I have Topps Series 2 cards and today is awesome

Love dem rainbow unis.

Joy of a Completed Series

Taking the Joy of a Complete Page theme to the next level tonight. One of the collecting epiphanies I've had recently is that while trying to complete a set that is older than I am is an enormously daunting task, attempting to build a complete series from the same set is far more manageable and less intimidating. Back before Topps went to a single 660 card set that was released all at once in 1974, Topps sold their cards in multiple series throughout the year. Each series was usually between 66 and 132 cards in size and would be released steadily as the season progressed. The set would consist of about 6 or 7 series and inevitably one or two would end up harder to find than the rest because they didn't sell very well or was released very early or very late in the year when demand wasn't high. Anyone who has tried to track down a scarce high numbered card for their team set knows how big of a pain these cards can be. Set collectors - especially of sets with ridiculously tough high numbers like 1952, 1961 and 1972 Topps - can pretty much forget about it when commons in the high series are pricier than Hall of Famers in the low series. But the low series... well those cards can be downright easy to find.

Once I came to the realization that a set collector did not necessarily have to collect the entire set, I decided on a plan of action. Step 1: get together wantlists for every Topps set of the Vintage Series Era. Step 2: break the wantlists down by series for each year. Step 3: Figure out which of the card series I was closest to finishing. Step 4: pick out three of  the ones where I was close and focus on completing those series. The three I picked out were from two of my favorite sets: 1965 Topps Series 1, 1972 Topps Series 1 and 1972 Topps Series 2. I would have also picked a series from 1960 Topps, but I do not yet have at least 50% of any series in that set, which was one of the guidelines I placed on myself. 1960 Topps Series 1 is dang close though and I'll probably add that to the binder soon. actually I just realized that if I include the cards in my Braves team set I have about 55% of 1960 Series 1 so it's going in the binder. The binder now has a little more the same amount of room in it now, because with the acquisition of a 1972 Denny McLain card, my '72 Topps Series 2 series is complete. Out of the unfinished binder and into the completed binder with a brief detour through my scanner. If your fondest wish has always been to see a completed series of 1972 Topps, well guess what chief? You can die happy now!

Behold: 1972 Topps Series Two #133-264

Eagle eyed vintage freaks may have noticed a couple of very strange printing errors in there. A couple of you may have gotten overly excited upon seeing them. Note that they are 1) not for trade period and 2) I will gladly scan them for you at whatever resolution you want if you wish. I got those weirdos back in the mid-eighties in some common bricks back when they were worthless printing errors and not worthless rare printing errors and I have a soft spot for the weirdos.

If you've read this far please choose what will be the 4th series to go in the series binder by voting at the poll up top. Choose as many sets as you wish. I've got my own favorites but I wouldn't mind some input from the readers.

Blog Bat Around: Fixing Topps

So, Mr. Eisner. Pleasure to meet you. Chris has informed me that I am now in charge of Topps Product Development. In fact, I'm the entire staff. Budget overruns, I suppose. Shipping costs on Transmogrifier redemptions were a little higher than you expected. Cuts had to be made. I understand, it's just business. So now you need a little expert consulting on Series Two.

Let's take a look at Series One first. Nice design. Simple. Elegant. Good photography too - I like that. Backs are nice. You can actually read the card number. Now about the inserts, there's a lot of them. It seems that everybody hates at least one of them. On the other hand, everybody loves at least one of them. Something for everyone, very good. You need to make changes next year you know. One more card history set and you'll be printing a 1987 Bip Roberts reprint before too long. Not that there's anything wrong with that. We'll worry about revamping the inserts next year. Right now they're good. Let's talk variations. You've gone a little overboard this year. Legends cards are nice. New uniforms should be saved for Series 2. I don't even know what you were thinking on the twinks. You know what? Just keep all that stuff in, no one cares about it anyway. I bet there's a couple hundred twink cards out there in dime boxes because no one notices something like that. Let some kid get a cheap thrill out of a dime box. In fact, We're going to do Series Two just like Series One. Same inserts, same gimmicks, same everything. Why the hell not. People are used to it by now, why upset them needlessly. What I want to discuss today is the base set.


Lemme talk about the base set. The base set is why we are all here. You are not your inserts. You are not how many hits you have in a box. You are not the jerseys you cut up. You are not the contents of your autograph lineup. You are the base set. Topps has always been about the base set.

Here are the rules of the base set:

The first rule of the base set is, you do not fuck with the base set.


The second rule of the base set is, you DO NOT FUCK with the base set.



Just remember that and you're golden. Now I'll just take my telephone, computer, fax machine, 52 weekly paychecks and 48 airline flight coupons and you get working on Series Two. Trust me, everything's gonna be fine.

Screw Eisner.  His candy-ass wouldn't last a second Wednesday night.

2010 Topps Series 2 pack - Dustin Pedroia

When I first saw the box for Topps Series two, by first reaction was: Pedroia?? I guess it was a reward for doing a very funny video game commercial. I'm not gonna lie, this was by far the best of the packs.

441 Clete Thomas

Ball on Bat action!

604 Braves Franchise

Awwwww yeah! Chippah and Henny Youngman hoisting the 2004 Division Banner. We'll have to get us a new one of those this year. The back is kinda cool:

Chipper and Huddy are dominating the categories for active Braves right now. Looking at the all-time leaders, I don't think any of those are changing for a loooong time.

CMT63 1956 Ernie Banks Yo Momma Card

Yo Momma! I relish every single one of these that bless my packs. 1956 ismy second favorite set from the '50s too. I don't even mind getting a Cub, because Ernie transcends all Cubbieness as The Perfect Cub. What I really want to know is where the hell is Hank Aaron in this set. Topps had an entire year dedicated to Hank in 2000, and nothing this year. They're gonna make money hand over fist thanks to Straburg Mania, they can damn well pony up the license fees to get a '56 Yo Momma of Hammer in the Update set.

LL-53 Nolan Ryan/Justin Verlander Legendary Lineage

I'm not a huge fan of this set, but damn this is a cool looking card with Express and Verlander going for the gold in synchronized pitching.

Jake Peavy Silk # 19/50

Hey I only got 8 cards in this pack! Rip off!!! Ah yes, the silky card. Of a player that would have been a Brave if he hadn't vetoed the trade. Can you believe this is my first silk? I haven't had much luck pulling these before now and I didn't feel like paying out the big bucks just to caress the fabric. It just goes to show that if you buy enough packs, you'll pull one of everything sooner or later.

458 Todd Wellemeyer

PITCHIING ARE SERIOUS BIZNISS

507 Francisco Rodriguez

K-Rod got 62 saves in 2008. Then the Mets threw a lot of money at him. Do you think K-Rod will get 62 saves in his first two years with the Mets? He needs 17 more this year to pull it off.

Max Scherzer TAttaxTown

Matt got Dontrelle Willis kicked out of Detroit and posted 14 Ks in a game while doing it. It's sort of weird how Dontrelle and Max traded 2009 teams.

Allrighty, that was the bet of the bunch by far. Once I get my act together I'll post the Mick.

2010 Topps Series 2 - First pack

I got four packs of Topps series two yesterday. When I first got to the shop, there were two packs left int he open box with Ty Cobb on the wrapper. The owner opened up a fresh box for me, I took one of the Tys from the first box and one pack each of the other wrapper subjects from the fresh box. The packs I got from the new box were... odd. I sort of wish I had picked up a couple more to see if the whole box was like that or if I am lucky at finding mutants. I opened the Babe first because he's the Babe.

586 Roy Oswalt

Roy in his last Topps card as an Astro. I've always liked Roy as a pitcher, I wish there was some way the Braves could flip Derek Lowe and a couple of prospects for Roy.

423 Brad Bergesen

I have no idea who this guy is. Man, I hope after a very nice selection of photographs in Series one, we're not back to the same pose on every card shenanigans Topps pulled a couple of years ago.

452 Allen Craig RC

I really like the new RC logo. The old one was too damn big and in your face. This one is more understated and doesn't walk all over the design.

480 Boston Red Sox

Team card blah blah blah. Where have I seen this picture before?

CMT71 Eddie Mathews Yo Momma

Awwww yeaaaah. I haven't finished the first one yet, but who cares. More Yo Mommas.

 VLC13 Eddie Murray Vintage Legends

This caused me to do a double take. Two 1964 Topps cards in the pack? It dawned on me that this was the anachronistic insert set new to this series. This doesn't look all that bad actually. Why Topps had to show off that ugly '87 Cy Young on the sell sheet I don't really know.

Due to time constraints the second half of the pack will be posted tonight. Start thinking about which pack you'd like to see next.

I lied.

Ok I care a little bit about Topps 2. I decided to do an eBay search for 2010 Topps Series Two and I did actually find a few things that interested me the tiniest smidge. I'm still going to act cool and be all like "Man, this new stuff is no match for the majesty of '80s junk wax! OLD SKOOL COLLECTAS REPRESENT" I'm suffering from a combination of crushing ennui and stubborn curmudgeonliness right now so don't expect me to be all exited over anything. My curiosity can certainly get the better of me though and I found out three things about Topps Series 2 I didn't know before today.

Cap cards have the July 4th flag logo on them this time. I still haven't actually seen a cap card in person yet, so while the ones from Series 1 looked pretty cool I have no objective proof of their coolness. These though... I dunno. I'm sure a lot of people are drooling over them right now but they seem a little cheesy to me, ya know? The ones from Series 1 had the fact that while they were manupatches they were at least kinda sorta authentic logos. These kind of caps are something they hawk on MLB.com to try to muster up a few more cap purchases. The other ones I can at least pretend they are authentic, these look like I could have picked up a cap at The Sports Authority and took a pair of scissors to it.

This is not an Attax card, this is a ToppsTown card. Or more accurately, ToppsTown cards are now Attax cards. I tried out the ToppsTown site last month and the two concepts were pretty tightly intertwined so I guess this is the next logical step. Topps seems to be marketing the crap out of Attax right now so all in all it makes sense. I'm not sure I like it, but it makes sense.

This I like. The 1974 Yo Momma card is of Willie McCovey. Not just McCovey, but his '74 Washington Nat'l League variation card. Sweeeeeeeet. This is the one thing I am truly excited over in Series two other than the J-Hey rookies. Unfortunately this card only reminds me that I am really close to finishing that '74 set. Aw man,  now the curmudgennui is back.

Topps Series 2 Black Border Wal-Mart Blasters Are Live

Saw two of 'em at the Wally World on Mansell Road in Alpharetta.

Check the bar codes, the variation blasters have #13 in the code.

No matter what Topps told Hand Collated, I didn't see any differentiation between the blasters. I could have missed it though because I went straight for the bar code when I looked at them.

No, I didn't buy one 'cause I'm broke from my Ginter binge.

Yes, I'll probably go by tomorrow and succumb to temptation.

(someone please buy them, I really am broke)

Proper Crop Props

Mario's right, (Beardy too) there's too much negativity. I've been busting Topps' chops over some lackluster photos that could use a bit of editing while ignoring the fact that this year's product has the best photography the flagship has had in years. To make amends and accentuate the positive, I offer to you 10 cards out of a jumbo pack I just purchased less than an hour ago (well, now about two hours since it took me a while to write and scan) because I was looking through the card aisle and accidentally broke the tab at the top of the pack that keeps it on the rack. I had to buy it, it was the only honorable thing to do at that point. I was rewarded.

Closely Cropped

Just like Walter Sobchak's noggin.

Nelson Cruz

Did he beat the tag?!?

Brian Duensing

The glare from the pitcher as a fastball comes straight at you.

Joe Girardi

The skipper cheering on the troops.

Medium Crop

You don't need an extreme closeup when there is additional context available.

Victor Martinez

Candidate for card of the year. Why? The hand reaching out to catch the ball VMart is tossing into the stands.

Alfredo Aceves

Great use of the horizontal layout with the high leg kick.

Jacoby Ellsbury

An unconventional shot of the bench but hey, that's why it works.

19th Century Smut

AKA: Ankle showing. You get to see EVERYTHING.

Pitch

Now, if you crop this one tight, it's just a guy straining during a follow through.

Hit

You can never have enough of Howard connecting.

Field

Oddly enough, I just sent this card to Andy of Traded Sets this morning. I'll probably send this one to Canuck.

By the way, check out the contest at Traded Sets. Mind bending!

Run

Chris Young takes a long lead with Tulo shadowing him to the left and Barmes holding at second. At least I think that's who those Rockies are.

And Finally: The Most Perfectest

Sometimes that little tab at the top breaks for a reason.

Jackie vs. Mickey: Teh Winnar

Chris Carpenter won in a rout so as promised, I picked up a pack of series 2 with Robinson on the wrapper when I stopped by the card shop for some bubble mailers today. Here are the results:

453 Javier Valentin

Full catcher's gear throwin out a RUNNER! Awwww yeah.

520 Adrian Gonzalez

Does he have a nickname? 22 homers in two months you need a nickname. Gonzo perhaps? A-Gon? Skippy? Yeah, that sounds right. Skippy with the mighty cut.

583 Francisco Cordero

The joys of cropping. I think part of my obsession with this is that I'm becoming an old geezer very quickly and the eyes (which were never good to begin with) are starting to go.

607 Jarrod Washburn
636 Armando Galarraga
Not interesting enough for scans.

416 Josh Whitesell RC

The red jersey and border and orange dirt make this a nifty looking card. Is he playing on Mars or something? Did the bag get swiped by a Mars rover?

606 Nick Johnson black border #17/58

These black border cards are nifty. I like the sparkly on the border. I've got an autographed minor league ball of Nick in my collection for some reason. It seemed like a good deal at the time.

TTT48 Blech.
536 Khalil Greene
Boring

325 Jim Thome

Posed shot of a 500 home run hitter! Do this more often Topps!

595 Vernon Wells

Crash imminent!

Pretty good pack, it was the last Jackie in the box too. Lots of David Wright packs in the box for some unknown reason.

As for the next war, 17 of you wanted to see Jumbo packs of Topps and UD, 5 of you wanted to see a 1989 Topps 100 card pack fight with a First Edition basketball blaster, 7 preverts wanted me to make love not war and the winner with 25 votes was...

2009 Topps Heritage Jumbo

vs. 2009 Upper Deck Goudey Jumbo

But wait, there's more! A third party has jumped into the ring!!!

2008 Topps Baseball Updates and Highlights presents 2009 Topps Heritage High Number Series with Three Completely Superfluous Updates and Highlights Cards Per Jumbo Pack!!! AND GUUUUUM!!!!!111ONE

A three way battle for Retro Supremacy! I think the High Series pack may have snuck in a FOREIGN OBJECT! Stay tuned for this one folks! But don't hold your breath, I have 46 cards to scan for this thing. I'll start this puppy by Monday at the latest.