2020 Bowman Hobby Box Break and Bonus Stuff
More appropriate for current times, it probably should be called 2020 Bowman-sanity. Between deadly virus outbreaks, devastating fires close to home and riots brought on by yet another racially charged police murder, it’s hard to enjoy baseball cards. Especially in the absence of a baseball season. So of course, the collector market caused something I'd really been looking forward to, to become scarcer than it ever has been before. And the prices reflected that. Since nothing else this year makes any sense, why should the traditional joy I get from each year's Bowman Baseball set?
I’m a huge fan of Topps’ Bowman line, and have been for nearly 30 years. This dates back to following minor league prospects in biweekly issues of Baseball America, back in the late 1980’s. Every year, I’d look forward to the release of Bowman, so I could get new cards of the obscure players that hadn’t made the major leagues yet. Or maybe they never would. Needless to say, I was anxiously anticipating the release of 2020 Bowman. April 15th was invisibly circled on my mental calendar for months, as that was the original planned release date for the product.
Due to the unexpected pandemic, reports of Topps (and Panini) needing to delay the release dates of upcoming card sets came out. Due to shut downs at the companies they used to print their cards, it would take longer for the 2020 Spring releases to be printed and packaged. Amongst others, Bowman was going to be delayed.
To appease the salivating throng of hardcore Bowman fans, Topps made a website exclusive “First Edition” set, that was sold online at $14.99 for a 10 card pack. A toned down version of the upcoming Bowman base set, that would come out around the time the original set was going to market. The cards would have a small “First Edition” logo on the front, but would otherwise be the same cards as the delayed Bowman set. But they would be exclusive and rare and blah blah blah… Damn gimmicks I want no part of. So I flat out ignored Bowman First Edition.
With the delays in printing the cards, the actual 2020 Bowman set would hit the market in waves. In many cases, retail outlets received product before the hobby did. Towards the end of May, well over a week before I got my box from the shop up the street, there were reports of retail wax and blasters on the secondary market for exorbitant prices. $75 for a 9 pack blaster box?!?!? While doing my regularly scheduled weekly supply run, I saw the empty gravity hanger box of 2020 Bowman at the local Targets.
I mentioned the lack of retail inventory at my LCS of choice. I was told that the guy responsible for buying all of the 2020 Bowman retail packs and boxes, had stopped by the store. He bragged about his insider connection and ability to time his shopping sprees with the stocking of 2020 Bowman. Working out so he could purchase each store’s allocation, right as it was hitting shelves. Then he’d flip the cards online for a MASSIVE profit.
Not to encourage vigilanteism, but I’d love to find out who that guy is, and follow him around to the local Targets and Wallmarts, then slash his tires in the parking lot! So all of those MASSIVE profits, could go right back into fixing his means of traveling to each of them!
Bowman's multi-colored refractor parallels are always very attractive, but the colors don't always work with the team's colors. An orange Refractor for a Blue Jay? UGLY! But Aqua Blue (or is it Sea Green? I can't keep track of Topps whims...) on a Marlins card? Well, that color scheme just works out perfectly! But I'm not going to write a poem about it...
Since the first two cards I've featured are coincidentally from the Miami Marlins, I'll just continue that thread and show off the rest of the 2020 Bowman Hobby Box Break by team. With the other singles from the card shop visit mixed in as well.
Given the way the franchise has been run since it's 1993 inception, I believe the Miami Marlins are Major League Baseball's most "goth" franchise. That's a future story idea I've been playing with in my head. It may or may not appear here at some point in the future. If it ever makes it out of the "scattered notes phase" of my writing routine.
The design of 2020 Bowman is a lot cleaner than the last few years of Bowman sets have been. These cards will actually stand out as 2020 products by appearance, unlike most of the Bowman sets of the last 15 or so years, which I cannot immediately identify by quick glance. With all of the sorting I've been doing this year, I'm sick of flipping cards over and straining my already bad eyes at the microscopic text on the back, looking for the copyright date, in order to find out where they belong.
Veteran and prospect cards are easily identified as well, by simply reversing the border. Topps didn't go all wacky with nonsensical and unnecessary design elements this year. With baseball cards, keeping it simple is the right way to go.
Out of the box, I found a few veteran cards showing offseason traded players in their new Photoshopped uniforms. I would suspect there would be more in the set, I just didn't find them in my box. I breezed by Mazara at first without realizing it. When I pulled the Starlin Castro card, the implausibility of him playing for the Nationals, when no Major League games had been played, seemed rather strange. And let's hear it for the return of San Diego Padre poop brown and mustard uniforms!
And that's even if Major League Baseball games can and will be played this year. Between the owners acting disingenuous over their financials, and the players union demanding their full (but pro-rated) pay, while the nation faces unprecedented job loss, it's hard to imagine them coming together to save the 2020 season in any form.
And what does all of this mean for each team's top prospects? The 2020 Minor League Baseball season will undoubtedly be lost. Meaning players such as Franco, will lose a full year of development.
I do really like how Topps designed the Chrome parallels. With the 2020 Bowman Chrome logos going up the sides of the borders. Although I prefer how the scans of the base cards look better than the scans of Chrome. So I’m not showing a lot of the Chrome parallels.
Since the available wax was hoarded for resale on the secondary market, there is a lot of product still unopened, yet on the market at mega-inflated prices. As I was writing this, I took a brief look at what the prices were on eBay. While not the best source for true value, the prices on single cards tends to be what I'd expect to see if I found them in a card store. And like at said store, it's my decision if I want to buy at that price.
After doing minimal of research, scanning listings on ebay's "buy it now", for some of the cards I pulled. The price range for Bobby Witt Jr.'s 2020 Bowman Chrome card is currently between $10-$25.
Losing a year of player development, especially hurts rebuilding teams like the Kansas City Royals. With a good season at AA or AAA, Brady Singer could have been on the doorstep of the Major Leagues. Instead, he will potentially lose a full season of his career.
From longtime prospect Daz Cameron (who sorely needs to play, since his career hasn't advanced as predicted) to newer ones like Ulrich Bojarski. Who I'm going to root for because he has a cool name.
Probably a safe bet, since Detroit unwisely signed Cabrera to a ridiculous contract extension a few years back. Meaning no team would likely trade for his declining production around $25 million a year.
Topps has an obsession with revisiting their old designs in EVERY SET THEY PRINT. So of course, 2020 Bowman is waxing nostalgic over 1990 Bowman. A set that absolutely no one feels nostalgic for.
Too bad I didn't pull a Madison Bumgarner card, either in San Francisco Giants form, or in fake Photoshopped D-Bags garb.
Although I did get former Twins overachiever, Eduardo Escobar. Whose career has been way above what anyone could have predicted when Minnesota acquired him in 2012, from the White Sox. Then there's Zac Gallen. A promising starting pitcher those goth Marlins sent to Arizona last July, for shortstop prospect, Jazz Chisholm. Who totally wins in the name category. On the prospect side, it's Alek Thomas. Who I'm always seeming to get Bowman cards of, no matter which product I buy.
Glenallen Hill Sr. was a coach for the Rockies major league staff from 2007 through 2012, then managed the Rockies AAA teams in Colorado Springs and Albuquerque, from 2013-2019. With those family ties, it's funny that Hill Jr. wasn't drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Seems they are trying to build and entire roster of former major leaguer's offspring.
In addition to pulling his 2020 Bowman base card, I picked this up from the team sorted singles boxes at the card shop.
Since it's appearance in the Blue Jays bin last fall, I'd been debating adding this 2019 Topps 35th Anniversary Refractor to my collection. It's a really cool card, so I'm not sure why I waited 8 months to drop a $5 bill on it.
But why didn't Dante Bichette's son get his rookie cards in any 2019 card lines? He appeared in 59 games for the Blue Jays last season, and looks to be a hell of a hitter. I know that Major League Baseball imposes some strange and nonsensical guidelines for who Topps can and can not include in the year end "update" sets. I have no idea why Bichette had to wait a year, when Caven got to have that beautiful refractor card, in 2019 Topps (update) Series 3.
Unless Anthony is related to that insufferable Yankees announcer, Michael Kay, I'm pretty sure Anthony Kay's father had no ties to Major League Baseball. That means Toronto needs to trade him to the Atlanta Braves for Ronald Acuna Sr.'s son. I think that would be a fair trade.
Too bad that a certain Seattle Mariner Hall of Famer didn't have a baseball playing son. I'm sure Toronto would love to have Ken Griffey Jr. Jr. patrolling center field! As much as I'd love to be collecting his cards!
Let's get back to present day, and a player similar to both Dawson and Guerrero Sr., for the team that used to be the Montreal Expos.
Juan Soto is going to be good. Very good. And he's already won a World Championship at only 21 years old. And 2019 Topps Gold Label is a pretty decent looking set.
Almost felt bad for Bryce. He helped build that Nationals franchise for years, then left a season before the big payoff. Small consolation, the Phillies have great throwback uniforms. Better than the Nationals. Except for that one game last summer, where they wore the old Expos powder blues.
Doubtful either of these Phillies top prospects will turn out as goos as Soto. Or Andre Dawson. Or Bryce Harper. Or even either generation of Vladimir's... Maybe they can become some useful pieces for Philadelphia's quest for relevance. They've got a good start, in a rather stacked National League East. Where every team is at least good.
For a set centered around minor league prospects, making a Rookie of the Year Favorites themed insert set is a no brainer. I like how these cards look a lot. The box had three of these insert cards, and also the base cards of the three players pictured on them.
And the guy who may play to his right. Both base and Whatever Blue Parallel, numbered 160/499. Although Topps gold foil number stamping looks slightly off. That 6 is just way to high... However, much like the J.J. Bleday Skull Crushing Teal Refractor parallel, the blue border works great on a Cubs card. If Bryant were with the San Diego Padres, it wouldn't go nearly as well with poop brown.
Bringing us to 2020 Bowman co-cover boy, Gavin Lux. And the guy with that killer ginger afro (also featured on the Rookie of the Year Favorite cards earlier), Dustin May. The Oscar Gamble for a new generation!
Even with the Coronavirus printing delay, Topps didn't bother Photoshopping Betts jersey blue, to make him appear more Dodgerish. I'm kind of surprised by that...
While I'm kind of bummed out the Twins lost a potential star in Brusdar Graterol. (Pictured alongside a 2020 Donruss card that came from the singles boxes.) Just as the Dodgers needed to send some decent prospects to Boston for Betts, the Twins had to give value to get value. Just looking at the 2020 season in a vacuum (provided they ever start playing it), Kenta Maeda probably provides more value to the contending Twins, who needed a dependable starting pitcher. Which may have been Graterol, who knows? If they don't play this year, we'll never know and it wont matter!
Graterol was deemed expendable given the breakout 2019 performance of Balazovic. Although it was only in high A ball. Just 20 years old, Blazovic should have pitched in AA Pensacola in 2020, but that wont happen either.
Vallimont came to the Twins organization as a player to be named later in last July's trade for Sergio Romo. While a little older than Balazovic, Vallimont would have likely been in the same starting rotation with him, for those Blue Wahoos. Vallimont doesn't have the same potential, but could turn out to be a useful piece. Minnesota only gave up a first base/outfield prospect (Lewin Diaz), that was redundant in the Twins farm system, for the two former fish hurlers.
Brent Rooker (in 2019 Bowman form) is a better prospect than Lewin Diaz, and he sits behind a similar player in Trevor Larnach, on Minnesota’s depth chart. Who I didn't buy a card of today...
But my 2020 Bowman box did have cards of the Twins top 2 Prospects. The jury is still out on Royce Lewis' new high leg kick working out for him over the long haul. Although he looked pretty good in the abbrivated Spring Training. But Alex Kirilloff was absolutely murdering the ball before Spring Training was cut short. Looking like a possible midseason call up for Minnesota.
A 2019 Panini Father's Day promotional/bonus/whatever card. It's nearly impossible to see here, but there is a serial number of 29/199 foil stamped on the lower left side.
Minnesota's 2019 first round draft pick was represented with both his base and Chrome prospect cards. Keoni Cavaco did not have a very good Rookie League debut, but the Twins knew he was raw when they drafted him, yet his potential was very high. He's a project the Twins can afford to be patient with.
A pair of Twins veterans from 2020 Bowman. The box was heavy on Twins prospects, which made me happy, but these two were the only Minnesota veterans inside. A minor let down.
As I mentioned when I picked up my 2020 Bowman box, I spent some time flipping through the team sorted single cards. After sanitizing my hands, per store instructions. Due to the recent shut down, it had been at least a couple of months since I’d been able to do this. Pulling desired singles from boxes is one of my favorite card store activities. My routine is usually hitting the Twins, Rockies and Expos boxes first, then checking the other teams. Because there are always other teams’ star cards I feel that are needed in my collection.
I’ve been a big Buxton fan for years, and will always stock up on Buxton cards that I don’t already have. And I keep hoping that each season will be the one where he doesn’t get hurt and lives up to his potential. Maybe if there’s no baseball played in 2020, a full season off will rest and heal his numerous ills. Maybe at full health, we can see Byron Buxton, the MVP candidate.
But not having a 2020 season robs Twins fans a chance at seeing our big offseason splash in action. After flipping through the Twins, Rockies and Expos bins, my next stop was the Oakland Athletics bin, which I always check in honor of Super A’s Fan Rob in New Mexico!
I’m still very anxious to see what Donaldson brings to the Twins. Outside of a dominant ace starting pitcher, a player the caliber of Donaldson, is something this team really needs. He fills a lot of needs for Minnesota, and I’m still somewhat shocked they shelled out the contract needed to sign him.
Josh Donaldson used to play third base for Oakland from 2010-2014. Then they traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays for a bag of magic seeds that never sprouted. But Oakland was able to replace him at third with Chapman. Who is no slouch at the hot corner.
Coming into the 2019 International Free Agent signing period, Robert Puason ranked as the number 2 available prospect. (Number 1 comes in a little later.) Oakland liked Puason so much that they gave him $5.1 million to sign. A huge amount of money considering how financially strapped Oakland has always been when it comes to signing players. Pauson will be a long term project, but he’s got all five tools and looks like he could develop into a superstar. Albeit several years down the road.
Their 2019 first round draft pick. Volpe batted only .219/.349/.355, over 150 plate appearances, as a 19 year old shortstop in the Appalachian League. Drawing 23 walks is something to build off of. Despite the low average, at least he has a clue at the plate.
Everson Pereia would rank high on the Top Whatever, if I were covering this box in that fashion. Multiple nets and a cyclone fence are tough to overcome, no matter how much I may dislike the team. His hitting so far... Slightly better than Vople, but with less walks.
As for Estevan Florial, he's probably ranked among the top 100 prospects in the game, strictly because he's a Yankee. Battling injuries, the 22 year old hasn't even reached AA in 5 seasons. Batting only .273/.297/.383 for his career. Time missed due to injury isn't his fault, but he's been average at best, while still in A ball.
He's only 17. He has played zero Minor League games, at even the lowest of Rookie Ball leagues. His name is always featured as the online draw. Even his base card (like the one I got) is listing on ebay for between $15-$40. His base Chrome lists between $25-$50. With his various parallels and Refractors listing between "good used car" to "brand new electric car" price levels. To put that into perspective, he can't even legally drink a beer for four more years...
Scouting reports place him higher than the Athletics Robert Puason. But not by a whole lot. Both players received $5.1 million for a signing bonus, as International Free Agents. However, Puason's cards are around half that of Dominguez. Nothing against Dominguez, but there's some pretty blatant team bias by collectors. But we'll see. By the time 2040 Bowman comes out, either Dominguez will be a big star, and his 2020 Bowman autographs will range between "good used car" and "fully furnished decent sized condo."
Bowman's traditional “Bowman Scouts Top 100” insert set is one of the nicest designs they’ve used since the set’s inception. That was... 10 years or so ago now? I like that the 100 card set falls at 1 in 4 packs. Some nice cards don't need to be overly rare.
And now, here's another card pulled from the team bins. Carlos Rodon was a former top draft pick, 3rd overall in 2014. Rodon quickly moved to the Major Leagues in 2015, at age 22. And he's been a steady, average pitcher since then. Currently out after Tommy John surgery, so the lack of a 2020 season hasn't been too much of a problem for Rodon.
Why does Luis Robert appear in both the 2020 Bowman Prospects and Veteran sets? He has yet to make his Major League debut, but certainly would have if there were games being played. Chicago signed Robert to a 6 year, $50 million dollar contract in February of this year. Mere weeks before Spring Training was shut down. So that’s probably why he gets special treatment.
Hard to believe the White Sox gave this guy away for a spent James Shields. Imagine him and Yoan Moncada as the left side of your infield. That's potential to be the likes of Arenado and Story, for a certain team that needs a whole lot more. You decide which team that is…
The Talent Pipeline set is another traditional Bowman insert I’ve always liked. Though I wish I would have pulled better teams than the Mets and Dodgers. Unlike whatever year it was that I pulled the Rockies Pipeline card, the only way I get a team that I like is to buy it myself.
I lived in Denver during the peak of Tebow's fame with the Broncos, and was absolutely not a fan. Now he decides that he wants to be a baseball player, since football didn't work out. He's spent the last couple seasons playing in the minor leagues, and he's angered several former teammates for taking jobs that they view should go to younger player. Some lost their shot at playing over a gate attraction in his early 30’s. Which is basically what former Mets minor leaguer, Andrew Church, said regrading his thoughts on Tebow.
The Rockies box inside the store didn't have anything I needed, because I'd bought them already. I'm likely the only customer that buys Colorado Rockies cards, and even fewer people bring them in to restock the supply after I’ve raided it.
A while back, I floated a trade proposal. Seeing as the Rockies could really use a good young catcher, but now I'm willing to sweeten that offer to the Giants, on their behalf. My original proposal was the Rockies send Ian Desmond and Wade Davis to San Francisco for Joey Bart. This would give the Giants a new left fielder and a closer! But since the Giants bullpen is still a little weak, I'm now throwing in Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw. The only thing I'm asking back from the Giants in addition to Joey Bart, would be...
Heliot Ramos! San Francisco can even keep Carl Yastrzemski's grandson. I'm fine with that. Why should the Giants make this trade? Because of future Hall of Fame catcher, Buster Posey! Trading Bart would allow Posey to stay at catcher for another 5-10 years, without the worry of Bart getting in his way. Doing this could even mean a hefty contract extension for first baseman, Brandon Belt!
Bowman loves to sprinkle insert themes of players with international backgrounds into their sets. Be it parallels or World Baseball Classic cards or what have you. Personally, I’ve always felt these were among the weakest of Bowman’s ideas. This year we get the “Spanning the Globe” theme branded on players with roots from around the world. For a box full of cards that I really enjoyed looking at, these inserts really bored me.
Hidden Finds is an insert set dedicated to players drafted late. Or players that struggled before becoming a star in the major leagues. At one per box, these are the toughest low level pulls in 2020 Bowman. Although I wouldn’t call Cedric Mullins a hidden gem from looking at the weak numbers he's posted so far. But maybe that’s just me.
Now including first baseman Evan White, as an Atomic Refractor. Seattle signed White to a five year Major League contract, before he's played a game in the big leagues. Just as the Chicago White Sox did with Luis Robert. Will this be a trend in baseball over the next few seasons? For the most part, it's been working out well for the teams who do these contracts.
Oh... Evan White was the last card I scanned from 2020 Bowman. Or cards that I bought as singles that day. With the exception of Jeff Innis and Tim Tebow. They're only included to make a point.
I’m a little disappointed that Topps cut down the set to just 100 “veterans” and 150 “prospects”. 250 cards seems far too small for a set of this scope. But of course I’m a huge fan of the epic 700 card Bowman sets of the early 1990’s. Especially 1992 and the great 1994 Bowman set. I think you could easily include each teams’ top 10 prospects (for 300 cards) plus another 10-15 cards of each teams’ top veterans and current rookies. Making a great 600-750 card set that I would love.
I really do hope the price on 2020 Bowman comes back down to earth over time. I loved opening this box, and think the cards look great. I want to have more in my collection than just one box worth, but I’m not paying $15-$20 for a 10 card pack of Bowman.
Now that I'm done with my fun little Bowman story, it's time to get back in the grim reality of current life, 2020. I don't have any new pictures of abandoned buildings, that would usually cheer me up. So to wrap this whole story up with a nice little bow, I close with this picture.
The same Target that greeted me with the empty gravity feeder box of 2020 Bowman, just a week earlier. Now was boarded up and temporarily closed, due to the riots resulting from the murder of George Floyd, by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
I’m a huge fan of Topps’ Bowman line, and have been for nearly 30 years. This dates back to following minor league prospects in biweekly issues of Baseball America, back in the late 1980’s. Every year, I’d look forward to the release of Bowman, so I could get new cards of the obscure players that hadn’t made the major leagues yet. Or maybe they never would. Needless to say, I was anxiously anticipating the release of 2020 Bowman. April 15th was invisibly circled on my mental calendar for months, as that was the original planned release date for the product.
Then all hell broke loose.
Due to the unexpected pandemic, reports of Topps (and Panini) needing to delay the release dates of upcoming card sets came out. Due to shut downs at the companies they used to print their cards, it would take longer for the 2020 Spring releases to be printed and packaged. Amongst others, Bowman was going to be delayed.
Well, that sucks…
With the delays in printing the cards, the actual 2020 Bowman set would hit the market in waves. In many cases, retail outlets received product before the hobby did. Towards the end of May, well over a week before I got my box from the shop up the street, there were reports of retail wax and blasters on the secondary market for exorbitant prices. $75 for a 9 pack blaster box?!?!? While doing my regularly scheduled weekly supply run, I saw the empty gravity hanger box of 2020 Bowman at the local Targets.
I mentioned the lack of retail inventory at my LCS of choice. I was told that the guy responsible for buying all of the 2020 Bowman retail packs and boxes, had stopped by the store. He bragged about his insider connection and ability to time his shopping sprees with the stocking of 2020 Bowman. Working out so he could purchase each store’s allocation, right as it was hitting shelves. Then he’d flip the cards online for a MASSIVE profit.
Well sir, you’re a MASSIVE dick!
Before my pre-ordered box arrived, I was seeing online ads for 2020 Bowman for prices that didn’t even make sense.
$300-$350 for a simple 24 pack hobby box?
$600 for a box of hobby jumbo packs?
What kind of insanity is this?
On Memorial Day, I got the phone call declaring that my pre-ordered 2020 Bowman Hobby Wax Box had arrived! If you want to know, I paid less than half of what a Hobby box was currently selling for on the internets.
Here’s how they would display if you were to actually find any loose packs for sale.
But I’m not selling them, I’m opening them!
Starting with the first pack.
And the very first card of 2020 Bowman that I’ve uncovered was…
Isan Diaz!
A light hitting infielder from the Miami Marlins.
At least it’s better than pulling any random Boston Red Sock…
Two cards later, that same first pack yielded my first minor hit of the box.
A J.J. Bleday Aqua Refractor parallel, numbered 85/125!
Bowman's multi-colored refractor parallels are always very attractive, but the colors don't always work with the team's colors. An orange Refractor for a Blue Jay? UGLY! But Aqua Blue (or is it Sea Green? I can't keep track of Topps whims...) on a Marlins card? Well, that color scheme just works out perfectly! But I'm not going to write a poem about it...
Since the first two cards I've featured are coincidentally from the Miami Marlins, I'll just continue that thread and show off the rest of the 2020 Bowman Hobby Box Break by team. With the other singles from the card shop visit mixed in as well.
So another Marlin then?
The design of 2020 Bowman is a lot cleaner than the last few years of Bowman sets have been. These cards will actually stand out as 2020 products by appearance, unlike most of the Bowman sets of the last 15 or so years, which I cannot immediately identify by quick glance. With all of the sorting I've been doing this year, I'm sick of flipping cards over and straining my already bad eyes at the microscopic text on the back, looking for the copyright date, in order to find out where they belong.
Veteran and prospect cards are easily identified as well, by simply reversing the border. Topps didn't go all wacky with nonsensical and unnecessary design elements this year. With baseball cards, keeping it simple is the right way to go.
Out of the box, I found a few veteran cards showing offseason traded players in their new Photoshopped uniforms. I would suspect there would be more in the set, I just didn't find them in my box. I breezed by Mazara at first without realizing it. When I pulled the Starlin Castro card, the implausibility of him playing for the Nationals, when no Major League games had been played, seemed rather strange. And let's hear it for the return of San Diego Padre poop brown and mustard uniforms!
And that's even if Major League Baseball games can and will be played this year. Between the owners acting disingenuous over their financials, and the players union demanding their full (but pro-rated) pay, while the nation faces unprecedented job loss, it's hard to imagine them coming together to save the 2020 season in any form.
He's gotta get his...
Or last year's number 1 draft pick...
Or last year's number 2 draft pick...
I do really like how Topps designed the Chrome parallels. With the 2020 Bowman Chrome logos going up the sides of the borders. Although I prefer how the scans of the base cards look better than the scans of Chrome. So I’m not showing a lot of the Chrome parallels.
Unless I want to!
After doing minimal of research, scanning listings on ebay's "buy it now", for some of the cards I pulled. The price range for Bobby Witt Jr.'s 2020 Bowman Chrome card is currently between $10-$25.
Losing a year of player development, especially hurts rebuilding teams like the Kansas City Royals. With a good season at AA or AAA, Brady Singer could have been on the doorstep of the Major Leagues. Instead, he will potentially lose a full season of his career.
As will the Detroit Tigers...
Though not as cool of a name as Tarik Skubal. Who showed up inside this box, in both regular and Chrome form.
Will any of these prospects reach the major leagues and become teammates with this guy?
Topps has an obsession with revisiting their old designs in EVERY SET THEY PRINT. So of course, 2020 Bowman is waxing nostalgic over 1990 Bowman. A set that absolutely no one feels nostalgic for.
But remember 30 years ago?
I sure wish it was 30 years ago...
These guys weren't even born yet. And I feel old...
And they are both hoping Jo Adell can join the team and make the Angels relevant again.
Just as the Arizona D-Bags are trying to do.
Too bad I didn't pull a Madison Bumgarner card, either in San Francisco Giants form, or in fake Photoshopped D-Bags garb.
Although I did get former Twins overachiever, Eduardo Escobar. Whose career has been way above what anyone could have predicted when Minnesota acquired him in 2012, from the White Sox. Then there's Zac Gallen. A promising starting pitcher those goth Marlins sent to Arizona last July, for shortstop prospect, Jazz Chisholm. Who totally wins in the name category. On the prospect side, it's Alek Thomas. Who I'm always seeming to get Bowman cards of, no matter which product I buy.
But the D-Bags also have a prospect, whose father had ties to the Colorado Rockies!
Like Craig Biggio's son...
In addition to pulling his 2020 Bowman base card, I picked this up from the team sorted singles boxes at the card shop.
Since it's appearance in the Blue Jays bin last fall, I'd been debating adding this 2019 Topps 35th Anniversary Refractor to my collection. It's a really cool card, so I'm not sure why I waited 8 months to drop a $5 bill on it.
But why didn't Dante Bichette's son get his rookie cards in any 2019 card lines? He appeared in 59 games for the Blue Jays last season, and looks to be a hell of a hitter. I know that Major League Baseball imposes some strange and nonsensical guidelines for who Topps can and can not include in the year end "update" sets. I have no idea why Bichette had to wait a year, when Caven got to have that beautiful refractor card, in 2019 Topps (update) Series 3.
Unless Anthony is related to that insufferable Yankees announcer, Michael Kay, I'm pretty sure Anthony Kay's father had no ties to Major League Baseball. That means Toronto needs to trade him to the Atlanta Braves for Ronald Acuna Sr.'s son. I think that would be a fair trade.
Too bad that a certain Seattle Mariner Hall of Famer didn't have a baseball playing son. I'm sure Toronto would love to have Ken Griffey Jr. Jr. patrolling center field! As much as I'd love to be collecting his cards!
At least they have this guy playing third base. Until he needs to move across the diamond to first base.
Since it was in the Expos bin, I had to buy a duplicate of this card.
From the 2000 Bowman set, exactly 20 years ago.
The 2020 Bowman set is a far superior design to 2000.
And while I'm at it, I decided I needed to dip back another 20 years (plus one) for this Expos gem.
1979 Topps Andre Dawson
Vladimir Guerrero Sr. compared very similar in skills to future Hall of Famer, "The Hawk" Andre Dawson. This card is a little beat up, but I felt that I should buy it anyway. In fact, I wasn't certain that I didn’t already have a copy. (I did.)
Let's get back to present day, and a player similar to both Dawson and Guerrero Sr., for the team that used to be the Montreal Expos.
Juan Soto is going to be good. Very good. And he's already won a World Championship at only 21 years old. And 2019 Topps Gold Label is a pretty decent looking set.
And to get back on track with 2020 Bowman...
Here's Soto from the set I'm breaking the box of.
Alongside another key contributor to the Nationals 2019 World Series win.
A win that didn't include this guy...
Doubtful either of these Phillies top prospects will turn out as goos as Soto. Or Andre Dawson. Or Bryce Harper. Or even either generation of Vladimir's... Maybe they can become some useful pieces for Philadelphia's quest for relevance. They've got a good start, in a rather stacked National League East. Where every team is at least good.
Except those outcasts playing for Derek Jeter's affection, down in Miami...
Like Nico Hoerner! He has a pretty clear path to the Cubs starting shortstop job.
Provided the Cubs play in 2020...
Bringing us to 2020 Bowman co-cover boy, Gavin Lux. And the guy with that killer ginger afro (also featured on the Rookie of the Year Favorite cards earlier), Dustin May. The Oscar Gamble for a new generation!
Even with the Coronavirus printing delay, Topps didn't bother Photoshopping Betts jersey blue, to make him appear more Dodgerish. I'm kind of surprised by that...
While I'm kind of bummed out the Twins lost a potential star in Brusdar Graterol. (Pictured alongside a 2020 Donruss card that came from the singles boxes.) Just as the Dodgers needed to send some decent prospects to Boston for Betts, the Twins had to give value to get value. Just looking at the 2020 season in a vacuum (provided they ever start playing it), Kenta Maeda probably provides more value to the contending Twins, who needed a dependable starting pitcher. Which may have been Graterol, who knows? If they don't play this year, we'll never know and it wont matter!
Graterol was deemed expendable given the breakout 2019 performance of Balazovic. Although it was only in high A ball. Just 20 years old, Blazovic should have pitched in AA Pensacola in 2020, but that wont happen either.
Here's another intriguing Twins prospect that really needed a 2020 minor league season...
Brent Rooker (in 2019 Bowman form) is a better prospect than Lewin Diaz, and he sits behind a similar player in Trevor Larnach, on Minnesota’s depth chart. Who I didn't buy a card of today...
But my 2020 Bowman box did have cards of the Twins top 2 Prospects. The jury is still out on Royce Lewis' new high leg kick working out for him over the long haul. Although he looked pretty good in the abbrivated Spring Training. But Alex Kirilloff was absolutely murdering the ball before Spring Training was cut short. Looking like a possible midseason call up for Minnesota.
To honor his performance, I also picked this card out of the Twins box...
Minnesota's 2019 first round draft pick was represented with both his base and Chrome prospect cards. Keoni Cavaco did not have a very good Rookie League debut, but the Twins knew he was raw when they drafted him, yet his potential was very high. He's a project the Twins can afford to be patient with.
A pair of Twins veterans from 2020 Bowman. The box was heavy on Twins prospects, which made me happy, but these two were the only Minnesota veterans inside. A minor let down.
As I mentioned when I picked up my 2020 Bowman box, I spent some time flipping through the team sorted single cards. After sanitizing my hands, per store instructions. Due to the recent shut down, it had been at least a couple of months since I’d been able to do this. Pulling desired singles from boxes is one of my favorite card store activities. My routine is usually hitting the Twins, Rockies and Expos boxes first, then checking the other teams. Because there are always other teams’ star cards I feel that are needed in my collection.
Amongst the new to me, non 2020 Bowman Twins…
2015 Donruss Diamond Kings Miguel Sano
2019 Gypsy Queen Max Kepler
2019 Optic Pink Prizm Jake Cave autograph.
Jake Cave has a nice and clear signature.
He’s been a valuable depth piece for Minnesota, due to the inability of this guy to stay healthy…
I’ve been a big Buxton fan for years, and will always stock up on Buxton cards that I don’t already have. And I keep hoping that each season will be the one where he doesn’t get hurt and lives up to his potential. Maybe if there’s no baseball played in 2020, a full season off will rest and heal his numerous ills. Maybe at full health, we can see Byron Buxton, the MVP candidate.
But not having a 2020 season robs Twins fans a chance at seeing our big offseason splash in action. After flipping through the Twins, Rockies and Expos bins, my next stop was the Oakland Athletics bin, which I always check in honor of Super A’s Fan Rob in New Mexico!
2014 Finest Josh Donaldson
I’m still very anxious to see what Donaldson brings to the Twins. Outside of a dominant ace starting pitcher, a player the caliber of Donaldson, is something this team really needs. He fills a lot of needs for Minnesota, and I’m still somewhat shocked they shelled out the contract needed to sign him.
Josh Donaldson used to play third base for Oakland from 2010-2014. Then they traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays for a bag of magic seeds that never sprouted. But Oakland was able to replace him at third with Chapman. Who is no slouch at the hot corner.
Back to dipping into the Oakland bin, I had to have this card of The Jesus Lizard, The 7 Foot Hippie...
And Seth Brown?
We all know The Jesus Lizard and The 7 Foot Hippie belong side by side, so get Seth Brown out of there!
His hat isn’t even green enough!
EVERYONE KNOWS IT!!!
I needed a 2020 Donruss card of The Jesus Lizard to go with the one I pulled from my Bowman box.
Did Panini make a 2020 Donruss card of The 7 Foot Hippie? I think I need one to pair up with the Bowman.
Up next was my promised 2020 Bowman Hobby box hit.
An initial let down until I did some research on who he is…
And that B period 4 4 autograph certainly stands out!
Wow... A quick look at eBay shows this card is listing for between $250-$300!
So I guess I did pretty good!
Hey Rob, how do you feel about my 2020 Bowman big box hit being an Oakland Athletic mega-prospect?
Hey Rob, how about a new A’s lovin’ selfie for my stock photo vault?
Next, we go from Rob’s favorite team, and a team I accept as better than most, to a team we can both agree on despising...
Yup…
That even looks like an old Derek Jeter card...
And I’m already done with looking at any of their veteran all stars.
So let’s see what kind of prospects the New York Yankees are showing off in 2020 Bowman.
Everson Pereia would rank high on the Top Whatever, if I were covering this box in that fashion. Multiple nets and a cyclone fence are tough to overcome, no matter how much I may dislike the team. His hitting so far... Slightly better than Vople, but with less walks.
As for Estevan Florial, he's probably ranked among the top 100 prospects in the game, strictly because he's a Yankee. Battling injuries, the 22 year old hasn't even reached AA in 5 seasons. Batting only .273/.297/.383 for his career. Time missed due to injury isn't his fault, but he's been average at best, while still in A ball.
But the Yankee that will fuel this set coming out of the gate is...
Jasson Dominguez.
Scouting reports place him higher than the Athletics Robert Puason. But not by a whole lot. Both players received $5.1 million for a signing bonus, as International Free Agents. However, Puason's cards are around half that of Dominguez. Nothing against Dominguez, but there's some pretty blatant team bias by collectors. But we'll see. By the time 2040 Bowman comes out, either Dominguez will be a big star, and his 2020 Bowman autographs will range between "good used car" and "fully furnished decent sized condo."
Or he could be a footnote.
Spend wisely!
And I've still never read the odds listed on the side of that wrapper...
Let's do it now!
And now, here's another card pulled from the team bins. Carlos Rodon was a former top draft pick, 3rd overall in 2014. Rodon quickly moved to the Major Leagues in 2015, at age 22. And he's been a steady, average pitcher since then. Currently out after Tommy John surgery, so the lack of a 2020 season hasn't been too much of a problem for Rodon.
But since Rodon hasn't set the world on fire with his pitching,
I will gladly pick up his autographed 2015 Finest rookie card for $5.
Sticking with the White Sox...
Hard to believe the White Sox gave this guy away for a spent James Shields. Imagine him and Yoan Moncada as the left side of your infield. That's potential to be the likes of Arenado and Story, for a certain team that needs a whole lot more. You decide which team that is…
Chrome Photoshop Poop Brown and Mustard Padre Top Prospects!
And some Reds to act as the ketchup!
D.J. Peters looks a whole lot like Jayson Werth, back when he was a Dodger.
But let's talk about some Mets now!
No way he hits 50 home runs this year...
Hmmmm… There's something familiar about this guy...
La Tortuga has a kid brother!
Who is also a catcher and looks just like his older brother!
That's AWESOME!!!
So I have a new favorite New York Mets prospect.
I don't like the New York Mets, but for some reason, they tend to have favorite players of mine.
From the all-timer, Jeff Innis.
But it goes both ways. Like on the opposite end of the like spectrum, Tim Tebow.
Did I just say Denver?
So I'll flip through the new 2020 singles!
Three 2020 Topps Heritage that I may or may not need,
Some 2020 Donruss that I also need...
And some 2020 Donruss Nolan Arenado cards that I definitely do need...
With that great left side of the infield I mentioned earlier, courtesy of the 2020 Bowman box!
And a few Rockies prospects that I really don't feel like talking about!
Up next would be the team most likely to challenge the 2020 (and/or 2021) Colorado Rockies for last place in the National League West...
The San Francisco Giants! Starting off with a little bit of lineage...
Future Hall of Fame catcher, Buster Posey, and his likely replacement, Joey Bart.
Heliot Ramos! San Francisco can even keep Carl Yastrzemski's grandson. I'm fine with that. Why should the Giants make this trade? Because of future Hall of Fame catcher, Buster Posey! Trading Bart would allow Posey to stay at catcher for another 5-10 years, without the worry of Bart getting in his way. Doing this could even mean a hefty contract extension for first baseman, Brandon Belt!
No?
Yeah well, your loss San Francisco.
I tried to save your franchise.
Moving on...
Maybe it was 2 of the 4 of them being Detroit Tigers, and the other 2 being Chicago Cubs?
But I like Casey Mize.
The new Brewers uniforms, shown via Photoshop on Lutz, are far superior than last year's. As modeled by Yelich.
How irrelevant will they become once he is in a different uniform?
Probably the Yankees…
A three pack of Mariners that Seattle hopes will help them out of the American League West basement.
Unless your team signed Jon Singleton...
So, I guess I’m done now.
Oh, I also bought the new baseball Beckett. But I’m not sure why...
I don’t even like basketball!
I’m a little disappointed that Topps cut down the set to just 100 “veterans” and 150 “prospects”. 250 cards seems far too small for a set of this scope. But of course I’m a huge fan of the epic 700 card Bowman sets of the early 1990’s. Especially 1992 and the great 1994 Bowman set. I think you could easily include each teams’ top 10 prospects (for 300 cards) plus another 10-15 cards of each teams’ top veterans and current rookies. Making a great 600-750 card set that I would love.
And keep it to one series damat!
But in this day and age, I’d be in the definite minority.
And definitely not paying $300-$400 for another box.
That’s just not a viable option.
Now that I'm done with my fun little Bowman story, it's time to get back in the grim reality of current life, 2020. I don't have any new pictures of abandoned buildings, that would usually cheer me up. So to wrap this whole story up with a nice little bow, I close with this picture.
The same Target that greeted me with the empty gravity feeder box of 2020 Bowman, just a week earlier. Now was boarded up and temporarily closed, due to the riots resulting from the murder of George Floyd, by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin.
Not abandoned, but a statement.
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