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?