I'll Join the Revolution, But First I Need a Focus

I recently saw a blog post written by Matt of the Summer of '74 blog that presented one of the best baseball card ideas I've heard in a very long time. It involves using an app called Rookies and creating your very own custom cards highlighting games or special moments from your favorite team.

Matt called for the start of a revolution. Where we, the collectors, could create our own cards for whatever the hell we want. Backup catchers? Sure! Middle Relievers? Why not! If you can name it (and then find a picture of it) you can make it, and I've decided to make something of my own using the app.

My idea was similar to that of the short-lived Upper Deck Documentary set. I knew that I wanted to create a card for each Red Sox game this season, but I still have some doubts about what to do. Should I make a card for all games, or should I include the losses like Boston's opening day loss to Tampa? Sale pitched well in that game, prompting me to make this card. However, I realize that I may not want to spend money to create cards of games that my team lost.

Oh yeah, the app costs money if you want to print cards, but the price is fairly reasonable. You can order 20 cards, whether it be all the same or all different, for $13 plus shipping. That's was less than a blaster for cards that you can design yourself.

However, one thing that Topps Now has done well that I'd like to include are highlight cards such as this one I've made for Eduardo Nunez's home run on Opening Day. I've chosen a different design for the highlight cards in order to avoid being redundant. However, this presents yet another question. Should I do a set of just highlight cards? 

I must say that I had tons of fun not only choosing how to design each card from the templates and color options on the app, but I most enjoyed writing the card backs. 

The one downside of the app is the card backs and the limitations they provide. This back is the only one that allowed me enough space to write the blurbs that have been so common on the backs of cards for generations. I'm also numbering them in the series, but once again, I'm not even completely sure what I'm looking to create for my final product.

I must say that I've thoroughly enjoyed creating my own cards for a number of reasons. I can choose the images, the format, the blurbs on the back, the players, and everything in between. But I feel as if narrowing down the overall idea will help me more. Currently, I have 4 options for the set (that I have yet to come up with a title for).

1. Just highlight cards like the Bogaerts directly above and the Nunez card for his inside the park HR.

2. A Documentary-style, but only commemorating games that the Red Sox win. Thus, excluding any loss no matter how good of a game or how close the game may have been.

3. The same as #2, but incorporate all games, both wins, and losses.

4. Combine all the options and do a set of all games (wins and losses) as well as highlight cards.