Promoting a lack of promotions

When you hear promotion it's often something that people worked really hard for to get to.  For baseball players, it's that moment they finally get the call from the minor league's to the majors.

Andrew McCutchen received his call up to the majors 13 years ago on June 4th, 2009. 

He got an insert card in 2022 Topps Series 1 highlighting his call up.  There's of course parallels to chase and I'm sure I will seek them out as time goes on.

Eventually, no matter how elite someone is though father time eventually catches up with you and you can no longer perform at that same level that earned you the promotion.  

All great athletes eventually have to retire.  

I think that's why some greats have a hard time walking away from the game and find something else related to it as either a coach, broadcaster, scout, etc. 

This got me thinking about real life not because of this insert card or the sudden surge of the Pirates Young Bucs callups, but because I went and saw Top Gun: Maverick.

I won't spoil too much of the movie, but I see my life much in the same way as Maverick.  Lots of experience and the ability to get promoted, but refusing to just because it's not something that fits the mold of the character.  

I heard that someone I helped train about 15 years ago recently got promoted to a job that has been offered to me (and I repeatedly turned down over the past 5 years).  I'm happy to hear that for him as it's something he has wanted.  For me though, despite a higher salary, it is something I wouldn't want to do because it doesn't fit my personality.

Have you ever turned down a higher salary or promotion because it's not something you'd want to do?

Pop Star?

A Youtube Channel I watch (Baseball Card Collector Investor Dealer) published a video a few months ago discussing the top rookie cards from 2000-2009.  Autograph cards were not included, it was strictly based on base cards from Topps Flagship releases (S1, S2, Updates).

You can view the video here. 

Andrew McCutchen sits 14th on the list and he discussed the very low Gem 10 PSA pop count for Cutch.  

Here's a snapshot from the video

As you can see Cutch's PSA 10 pop count is very very low compared to more modern guys like Vlad Jr, Tatis, Acuna, etc.

I currently have 2 of the 72.

I remember picking these up prepandemic for about $40ea. 

If Cutch gets to around 2,200 career hits I think he will have a serious shot at HOF considering the era that he played in.  

Even if he doesn't get to be in the HOF, I'm still happy to have these two rare cards in this high of grades.

In addition to these two graded copies, I also have 52 raw copies. 

Do you have graded cards in your collection?

The Card That Brought Me Back

I was furious when Topps left the Opening Day rookie class (Spencer Torkelson, Bobby Witt Jr, Julio Rodriguez) along with printing Cutch in a Phillies uniform again (he was removed from the 40 man roster in November 2021) for 2022 Topps Series 2. 

I even considered not buying any new 2022 and beyond cards because I was so irritated by the lack if quality control, set planning, and executing of their products.  I lost a lot of interest in the hobby.

Then Topps did something unthinkable.

They actually included all the RC Opening Day class as SSP and even included Cutch in a Brewers uniform as a photo variant.

Behold, the simple looking card that saved me from leaving the hobby. 

This card has fixed my cardboard itch.

It's a simple design and features just a normal photo of Cutch at the plate in his Brewers attire.  

It's perfect in everyday.  

The back even features full career stats. 

Have you ever had one card that brought you back into the hobby?

You're a teenager now!

I forgot to post these items a few days ago so here is a belated Happy Birthday for Cutch's 13th anniversary of his first HR.

This card is from 2015 Topps Tribute and features a ball used in the game for Cutch's first HR game.  

It is not the actual ball Cutch hit for his 1st HR, I believe that belongs to Cutch.

I also own the lineup card from Cutch's 1st HR

I won this in an auction a few years ago for only $100 (plus taxes and buyer's fee). 

It has been authenticated by JSA.

I also have a ticket stub from the game featuring a great image of Joe Mauer.

Happy Father's Day

There's been many Father's Day themed cards produced over the years.  Topps has had a blue parallel in their set commemorating Father's Day for over a half decade now.  Panini has had exclusive hobby shop packs since 2013 for Father's Day.  

Today I am going to look at my favorite image used on one of those Father's Day Panini Packs.

This is the cracked ice (atomic) parallel /25.

The back of the card references Marvel Comics Spider-Man.  I'm surprised Panini was allowed to do that since the Marvel license for trading cards is at Upper Deck.

Few days earlier = few bucks less for me?

Topps has been producing MLB team sets since the early 2000s.  These team sets often times will have the city abbreviation in addition to a number assigned to the player.  

I find it odd that Andrew McCutchen (PHI-3) was included in the 2022 Phillies team set.  In November 2021, the Phillies turned down Cutch's team option for the 2022 season allowing Cutch to enter free agency.  On the same day, Odubel Herrera and Ronald Torreyes were also taken off the Phillies 40 man roster. 

Oddly enough the Mets team set features Max Scherzer and Starling Marte who signed just before the lockout on December 1st.

I picked up this single of Cutch from the Phillies team set for under $2 delivered, which is expensive but still reasonable.  Sometimes I just get an itch for new cardboard and have to scratch it.

Because Cutch is a veteran player, it has his complete stats on the back of the card.

There were some other players included on the Phillies Topps team set that didn't make much sense.  Ian Kennedy (PHI-10) and Ronald Torreyes (PHI-15) were also included in the Phillies packaged team sets available at the ballpark and regional releases.  Both were free agents following the 2021 season.  Kennedy signed with the Diamondbacks.  He is pitching well for the Diamondbacks so far this season appearing in 24 innings with 22 strikeouts and a 3.65 ERA in relief.  Torreyes resigned with the Phillies on a minor league contract.  He has since been released by the organization.

Below is a screenshot from a team set available online showcasing the checklist for both the Phillies and Mets.

I have to believe that if Topps didn't include Cutch in the Phillies team set along with all the other members of Phillies that were (initially) denied roster spots in 2022 (Cutch, Herrera, Torreyes, Kennedy) I wouldn't have a Cutch team set card in my collection this year.  It is very odd though that Topps included the December 1st signings of Scherzer and Marte for the Mets in addition to the November buyouts and DFAs of the Phillies members mentioned already.

Do you collect these team sets of your favorite teams? 

If so do you open the set or leave it sealed?

I have a few of the Pirates team sets that are still sealed because Cutch was the cover of the team set.

Why do you think that guys who were not on the 40 man roster in November were included for the Phillies team set, but guys who signed on December 1st were included on the Mets team set?

My first Brewers cards

I was VERY VERY frustrated with Topps not including guys who made the Opening Day roster in their Series 2 flagship release.  I even considered not buying any new Topps products because it seemed like just a money grab to force people to buy their Topps Update release.

Topps did redeem themselves by including guys like Bobby Witt Jr, Spencer Torkleson, and Julio Rodriguez as short prints in the set.  This is a similar approach to what they did in 2019 with Vlad Jr (who debuted 3 weeks after this year's SP debuts).  They also produced a SP photo variant of Cutch in a Brewers uniform for Series 2.  

I haven't purchased that SP (or any flagship cards yet), but I did pick up this insert card (which you will likely see again in a future themed post).

I love this insert set.  It's so simple, but it's fun because it is something we haven't seen from Topps in a long time.

The insert set features fan favorites and superstars wearing sunglasses and is called Sweet Shades.  All the cards feature a closeup of the athlete wearing the sunglasses and feature rainbow holofoil on the front.  The font on the player's name is easy to read as it is all capital letters with the first name on top (something we don't always see from card manufacturers these days).  The sweet shades logo features a sun ray on the top corner of the last "s".

The back features an actual writeup discussing the front of the card.  Rather than Panini insert releases, it is nice to see Topps put in an effort to discuss the player and sunglasses.  

While not expensive, this insert set would be fun to put together especially since it features most of the popular stars in the game.  It is very possible that including Cutch in this insert set that Topps brought me back to wanting to collect current releases of my favorite player.  This insert set brought back memories of the early 90s insert set I enjoyed putting together in my early teens.  Sets like Donruss Long Ball Leaders or Fleer Shrap Shooters didn't break the bank, but had a fun design using holofoil.  Were it not for this insert, I was perfectly content not adding any new 2022 cards to the collection.

Prior to my frustration with Topps I was picking up 2022 releases hoping to get a few Brewers cards in the PC.

I preordered the Topps Now Road to Opening Day thinking that the Brewers could give me an off chance of some bonus cards throughout the year.  With a strong pitching staff and the best closer in baseball, I was sure they would be in 1st Place at the All Star Break.  A recent 8 game losing streak caused them to slide to 2 GB of 1st Place as of June 17th.  With a month remaining until the ASG I still have hopes of getting an NL Central division leader card (with hopefully some Cutch cameo) on it.  Cutch has struggled to use the long ball this year compared to years past.  Returning from his brief stint on the COVID 10 Day IL, Cutch struggled, but in recent week Cutch has returned to vintage form with a .833OPS, 2SB, 1HR, and a .433 OBP over the past 7 games.  

The back of the Topps Now Road to Opening Day cards looks similar to recent years spotlighting the same blurb for all members on the team along with something the player has done recently.  

In Cutch's case it notes his 27HR in 2021.

Here's hoping for more Cutch and Brewers success.

Have you bought any Topps Series 2?

Have You ever purchased the Topps Now Road to Opening Day team sets for your favorite teams?