Friday, December 31, 2010

Airbrushed Fridays: 2008 Topps #10

Many quality bloggers out there are celebrating the end of the year with Top Ten/Best Of lists and New Year's resolutions. I have a few plans for this place in the works, but you'll have to wait until the new year is actually here before you find out about them. Instead, you're getting an Airbrushed Fridays post: Friday night style.

Unlike their airbrushed cards of the past, which are really embarrassing to all involved, Topps actually seems to be proud of their more recent efforts that involve manipulating photos. How else can you explain news like this? As a Cardinals collector, I would certainly take a manipulated photo of a Cardinal like Rich Hill who never actually took the hill in a major league game over no Rich Hill Cardinals card at all, but the rush to get star players in their new uniforms always makes my eyes roll. Why are there no press conference photos or other cheesy team-related photo ops being used? Remember the 1991 Donruss Series 2 Darryl Strawberry card? I certainly do. So what if there's no Lance Berkman Cardinals card in 2011 Topps Series 1. That's what Series 2 is for, isn't it? (I may actually have some sort of seizure when I first see Berkman in a Cardinals uni.)

We all know who Miguel Cabrera is. Why did Topps airbrush Miguel's photo? In one of the stranger decisions this company makes, the use of star players in uniforms that they have not appeared in at production time recalls the original reason why they made baseball cards in the first place. Is there nothing more childish and youthful about this hobby than finding your favorite player or team in their new model for the new year? I guess I see it both ways.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Well, a lot of things... but we'll go with that hideous display of eye black. Miguel, you're the reason why little leaguers are wearing this stuff like they're being judged in a clown contest. Yeesh.

If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.

2 comments :

  1. The unairbrushed photo can be found in the 08 Opening Day set.

    moe.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Actually the OD card is a different photo of Cabrera in a Marlin Uniform

    ReplyDelete

Comments are highly encouraged, but then again, so is eating your fruits and vegetables.