2017 Topps Update - The Two Pack Challenge

Knowing that 2017 Topps Update hit retail shelves in the past week or so, I planned on zipping into the WalMarts for my usual two pack sample. For my first purchase of any new card release, I like to buy at least two packs. One to familiarize myself with the product, and a second to try and feel better after the initial disappointment...


Amidst a sea of Panini NFL Football and Basketball, I found Aaron Judge (Wow am I getting sick of him!) staring at the restrooms. Once again, the ratio of Baseball vs Football and Basketball is completely out of whack. The Walmarts had only a small quantity of Topps Update, available in Blaster and Jumbo pack form...

The weigh in affects the call:

Blaster Boxes contain 10 packs of 10 cards each, plus one special card exclusive to retail blasters. A total of 101 cards for $19.97.

Jumbo Packs (or Hanger Boxes or whatever you want to call them) are $9.97 for 72 cards.

Yeah, that math makes it a no brainer...

Let's see how this worked out. And what I liked out of each pack.

Jumbo Pack 1

Joaquin Benoit - Phillies
Joe Smith - Blue Jays
Nolan Fontana (RC) - Angels
Matt Joyce - Athletics


Ian Happ (RC) - Cubs


Trevor Plouffe - Rays
Reynaldo Lopez (RC) - White Sox
Howie Kendrick - Phillies


Cody Bellinger (RC) - Dodgers
Chad Bell (RC) - Tigers
Matt Szczur - Padres
Matt Chapman (RC) - Athletics


Dallas Keuchel (All Star) - Astros
Joey Votto (All Star) - Reds
Yadier Molina (All Star) - Cardinals
Nelson Cruz (All Star) - Mariners
Adam Lind - Nationals
Chicago Cubs - Checklist
Dillon Overton - Padres
Jose Ramirez (All Star) - Indians
Anthony Rendon - Nationals - Checklist
Frenchy Cordero & Allen Cordoba - Padres


Aaron Judge (Home Run Derby) - Yankees


Justin Haley (RC) - Twins
Stuart Turner (RC) - Reds
Justin Smoak (All Star) - Blue Jays
Jake Junis (RC) - Royals
Josh Harrison (All Star) - Pirates
Francisco Lindor (All Star) - Indians


Bradley Zimmer (RC) - Indians
Giancarlo Stanton (Home Run Derby) - Marlins
Tommy Milone - Mets
Jose Quintana - Cubs
Mookie Betts & Manny Machado - M is for Mashing


Matt Belisle - Twins
Dinelson Lamet (RC) - Padres
Mike Ohlman (RC) - Blue Jays
Sammy Solis - Nationals
Luke Vogt (RC) - Cardinals
Logan Verrett - Orioles


Antonio Senzatela (RC) - Rockies
Cameron Maybin - Angels
Brett Cecil - Cardinals
Ryne Stanek (RC) - Rays
Rafael Bautista (RC) - Nationals
Mark Zagunis (RC) - Cubs
Corey Kluber (All Star) - Indians


Cody Bellinger (All Star) - Dodgers
Salvador Perez (All Star) - Royals


Sean Newcomb (RC) - Braves (Gold #1915/2017)
Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox (All Rookie Cup)


Franklin Barreto (RC) - Athletics (Short Print Photo Variation)


Cody Bellinger (RC) - Dodgers (1987 30th Anniversary)


Angels - Postseason Celebrations
Giants - Postseason Celebrations
1998 New York Yankees - Storied World Series


1955 Brooklyn Dodgers - Storied World Series


Tom Foley - Expos - (Rediscover Topps 1987 Buy Back)
Jett Bandy - Brewers
Eric Thames & Ryan Braun - Brewers


Davydas Neverauskas & Gift Ngoepe - Pirates
Domingo German (RC) - Yankees
Cory Seager (All Star) - Dodgers
Gary Sanchez (Home Run Derby) - Yankees
Franklin Barreto (RC) - Athletics (Rookie Debut)
Trey Mancini (RC) - Orioles (Rookie Debut)
Joe Jimenez (RC) - Tigers
Tyler Austin (RC) - Yankees (Rookie Debut)


Zack Greinke (All Star) - Diamondbacks
Phillip Ervin (RC) - Reds
Andrew Cashner - Rangers
Brooks Pounders - Angels
Anthony Alford (RC) - Blue Jays

******

Jumbo Pack 2

Derek Holland - White Sox
Pat Neshek - Phillies


Yu Darvish & Nori Aoki - Coming To America
Nick Goody - Indians
Jared Weaver - Padres
Mike Hauschild (RC) - Rangers
Brian Duensing - Cubs
Brad Goldberg (RC) - White Sox
Tyson Ross - Rangers
Boone Logan - Indians


Emilio Pagan (RC) - Mariners
Travis Wood - Royals
Seth Smith - Orioles
Robinson Cano (All Star) - Mariners
Orlando Arcia (RC) - Brewers (Rookie Debut)
Andrew Moore (RC) - Mariners
Hector Velazquez (RC) - Red Sox
Nick Pivetta & Ricardo Pinto - Phillies
Adam Engel & Willy Garcia - White Sox
Sal Romano (RC) - Reds
Birds in the Garden - Cardinals
Jordan Montgomery (RC) - Yankees


Nolan Arenado (All Star) - Rockies
Amir Garrett (RC) - Reds
Dylan Covey (RC) - White Sox
J.P. Howell - Blue Jays
Keynan Middleton (RC) - Angels
Colby Rasmus - Rays


Taylor Motter - Mariners
Michael Fullmer (All Star) - Tigers
Alex Bregman (RC) - Astros (Rookie Debut)
Corey Dickerson (All Star) - Rays
Run And Hit - Reds
Luis Torrens (RC) - Padres
James Pazos - Mariners
Jhoulys Chacin - Padres
Stefan Crichton (RC) - Orioles
Adam Eaton - Nationals
Peter Bourjos - Rays
Ramon Torres (RC) - Royals


Tzu-Wei Lin (RC) - Red Sox


Paul DeJong (RC) - Cardinals
Brian McCann - Astros
Chase DeJong (RC) - Mariners
Casey Fien - Phillies
Jonathan Schoop (All Star) - Orioles
Yonder Alonso (All Star) - Athletics


Yoan Moncada (RC) - Red Sox (Rookie Debut)
Jason Grilli - Rangers


Boog Powell (RC) - Mariners (Gold #158/2017)


Mike Trout - Angels (Topps Salute)


Charlie Blackmon (All Star) - Rockies (Foil)


Yu Darvish (RC) - Dodgers (Short Print Photo Variation)


Roger Clemens - Blue Jays (Untouchables)


Red Sox - Postseason Celebrations
Giants - Postseason Celebrations


1986 New York Mets - Storied World Series
1942 St. Louis Cardinals - Storied World Series
Carlos Correa & Jose Altuve - Astros


Carlos Correa (All Star) - Astros
Jose DeLeon (RC) - Rays
Pat Neshek (All Star) - Phillies
Kurt Suzuki - Braves


Chris Sale - Red Sox
Neftali Feliz - Royals


Cody Bellinger (Home Run Derby) - Dodgers
Corey Knebel (All Star) - Brewers


Aaron Judge (RC) - Yankees (Rookie Debut)
Tyler Glasnow (RC) - Pirates (Rookie Debut)
Gary Sanchez (All Star) - Yankees
Mike Moustakas (Home Run Derby) - Royals
Mookie Betts (All Star) - Red Sox

******

The verdict... (If Topps is going all in on the Judge gimmick, I may as well infringe...)

Meh...

I'm not collecting the set, so this will likely serve as my only exposure to the set. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a fan of the design, and Topps made a fatal mistake with me in eliminating the full career stat lines.

So yeah... This is what it is...

******

Some other notes that came to mind as I flipped through these...

Why isn't this called Topps Series 3? These look exactly the same as the previous two Topps sets, and become less of an Update set every year. This is just a poor extension of what we've already seen.

And where's my Minnesota Twins Bartolo Colon card?

I can deal with all the All Star cards, it gets the big names into the set, and they get recognition. And I do like the way the All Star Logos fit with the design better than the regular team logos...

But there is so much extra bloat. The Rookie Debut subset is redundant and pointless. How many Cody Bellinger's can you cram into the set?

The limited edition "Short Print" cards are now down to 1 in 4 packs? Since the short printed cards are now that common, Topps had to come up with "Super Short Prints" to keep the gimmick alive...

Stop it Topps. Just stop it.

On the positive side, over the total 144 cards, I relieved no doubles.

In the past, that was something Topps couldn't manage in the initial two pack challenge.

And getting an overrated Rediscover Topps Buy Back junk wax common was cool,
if only because I got to pull a vintage Montreal Expos from a pack in 2017.

Even if it's from 1987 Topps...

Yeah...

Meh...

Comments

  1. GCAOctober 27, 2017 at 11:15 AM

    You pretty much nailed it.

    I'm interested to see how much of a trend this has been over the last few years. Seems like the actual updated players really took a nose dive this year, but maybe you're right. Will have to research that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Captain HonkassOctober 28, 2017 at 5:18 AM

      Each year since 2011, I've bought less and less Topps.... Their product does more to drive me away than draw me in these days.

      I just want to collect a large set, that provides a fairly detailed look at the season it's representing.... A base set shouldn't be about 15 Judges and 14 Bellangers and super duper rare short print 100 lights BOX!

      (sorry, in joke from the gas station days...)

      Delete

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