2016 Topps Heritage 35-card hanger box

I'm not exactly a fan of Topps Heritage because it's a played out card product to me - it's not like I don't appreciate 'old school' elements in baseball cards, but Heritage is just kind of bland and lacks imagination.

The images used are boring for the most part with no action shots - these Heritage cards either show the players from the waist up and/or boring poses from spring training photo shoots.

The images on the cards look like they are grainy, maybe part of a process [scanned newspaper effect?] - trying to make these new cards look old-timey.

The card backs seems like they are easier to read - so that is probably a good thing.

It’s probably not a consideration for strictly baseball card collectors but the images used and the facsimile autograph - makes the cards seem a little too cluttered to get a random in-person/TTM autograph on.  

For in-person / TTM graphing, I’m mostly an Allen and Ginter guy [until the Topps Heritage Minors product comes out] - going through these cards, I’m not exactly excited to get the guys’ cards I think I can get autographed.

#77 Evan Gattis

#247 Hector Santiago

#179 2016 Diamondbacks Rookie Stars - feat. Godley/Brito

#348 Detroit Tigers team card

#381 Arodys Vizcaino

#193 A.J. Pierzynski

#187 2016 Giants Rookie Stars - feat. Brown/Williamson

#365 St. Louis Cardinals team card

#279 Jeff Bannister

#378 Jason Castro

#132 Ichiro

#399 J.J. Hoover

#267 Mike Scioscia

#181 NL Rookie Stars - feat. Conforto/Nola

#303 David Murphy

#310 Chris Sale

#220 Matt Duffy

#486 Rusney Castillo - short print

#TOPPS NAP-MMA Manny Machado - New Age Performers insert

#TOPPS TAN-YA Carl Yastrzemski / Nolan Arenado - Then and Now insert

#Pittsburgh Pirates team card

#227 Carlos Gomez

#421 Taijuan Walker

#45 Hanley Ramirez

#370 San Francisco Giants team card

#321 Garrett Richards

#72 Mark Trumbo

#88 Xander Bogaerts

#203 Lonnie Chisenhall

#26 Drew Smyly

#191 Jimmy Rollins

#317 Colby Lewis

#312 Vidal Nuno

#17 Brayan Pena

#328 Denard Span

Not a bad trade for the Angels

The Angels sent off Mark Trumbo in a three-way trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox - the Angels are going to miss Mark Trumbo's tremendous pop but not his streakiness with the bat.

There is a chance that Trumbo still has the ability to improve as a hitter - but the Angels were able to get a pitching prospect [though one that was originally in their system] and a serviceable pitcher for a guy whose power is constantly negated by the holes in his swing.

C.J. Cron is just about ready at 24 to figure into the Angels plans next season - the irony is he maybe a Trumbo clone who had a down year in AA in 2013, but the Angels should see what he can do at the MLB level sooner than never.

Speaking as strictly as a fan, I'm not going to miss Trumbo's occasional douchiness despite being a fan favorite - he's actually done the usual things normal ballplayers would do countless number of times such as signing autographs, taking pictures, make appearances at public events, making appearances on behalf of the team, et al.

Maybe he was just was never a warm and fuzzy guy and at times - he'd let you know in no uncertain terms that he'd rather be doing something else than signing another autograph.

Hector Santiago has actually been pretty good over the past two years as both a reliever and starting pitcher - he maybe the key that wins this trade early for the Angels because should be able to help the MLB team next season.

Santiago needs to walk less guys and hopefully he stays healthy, which is always a concern for any pitcher - but maybe it matters more for a guy that wasn't considered a top prospect and has sort of come out of nowhere to enjoy relative MLB success.

Tyler Skaggs hasn't been impressive in parts of two MLB seasons and he may not be better than a No. 3 starter - but he's young and gets to go back to the organization that drafted him 2009.