2003 Fleer Avant Baseball (Hobby)

Since I'm a semi-regular contributor to this blog, it's only right that I use my not-so recent group break to pad the listings on here. What good is it to open a pack without contributing to the cause? So, I'm going to be featuring one pack from each of the seven boxes I opened for the group break. In each case, this will be the first pack seen on video. That means, if you've already watched months ago, then you know what's coming.

Only 4 cards per pack, but they must be good because they all either feature Avant Technology, or they are serially numbered. Sometimes both! We may even find an auto of cover boy Derek Jeter featuring Avant technology numbered to 25. Just not in this pack.

#4 - Barry Bonds - The scans will not do these cards justice. The white border is raised and textured. The card is nice and thick and sturdy. This is what premium is supposed to feel like. I don't know if this was considered a premium type product when it came out, but I imagine it was. Very nice card of cheating convict Bonds with the "Siants?"

#44 - Scott Rolen - The backs of these cards confused the hell out of me. Each one says "Congratulations!" But all they're congratulating you on is having the card with Avant technology. Methinks they think too highly of themselves.

#CC-AR - Alex Rodriguez - Candid Collection - Jersey 005/150 - Yes, it's another A-Rod. I think that makes 3 out of the first 4 first packs that he appeared in. Here, it's in a picture slide/proof styled relic. I'm not really sure how they can call this "Candid" collection, when the photo is obviously posed.

#9 - Miguel Tejada - My only complaint about this set is that there is way too much white border. They could have made the name and/or team name bigger with all that space, too. Switch the massive AVANT advertisement (yes, we get it, they're special) and put the team up there.

And that's a small sampling of Avant. I busted a whole box of the stuff and I still don't get what's special about the technology. Don't get me wrong, they're great looking cards, but...it just looks like a photoshop filter to me. Maybe this was tougher to do way back 8 years ago. Maybe there's some other element that I'm not seeing, but if I'm not seeing it, the general public ain't going to be demanding Avant technology to spread through the hobby like refractor technology did.