I took very little notice of the fact that 2017 Topps Heritage High Number came out earlier this week.
This set seems kind of unpractical. It's basically Heritage's version of Topps Update. The 200 card set features rookies and players who went to new teams during the season. The only reason I have it is because I bought the base set of 2015 and 2016 from someone at the card show 2 years in a row.
It also includes players who didn't make the first Heritage set. This is made up of mainly backup players like fan-favorite catcher David Ross and the veteran 4th outfielder for the Red Sox Chris Young.
But don't get me wrong it also includes some pretty distinctive cards.
Like the Matt Wieters card from last year. This card featured Wieters on his first Topps product ever since he never negotiated a deal with Topps until last year. Topps has made up for lost time since then by including him in most sets, even Stadium Club as a National (you'd think there would be plenty of Nationals in a 2017 set that they wouldn't need him.)
But the best part of Heritage High Number are the rookies. Players who called up later in the season get to be featured on their own rookie card in Heritage and don't have to share with another player.
Like back in 2015 when Tommy Pham made his debut for the Cardinals. I don't know much about what or how the Cardinals are doing nowadays, but a friend of mine told me that he is what's driving the Cardinals and helping them stay in playoff contention. Since I don't follow the team can any Cardinals fan confirm or deny this for me?
Flash forward 1 year to the first Heritage card of the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year. Fulmer has put together another pretty good season this year. He's 10-12 which isn't bad for a team with a .415 winning percentage. He has a 3.83 ERA and has struck out 114 through 165 innings pitched.
2016 Heritage High Number also features 2 successful mid-season Cubs call-ups. Contreras and Almora each bring something different to the table for the Cubs. Almora is a faster and better defensive player, while Contreras brings more power to the plate.
There's just something about Julio Urias cards that makes me love them and perhaps this time it's the blue glove. His light blue glove goes will with his blue sleeves, blue cap, blue sky. Everything seems to be blue in this card. Most of the time I'd be annoyed, but this time I'm okay with it.
But the most impressive rookies of these 2 years of Heritage High Number are yet to come.
Yes, it's Thor himself, before he had the very long hair that is.
Syndergaard was one of the 3 Mets pitchers (him, DeGrom, and Harvey) that propelled the Mets to the 2015 World Series. He has been arguably the most consistent since then with a 2.92 career ERA and 416 career strikeouts. He may not match the strikeout total of DeGrom nor Harvey quite yet, but with continued stellar seasons he could reach that mark soon.
But a rookie card from this 200 card set better than Syndergaard? That seems impossible.
Well, it's possible. It's none other than the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year and Astros phenom Carlos Correa.
Correa truly emerged as a triple threat in 2016. He proved he could be a slugger (20 HR 96 RBI'S) a solid .274 hitter though he's improved to .305 this year and a Gold Glove-worthy fielder at SS. If the Astros make it far in the playoffs he will be one of the main reasons that happened.
Okay so maybe after this post I might be into getting a bit of 2017 Heritage High Number. We'll have to see.
No comments:
Post a Comment