2017 Bowman Chrome Mini-Box Break


I have no wacky title for this...

Last week I covered the singles purchased from Pal’s Sports Cards in Andover, MN, while visiting family on vacation. As I mentioned then, that was my first visit to an actual brick and mortar card store in close to a year. and was looking for some hobby packs to throw some variety amongst the nearly exclusive retail card options I normally have.


2017 Bowman Chrome won that day’s contest for my hobby dollar. 

Of course, everything has to be different now, and Bowman Chrome is no longer the set driven set that it once was, twenty or even ten years ago. Back when discretionary income was somewhat plentiful, I used to love ripping apart a 24 pack hobby box or two of Bowman Chrome every year. I never built the sets, but had decent luck in pulling some of the hot autographs each offseason…

In 2017, Bowman Chrome has fallen victim to the marketing of strategy of (Topps) Finest. Another product I rarely buy anymore. The format of a 24 pack hobby box that I have fond memories of is now a 12 pack box, split into two 6-pack mini-boxes...

Half as many cards as you used to get, for slightly more money! 

But you are now guaranteed to get two autographed cards! 

One per each mini-box! 

And the complete base set is only 100 cards!

At least there was an increase in cards per pack in comparison to 2017 Topps Chrome (which I discussed a month or so ago, over here). With Topps Chrome, you got only 4 cards in a pack. (Three of which are Aaron Judge…) But Bowman Chrome boosts that value all the way up to FIVE cards per pack!!!


My mother and I chose to split a 2017 Bowman Chrome Master Box, each of us buying one of the mini boxes of six 5 card packs.

Per pack, you’ll receive four base and one insert and/or parallel cards.

Doing the math, the six packs in each of the two mini boxes, came to roughly $8 per pack.

Five cards each weighs in at a whopping $1.60 per card!

Why do you have to overly complicate things Topps?

Is it any wonder why I’m collecting far fewer cards these days?

Anyways…

Once again going to describe the mini box break, I will reveal my favorite and least favorite card in each pack. But like with Topps Chrome, the insert card almost always won out as my "favorite". So that will remain it's own category once again…


Pack 1

Scott Kingery - Phillies
Mark Zagunis - Cubs
Luis Castillo - Reds - Bowman Top 100 (1:3 packs)
Miguel Cabrera - Tigers
David Ortiz - Red Sox


Most Insertiest - Luis Castillo

I think the Bowman Top 100 set looked better in previous years… This is still nice, but the design doesn’t grab me the way it should. Hopefully Castillo turns out to be a decent pitcher. The Reds need all the help they can get. As do the Marlins, who traded Castillo last offseason…


Most Favorite - David Ortiz

Technically, Ortiz shouldn’t have a card in this set. After all, he retired last year…
Though it’s hard to hate Big Papi…


Least Favorite - Scott Kingery

A boring prospect card that barely beat out slightly less boring Mark Zagunis (and that was only because Zagunis is a catcher) for least favorite. However, I do like the prospect cards more than the veteran cards for one reason… Check out the Phillies team logo, vs the Red Sox logo on the Ortiz card. The shattered mirror effect on the logo just looks so much cooler…

So good job there Bowman.

Pack 2

Torii Hunter Jr - Angels
Yusniel Diaz - Dodgers
Heath Quinn - Giants - Purple Shimmer (1:12 packs)
Mike Trout - Angels
Sonny Gray - Athletics


Most Insertiest - Heath Quinn

I can’t stand the Giants. This is a great looking card that would look so much better with any color other than orange clashing with the purple… Put a blue or black jersey on Mr. Quinn (and trade him to a better team), and you’ve got an awesome card in your hands.


Most Favorite - Sonny Gray

I like Sonny Gray. Not so much as a Yankee… 


Least Favorite - Mike Trout

Nothing against Trout, who is quickly becoming one of the greatest players of this generation. But that photo bores me to tears… Basic swing follow through, goofy look on his face…. Seen it…

Give me a photo of Trout making a ridiculous catch, or making contact with his swing, or in a boat fishing… Come on, at $1.60 a card, I expect more for my superstars!


Oh... Cool! - Torii Hunter Jr.

I was surprised to pull the rookie card of longtime Twins and Angels outfielder Torii Hunter. I knew that Hunter Jr. was playing college football, but didn’t know he signed with the Angels.


From the looks of it, he doesn’t appear to be a standout baseball prospect, but time will tell… His father took time to develop into a great center fielder.

Pack 3

Nick Gordon- Twins
Leody Taveras - Ranger
Sixto Sanchez - Phillies - Prospect Autograph (1:11 packs)
Brian Dozier - Twins
Corey Seager - Dodgers

Most Twinsiest (tie) - Brian Dozier & Nick Gordon


I like both of these cards, even casting aside the Minnesota bias. Dozier appears to be legging out a Target Field triple, in his already dusty uniform, against the Royals.


Nick Gordon is making a throw to first in a Spring Training game, meaning they didn’t have to Photoshop a Twins uniform on one of our top prospects. Gordon is quickly developing into Minnesota's shortstop of the future. But I wonder if he'll hit enough, especially considering how Jorge Polanco finished the 2017 season...


Most Insertiest - Sixto Sanchez - Prospect Autograph

The guaranteed autograph in my mini-box came in pack #3. I’ve never heard of Sixto Sanchez before.


Flipping the card over reveals an athlete that could develop into something better than the 28 year old A-ball relief pitcher that I usually get for my Bowman autograph…

Born in 1998… Wow, I’m old…

In case you were wondering, the guaranteed autograph in the second mini-box that my mom purchased, was also Sixto Sanchez. But hers was a numbered Refractor parallel of some color. Much cooler than the autograph I got, but I found it lame that both autographs in the Master box were the from the same guy…


Most Favorite - Corey Seager

Seager is not my most favorite. That would have to go to one of the other three cards I already mentioned. So my card ranking system is flawed. Oh well…


Least Favorite - Leody Taveras

Taveras is also not my least favorite. I have nothing against him other than I hate Texas. Flipping that card over, it tells him that Leody is the cousin of 2007 Colorado Rockies center fielder Willy Taveras. So bonus points then…

Pack 4

Domingo Acevedo - Yankees
Bobby Bradley - Indians
Alex Reyes - Cardinals - Short Print Photo Variation (1:119 packs)
Jordan Montgomery - Yankees
Robert Gsellman - Mets


Most Insertiest - Alex Reyes SP

When I pulled this card, I didn’t realize it was a short print until later. The rookie short prints fall at a rate of roughly 1:10 boxes, making the Reyes a near case hit. That’s pretty cool, but photo variations are a bit too gimmicky for my tastes. A card this “rare” should also look far more special…


Most Favorite - Domingo Acevedo

I don’t know much about Acevedo, but this card struck me out of the pack. It’s a classic pitching pose, and the dark colors of the card just look good to me. Even the Topps patented “action face” isn’t too obnoxious, though I wish they’d pull the camera back a bit on some shots…


Least Favorite - Robert Gsellman

Conversely, the Gsellman card just bothered me on multiple stupid levels. Mainly, I think it’s the hat… Bright orange with the skipping Mr. Met logo just doesn’t work.

Then there’s the big mess of whatever that is going on around his neck… I understand wearing the beard and long hair, it’s a look I still rock due to apathy and laziness, but there is just a bit too much going on facially for me to be on fully board with.

And that off-white glove is off-putting…

Nothing personal...

Pack 5

Joshua Lowe - Rays
David Lindsay - Mets
Joe Jimenez - Tigers - Bowman Top 100 (1:3)
Yoan Moncada - White Sox
Jharel Cotton - Athletics


Most Insertiest - Joe Jimenez - Bowman Top 100

This packed bored me… Joe Jimenez bores me… The Detroit Tigers bore me…


Most Favorite - Yoan Moncada

A couple of months ago, I predicted that Moncada would have a better career than Aaron Judge when all is said and done. As I stated then, I base that on nothing but my own opinion. Since making that bold statement, I’ve decided that I should solidify my stance and collect Moncada cards. I’m putting very little effort into that idea, but I am doing it…

This card brings my Moncada collection up to 4, I think…


Least Favorite - Jharel Cotton

Cotton made the least favorite because I didn’t like his Topps action face. Lowe and Lindsay’s Topps action faces were more subdued, so Cotton takes the non-honor… But unlike Lowe and Lindsay, Cotton is a major leaguer… So who really is the least?

Pack 6

Gleyber Torres - Yankees
Jonathan Arauz - Astros
Carson Kelly - Cardinals - Arizona Fall League (1:6)
Jacob deGrom - Mets
Ryan Schimpf - Padres


Most Insertiest - Carson Kelly - Cardinals - Arizona Fall League

One of 2017 Bowman Chrome’s selling points in early summer promotional material was the Arizona Fall League insert set, falling 1 per mini-box. It’s an ok design, and bonus points are awarded for Topps using an actual AFL game photo for the card.


But the back… Is asking for a AFL season stat line out of line? I see that Topps can tell me what Kelly’s OPS was for playing for Glendale, but nothing more than that? You’ve got all that wasted space on the card back, give me some CONTENT!


Most Favorite - Gleyber Torres

Torres being the top prospect the Cubs traded to the Yankees for Aroldis Chapman and a World Series victory aside, I think this is a really nice photo.


Least Favorite - Ryan Schimpf

While I understand the Padres have few options for showcasing their top Major Legue players for card sets like this, because they have precious few actual major leaguers to promote. Schimpf was a head scratcher for his inclusion in the set. If you look really closely, you can see the opposing dugout behind Schimpf looking bored by his presence.

I almost feel bad for him…

******

Overall impressions of 2017 Bowman Chrome?

They are not terrible! 

They are also not worth paying $1.60 per card for either! 

In fact, other than the Sixto autograph, I don’t think there was a single card from this mini-box that I would pay $1.60 for…

So if that is the best you can get for hobby shop exclusive packs these days, I’m okay with dining on almost exclusively retail. We may not get the shiniest and spectacularist investment options, but when you strike out, it’s not as painful as $48 for nearly zero return.

But that’s what you pay to play the Bowman Chrome lotto… 

******

One more thing before I get to writing Four Baggers post #50…


I saw on the MLB Network that New York Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom recently cut off all his hair. He said that he believed the lack of hair would add a mile per hour or two to his fastball. Now there’s an interesting theory that I doubt has any merit. But if deGrom wants to believe that, I’m not going to tell him different…

I'll miss seeing that glorious mane on cards and video recaps in the future...

******

Even yet one more thing before I get to writing Four Baggers post #50…

2017 Bowman Chrome marks the 20th anniversary of the first Bowman Chrome set that came out in 1997.


Maybe I missed something, but I was disappointed to see no references to the awesomeness that was 1997 Bowman Chrome…


With as big as Topps is on beating you over the head with nostalgia for it’s own products, how could they miss the boat on a complete no brainer?

I did find the new set configuration has cut back dramatically on the amount of base Refractor parallels that you used to get in a box. While they haven't typically seen a major increase in value, they were often just plain great looking cards. Not getting as many is a notable change that greatly affects my final verdict.

Either way, these are nice...

Just not nice enough to see me spending any more money on packs or mini boxes or master boxes of 2017 Bowman Chrome… 

There are a few singles I am interested in purchasing at some point in the future.

I may even choose to spend more than $1.60 on some of them...

******

Coming soon!

Post #50!

Even though I've already revealed the subject on facebook. As a teaser for the blog, I'm just going to say it's another entry in the Abandoned Gas series...


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