I didn't need this, and I don't know if I even paid the right price.
I made a mistake on Friday. It wasn't on the level of the worst cardboard atrocities, but I saw a fat pack of Topps Fire on the Target shelf and put the bare minimum of thought into it. At first, I thought the pack was just somehow leftover from last year (they wouldn't put this set out again, would they?!), but no... no... somehow, there was already another new release out from Topps.
Did I like this set last year? No! It's pretty much everything I don't like about cards these days, aside from being fully licensed, of course. Had I given this purchase even 10 more seconds of brain juice, I am sure I would have put it back. Maybe I thought the cards would look... different... this time? At any rate, I bought the pack, took it home, realized I had most likely paid $9.99 for it (why?! blasters are only $20 and you get four times as many cards) and... opened the stupid thing anyway.
The backs are... how do they get away with this, exactly? This isn't the cheapest set out there. Is it actually true that the cheaper the price point is, the better the backs are?
Here's the rest of the base cards in the pack. Lots of, um, art in those backgrounds.
Now that I've gotten all my complaining out of the way, let's look at the trade bait. This Amed Rosario card is numbered to 99, which is the first sign I didn't get completely stiffed on this pack.
Here's Mookie Betts on a Hot Starts insert. People seem to like him, so I'm sure I'll find a home for this.
One of the promised twelve cards in the pack is an exclusive "blue chip" parallel, which is what Greg Bird must be. I didn't notice this was blue in any way until I scanned it.
Can't complain about a Trout card. This is all giving me a headache, though.
Maybe I am just grumpy that it's September now.
I don't think I've even heard of Fire. That Trout is so.... blue. I hate myself for wanting it.
ReplyDeleteAgainst all odds, I kinda liked this set last year, but it definitely should've been a one-off idea. It's just stale now.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to that they did this set again too, maybe it's just me, but I don't see any difference from last year's set.
ReplyDeleteI've been in similar situations. Buyer's remorse, right? Either that... or it's called "cardboard addict".
ReplyDeleteI didn't know they were doing it again this year...Cardboard Connection didn't even have a checklist out when I got my pack last week. Actually saw the $70 box this morning; good thing you didn't have a chance to get one?
ReplyDeleteI liked the novelty of the set last year but not the design as much. This time it's busy but...actually okay... Especially the inserts. I like those a lot more.
ReplyDeleteIf it's not in anyone else's stack can you save the Arrieta for me?
Not sure about this set yet but I'm leaning towards no. Good post and the Trout card is nice.
ReplyDelete