Saturday, February 8, 2020

2020 Topps Series I First Impressions


Finally found some 2020 Topps Series 1 today at the card show - I purchased 2 Hobby packs and some assorted singles. Kyle Schwarber gets the nod as the first card from the first pack.


The backs are a slightly less fun, less colorful version of the 2019 backs. Like last year, design elements from the card front carry over to the back, and there is an attempt to retain team specific colors front to back. It was Lost Collector's tweet that I read this morning pointing this out first, but the other immediately noticeable difference this year is the gloss on the front of the card. These cards are treated on the surface with... something. My hope is that it doesn't have any long term effects on the card fronts, like causing the cards to bow or fade or ... I don't know what. They feel kind of creepy to sort. 


To refresh your memory, here are the last four designs of the 2010s. 


There are some good photo choices and decent framing of those photos in Series 1.


Rookies rule the world this time around, the best two in my 2 packs were hurlers Dylan Cease and Jesus Luzardo. Omar Narvaez is playing at Target Field, with a cameo from Jason Castro.

Ramon Laureano has a familiar photo - this was the same shot used on a Topps NOW card last year. The cool thing about that it is it makes identifying the play much easier. This was Topps NOW #119, from April 21, 2019. Laureano robbed Teoscar Hernandez of a homer, then flung the ball back to the infield. It could have been an error, but the expansive foul territory in Oakland allowed for the ball to stay in the ballpark again, and the A's turned a double play by gunning down Justin Smoak, who was trying to advance to second on the errant throw.


The insert from the packs were a Cleveland Best Teams of the 2010s card, and the Robin Yount above. The best card I found in either Hobby pack was the Pete Alonso Rookie Cup card. Browsing singles, I added the Ichiro and Aquino 1985 inserts. I think I'm collecting Aquino now, why not?


No Twins at all pulled, so I added this Turkey Red insert of Eddie Rosario. Rosie is not in the Series 1 base set, but you are all on notice now -- I am going all in on a ROSIE RAINBOW for 2020 Series 2. 2020 VISION -- ROSIE RAINBOW, ALL THE WAY!

For good karma, I will take this opportunity to remind you to send Tom your Vogelbachs, and send Jim your Kiké Hernandezes!


Ok, that's enough yelling for one day. The Rookie Cup is back again, and it is tiny! It's the same size as last year, but somehow the design makes it look even smaller to me. I actually bought these before I found packs, so I have a 2nd Pete Alonso, for anyone wanting to trade for one.


Yordan Alvarez has the Cup and is also designated as a rookie this year, because Topps decided to save him for 2020 instead of jamming him into update.

Overall, this year's set isn't really doing it for me. I'm going to buy some retail at Target if they ever show up, or possibly at the local Walgreens, which started stocking current year Topps cards for the first time ever in 2019. Maybe they will again this year, but I won't hold my breath. Maybe I just need to see some more to decide.

Have you found any packs yet? What are your first impressions?

9 comments:

  1. East metro suburban target and walmart both had 2020 in stock. Hope the card show was a good one. Curious how it went in the smaller space.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Last month there was still ongoing construction, I got the sense today from the vendors that the location might be unstable now, I would be ok with a place a little closer to me, so if they do have to move, I hope it works out for the best.

      Delete
  2. "I think I'm collecting Aquino now, why not?"

    Very bold to collect a guy after he's had a huge BoChro spike where he entered 2019 in a situation where a 13 card lot of his BoChro autos went for $50. He ended the year in a situation where a single BoChro auto of his went for $50.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no! I had no idea that his autos were that hot. Makes sense though. Fortune favors the bold! I will wait a while longer for his autos to flood the market in the next year or two, and pick one up then. Base cards and inserts will do nicely for now.

      Delete
  3. I am still waiting for my Target to stock 2020. I'll try Monday...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Just found my first 2020 Topps yesterday -- I don't love the design but it's always exciting when the new year's cards come out. The Castillo is fantastic (pulled one from my packs as well), I almost didn't notice he's wearing a throwback jersey because of how great the photo is.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The cropping looks on point from what I've seen of the product so far this year. That makes me happy.
    Thanks for the shout-out about the Vogelbach cards. Picked up the rainbow gold fold and vintage parallel yesterday for fair prices. I can't wait to see what they look like in hand. I'm also curious about the extra slick gloss on the cards this year... but I don't think the vintage or foil will have that gloss. LOL I'll get a base card eventually!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've got one going in the mail to you tomorrow

      Delete
  6. Okay... I think I'll have to chase the Laureano rainbow. It's just too sweet of a card.

    ReplyDelete