Category Archives: Baseball

2017, Baseball, Blaster Box, Topps Fire

2017 Topps Fire Blaster Box Break

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This is a release I wasn’t very sure about going in. I’m generally not a big fan of the gimmicky releases like this. After opening a box, I still don’t think it’s quite for me, but the online pictures don’t really do the cards justice. They do look a lot better in hand than in any pictures I’ve seen. The parallels leave something to be desired, though, as they don’t seem to match up to their names very well.

The fact that these are Target exclusives also doesn’t really appeal to me, but they seem to be easier to find than many Walmart exclusives are.

The blaster box advertises 46 cards inside (7 packs + 1 Gold Minted pack). There are no guaranteed hits.

This box contained:

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2017, Baseball, Jumbo Hobby Box, Topps

2017 Topps Update Jumbo Hobby Box Break

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This is a pretty standard end of the season release. It captures many of the late season acquisitions, but it also misses the many of the post deadline deals. It seemed like this year, there were many significant post waiver deadline deals, so you can’t really blame the set for missing those. They have to draw the line somewhere, or risk being released long after the season is over.

The set features 300 cards, and many of the normal inserts and parallels. A Jumbo box features 10 packs of 50 cards each, with three guaranteed hits.

This box contained:

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2017, Baseball, Hobby Box, Topps Heritage

2017 Topps Heritage High Number Hobby Box Break

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While acting as an update set for the primary Heritage release, Heritage High Numbers picks up right where the initial release lets off. For the most part, this release continues sets and inserts featured in the February release, with cards 501-725 (701-725 are SPs), as well as more Real One Autographs and Clubhouse Collection Relics. There are also insert sets we’ve seen in previous years, like Award Winners and Rookie Performers.

 

We also see many of the same parallels, with blue, chrome, and minis. The base set variations are also in the same style, with Action Images, Color Swap logos, traded and throwback cards. If you like the regular Heritage set, this one is for you.

A box advertises 24 packs with 9 cards per pack, including one Real One Autograph or relic card per box.

This box contained:

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2017, Baseball, Box Break, Hobby Box, Topps Allen & GInter

2017 Topps Allen & Ginter Hobby Box Break

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July means release time for Allen & Ginter. It’s always a fun set which, while clearly a baseball set, also offers a little bit of a change of pace with various off beat inclusions. It includes anything from insert sets focusing on Revolutionary Battles or World’s Dude to regular relics and autographs.

The release is bolstered by Aaron Judge, as are most of the 2017 releases. There is also a mix of sports writers and various other stars, such as Floyd Mayweather and William Shatner. Hot boxes make their first appearances in Allen & Ginter with an entire box filled with Foil Base parallels instead of standard base cards.

This box contained:

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2017, Baseball, Hobby Box, Stadium Club

2017 Topps Stadium Club Hobby Box Break

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The year of the Judge continues with the Stadium Club release.  While Aaron Judge has seemingly driven a lot more attention on the hobby, he has already really inflated the release prices for unopened packs.  Will he live up to the hype?  Time will tell.  Will the product live up to the prices?  Well, that will be a taller order, if you don’t hit a Judge.

 

The Stadium Club release seems to have really hit its stride.  We’ve come to expect unique images on nicer card stock, along with on card autographs.  It’s a simple set, but very visually appealing.   There are also a few parallels and inserts, but the main set is really the focus.   A hobby box features 16 packs of 8 cards each, with 2 on-card autographs.

This box contains:

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