FIRST TOPPS PACK OF 2024

 

I KNOW ALL YOU SICKOS ARE GEEKED UP ABOUT HERITAGE RIGHT NOW BUT I'M SLOW AND JUST GOT MY FIRST PACK OF 2024 TOPPS. YAY! I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE THIS IN PERSON FOR A WHILE NOW AND I GET TO SEE WHAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE NEON BORDER HIGLIGHTS WITH MY OWN EYES NOW. THE PACKAGING  IS A LITTLE WEIRD THIS YEAR THOUGH

ULTRA OUT, LEAF IN. BUT THIS IS TOPPS?? ALSO THE PACK COST EIGHT DOLLARS, NOT THREE. I DON'T MIND THOUGH, A FAT PACK IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE 34 CARDS IN IT AND I GOT 39 IN MY PACK. I DIDN'T SEE RONALD ACUÑA ON THE FRONT OF THE PACK BUT MAYBE IT'S UNDER THE BASEBALLCARDSTORE DOT CA SHIPPING LABEL?

I WILL SAY THE CARDS WERE VERY WELL PROTECTED, THAT'S A LOT OF CARDS TO PROTECT MY SHINY NEW 2024 TOPPS. I DIDN'T REALIZE FANATICS HAD BULKED UP THEIR PACKAGING THAT MUCH. LET'S CHECK OUT THAT NEW TOPPS!!!

FIRST TOPPS CARD OF THE YEAR IS THE FIRST CARD IN THE SET. YEAAAAAH RONALD! IT'S DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH IT BUT THE NEON BORDER REALLY DOES HAVE A COOL METALLIC SHEEN TO IT THAT POPS IN PERSON. HERE'S A TERRIBLE PICTURE OF IT

PLEAS IGNORE THE GROSS OLD PLASTIC CASE AND MY GROSS OLD DESK AND MY GROSS OLD HAND AND THE SPOILER OF THE NEXT CARD AND CHECK OUT THAT GLOWY SHINY BIT. I DON'T THINK TOPPS HAS USED A GIMMICK LIKE THIS IN THEIR BASE SET SINCE 1997'S SPOT GLOSS. SHIT LOOKS GREAT, YO. IT'S NOT OFTEN YOUR FIRST CARD OF THE YEAR OUT OF THE PACK IS YOUR FAVORITE PLAYER. UNLESS YOU JUST, LIKE, BOUGHT THE CARD, RIGHT

OH MY GOD, ACUÑA INSERT THE VERY NEXT CARD! WHAT ARE THE ODDS? I TRIED TO CHECK THE ODDS ON TOPPS' WEBSITE BUT THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF NONSENSE AND AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT. EVEN BASEBALLCARDPEDIA SHOWS A GIGANTIC SPREADSHEET BUT I THINK THESE DROP 1:16 PACKS. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT LOOKING DESIGN, ALL THAT REDDISH-BLACK LOOKING STUFF IN THE BACKGROUND IS FOILBOARD AND THE WHITE SCREEN BEHIND RONALD AGAIN MAKES EVERYTHING POP. WELL WELL DONE FROM THE FANATICS DESIGNERS SO FAR

HERE'S THE ONE PER HANGER YELLOW PARALLEL AND IT'S A LEADER CARD WITH SPENCER STRIDER ON IT. WAIT, I THOUGHT I GOT A FAT PACK?! NOT A BIG FAN OF NEEDLESS PARALLELS BUT AT LEAST IT'S GOT A BRAVE ON IT. THE BRIGHT BORDERS KIND OF RUINS THE EFFECT THOUGH, NEON SIGNS ARE WAY MORE EFFECTIVE IN A DARK SMOKY BAR THAN IN A BRIGHT SUNNY ICE CREAM SHOP

MIGGY! THE HORIZONTAL CARDS LOOK AS GOOD AS THE VERTICAL AND IT'S NOT AS DISCONCERTING SEEING THE CARDS ALTERNATE FROM BACK AND WHITE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOP OF A STACK OF THEM AS I THOUGHT. MIGUEL CABRERA'S THE 21ST CENTURY FRANK ROBINSON RIGHT? INSANELY GOOD PLAYER THAT EVERYONE IMMEDIATELY FORGOT ABOUT WHO WILL BE APPRECIATED 30 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SEE HIM PLAY LOOK AT HIS STATS AND GO WHAT??!?

JOEY VOTTO! NOTHING BUT BRAVES AND HALL OF FAMERS IN THIS PACK, HOW LUCKY IS THAT. I NEED VOTTO TO HIT A WALK OFF DINGER FOR THE JAYS AND TO GET A CARD WITH HIS NEW TEAM IN 2024 UPDATE

SIX MORE BRAVES! WOW IT'S ALMOST LIKE THIS PACK WAS HAND PICKED BY ME

CHARLIE MORTON WITH THE CITY CONNECT UNIFORM. THANK GOODNESS THE BRAVES WENT WITH A 70'S REMIX DESIGN INSTEAD OF A MORE, UH, EXPERIMENTAL TAKE LIKE WITH SOME OTHER TEAMS

HERE'S THE FIRST RAINBOW FOIL OF TIGERS PITCHING PROSPECT MATT MANNING. IS HE STILL A PROSPECT? IT'S HIS FOURTH SEASON IN THE TIGERS' ROTATION. I'VE SEEN SO MANY ROOKIE CARDS OF HIS IN THAT CHRONICLES SET I'M OBSESSED WITH THAT I'LL PROBABLY THINK HE'S A PROSPECT FOR YEARS 

MOAR BRAVES. THUMBS UP FOR SEAN MURPHY, THUMBS DOWN FOR OBLIQUE INJURIES

MOARER BARVES. FIFTY THREE DONGERS FOR MATTY LAST YEAR. FREDDIE WHO? DON'T LOOK AT CAREER WAR AND PERIPHERALS PLZ. I NOW HAVE THE FIRST CARD FROM 2024 TOPPS SERIES ONE AND THE LAST CARD FROM 2024 TOPPS SERIES ONE SO THAT MEANS I'M DONE WITH THE SET, RIGHT? HERE'S MORE CARDS ANYWAY

WILD BILL BREWER. THIS IS TECHNICALLY NOT A BRAVES CARD BUT IS DEFINITELY BRAVES-ADJACENT

NOT A BRAVE, NOT A HALL OF FAMER. WHA HOPPEN? THIS CARD LOOKS COOL AS HELL THOUGH, THAT'S A GREAT PICTURE. WHY THE TOPPS LOGO DOWN THERE THO

OOH, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE. I APPRECIATE THE STARS OF MLB INSERT SET FOR BEING A DECENT LOOKING EASY TO FIND INSERT SET BUT THIS YEAR'S EDITION LOOKS FABULOUS. I STILL DON'T SEE A STAR-THEMED DESIGN BUT THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING HYPERSPACE THROUGH WHAT'S LEFT OF ALDERAAN SO IT IS SPACEY ENOUGH FOR ME. BOBBY WAS MY FIRST PICK FOR A FANTASY LEAGUE TEAM THAT I HAVEN'T UPDATED THE LINEUP IN A WEEK BECAUSE HALF MY TEAM IS ON THE IL SO EVERYONE WHO CAN START IS

BRAAAAAAAAVES. SPENCER DIDN'T GET TOMMY JOHN WHICH IS GOOD BUT HE AIN'T PITCHING AGAIN THIS YEAR WHICH SUCKS. I DON'T NEED THIS SO SOON AFTER MIKE SOROKA. SIGN SOME KNUCKLEBALLERS ALREADY

ANOTHER INSERT! USUALLY THESE THINGS ARE ALL GROUPED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK,HOW STRANGE. JULIO'S THE MAIN MAN ON MY OTHER FANTASY TEAM, WHICH I HAVE ALSO BEEN NEGLECTING. MAX MEYER BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF MY BRAVES AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET FANTASY POINTS *SOB* THIS IS ANOTHER 1:16 PACKS INSERT

SOME YANKEE. IS THIS GUY GOOD? 

WOOOOOO! MY SECOND FAVORITE BRAVE AFTER RONALD. ALONG WITH OZZIE, RILEY, OLSON AND JESSE CHAVEZ. JESSE BETTER GET A CARD THIS YEAR OR I RIOT

OH HEY, ANOTHER 1:16 PACKS INSERT, HOW UNLIKELY. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH CHRISTOPHER MOREL'S GAME BUT I DO SPY A BRAVES ALUMNI ON THERE

THIS YEAR'S RETRO SET FEATURES 1989 TOPPS. DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY COLLECT THESE THINGS? I KNOW PEOPLE ACCUMULATE THEM SINCE THEY ARE 1:4 PACKS BUT AT 100 CARDS PER SERIES DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND TRACK DOWN ALL THREE HUNDRED EVERY YEAR? I WILL SAY THAT WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF SIDE EYE BEING GIVEN TO THE FONT CHOICES ON TEAM NAMES IN A CERTAIN OTHER SET THAT RECENTLY CAME OUT, THIS GUARDIANS LOOKS REALLY GOOD. BUT CLEVELAND WAS ALWAYS CALLED THE GUARDIANS, RIGHT? 

DO PEOPLE STILL LIKE VLAD. JR? I SEE SOME GRUMBLING ABOUT HIM FROM BLUE JAYS FANS BUT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR OWN TEAM. I GUESS THE HOBBY DOESN'T LIKE HIM BECAUSE HE'S NOT TROUT, UH, I MEAN OHTANI, UM.. WHO IS THE NEW COLLECTING HOTNESS NOW ANYWAY? 

MOAR HYPERSPACE STARS. TWO OLD DUDES AND TWO ROOKIES. I... WOULDN'T MIND COLLECTING THIS SET. IT'S SHINY. I'LL BE OVER THIS BY THE TIME SERIES TWO COMES OUT AND I HAVE 7 CARDS OUT OF 60

OOOH THIS IS A NOTHER REALLY GOOD LOOKING PICTURE OF UNEXPECTED ALL-STAR ORLANDO. I SEE THE TOPPS LOGO IS WANDERING ABOUT AGAIN

YET ANOTHER 1:16 PER PACK INSERT, I DON'T LIKE PETE ALONSO EVEN A LITTLE BIT BUT I WANTED TO PICK UP ONE OF THESE BLUEPRINT INSERTS I MEAN OH WOW HOW LUCKY I RANDOMLY PULLED THIS ONE OUT OF A PACK STOP BREAKING KAYFABE DANGIT. I REMEMBER THIS DESIGN GETTING MOCKED A HUNDRED YEARS AGO DURING THE RELEASE HYPE BUT IT'S A PRETTY INTERESTING INSERT IN MY OPINION. AS SOMEONE WHO TOOK DRAFTING CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL THOUGH, I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN POINTS OFF FOR WRITING PETE'S NAME LIKE THAT

OH LOOK ANOTHER ANOTHER 1:16 INSERT SEEN FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A SINGLE VERY REAL FAT PACK WHAT I BOUGHT FROM A STORE AND OPENED UP MYSELF. HOW LUCKY! IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SEASON OR TWO TO REMEMBER THAT THE ORIOLES ARE GOOD NOW WHICH IS OK BECAUSE IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE TO REALIZE THEY SUCKED INTHE FIRST PLACE

HOW IN THE WORLD DID A HOBBY ONLY SILVER CARD PACK END UP IN A RETAIL FAT PACK?? MAN, THERE'S SOME WILD STUFF GOING ON WITH FANATICS QUALITY CONTROL NOWADAYS, NOT THAT I'M COMPLAINING. I LIKE THE CARD BUT I STILL FEEL WEIRD ABOUT KRIS BRYANT GOING FROM THE SAVIOR OF CHICAGO TO THE WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM IN DENVER

BRYCE ELDER WAS AN ALL-STAR LAST YEAR AND IS IN THE MINORS THIS YEAR BUT DON'T FEEL BAD FOR HIM, HE'LL BE UP IN THE BIGS SOON ENOUGH. EVERY TEAM NEEDS AN EIGHT MAN ROTATION NOW AND I'M GLAD WE GOT BRYCE AS OUR SEVENTH STARTER. THAT'S SOME REAL ROTATION DEPTH

TWO MORE HOLOSHINIES. I HAVE GRIPED ABOUT THESE CARDS FOR YEARS NOW AS YET ANOTHER MEANINGLESS PARALLELS BUT I GRUDGINGLY ADMIT THESE LOOK DAMN GOOD. YOU'D THINK THE NEON FOIL AND THE HOLO FOIL WOULD JUST CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT BUT THEY ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FLAVORS OF SHINY AND WORK WELL TOGETHER

I THINK WE CAN OFFICIALLY CALL THIS A BRAVES HOT PACK

OH COOL, A GOOD '89 INSERT! SO WHICH IS BETTER, THIS OR THE ORIGINAL '89 TOPPS BUNTING ROBIN CARD? I THINK BUNTING WINS JUST FOR THE TEXT ON THE NAME BUT THIS NEWFANGLED ONE DOES LOOK NICE

LEADERS CARDS! WE GET THE GOOD VERSION OF THE STRIDER 20 WINS CARD AND MATT OLSON'S STOOPID AMOUNT OF RBIS. IS IT JUST ME OR DOES IT FEEL LIKE 'LEAGUE SHOULD BE JUST A SMIDGE OVER TO THE LEFT ON HERE. THERE'S MORE NEON PIPING ON THESE SO IT'S A LITTLE EXTRA SHINY AS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE BEST IN THE LEAGUE. ALSO WITH OZZIE'S NAVY JERSEY I THINK WE'VE SEEN EVERY UNIFORM THE BRAVES USED IN 2023 ALTHOUGH I MAY BE FORGETTING AN ODDBALL ALTERNATIVE UNI

FREDERICK! IS THE LAST BASE CARD OF THE PACK. SO DOES HIS HALL PLAQUE HAVE A BRAVES OR DODGERS CAP

THIS MIGHT BE THE PULL OF THE PACK, I LIKE THE LOOK OF THIS DESIGN EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT TERRIBLY POPULAR ON THE TWEETER. TED WILLIAMS IS MAYBE THE PERFECT SUBJECT FOR THIS SET, HE LOOKS SO HAPPY TO BE SURROUNDED BY BATS. THIS IS THE 6TH 1:16 PACKS INSERT I'VE PULLED TODAY, HOW FORTUNATE

I STLL HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PLAY THIS HOME RUN CHALLENGE THING AND I HAVE NO INTEREST IN SCRATCHING UP THE BACK OF THE CARD JUST SO TOPPS CAN SAY TO ME "YOU LOSE". THIS WILL LIKELY BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH ONE OF THESE WHERE I'LL LET THE CODE EXPIRE. IT'S A PRETTY CARD THOUGH!

WE'VE REACHED THE END WITH A REALLY PRETTY BLUE SHIMMERY FOIL CARD OF JI HWAN BAE. I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE ODDS ARE ON THESE BECAUSE I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT PARALLEL THIS IS. IT SURELY CAN'T JUST BE 'BLUE HOLOFOIL' RIGHT? THEY HAVE TO CALL THAT SPARKLY TEXTURE SOMETHING ODD LIKE CERULEAN CONFETTI. ANYWAY, IT'S SHINY AND NICE LOOKING

I ALMOST FORGOT TO SHOW OFF THE BACKS. VERY MINIMALISTIC CONSIDERING THE WILD DESIGN ON THE FRONT, BUT IT WORKS. REALLY, IF I CAN READ THE CARD NUMBER WITH MY RAPIDLY DEFLATING EYES, IT'S A GOOD BACK DESIGN AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED

THAT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, PACK! LOTS OF BRAVES (MISSING ONLY FOUR FOR THE TEAMS SET NOW), A SUSPICIOUSLY ABSURD AMOUNT OF INSERTS AND AN EVEN MORE UNLIKELY COLLECTION OF PARALLELS, INCLUDING A COUPLE THAT SHOULD NEVER SHOW UP IN A FAT PACK. NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE PICS OF ALL THOSE OTHER 'PROTECTION' CARDS IN THE PACK SO I CAN START POSTING THEM IN MY 2024 ONLINE BLASTER POSTS. RIPPING PACKS IS FUN!