

The Mike Jacobs is another chrome parallel card /1959, and I got the "hit" of the box with a Curtis Granderson Clubhouse Collection jersey card.  This was back when Granderson was known for joining the 20-20-20-20 club rather than being a power hitter on the New York teams.  Did you know that he is now a member of the 300 HR club?

This also shows the perils of chasing hits for a brand not known for it.  I was satisfied to chase a base card (or two), and instead was pleasantly surprised by the results even with ultimate prize not attained.