Sketchy Leaf Stuff

More @CrackinWax break stuff from Leaf and small Topps. #CrackinWaxMailDay 

 

I don't know the full story, but I seem to recall that the current incarnation of Leaf Trading Cards came about because some guy with money bought up the unused rights to the name, and at least the logo used from the classic 1990 baseball set. I'm sure there's more to the story than that, but it feels like trying to make a clone using just one or two components of something's DNA and hoping everything works out alright.

Leaf Draft cards were on the menu at a recent batch of Crackin' Wax breaks, along with another new "on demand" Topps product. Actually, my biggest gripe with "new" Leaf is that they have put out so many sets with very little checklist information online. I wanted to add a bunch of their sets to my want lists just in case someone had some, but for the most part it was a futile exercise. This box break contained the complete set plus some autographs, so at least the want list is a little smaller this one time.

With the release of the 2021 Topps checklist today, we are officially done with Dylan Carlson prospect cards. It's not that he was stuck in Bowman Purgatory all that long, but considering that he was batting cleanup for the Cardinals in the playoffs last year, I am good with it finally being the end of "pre-rookie" Carlson cards.

One of the random autographs happened to be a Cardinals card, which is very cool of that box. I wouldn't have any idea who Tink Hence belonged to if he wasn't included in the recent Bowman Draft set. I probably chuckled at his name on draft day and then completely forgot about it. I'm sorry, Tink.

The Yankees were randomly assigned to me as my second team, which must mean that they were intentionally not available for purchase. The Yankees are a popular team, or so I've heard. This means that I landed my first Jasson Dominguez card, which might be something fun to put away and look at again in 5 (?) years. I'm at least glad to finally see a card that doesn't have that creepy kid photo of him as this is the first time I've actually seen him look like an actual baseball player.

The internet tells me that Beck Way is a Yankees prospect, which makes sense because -- see above. His signature tells me that he's probably not that into, um, writing. Who writes with pens these days?

The other break that I was in on involved Topps Mini once again. This time, the Cardinals luck came through for me as I scored a few cards from the team set.

I know, I know. These look like they are the same size as the regular flagship set. I could always make the thumbnails smaller if you want. Do you want that? You'll just have to trust the subtle change in design (the non-foil Topps logo.)

The Mini set always includes the Update cards, which is incredibly frustrating considering that Topps considers the "complete set" each year to just be Series 1 and 2. I know the only thing preventing them from doing the logical thing and start calling Update "Series 3" with appropriate card numbering is that they couldn't put the factory sets in the stores in time for the holidays or something to that effect. It's either that, or no one wants to manufacture a 1000 card box.