Have No Fear, Topps Heritage is Here

After anticipating its release for months on end, 2019 Topps Heritage was finally released earlier today. As you can see, I wasted no time in taking a trip to my LCS for my yearly tradition of purchasing a hobby box of the fan-favorite product.

2019 makes the first year that Topps is replicating a 70s Flagship set, marking the dawn of a new era of sorts for the Heritage brand. Over the next few years, we'll start to see Topps finest sets ever created once again, featuring modern-day stars. 

I fully intend to take my time opening my hobby box so I won't be posting a full recap until tomorrow at the earliest. As for today's post, I'm starting off with just 1 pack of the product in order to access and share my thoughts on this years' set.

There's honestly no better sight than a freshly-opened hobby box with all the packs remaining unopened, especially when the pack design is as creative as the Topps Heritage sets. I'm not certain if they're created with the intent of recreating past pack styles, but they still are eye-catching regardless.

Just like it has been for as long as I can remember, a hobby box delivers 24 packs with 9 cards per pack along with the guarantee of 1 autograph or relic card as well. Thankfully, the first pack I opened didn't house my hit, for that would've been an extremely anti-climactic moment, even if it was a super rare card.

Now, the moment that I've been waiting on for quite some time now. Here's my very first pack from 2019 Topps Heritage.

#170 Albert Almora Jr.

Just under 1 month ago, I pulled Aaron Judge's base card as my first card from 2019 Topps Series 1. This time around with 2019 Topps Heritage, my first card from this set is Chicago Cubs' outfielder, Albert Almora Jr.

As expected, Topps did a stellar job of replicating the 1970 Topps set, a feat they never fail to accomplish no matter the year. While I was originally worried about the pictures being too small after what I saw on Cardboard Connection beforehand, seeing this first card proves to me that there's nothing to worry about when it comes to the size of the photos.

#279 Rick Porcello

With my first card being a Cub and the 2nd being a Red Sox player, it'd be challenging to start off better than I did with my first pack of 2019 Topps Heritage. 

Looking back on it, 1969 Topps had a fair amount of headshots, but they weren't necessarily recreated for Heritage. Upon seeing this Porcello card, I can already tell that there will be a wider variety of different images utilized in this years' product.

#313 Michael Fulmer

The bright yellow and dark blue card backs from 1970 Topps are some of the more memorable Baseball card backs in Topps history, and I'm pleased to see the effort that Topps made to redesign them practically perfectly. Even the fun fact cartoons have returned in the top right-hand corner of the card like they have in previous years of Heritage as well.

#191 David Price

With SPs once again reserved for the top superstars of Baseball, it was somewhat surprising to find Red Sox pitcher and World Series hero David Price in the base set as card #191. While I'm obviously thrilled to wind up with 2 Red Sox cards in 1 pack, just like Series 1, I expected to see Price as a short-print this year, but I'm not upset about the decision whatsoever.

#TN-8 Then & Now Johnny Bench & Javier Baez

Almost every Topps Heritage pack delivers some sort of SP, insert, numbered card, or hit, and my first pack from the 2019 set landed me an insert card that falls at roughly 1 per hobby box; a Then & Now card. 

While the pairing of Bench and Baez isn't the greatest, the insert set has remained iconic for over a decade. However, this years' design resembles the base set a smidge too much for my taste.

#376 Toronto Blue Jays rookie stars

Even more so than the standard base design, Topps was able to nail the rookie stars cards despite the fact that I've only seen the Blue Jays version thus far. Perfectly capturing the colors as well as the font and positioning, Topps successfully replicated a critical aspect of this particular iconic set of cards.

#347 David Bote

Similar to Eric Thames, Chicago Cubs 3rd baseman David Bote will likely be recognized years from now for a mini-tear that the 25-year old went on last year. Just like the few weeks in which Eric Thames was a hot commodity, Bote's walk-off grand slam will forever be an iconic aspect of modern-day Baseball history.

#398 Teoscar Hernandez

At this point in the pack, 7 of the 8 cards I've pulled have featured a member of either the Red Sox, Cubs, or Blue Jays. Even if the final card doesn't showcase a member of one of those 3 MLB teams, over 75% of the cards in pack #1 feature players on just 3 clubs. What are the odds of that?

#153 Seth Lugo

He's not necessarily the first Mets pitcher I would like to find, but seeing another headshot to close out the pack affirms my previous theory that 2019 Topps Heritage will feature a wider range of different photographs, not just the same shots we've grown accustomed to seeing year after year.

Thank goodness, because I'm getting sick and tired of players swinging a bat with bright blue skies showing up on almost every single card.

Breaking Free of My Writer's Block; Card Show Recap #17

I'll freely admit to this before I get started on today's blog post; I've had a case of writer's block over the last few weeks, and even though I've kept a steady pace with the number of posts I write, it's been a struggle to come up with new ideas.

Writer's block isn't foreign to me, though this instance of it has certainly been the longest-lasting since I began blogging. That being said, like all periods of writer's block, there's light at the end of the tunnel, and a quick trip to the card show today may be exactly what it takes to break free.

With full knowledge of there being a Mansfield show next Monday and the release of Topps Heritage the Wednesday after that, my Dad and I decided that going to today's Baseball card show on a limited budget would be exactly what I needed. 

However, with intentions of going to the Mansfield show the following week, it was understood that we'd have to limit ourselves this time around, so I made certain to stretch every possible dollar.

I have a fair number of Red Sox cards when it comes to vintage, but I'm always on the hunt for those I don't have yet as long as their a reasonable price. And when they're $1 a piece, it's hard to say no to a higher number like Dalton Jones and a Cy Young award winner, Jim Lonborg. 

Topps did an excellent job with 1969 Topps in their 2018 Heritage product, though the set is a bit too simple to royally screw up. Still, they kept it consistent and featured pink circles for the Red Sox once again, something I was very pleased to see.

It really doesn't matter what year they're from, because these hobby-exclusive silver pack cards have looked fabulous since their debut back in 2017. The best part about the cards, in my opinion, is finding them for a low price after the set is released. 

I've spotted silver pack cards before in the dime bins, but this time, I found a Devers rookie and was more than willing to pay the 75 cents that it cost me.

A high-end card of a Red Sox legend for just a buck? That was an easy choice, especially when the set is Topps Tribute, a product that featured beautiful and shiny cards in the early 2000s. They don't scan as well as they look in-person, for the actual cards are far less yellow and way more like a modern-day chrome refractor.

I've never been the biggest fan of the rainbow foil parallels from Topps Flagship, especially because of how barely noticeable they've been in recent years. Topps definitely stepped up their game with the parallels in 2019, but in the case of this Craig Kimbrel parallel, one would barely be able to tell that it's a rainbow foil parallel at first glance.

Regardless, a new Kimbrel card is always welcome in my collection, and I have now reached 119 total cards, including absolutely zero duplicates.

I'll admit, card companies have succeeded in getting me hooked on serial numbered cards, causing me to pick a few up at nearly every show for the right price (no pun intended). Case and point; this 2017 Topps Finest purple refractor of Price which I've spotted at a vendor's table at my past few trips to the show.

I don't know what caused me not to pick up the card the last few times. But today, I decided I'd finally pay the $2 necessary for this serial numbered card, but it wasn't the only one I'd pick up.

For the same price as a retail pack of 2019 Topps Series 1, I picked up a black and white parallel of Dustin Pedroia from 2018 Topps Big League which, almost every time, will beat whatever comes out of the 14-card pack.

I've always loved the look of black and white parallels, and I think it's awesome that Topps has started to include them in sets like Gypsy Queen and Big League. Pedroia's stock may be down, but for the low price it was going for, I simply couldn't resist.

I capped off a stellar selection of Red Sox cards with yet another relic card of Pedro Martinez, because why not? The dealer I bought this card from provided a reasonable price on the Clubhouse Collection relic card, and so I added what is likely my 10th Pedro relic to my collection, possibly more.

As far as standard relic cards go, Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection is basically as good as it gets. The design is always pretty great, and it's hard to get a bad name, though that doesn't make the disappointment any easier when I pulled a Brandon Phillips relic out of my hobby box 2 years ago

Still, seeing this card reminds me of the Topps Heritage set and how we're only a couple weeks from seeing its release once again, this time in the 1970 Topps design.

Until then, I'll be recapping card shows and attempting to rid myself of writer's block.

It's About More Than Just the Hit

For the first time maybe ever, I opened a hobby box of cards without being overly concerned about what my hit would be. There's 1 autograph or relic card guaranteed in a hobby box of 2019 Topps Series, but it's usually a standard jersey relic which isn't too exciting. 

This forces me to appreciate every other card I pull to make up for the boring hit, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I was able to enjoy the entire box, not just the 1 hit.

In fact, I'll show the hit right away so I can move on to the rest of the box and the awesome photos, in particular. It's a black jersey swatch of Yoan Moncada, part of the Major League Materials set that Topps features every year. The card is already on eBay. Moving on.

This is what it looks like when more attention is paid towards the photos featured across a Flagship set. Thankfully, I saw way fewer "traditional" and "boring" pictures and more exciting cards like the 2 above, a couple of my favorites. 

These pictures, especially the Segura, could even pass for Stadium Club photos. Seeing them in Series 1 is pretty refreshing since I've gotten so used to Topps using the same style of images on almost every single card.

Why chase down throwback uniform variations in other sets when Topps features them in Flagship as base cards? Seriously, it's awesome to see all these old-school uniforms, especially when so many of them feature the classic black and gold Pirates uniform and cap. 

The Josh Harrison and Adam Engel cards also feature awesome action shots, so I'm getting 2 awesome things in 1 card as far as I'm concerned.

Can we talk, for a minute, about how awesome this years' Future Stars cards look? I feel like I'm back in the late 1980s with how colorful and fun the rainbow letters are, and there are no irritating pixels present to take away from the design (I'm talking about you, 2018 Topps).

Not to mention, Topps chose the best possible photos to include on these 2 Future Stars cards. The bright and bold jerseys match perfectly with the rainbow words at the top of each card.

Also, look what we have for team cards this year; gorgeous ballpark shots encapsulating the beauty of the MLB ballparks with just one photo. While I'm going to do my best to avoid the eventual inclusion of Tropicana Field, these 4 stunning ballparks, especially Bush Stadium, look incredible and replace the previous attempt at "team" cards that never failed to disappoint me.

I feel like Topps definitely took a page from the success of 2018 Topps Big League when creating this years' Flagship set. If Topps isn't going to go back to the standard team cards that were featured for decades than these ballpark cards are the next best thing.

I don't think I've ever talked about base cards in a box recap post for that long. Thank you, 2019 Topps.

The insert cards in 2019 Topps Series 1 are okay, though there are a few sets that I could definitely do without. I don't need to see any more Baseball cards of another Baseball card, especially when all they do is recreate a card we've seen a dozen times or promote the Topps Now set. 

Sure, these cards are a couple of PC hits, but I could definitely do without them.

I recently featured a card just like this on my top 5 cards post of Mariano Rivera. It's a pretty epic tribute for when Rivera broke Trevor Hoffman's record and became the all-time saves leader.

As for the insert set, it's designed to pay tribute to 150 years of professional Baseball, hence why it's called 150 Years of Professional Baseball. It's split up into 3 equal parts; greatest moments, greatest players, and greatest seasons. 

The insert set checklist also consists of 150 cards which seems incredibly excessive even given Topps' desire to pay tribute to 150 years of pro Baseball. It's also been announced that this set will carry over into Series 2, so get ready for, likely, another 150 of these cards that fall at 1:7 hobby packs.

This year, Topps is also honoring the 1984 Topps set throughout Series 1, 2, Chrome, and Update. Out of the 3 sets they've done so far ('87, '83, and '84), the 1984 design excites me the most in terms of Topps recreating it. Don't ask me why, but I don't think Topps will burn me out on 1984 like they've done with '87 and '83 in previous years.

While I'm still not too crazy about the rainbow foil parallels, I must say that they look multitudes better than they have in previous years. I used to detest them, especially in 2017 Topps, but not anymore. Now, they almost look like previews of what 2019 Topps Chrome will look like.

Surprisingly, the gold parallels in 2019 Topps (1:5 packs) are more common than the boring 150th Anniversary parallels (1:6 packs which I've neglected to showcase in today's post). 

Apparently, the odds are pretty difficult in hobby jumbo for any type of parallel, yet I came across 5 in my standard hobby box, and the one not shown is James McCann. Granted, I didn't hit any huge names besides Lindor, but if nothing else, the parallels improved this year as well. 

I didn't understand the need for the swirls on last years' parallel designs in both Flagship and Chrome. I still don't comprehend why Topps didn't opt for more standard parallels cards, and while the "disco" parallels from 2019 aren't ideal, like the rest of the set, they're certainly an improvement from years past.

Because SP image variations were excluded entirely from hobby jumbo boxes, I ended up with 2 in my standard hobby box though I don't think I could've landed 2 players that I have less interest in. This is the only part of this years' set that I don't like all that much since there are many examples of base cards with more exciting pictures than the ones featured on these rare SPs.

Breaking away from the traditional parallels that we usually see, Topps Flagship features unique numbered cards such as Mother's Day Pink, Independence Day, and the Memorial Day camo parallels, one of which I landed in my box break.

Numbered 8/25, I didn't end up with a huge name, but a low-numbered rookie card is a low-numbered rookie card nevertheless. Daniel Ponce De Leon, especially as a member of the Cardinals, looks a lot like former Red Sox relief pitcher, Joe Kelly.

One of the coolest insert sets in 2019 Topps Series 1 is the Evolution set, highlighting change from past to present-day and featuring subjects like uniforms, equipment, and ballparks. On the front of this card is Ebbets Field where the Brooklyn Dodgers played before moving to Los Angeles. On the back is a pitcher of Dodger Stadium, their current home.

However, the 150 years stamp on the front makes this an insert parallel since clearly, a small, barely noticeable stamp is all that is needed for an insert parallel nowadays. Regardless, the 150 years stamp means the card is numbered out of 150 on the back, and although I don't remember the exact pack odds, I know these cards are pretty hard to come by.

This Eddie Rosario card might be one of my favorite cards from the entire hobby box break, a title I don't usually award to a base card. I may like it even more than the Moncada relic because of how refreshing it is to see creative photos featured in Flagship. 

Move over standard jersey relics, I'm starting to prefer fun photography over the same jersey swatches.

A few years ago, you would never see a card like this in a Flagship set. Last year, a card like this would be a short-print variation card. Now, in 2019 Topps, cards just like the Rosario card above are featured continuously throughout the set as base cards, not SPs.

It's awesome to see all of these improvements, especially since the production went up this year, meaning more base cards and fewer inserts per pack.

While 2019 Topps Series 1 is far from perfect, I can definitely tell that Topps has worked to improve the Flagship set in numerous ways, from better photos, an improved design for parallels, and, of course, an exciting new base set, and as long as Topps continues to produce Flagship sets at this level, we won't have to see another 2016 Topps set ever again.

All the Way From Canada

Even though I consider myself a die-hard Red Sox fan, I feel like I need to start stepping up my game a little bit when it comes to collecting cards from my favorite team separate from player collections.

To be clear, I'm very pleased with the Red Sox PCs I have now, consisting of a wide variety of players from Carlton Fisk to Andrew Benintendi. I'll never stop adding on to my player collections, meaning my Red Sox PCs won't be a worry for me. I'm talking about my overall Red Sox card collection, cards of players I don't collect.

Right now, I have about 5 binders of non-player collection Red Sox cards, from 1954-2018. Some sets are grouped together because I have a lot of cards from them while others are put into a miscellaneous Red Sox card binder. I'd like to be able to continuously add to these binders, but I'd like to figure out a better way to organize them first.

As for how I'd add to this part of my collection, I took a step in that direction today thanks to Curtis of Condition Sensitive who sent me a package of Red Sox cards all the way from Canada. 

The player collection Red Sox cards he sent me will be added to their respective collections. However, as for cards like the 1977 TCMA Jackie Jensen, those will join the rest of my Red Sox cards in binders.

Player collection cards like these 4 above, 2 of which are from 2018 Topps Update, a set I haven't invested too much into thus far. The Ortiz insert is a new one I haven't seen before that will aid in the process of getting his player collection to 200 cards The Pedroia is one of a select few inserts from 2014 Topps Upper Class that I still need for PCs. The Fred Lynn is a holofoil 2013 Topps Chasing History parallel, and finally, the Kimbrel is a blue parallel  Legends in the Making card from Update.

In some cases, player collection cards that I receive in trades are already in my collection, but not this time around. In fact, every PC card Curtis sent me is one I don't have in any of my player collections yet.

That includes this oddball 1988 Starting Lineup Wade Boggs card, a product I've never seen before in my life, but a card that'll fit right into the Boggs player collection nevertheless. Coming off a 1967 season in which he hit .363, it's no wonder that the Hall of Fame 3rd baseman was a subject of choice in many different sets, including this unfamiliar one.

From one of my first player collections to my newest, there were plenty of different cards to go around, ranging from different players, brands, sets, and decades. David Ortiz was one of the first players I ever collected, and his player collection, as I mentioned before, is closing in on 200 cards.

On the other hand, David Price's PC is in the process of being created now after his sensational performance in the World Series. I expect it to consist of around 20 cards when created, almost all of them from his days in Tampa Bay and Boston.

Typically, I would know about an insert set paying tribute to a Red Sox legend sooner than a year and a half after the product was released, but I guess that's part of what made discovering the 2017 Panini Diamond Kings Ted Williams Collection set so enjoyable. Not only is it hard to notice that the cards are unlicensed, but the 2nd one, showing Williams presumably in his fishing gear, is one of the most bizarre and awesome cards I've seen in a while.

Don't worry, my lack of interest in Topps Update won't stop me from finding some Red Sox players included in the checklist. Thanks to Curtis, playoff participant Ian Kinsler and rookie reliever Marcus Walden's cards from Update will make their way into my Red Sox binders, no matter what way I decide is the best to organize them.

I certainly do feel fortunate having received my 3rd David Ortiz card from the trade, bringing his player collection all the way up to 194 cards. If Ortiz cards have a good turnout in the next dime box, or I specifically track 6 of them down from a dealer, the next card show I attend could finally bring his PC over the 200-card mark.

On top of sending 2 Chrome refractors my way, I also received 2 different gold parallels from Curtis including a gold Craig Kimbrel that I saw on his blog, causing me to initiate the trade. Both will go to their respective player collections as I continue to add to the Kimbrel Collection as well as build up Lester's PC with Red Sox and Cubs cards from the last decade or so.

Ultimately, there was 1 card, in particular, I wanted when I negotiated this trade. I saw it on the blog after Curtis opened up a blaster of 2018 Topps Update and due to the way this post has gone so far, you can bet it was a Red Sox player.

I'm not usually a huge fan of manufactured relic cards, but there was something about this Andrew Benintendi Jackie Robinson Day "patch" that drew me in more so than these cards typically do. For starters, the dark purple shades in the background and on the patch are an interesting touch, not to mention the patch itself looks better than manufactured relics typically do.

Benintendi is coming off a sensational season in which he improved in nearly every stat category. He's improved to an All-Star caliber player, and this card is an above average manufactured retail-exclusive relic, the best card in what was a trade filled to the brink with Red Sox cards, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

My BoSox Bobbles

Although I'm sadly unable to make the championship parade tomorrow at 11:00, I'm still in a state of shock from the events of 2 days ago. That final strikeout is going to be replaying in my head for years and years to come.

Still, I'm not going to be celebrating Boston's World Series victory on the blog for all that time, so it's time for me to move on, gradually that is. I still have a Red Sox-related post lined up for today, and that's putting all my Red Sox bobbleheads on display.

Personally, bobbleheads are some of the funniest pieces of memorabilia a collector can have. Whether you attend a game with a bobblehead giveaway or you find one at a card show, shop, or yard sale, I don't think there's any piece of memorabilia out there that's more fun to have in your collection than a bobblehead, and if you have a group of them, that part's even better.

The bobblehead at the top of this post is of Red Sox legend Manny Ramirez and is from a giveaway at Fenway Park back in June of 2017 when the Twins came to visit. While I have a few more that I'm about to show, Manny's bobblehead is definitely one of my favorites of the group.

Contrary to the Manny Ramirez bobblehead, the one of Pedro Martinez, another legend from the 2004 curse-breaking team, was not a promotion at a Red Sox game but rather a card show pickup. In fact, I picked up the exact same bobblehead of Ken Griffey Jr. a couple years later. I can't say I know what company made these, but I'm a huge fan of the detailed ticket stub design that Martinez is standing on.

A closer look at the ticket shows that it's from a game 5, likely the 5th game of the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees. With the seat information at the top and the details throughout the entire ticket, it truly does resemble an actual ticket from an MLB game pretty well.

While I can't say I'm certain which bobblehead is my favorite, I can confidently declare which one is my least favorite, and that one is of former Red Sox fan-favorite Nomar Garciaparra. Not only was he not very well-liked at the end of his time in Boston, whoever made this bobblehead could very well have been trying to scare people by making his skin appear almost green.

I mean, I get that it's from the early 2000's and all where the technology wasn't as great as it is today, but you'd think that whoever manufactured this bobblehead would try to make it look a bit more like Nomar and a bit less like a Halloween decoration.

I suppose I should save the best for last, but Mookie Betts' bobblehead from a June 2016 giveaway was next in my line of Red Sox bobbleheads to have their pictures taken, so it's next in the order in which I'm posting them. 

Without a doubt, Mookie's bobblehead is the coolest given the fact that instead of your usual standing pose, Betts is shown to be making a diving catch over the rightfield wall, all while wearing the alternate home uniforms.

The actual Mookie Betts figure is also able to separate from the wall, though it cannot stand on its own without leaning against something or resting on the table. Therefore, it's best to keep Mookie connected to the short green wall where he belongs.

Next up, the 2nd Manny Ramirez bobblehead is making its appearance with this one being from an Upper Deck set, though I'm not certain what it's necessarily called. All I know is I also have one of these of Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, and I'm also really pleased to see another example of the representation of the red alternate jerseys which are far more interesting to look at, especially on bobbleheads, rather than standard white home uniforms.

The next bobblehead features another member of Boston's 2018 World Series-winning team, All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts whose bobblehead is another promotional item from an August 2016 matchup against the Rays. 

As you can see given 3 of the souveniers thus far, when buying Red Sox tickets, I tend to gravitate towards games with bobblehead giveaways. If I'm going to pay Fenway Park prices, I'm definitely going to look for something in addition to a 9 or more inning game.

Okay, so this is a Paw Sox bobblehead and not a Red Sox one, so I suppose I'm slightly bending the rules. However, this was produced and given out for a Pawtucket Red Sox game many years ago in which Jacoby Ellsbury was on a rehab assignment from his injuries. A player with plenty of MLB experience, including many years with Boston, Ellsbury's Paw Sox bobblehead is definitely the most unique of the group for all the reasons above and more.

Although Ellsbury's bobblehead is incredibly unique, Chris Sale's, from an April 2018 game, is downright special. This "K counter" bobblehead is meant to serve as a tracker for all of Sale's strikeouts from 2018 given how many he had in 2017, his first season in Boston. You simply move the dials up or down to indicate an increase in K's.

Even with his limited innings pitched due to shoulder injuries, Sale still fanned 237 batters in 2018 which is where the dial will rest until I presume, Opening Day 2019 where Chris Sale is all but expected to start. Then, I'll reset the numbers back to all 0's, and we'll watch as another baseball season gets underway.

Until then, I have bobbleheads to keep me company and before I know it, the 2019 season will be starting up.

2 days down, only 149 days left to go.