Another year is upon us, and next to Opening Day and Spring Training, I can't think of anything more exciting in the baseball world than opening the first pack of cards for the year.
Topps is looking to expand its borders in 2016, all the way past the edge of the cards.
The first card of 2016 for me is rising star, outfielder Odubel Herrera. He led the Phillies in WAR in 2015, he could do it again this year. He's a Rule 5 draftee, just like my buddy Johan Santana.
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| the backs. |
The two inserts in the pack - I get what they are going for with Berger's Best, but... Do we really need more reprints? BACK to KCAB is an interesting enough concept to pair some dynamic duos. Should be looking at three Hall of Famers there, hopefully that'll be true this time next year.
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| Here's the back of the Piazza insert, which Topps has helpfully labeled a REPRINT. |
The best images from the first pack were these two horizontal heroes, hoping to be fully upright and healthy in 2016.
First Twin! First Cy Young Winner! First Rookie! First Mookie!
Overall, I like this set - I got a pack (the ones shown above), a Jumbo Pack, and a Blaster. I'll show the rest over the next two days. I will say there are a lot of closely cropped action shots of the pitchers - Arrieta's card is a better looking example. The smoke effect looked really cool on the Buster Posey preview that Topps released, but on some of the cards, it just obscures the context of the action / play.
2015 Topps is dead. Long Live 2016 Topps!
Thumbs down for me. Topps has lost their way. I thought for a while they were wandering in circles but it's clear their gps has abandoned them. hope you find some nice cards. my jumbo box had more dupes than I've ever seen, worse than the update from this past Fall.
ReplyDeleteoof- bad collation is no bueno.
DeleteThis looks like a set that is going to divide the blog world -- some love it, some hate it, and I don't think there's much in between.
ReplyDeleteI feel personally divided - I like some of it, hate some of it ... Time will tell...
DeleteTechnically the Piazza insert is only a half of a reprint (the front), lol. I'm not busting any packs, bought my Braves. I'll wait a year or two, then grab a complete set somewhere on the cheap.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not sold on it, but I still can't wait to buy some! I like those Puig and Springer cards. Two of the best I've seen so far.
ReplyDeleteThere is one card I found in the set that I want, the Berger insert for Brett
ReplyDeleteNot much new in the way of pirates this year, so I'll probably pick up a team set on ebay and cherry pick a few silver framed parallels if they pop up.
ReplyDelete