Showing posts with label Baseball Cards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baseball Cards. Show all posts

Monday, July 9, 2018

2018 Topps Finest Review | Checklist, Odds, Variations & More

Serving collectors with a mix of simplicity coupled with a high-end finish, 2018 Topps Finest looks to satisfy hobbyists’ urges to have a product that delivers in both price and presentation. The set's chrome cards shine and glisten in a field where appeal is at a premium. Topps has cleverly packaged 2018 Topps Finest master boxes with two six-pack mini boxes, each with five cards per pack.

2018 Topps Finest - Topps

2018 Topps Finest Base Set, Short Prints, Parallels, and Checklist

The 100-card base set provides a sampling of stars from around the league with about 20 rookies sprinkled in, including Shohei Ohtani. While Topps made sure that the cream of the league is accounted for, fans of the smaller market teams will find that only one of their players made the cut, or in the case of the Miami Marlins, none at all. Despite Miami’s absence from the set, collectors will still be satisfied with the starry design that has become the hallmark of Topps Finest.

The base set is also designed in Topps' classic colored parallels (Purple #/250, Blue #/150, Green #/99, Gold #/50, Orange #/25, Red #/5, SuperFractor 1/1), allowing collectors to corner the market on their favorite players. This box yielded a Maikel Franco Blue Parallel #/150.

2018 Topps Finest / Topps
Further adding to the chase in 2018 Topps Finest are 25 short printed cards, which includes Atlanta Braves sensation Ozzie Albies. Coming in at a rate of 1:28 packs, their scarcity will undoubtedly make Albies’ rookie from this set one on collectors’ checklists for the rest of the season. Click here to download the entire checklist, which includes all of the base set, short prints, and inserts.

2018 Topps Finest Autographs

2018 Topps Finest Rhys Hoskins Finest Hour / Topps
Each master 12-pack master hobby box advertises two autographs. The box provided for this review drew a spectacular looking Rhys Hoskins Finest Hour Refractor autograph (1:156 packs) and a Dustin Fowler base autograph, both on-card signatures. Rarer signed inserts include a Cal Ripken Die-Cut Finest Careers subset that are serial numbered to 10, and the Sitting Red autograph series (1:544 packs) that includes the likes of Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Manny Machado, and Mike Trout.

2018 Topps Finest Inserts

For 2018’s iteration of Topps Finest, it appears that Topps has placed an increased focus on the base set and autographs, narrowing the inserts to only a handful of subsets: Cornerstones, Sitting Red, Finest Firsts, and the Cal Ripken Finest Die Cut Careers. Topps extends the life of both the inserts and the base set in the form of different colored serial numbered parallels. One hopes that Topps will keep this theme throughout their future 2018 products, making their insert sets easier to digest and track down.

2018 Topps Finest Sitting Red Inserts / Topps
2018 Topps Finest Inserts / Topps
Sorting through the bevy of Topps’ annual baseball card issues, it is easy to overlook Topps Finest, as it comes right before the hyped releases of 2018 Topps Series 2 and 2018 Topps Stadium Club; however, this should not be an excuse to take a pass on it. Enthusiasts who take the dive into 2018 Topps Finest will find a product that supplies fine looking cards that create a spectacular backdrop for their autographed versions.

Monday, July 2, 2018

2018 Topps Pro Debut Baseball Review - A set right on time for summer travels

With school out and temperatures heating up, families are heading on road trips throughout the summer. Along their journeys will be stops at minor league stadiums across the country, filled with the hopes of cheap entertainment and a glimpse at the next major league superstar. Topps helps fans traverse the bush leagues with their release of 2018 Topps Pro Debut, saving a trip for those who cannot get to the reaches of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Everett, Washington; or Biloxi, Mississippi.
2018 Topps Pro Debut / Topps
The 200-card base set features a wide representation of the top prospects across all levels of the minor leagues. Ronald Acuña, Hunter Greene, Royce Lewis, and Gleyber Torrres are some of the more notable players in the set, and Topps adds a nice wrinkle by leaving card number 200 for the former Heisman Trophy winner turned New York Mets outfield hopeful, Tim Tebow. Also of note within the base set is a card dedicated to Derby, the late bat-retrieving dog from the Trenton Thunder.


After spending some time handling the set, the striking design is more evident upon further handling. When holding the cards at an angle to the sunlight, the action photos are set so that the image isolates from the background, giving the appearing of the action jumping off the card. This effect gives collectors a premium looking card without the price tag of a chrome issue.


The insert sets include those that you would expect from the oddities of attending a minor league baseball game. Topps dedicates one set to the travels of minor league baseball writer Benjamin Hill, who chronicles the culture for MiLB.com. Another set highlights the various tribute night uniforms worn across the leagues that serve to drive attendance and apparel revenue.



Following the lead of their major league releases, 2018 Topps Pro Debut keeps collectors on their toes with base image variations and parallels. This box yielded one image variation (1:100 packs) and two green parallels.


In an effort to drive collectors towards 2018 Pro Debut, Topps advertises two relic cards and two autographed cards per box. The box provided for this review was a bonus of sorts, as it drew three relic cards (two of Tim Tebow), as well as two base autographs of Kevin Maitan and Ryan Vilade. The real treat of the autographed inserts is the Splash of the Future set, which are serial numbered signed cards that feature a distinct mostly black and white image that sets it apart from the base set.


As minor league stadiums across the country begin to fill up and they play out their own midsummer classics, fans will be in search of Topps branded cards of their newly discovered future stars to collect and chase autographs. With a box of 2018 Topps Pro Debut clocking in at $70, the recipe is right for a fun-filled summer at the ballpark.


Thursday, May 17, 2018

2018 Bowman Baseball Review – How 2018 Bowman is setting a fever pitch in the industry

Immediately following the release of 2018 Bowman Baseball, prominent sports card dealers were placing five-figure bounties on the coveted Shohei Ohtani Superfractor card. As of this writing, Blowout Cards has ignited the offer to $100,000; therefore, it is of little surprise that collectors nationwide are posting photos of empty retail shelves in their quest to hit the big time.



While Ohtani has provided the necessary mania to give the sports card industry a shot in the arm, Bowman shows that their 2018 release can stand well on its own despite the hype surrounding one vaunted card. With a clean design and attractive inserts, 2018 Bowman Baseball furnishes a product that has staying power for years to come.


The 100-card base set features the aforementioned Japanese phenom, as well as a keen mixture of rookies and veterans. Ronald Acuña, Hunter Greene, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. all lead the charge of the 150-card prospect set, with their chrome cards serving as sought after treats for those lucky enough to get their hands on an entire box.


Digging into the parallels and inserts, traditional serial numbered colored parallels will keep fans busy tracking down their favorite player’s rainbow, while the new Bowman #Trending and Bowman Birthdays insert sets give a new flavor for collectors to dine upon. Equally pleasing are the Bowman Sterling, ROY Favorites, Scouts Top 100 and Talent Pipeline inserts, with each providing another nuance for consumers to pour into while digging for their golden ticket.


Even though this box did not add six figures to my annual income, it did yield a complete base set, a host of inserts, three numbered parallels, and a refractor autograph of New York Mets prospect Andres Gimenez. Just going through each pack was exhilarating, as there was tremendous excitement on social watching many post stories of their frantic searches for the product.


With box prices trending near $150 due to the increasing reward placed on the Ohtani Superfractor, 2018 Bowman Baseball is still worth diving into just for the exciting ride that could end with a life-changing hit.

Saturday, April 28, 2018

2018 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball | Autographs, Inserts, Checklist, and Review

Sliding in on the heels of 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball, this year’s release of Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball series serves as formidable follow-up a heralded product. The set features a design that contains elements of the old and new school, giving collectors a tasty treat to start the season.

2018 Topps Gypsy Queen Variations and Short Prints / Topps
Immediately noticeable is Shohei Ohtani’s rookie card. With the two-way phenom taking the baseball world by storm, his presence in the set alone will draw fans to this product. Beyond Ohtani’s solo appearance in the base set, 2018 Topps Gypsy Queen has an attractive offering of parallels and variations that add excitement to opening a box (or case) of this product. The Jackie Robinson Day variations, numbered color parallels and rare Bazooka backed cards all give 2018 Topps Gypsy Queen a flavor of its own that will go down smoothly with hobbyists.

2018 Topps Gyspy Queen Bazooka Back / Topps
Each box guarantees two autographs and staying to true form, Topps provided sleek on-card autographs that pop. This box yielded rookie autographs of Garrett Cooper and Anthony Banda, with the latter a limited edition black and white variation. While neither are top prospects, Derek Jeter, Kris Bryant, Sandy Koufax, and the aforementioned Ohtani are some of the high impact names that comprise the autograph subset. For collectors who have better fortunes, their venture into 2018 Gypsy Queen may uncover rare autographed patch books (1:2877 packs) and the interesting pull-up sock relics (1:7920 packs).

2018 Topps Gypsy Queen Garrett Cooper Autograph / Topps
Staying consistent with last year’s release, the Fortune Teller mini insert cards return to feature 20 of the top young talents in Major League Baseball. The Tarot of the Diamond inserts follow along with the gypsy theme, an additional insert set that Topps should continue to preserve for future releases.

2018 Topps Gypsy Queen Tarot Card Inserts / Topps
While the presence of Shohei Ohtani’s autograph will lure many fans to 2018 Topps Gypsy Queen, the set’s pleasurable aesthetic and crisp on-card autographs creates a mystique that will keep fans chasing after it throughout the season.

Friday, March 30, 2018

2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball Review - A new twist on a time honored tradition

The baseball teams have made their way north, far away from their respites in the spring training sun to the realities of another Major League season. This annual tradition is honored with the release of the 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball set. Emblazoned with the Opening Day logo, this set serves as a happy reminder that baseball has once again arrived.

2018 Topps Opening Day / Topps

Topps keeps things short and sweet with the 2018 Opening Day Baseball set, as it checks in at a lean 200 cards. While Opening Day is concentrated on a small amount of players, Topps still managed to get in a bevy of rookies and prospects to the set including the coveted Shohei Ohtani.

With a price point of $36 for a 36-pack box, and a guarantee of one insert per pack, 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball is an affordable entry point to get young fans involved in the collecting hobby. Families will have fun opening a box to compile a complete set, as the box provided for this review not only yielded all 200 base cards, but a few doubles to boot.

New to 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball is the Before Opening Day insert set, which gives fans a look at their favorite players during spring training. The Team Traditions and Celebrations insert set spotlight franchise staples such as Yankees Old Timer’s Day and new quirks such as Beat the Freeze from the Atlanta Braves.

2018 Topps Opening Day Inserts / Topps
While Opening Day is positioned towards a younger demographic with their Mascot inserts, Topps has added a degree of scarcity to their autograph and relic inserts for this set. By placing them at the rate of one per every 1-2 cases, Topps has given collectors a further reason to go deeper into this product beyond the base set.

2018 Topps Opening Day Inserts / Topps
Sporting an improved insert lineup and a base set that includes Shohei Ohtani’s first official Topps rookie card, 2018 Topps Opening Day Baseball set has positioned itself as a cost-effective option for fans to get started collecting this baseball season without feeling like they’ve broken the bank in the process.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

2018 Donruss Baseball Review - How Donruss is creating marvels for the upcoming season

Cracking open a box of 2018 Donruss Baseball, collectors are kept on their toes with the robust assortment of variations and parallels that reside in each pack. While Donruss boasts the inclusion of Shohei Ohtani’s coveted autographs, the depth and historical connections of make a box 2018 Donruss Baseball a marvelous experience even for the most seasoned of collectors.

2018 Donruss Shohei Ohtani Mound Marvels / Donruss

The 270-card base set contains the Donruss Rated Rookie and Diamond Kings staples, combined with a wonderful mix of coveted young stars such as Aaron Judge, Rafael Devers, and Rhys Hoskins, as well as cards of past and present icons in the famed 1984 Donruss design that includes Mickey Mantle.

2018 Donruss Mickey Mantle / Donruss

Donruss added a new twist to the base set in 2018, inserting multi-player cards that feature some of the top pairings in the game. The Houston Astros keystone combination of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, and Dodgers mainstays Clayton Kershaw and Corey Seager make up some of the modern duos featured in the set. Maintaining their bridge across generations, Donruss honors vintage duos such as Montreal Expos Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Andre Dawson, and Big Red Machine stalwarts Dave Concepcion and Tony Perez.

2018 Donruss Multiplayer Parallel / Donruss

Drilling down on the base set, collectors will find many curveballs that will force them to keep their eyes on each card. The first are the nickname parallels, with Aaron Judge being cleverly renamed the “NY 12th Judicial District,” teammate Gary Sanchez labeled as “The Kraken,” and Francisco Lindor as, “Mr. Smile.” The second are the image variations, which exist on both the regular base cards and the 1984 designs. A helpful tip for most of the base variations are the black baseball on the top left of reverse side of the card.
2018 Donruss Base and Variations / Donruss
The variations are so plentiful in 2018 Donruss Baseball, that after opening two boxes, I was still over 50 cards shy of a complete base set, while compiling doubles of each variation. Even though the difficulty of building a complete set might be frustrating for some collectors, the ensuing numbered parallels, autographs, and relics more than made up for it.

2018 Donruss Signature Series / Donruss
Each box guaranteed three hits, and between the two boxes, there were a total of three autographs, two Signature Series cards and one autographed relic card. The other three hits were relic cards, including that of New York Mets hopeful and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow.


The serial numbered parallels were plentiful between the two boxes, yielding inserts of Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Max Scherzer in a wide color palette that is sure to draw the interest of many collectors.

2018 Donruss Parallels / Donruss
Despite the long odds at a complete set, collectors have a lot to look forward to by opening a box (or two) of 2018 Donruss Baseball. The clean design and exciting inserts, combined with the player selection that is tinted with just the right amount of nostalgia, drive interest in the product that goes well beyond the prospect of landing a Shohei Ohtani autograph.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Top 5 Reasons to Love 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball

Topps resurrects their 1969 design with the release of 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball. This set is beloved by collectors for a variety of reasons, primarily due to the fine details they replicate as an homage to the throwback issue. We cracked open a fresh box of 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball and found these five hallmarks that will make you fall in love with this year's set.


5) Player Checklists –
Trying to keep track of your 2018 Topps Heritage set? How about some help from Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Kris Bryant? Staying true to form of the 1969 Topps protocol, 2018’s checklist cards feature face shots of today’s top stars, providing collectors with an additional look at their favorite players while they mark off their progress towards a complete set.

2018 Topps Heritage Aaron Judge Checklist / Topps

4) Seattle Pilots Autographed Tribute Cards –
A Ball Four revival anyone? Jim Bouton leads the signers from the limited edition 1969 Seattle Pilots 50th Anniversary tribute autographed cards. Former Pilot Steve Whitaker once referred to the team as, “the orphans of the league.” Fifty years later, Topps proves they still have a home in the hearts of fans and collectors with these special autographed cards.

Jim Bouton Seattle Pilots Autograph / Topps

3) Imperfections –
Most modern sets are bred to perfection with borderless images, high gloss finishes, and centered designs. While going through the first few packs of this 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball box, I drew the occasional off-centered card. By the time I opened the last pack, these 60/40 or 70/30 centered cards averaged one per pack. With so many modern issues made in perfect symmetry, pulling some cards that had centering flaws only added to vintage experience that Topps Heritage provides.



2) Variations –
Funky nicknames? Action shots? Color swaps? Newly traded players? Solo rookie prospect cards? Topps has all of the bases covered with the short printed variations in 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball. These detailed variants force collectors are to pour over the details on each card, savoring the nuances to see if they have landed one of these scarce issues.

Victor Robles Image Variation SSP / Topps

1) Shohei Ohtani –
Would it be anyone else? Topps wasted no time getting this year’s most coveted rookie in their 2018 Topps Heritage Baseball set by including Ohtani as a last minute short printed variation to the set. Early sales of his short printed rookie are selling for $200 each, while his autographed versions have sold for in excess of $3,000.
$3,000 anyone?

Saturday, February 10, 2018

2018 Topps Baseball Seres 1 Review - How Topps breathes life into the baseball season

Topps has proved annually that the true signal of the start of the baseball season is now when pitchers and catchers sport, but when their flagship baseball card set is released. With 2018 Topps Baseball Series One's January 31st arrival, Topps has rescued fans and collectors from staring out their windows to wait for the game to start.

2018 Topps / Topps
The fresh borderless designs coupled with the sparkling player names and team logos, push the action images to the forefront to breathe much needed life to the start of the 2018 season. To kick off the excitement of their inaugural 2018 release, Topps allowed fans to vote for the hallowed first card in the set. Their choice was none other than the 2017 American League Rookie of the Year, New York Yankees power-hitting phenom Aaron Judge.

2018 Topps Base Set Cards / Topps
As collectors rip away at packs of 2018 Topps Baseball, they will find an assortment of rookie cards of impact upstarts from last season including Rhys Hoskins, Rafael Devers, Amed Rosario, and Clint Frazier, all of whom have now received the official stamp of approval on their traditional debut issue. Other highlights of the base set include World Series Highlights and team Combo Cards. Parallel issues include the popular Rainbow Foil, Gold (#/2018) versions, and short printed image variations.

Digging into the inserts, collectors will have their hands full working on a master set, as many of the sets contain at least 50 cards. Topps honors the 35th anniversary of the 1983 Topps set with a 100-card subset, book ended by 1983’s top rookies, Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg and Wade Boggs. Topps runs down season highlights with its 100-card Topps Salute set, celebrating the milestones of the 2017, while also promoting the rookies they expect to impact 2018.


Each box also yields an interesting Home Run Challenge card where collectors can reveal a code on the back of the card that allows them to choose a date when they think the player on the front will hit a home run. If they guess correctly, they will win a parallel card of that player, as well as be automatically entered into a drawing for a trip for two to the 2019 Home Run Derby.

2018 Topps Home Run Challenge Card / Topps
While most that are cracking open a box of Topps’ premier product are doing so to explore the new release and go through the tradition of building a complete set, an added bonus is the guaranteed hit of a relic, patch, or autographed card. This box served up a Major League Material Black Relic of Albert Pujols numbered to 99.

Albert Pujols Relic / Topps
One strong memory as a kid was rushing to the store to get some of the new Topps release when it dropped, burrowing through packs to see who made the cut and admire the design. It became an annual event that helped the sorrows of winter pass more smoothly. Fast forward the time machine to 2018, Topps hasn’t changed the script, but has added a variety of inserts to keep collectors excited and created a layout to capture their attention.






Sunday, December 31, 2017

2017 Bowman's Best Baseball Review - Bowman saving the best for last

When it comes to 2017 baseball card releases, Bowman literally saved the best for last. The famed card manufacturer looks to end the year on a high note by closing out the season with 2017 Bowman’s Best Baseball.


The base card design drives the desirability of this release, as the rich colorful backgrounds help the player images jump off the cards, making this Bowman’s most visually appealing set of the year. The 100-card base set, which includes 35 Top Prospect cards, will please those searching for an easy path to completion.



For collectors seeking a greater challenge, Bowman keeps things interesting by favoring its trademark refractor cards. They offer a complete set of base refractors (1 per pack), atomic refractors (1 per master box), as well as numbered colored parallels that vary in scarcity (250 or less). These parallels will further drive collectors 2017 Bowman's Best Baseball just to hunt down "rainbows" of their favorite players.


The insert sets are equally attractive and intriguing. The 1997 Best Cuts insert set pays homage to a classic design, fitting both top-flight minor leaguers as well as retired veterans into the checklist. The Baseball America Dean List’s set gives report card grades to the next wave of prospects, and the Mirror Image inserts pair similar talents on the same card. All of the insert sets have numbered colored parallels, as well as autographed versions (save for the Mirror Image cards).


At a price point of $100 per master box, Bowman delivers value by guaranteeing four autographs. The base autograph set includes established young stars Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Kris Bryant, and Mike Trout, as well as upstarts Brendan McKay, Ronald Acuna, and Royce Lewis. For those lucky enough to pull a rarer autograph insert from this set, they could find themselves with one signed by Derek Jeter or Hank Aaron.



Closing Bowman’s release calendar for the year, 2017 Bowman’s Best Baseball provides an attractive mixture of design, diversity, and value that will please collectors looking for a place to spend their newly found holiday riches.


Tuesday, December 26, 2017

2017 Bowman Draft Review - A fresh look at the 2017 MLB Draft class

Baseball card collectors in search of something shiny and new for the holidays have to look no farther than 2017 Bowman Draft Baseball. This set provides fans and collectors a grand opportunity to familiarize themselves with the first official baseball cards of next season’s top prospects.


Each box guarantees three autographs and plenty of chrome cards, both in the form of coveted refractors and serially numbered color variations. Two first-round picks, Minnesota Twins shortstop Royce Lewis (1st overall pick), and Tampa Bay’s two-way player, Brendan McKay, headline the set. While Sports Illustrated cover boy Hunter Greene is noticeably absent, that does not detract from the attention 2017 Bowman Draft Baseball deserves.

The box provided for this review served up a complete base set, which will please collectors looking to get into the depths of each organization’s newest additions to their minor league systems. Putting the base set aside, the chrome cards and color parallels bring the prospects to the forefront and make for attractive additions to any collection.


Bowman has expanded their Chrome Draft autographs to over 75 prospects, which allows collectors a wide assortment of players that they can land in each box. With over a dozen parallel variations of each autographed card, player collectors will be kept busy the entire offseason trying to chase down entire runs of their favorite player’s signature.


Bowman keeps it simple with the chase cards, limiting the hobby boxes to the Defining Moments, MLB Draft History, and Recommended Viewing insert sets. Both the Defining Moments and MLB Draft History sets also have autographed variations, adding to the excitement and potential of scoring a Hall of Fame signature or one from Bowman’s selected group of exclusive young superstars. While the box opened for this review did not yield any of the aforementioned insert autographs, it did provide a rare short print in the form of a Kevin Maitan facsimile signature image variation.


Debuting right in time for the holiday season, 2017 Bowman Draft Baseball makes for a wonderful gift under the Christmas tree that will provide collectors the chance to lose themselves in the 2017 MLB Draft class while they wait for spring training to emerge.