Topps vs Fleer base set brawl.
The packs:
2007 Topps (Target)
309 Mark Teixeira Gold Glove Award
287 Jose Garcia RC
34 Paul Konerko
284 Jerry Owens RC
235 Reed Johnson
169 Todd Jones
ARHR15 Alex Rodriguez
OTG6 Jermaine Dye
Checklist #2 of 3
42 Livan Hernandez
76 Lastings Milledge
160 Justin Verlander
275 Greg Maddux
2007 Fleer
243 Jason Michaels
256 Freddy Garcia
166 Julio Lugo
112 Bobby Crosby
334 Vinny Rottino mini
354 CarlosMaldonado RC
356 Phillip Humber RC
6 Brian Schneider
RS-JH Jeremy Hermida Rookie Sensation
CA-FT Frank Thomas Crowning Achievement
Number of Cards:
Topps has slightly more cards, but is slightly more expensive as well. They threw in a checklist and a head of the class card as well so let's just call it even.
Topps 10 Fleer 10
Number of cards that are actually good:
Topps delivers 2 inserts and a handful of stars. Other than the inserts and rookies, Fleer is pretty lackluster.
Topps 17 Fleer 14
Inserts and Short Prints:
Both packs deliver 2 inserts, Topps by chance, Fleer by design. Fleer adds a mini parallel to the mix. Topps wins on quality over quantity however, as Thome & ARod trump The Big Hurt plus two rookies.
Topps 25 Fleer 21
Attractiveness of the design:
Both sets have a really nice look to them, I especially like the symmetry of the design between the front and reverse on the Fleer card. I actually prefer Fleer's simple design, but black borders, better stats and shinier inserts help out Topps.
Topps 30 Fleer 26
Best card in the pack:
Topps: 309 Mark Teixeira Gold Glove Award
Fleer: CA-FT Frank Thomas Crowning Achievement
Jason Michaels' art of the bunt might have won were it not for Big Hurt. The sad thing about Frank's card is now that he looks so natural in an A's uniform (I know it sounds like blasphemy, but he does) you look down and see... a Blue Jays logo. I'm sorry but there's no way I'm going to ever get used to that. Teixeira's card can be described in 4 words: "Holy crap! a UFO!"
Topps 35 Fleer 30
Spokesman on the pack wrapper:
Ryan Howard vs. Ken Griffey Jr. This one is tough. I gotta give it to The Kid. Sorry Ryan, call me when you have 500 home runs.
Topps 38 Fleer 35
Intangibles:
Topps' pack reminded me of a few things that irritate me about them. First of all check the last 4 cards of this pack and the last 4 of the first Topps pack I opened. I can think of worse doubles to have than Maddux, Milledge and Verlander, but still. Not cool. Secondly, while the A-Rod card is nice and shiny and all, how many freaking Home run countdown cards do you really need? At least the Ted Williams set is tracking batting average. Finally, thanks to the Jeter photoshop freakout the Konerko card makes my head hurt. I'm almost positive someone stuck in a photo of their girlfriend or brother in law in that crowd somewhere and now I have to find them. This coming from the company that feels compelled to add a freaky black Wall O' Doom to all their team cards so they don't have to get permission to show the batboys on the card. Those faces in the crowd are pretty darn clear, I hope you got signed release forms. Now that I have that off my chest, I must say Fleer didn't really impress me with this pack. Not much star power and inserts get a bit cheapened when they are in every pack. Not even the doubles can save fleer this round.
Final score:
2007 Topps 38 2007 Fleer 36
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