Two Pack Challenge - 2017 Topps Heritage High Numbers
Before today's planned photo tour around east Denver, I made a "waiting for sunrise" stop at a local WalMarts. I forgot why I went there, as in what I was going to buy... Once there, I remembered one of the things I needed...
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to add the 2017 baseball cards that I'd planned on keeping onto the album shelves. This amounted to roughly 500 cards from the various 2017 releases.
A number way down from other years on my album shelves, with notable gaps like Archives and Bowman Platinum (which I never found at the retail level) and nowhere near as much Stadium Club as I would have liked...
While I still had a full pack of open 9-pocket pages to house my keepers, I did not have any available card albums to house those pages...
After a careful mid-sorting debate, I chose to temporarily displace my 1991 Stadium Club set until I could make it right.
Say what you will about 1991 Stadium Club -and it's totally reeking of Junk Waxousity- it's still a beautiful set that holds up well today.
I have a lengthy post in the works about this set's influence on both the hobby and my own personal collecting stories...
Less than a decade ago, I was picking up 3" binders that were specifically labeled for baseball cards at 3 for $12. And this was from a hobby shop, not the cheapest model available from WalMarts...
The Four Baggers and Foreclosures patented Two Pack Challenge is better suited for a product like Topps Heritage. Since this line is more driven by base cards, instead of supa-rare lottery inserts, I can more objectively pick out my most favorite and least favorite from each pack.
I went in knowing I likely wouldn't feel much buyers remorse with these. 1968 Topps is still one of my favorites, despite only owning less than 30 cards total.
I didn't buy much of the low numbers, so let's see how the Two Pack Challenge of the "high number" series weighs out...
Former first round draft pick of the Washington Nationals in 2007, out of high school in Georgia. Smoker battled injuries and control issues to finally make the major leagues in 2016. The hard throwing lefty managed to pile up the strikeouts and walks out of the bullpen. At age 28, he likely wont become the star the Nats hoped for, but may have a few decent seasons. At least he finally made it.
Nothing against Straily. This is my least favorite card because I can't stand the Marlins uniforms. I can't look at them without seeing Jeff Loria's smirking chubby face... I really want Derek Jeter to use some of the money he saved in sending Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees* on designing some better uniforms for the fish...
*A co-worker of mine offered the theory that Jeter bought the Marlins in order to send their best players up to New York... He may be on to something...
I like Holland, he was a big part of the Rockies success in 2017. But when you get three 2017 Rockies in a 16 card update pack, you almost want them to all be cards of the young quartet of starting pitchers. Holland should have been German Marquez or Antonio Senzatela.
And I'm one of the few card collectors in the country that was happy to draw three Rockies in one pack... They all look pretty cool...
My introduction to the bad taste in your mouth that was 2017 Topps Update was Night Owl's legit complaint about Taylor's omission in that set. He noted that Taylor made it into Heritage, and I pulled it from the first pack!
Sentimental favorite from his two seasons with the Rockies (2015-16). I had a tough time coming up with a favorite from this pack. I liked a lot of the cards.
The Descalso rule of this pack also applies to Vogelbach. What would otherwise be an awesome photo, ends up being a strange perspective mindbend. His head is way too small, and his way too large arms are made of silly putty...
An insert based on the 1968 Topps Test Issue of the same name. At first I thought this card/disc was ugly, but it's grown on me. McCutchen is one of my top favorite players that I don't actively collect.
Colorado just signed Chris Iannetta to a contract for 2018. I liked him during his first stint with the Rockies. The plan is for Iannetta to platoon with either Murphy or Tony Wolters at catcher. I'd hoped they'd resign Jonathan Lucroy, but I can see the point of view of going in this direction.
I was surprised and happy to see this card. Albers pitched decently in limited action for the Twins in 2013 and 2016. He also bounced around Korea, Toronto, Venezuela and various minor and independent leagues until going to 2017 Spring Training with Atlanta. He spent nearly the full season at AAA Gwinnett, dominating with a 12-3 record, a 2.61 ERA in 120 innings, 115 strikeouts and only 19 walks.
He was traded to Seattle on August 12, 2017, and spent the rest of 2016 with the Mariners. Putting up some decent numbers. 5-1, 3.51 ERA, 37 K and 10 BB in 41 innings (6 starts).
Even if he goes on to pitch a few more seasons in the major leagues, his inclusion in the set (as an Atlanta Brave) is another of those cards that reaffirms that someone at Topps is still interested in keeping some tabs on the obscure.
Is it just me or is Topps Heritage High Numbers the update set that Topps Update should have been? This feels more like Encarnacion's first Topps card with Cleveland more than his Update card ever could.
These cards scream out similarities to the classic Topps Traded sets that spanned 1981-1993, before they became all gimmicked out... Clippard going back to his previous teams after finding employment with 6 different major league organizations, after the Yankees traded him to the Nationals after the 2007 season.
That's exactly the type of card I used to look forward to pulling out of those great little Traded boxes, all with the exact same design from 1981-1991, with just a color change to reflect different years.
With all the retro dead horse beating going on at Topps these days, why have they completely ignored all those iconic 132 card boxed sets? I'm sure they could come up with some sort of game used autographed gimmick to wrap around that concept.
Let's hear it for all sorts of Spring Training and posed photos, instead of the redundant action shots that now plagues Topps flagship set every year... And Knebel (who needs to buy a vowel in the tradition of Hrbek, Gwosdz and Mmhat) who couldn't make his posing more blatantly obvious. What makes this card for me is the the blue #2 placard on the backstop. Can't get much more Spring Training than this...
At $4.98 for a 16 card value pack, that whittles down to 31.25 cents per card. From my two packs, I feel like I got decent enough value.
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to add the 2017 baseball cards that I'd planned on keeping onto the album shelves. This amounted to roughly 500 cards from the various 2017 releases.
A number way down from other years on my album shelves, with notable gaps like Archives and Bowman Platinum (which I never found at the retail level) and nowhere near as much Stadium Club as I would have liked...
While I still had a full pack of open 9-pocket pages to house my keepers, I did not have any available card albums to house those pages...
So I needed this little guy to finish the project...
After a careful mid-sorting debate, I chose to temporarily displace my 1991 Stadium Club set until I could make it right.
Say what you will about 1991 Stadium Club -and it's totally reeking of Junk Waxousity- it's still a beautiful set that holds up well today.
Not in value mind you, but minor historic relevance.
I have a lengthy post in the works about this set's influence on both the hobby and my own personal collecting stories...
But that's for another day...
First, can someone please explain to me why a simple 3 inch wide 3 ring binder now costs $10?
Less than a decade ago, I was picking up 3" binders that were specifically labeled for baseball cards at 3 for $12. And this was from a hobby shop, not the cheapest model available from WalMarts...
Since I was already making this commitment,
I found some more new-to-me 2017 baseball to sample:
I found some more new-to-me 2017 baseball to sample:
Topps Heritage High Numbers!
The Four Baggers and Foreclosures patented Two Pack Challenge is better suited for a product like Topps Heritage. Since this line is more driven by base cards, instead of supa-rare lottery inserts, I can more objectively pick out my most favorite and least favorite from each pack.
I went in knowing I likely wouldn't feel much buyers remorse with these. 1968 Topps is still one of my favorites, despite only owning less than 30 cards total.
So I'm fine with a 2017 knockoff.
Or an updated knockoff...
I didn't buy much of the low numbers, so let's see how the Two Pack Challenge of the "high number" series weighs out...
Pack #1
Michael Saunders - Phillies
Kyle Freeland RC - Rockies
Edwin Encarnacion - Indians
Martin Maldonado - Angels
Dan Straily - Marlins
Ian Kennedy - Royals
Jeff Hoffman - Rockies
Greg Holland - Rockies
Kris Bryant - Cubs - Award Winner
Brandon Phillips - Braves
Mark Canha - Athletics
Josh Smoker - Mets
Chris Taylor - Dodgers
Joakim Soria - Royals
Jeremy Jeffress - Rangers
Andrew Toles RC - Dodgers
Most Favorite - Josh Smoker
And his name is Smoker...
Least Favorite - Dan Straily
Nothing against Straily. This is my least favorite card because I can't stand the Marlins uniforms. I can't look at them without seeing Jeff Loria's smirking chubby face... I really want Derek Jeter to use some of the money he saved in sending Giancarlo Stanton to the Yankees* on designing some better uniforms for the fish...
*A co-worker of mine offered the theory that Jeter bought the Marlins in order to send their best players up to New York... He may be on to something...
Most Inserty - Kris Bryant - Award Winner
I really don't like this card... Nothing about it says 1968...
Most Rockiesest - Freeland, Hoffman and Holland
I like Holland, he was a big part of the Rockies success in 2017. But when you get three 2017 Rockies in a 16 card update pack, you almost want them to all be cards of the young quartet of starting pitchers. Holland should have been German Marquez or Antonio Senzatela.
And I'm one of the few card collectors in the country that was happy to draw three Rockies in one pack... They all look pretty cool...
Most Night Owliest - Chris Taylor
My introduction to the bad taste in your mouth that was 2017 Topps Update was Night Owl's legit complaint about Taylor's omission in that set. He noted that Taylor made it into Heritage, and I pulled it from the first pack!
Pack #2
Brandon Nimmo - Mets
Daniel Descalso - Diamondbacks
Chris Devenski - Astros
T.J. Rivera - Mets
Corey Knebel - Brewers
Brandon Guyer - Indians
Tyler Clippard - Yankees
Tom Murphy - Rockies
Andrew McCutchen - Pirates - Topps Discs
Magneuris Sierra RC - Cardinals
Andrew Albers - Braves
Matt Albers - Nationals
Carlos Asuaje - Padres
Derek Law - Giants
Dan Vogelbach - Mariners
Daniel Nava - Phillies
Most Favorite - Daniel Descalso
Sentimental favorite from his two seasons with the Rockies (2015-16). I had a tough time coming up with a favorite from this pack. I liked a lot of the cards.
This was basically the winner of a 10-sided coin toss... It came up nose...
Least Favorite - Dan Vogelbach
The Descalso rule of this pack also applies to Vogelbach. What would otherwise be an awesome photo, ends up being a strange perspective mindbend. His head is way too small, and his way too large arms are made of silly putty...
Keeney!!!
Most Inserty - Andrew McCutchen - Topps Discs
An insert based on the 1968 Topps Test Issue of the same name. At first I thought this card/disc was ugly, but it's grown on me. McCutchen is one of my top favorite players that I don't actively collect.
But I don't tend to get rid of his cards either...
Most Rockiesest - Tom Murphy
Four Rockies out of 32 cards. This would make only me happy...
Colorado just signed Chris Iannetta to a contract for 2018. I liked him during his first stint with the Rockies. The plan is for Iannetta to platoon with either Murphy or Tony Wolters at catcher. I'd hoped they'd resign Jonathan Lucroy, but I can see the point of view of going in this direction.
Most (Kinda) Twinsiest - Andrew Albers
I was surprised and happy to see this card. Albers pitched decently in limited action for the Twins in 2013 and 2016. He also bounced around Korea, Toronto, Venezuela and various minor and independent leagues until going to 2017 Spring Training with Atlanta. He spent nearly the full season at AAA Gwinnett, dominating with a 12-3 record, a 2.61 ERA in 120 innings, 115 strikeouts and only 19 walks.
He was traded to Seattle on August 12, 2017, and spent the rest of 2016 with the Mariners. Putting up some decent numbers. 5-1, 3.51 ERA, 37 K and 10 BB in 41 innings (6 starts).
Even if he goes on to pitch a few more seasons in the major leagues, his inclusion in the set (as an Atlanta Brave) is another of those cards that reaffirms that someone at Topps is still interested in keeping some tabs on the obscure.
*******
Final Verdict
Is it just me or is Topps Heritage High Numbers the update set that Topps Update should have been? This feels more like Encarnacion's first Topps card with Cleveland more than his Update card ever could.
These cards scream out similarities to the classic Topps Traded sets that spanned 1981-1993, before they became all gimmicked out... Clippard going back to his previous teams after finding employment with 6 different major league organizations, after the Yankees traded him to the Nationals after the 2007 season.
That's exactly the type of card I used to look forward to pulling out of those great little Traded boxes, all with the exact same design from 1981-1991, with just a color change to reflect different years.
With all the retro dead horse beating going on at Topps these days, why have they completely ignored all those iconic 132 card boxed sets? I'm sure they could come up with some sort of game used autographed gimmick to wrap around that concept.
You can have that one for free Topps...
But I'd like an autographed Byron Buxton card if you want to repay me!
Let's hear it for all sorts of Spring Training and posed photos, instead of the redundant action shots that now plagues Topps flagship set every year... And Knebel (who needs to buy a vowel in the tradition of Hrbek, Gwosdz and Mmhat) who couldn't make his posing more blatantly obvious. What makes this card for me is the the blue #2 placard on the backstop. Can't get much more Spring Training than this...
Full Stats on the back! Learn from your own product Topps!
Yeah, I really like these...
At $4.98 for a 16 card value pack, that whittles down to 31.25 cents per card. From my two packs, I feel like I got decent enough value.
There was nothing that insulted me and the cards were fun to look at.
And it was refreshing to NOT see Cody Bellenger or Aaron Judge...
******
Regarding today's photo tour, It was needed to add depth to my big upcoming Christmas Story!
Here's a hint...
******
And super special congratulations to Jack Morris, who was just elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (via Modern Era Committee vote) about ten minutes ago.
1991 World Series Game 7 is still the best game I've ever seen pitched...
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