Wednesday, March 14, 2018

2018 Topps Opening Day blaster box

If the base design was more original, rather than looking like flagship Topps, then Opening Day would be much more interesting rather than redundant - OD is a cheap product with all sorts of fun inserts and I guess if I wanted baseball cards, maybe these are an alternative the non-MLB licensed Panini Donruss.

I see myself as a low end collector, though it doesn't mean I can't be a 'card snob' and an insecurity I might have is pulling MLB rookie logo cards out of a cheaper version of the flagship Topps product - it probably won't ever happen where any number of guys with rookie cards in this year's class will turn into Clayton Kershaw or Mike Trout, but I don't want it where if that does happen, I end holding 'Opening Day' version (s) of a base rookie instead of the 'flagship' ones.

But go figure, one of the reasons I grabbed a $10 blaster was to chase after a Shohei Ohtani rookie card, which isn't in Topps Series I - OD sets with his cards may have been selling on ebay for $15, so I could have gone that route for a cheap RC of the pitcher / DH, but it's a more exciting to pull one if I have the chance.

Pack one
#153 Addison Russell
#84 Starling Marte
#BOD-MK Mikie Mahtook - Before Opening Day insert


#191 Matt Wieters - Yellow Printing Plate 1 of 1; I was hoping this was Bryce Harper or at least Daniel Murphy, but my first printing plate pull made this blaster pretty good already.

I realize the Wieters is probably only worth just about what I paid for the entire box - but I like the metallic texture of printing plates, especially when the player's image is visible.

#89 Jeff Samardizija
#189 Steven Souza Jr.
#95 Dexter Fowler

Pack two
#97 Kevin Kiermaier

#197 Parker Bridwell
#8 A.J. Pollock
#M-11 Paws - Mascots insert
#195 Marcell Ozuna
#52 Justin Verlander
#152 Jake Arrieta

Pack three
#108 Marcus Stroman
#15 Adam Jones
#115 Ryan McMahon
#TTC-YD YMCA Dance - Team Traditions & Celebrations insert
#45 Trevor Story
#145 Zach Britton
#32 Raisel Iglesias

Pack four
#29 Carlos Rodon
#129 Francisco Mejia
#42 Jon Gray
#ODB-PP Opening Day in Pittsburgh - Opening Day insert
#132 Walker Buehler
#27 Ian Happ
#127 Victor Robles

Pack five
#142 Paul Goldschmidt
#58 Cody Bellinger
#158 Corey Kluber

#BDO-MT Mike Trout - Before Opening Day insert
#24 Kyle Schwarber
#124 Nicky Delmonico
#9 Jake Lamb

Pack six
#69 Jacob DeGrom
#169 Kenley Jansen
#18 Trey Mancini - Opening Day Edition parallel
#M-17 Mr. Met - Mascots insert
#109 Anthony Rendon

#4 Mike Trout
#104 Nomar Mazara

Pack seven
#80 Maikel Franco
#90 Hunter Pence
#190 Cole Hamels

#TTC-RM Rally Monkey - Team Traditions & Celebrations insert
#59 Corey Seager
#159 Edwin Encarnacion
#68 Noah Syndergaard

Pack eight
#57 Yasiel Puig
#157 Jesse Winker
#49 Yulieski Gurriel
#M-1 Sluggerrr - Mascots insert
#168 Yu Darvish
#176 Aroldis Chapman
#76 Khris Davis

Pack nine
#149 Xander Bogaerts
#46 Miguel Cabrera
#146 Chris Davis
#BOD-MS Miguel Sano - Before Opening Day insert
#87 Hunter Renfroe
#187 Matt Carpenter
#94 Adam Wainwright

Pack 10
#37 Carlos Carrasco
#137 Miguel Andujar
#23 Willson Contreras
#ODB-CL Opening Day in Cleveland - Opening Day insert
#194 Alex Colome
#100 Joey Gallo

#200 Shohei Ohtani - I pulled a 1 of 1 printing plate, a Bridwell base, a Trout insert, a Trout base, a Rally Monkey insert and this card I was looking for, so why don't I have strong feelings about Opening Day again?

Pack 11
#123 Chance Sisco
#12 Nick Markakis
#112 Max Scherzer

#TTC-KC King’s Court - Team’s Traditions & Celebrations
#65 Joe Mauer
#165 Alcides Escobar
#39 Francisco Lindor

4 comments:

TSHenson said...

Great write up on Opening Day. I always look forward to the new Opening Day cards. I like the fun inserts that are included. Are you trading any of these cards? I collect the Indians. My email is tim(underscore)gretchen(underscore)marriage AT yahoo.com

Thanks, Tim

Henry Blanchette said...

Awesome printing plate. Even if it is Matt Wieters, that's a pretty good hit and a nice blaster overall.

Adam Kaningher said...

Pretty awesome to pull a printing plate out of a blaster! I had the same experience in 2016.

Fuji said...

A printing plate in a blaster? I'd call that a win any day of the week. Congratulations!