AB3K Topps NOW!

It has been almost two weeks since I posted about my last Topps NOW purchase: cards for Adrian Beltre's 450th home run and his feat of being the 21st player in MLB history to reach 5,000 total bases.

Chris, a.k.a. The Collector, asked in the comments of that post if I had the Topps NOW card for Beltre's 3,000th hit. I had ordered it, but did not have it at the time.

But I do now.

As much as I usually love the images chosen by Topps for the NOW cards, this one just seems boring to me. I don't think that's necessarily Topps' fault - there is only so much you can show to represent a hit. However, the images on the reverse side of the card are far better:

Once play stopped for the crowd to recognize Beltre, his kids ran from the stands all the way to the outfield wall to uncover this logo the Rangers had prepared for the hit. The bottom images show Beltre's teammates coming out to hug and congratulate him on the accomplishment. I love both of these images, and I think it would have been awesome to have the second (bottom) image on the front of the card and the first (top) image on the back. But that's just me.

I believe this is the fourth Topps NOW card that I have purchased this year. I hoped they would put the following image on a card - it is just begging to be put on cardboard - but it didn't happen. Hopefully it will someday!

I hope everyone is well!

Topps Sent Me a Christmas Gift

You may have seen a few of these posting up on Twitter and other blogs, but I'm going to go ahead and share just in case you haven't.

I checked my mailbox earlier today and found a Christmas card from Topps.

Included with the Christmas card was an actual card. More specifically, a Topps NOW highlight card:

Naturally, the card would feature the Cubs, the Yankees....

...and the Red Sox. Nice to see a nod to Ichiro included, also. 

Now don't get me wrong, Kris Bryant represents just about everything that brought the Cubs their first title in more than 100 years. And I understand acknowledging Big Papi, as this was his last season. And Ichiro is, well, inhuman......

I don't hate Gary Sanchez, I really don't. What he did this year was incredible. But aligning that with the other three moments featured on the card isn't quite right. To me, the other moments represent a culmination of events: careers for Ichiro and Ortiz and an entire century (and more) of waiting for the Cubs. 

So, you ask, what would have been more appropriate for the card?

Well, including this guy would have been my first choice:

Of all of the people retiring, I'm not sure many represent a true history of the game in the way that Mr. Vin Scully does. The man has made some of the most iconic calls in the sport's history. Scully represents the final tie to times of old. With him gone, the sport has lost it's history's keeper, essentially.

I didn't sit down to criticize Topps for their card design; the thoughts came to me as I was typing. In reality, I think it is a very kind gesture by the company to send out these cards to everyone who purchased a Topps NOW card. We often spend a good bit of time complaining about Topps, but on occasion, they get something right. This is one of those times.

Thanks Topps!