Random Wax: 2024 Topps Update

2024 Topps Update:   Freddie Freeman is having another good season as a top 5 hitter in the league.  I've always been a fan of the former Braves' first baseman.  He's 36 this season and has 2500+ hits in his career.  Maybe he doesn't get to 3,000 but I won't rule it out.  I'm rooting for him and I'm assuming he'll be a Hall of Famer once he retires.  Just nobody hitting nowadays like he has in his career.  And I like these All-Star cards.

Update can be a mixed bag focusing on youngster and players in new unis. I do like the 2024 design.

Jackson Holliday has taken a step a back this season but I'm hoping he can bounce back.

Nice looking Rookie Combo card.  And who doesn't like a Skenes pull?

Stars of MLB.  Not my favorite design but it's in line with previous ones.

Great checklist card.

We have a Royal Blue Parallel and Purple Holo Foilboard #/799.

Veteran Combo card.

Elly De La Cruz is having another good season. I enjoy seeing players with speed doing well even if his stolen bases are down this season.

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
11 – RC
2 – Stars of MLB
2 – Veteran Combos
1 - Checklist
1 – All-Star Game
1 – Rookie Combos
1 – Royal Blue Parallel
1 - Purple Holo Foilboard #/799

2025 Topps Update

2025 Update:   Pete Crow-Armstrong shows up on this 35th Anniversary Topps card and showed up on everyone's radar in 2025.  He hit 31 home runs, had 95 runs batted in and had a .768 OPS.  Huge gain for the Cubs.  He still needs to work on his average and on base percentage, but Chicago has to be happy with what they've seen so far from their Gold Glove centerfielder.

My first look at Update from last year.  Always a bit of a mix of what you might get in these.  Overall, not the strongest pack but I'm happy.

Noah Cameron had a really good rookie season with the Royals going 9-7 with a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts.

Really enjoy the backs of the 35th Anniversary cards.

A couple of Stars of MLB inserts as well as a Boston Red Sox Veteran Combo card.  I like Salvador Perez, and I like that out of the norm photo with the bubble.

This pack was a Christmas present and what a great present.  Cards always work.

BREAKDOWN:
36 – Total Cards
16 – RC
2 – Stars of MLB
1 – Veterans Combo
1 - 35th Anniversary 1990 Topps

2024 Topps Update Blaster

2024 Update:  Saw this hit the shelves last week and I had to grab a box.  We'll kick it off with the presumed National League Cy Young, Chris Sale, which should be announced on 20 November.  At the end of the post, I'll provide all the dates for MLB awards which will be announced throughout November.  Maybe my only gripe here.  This is a 2024 All-Star Game card.  But you would never know that looking at it.  In a perfect world we get the All-Star Game logo.  But at least put something, anything on the front.  Bad Topps, bad.

No surprises here as we get familiar faces in new unis.  Not lots of stars but it's about players changing teams and young players.  I'm already a fan of the design so no issues there.

I like the season highlights which include retired greats.

Lots of youngsters and Update includes Rookie Debut cards which are fun additions.

This is one of the three Holliday Parallels I pulled.  I read it was based on Halloween?  I don't get it but I'll roll with it but really it doesn't do anything for me.  There are Bats and Pumpkins variations which look much better.

The familiar Stars of MLB inserts including a Chrome Austin Wells.

Rookie Combos insert.

A couple of Veteran Combo inserts and a Marcus Semien All-Star Game card, though you wouldn't know it by the front.

Yep, we have Paw Patrol inserts.  I'm good with these actually.

Wow these two inserts clash. Not sure about Mystical inserts.  Might be too Mystical for me.  The 1989 Topps cards are okay but never was a favorite design of mine.

A Paul Skenes appearance which is always a good thing.  Another Season Highlight card with an appearance by Cutch.

BREAKDOWN:
84 – Total Cards
27 – RC
8 – Stars of MLB
8 – Rookie Debut
3 – Holiday Parallel
3 – Veteran Combos
2 – Retired Greats
2 – Rookie Combos
2 – Season Highlights
2 – 2024 All-Star Game
2 – 1989 Topps Baseball
1 – Chrome
1 - Mystical
1 – Paw Patrol
1 – Royal Blue Parallel

Award                                                                 Date

Roberto Clemente Award                                 Prior to Game 3 of World Series

Rawlings Gold Glove Awards                         November 3

Executive of the Year Award                                 November 5

Platinum Gloves                                                 November 8

Silver Slugger Awards                                         November 12

All-MLB Teams                                                 November 14

Hank Aaron Awards                                         November 14

Rivera/Hoffman Reliever of the Year Awards November 14

Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter November 14

Comeback Player of the Year Awards                 November 14

Rookie of the Year Awards                                 November 18

Manager of the Year Awards                                 November 19

Cy Young Awards                                                 November 20

MVP Awards                                                         November 21

Heart & Hustle Award                                         November 22

Random Wax: 2022 Topps Baseball Update Hanger Box

2022 Update: This box hasn't been posted since I bought it in 2022.  Kick it off with a cool Albert Pujols card. Easy to remember this guy for the gigantor Angels contract he signed but he was a great hitter. It was pretty cool that he was able to come back to the Cardinals for one final year and it worked at well for both sides with a really good season.

Update is always a mixed back with youngsters and vets in new unis.  These three cards highlight some of the cool photos from the box.

Jeremy Pena really worked out well for the Astros.  He was the ALCS and World Series MVP enroute to Houston winning the 2022 World Series title.  Royce Lewis has only played 70 games but he's been really good in that short timeframe.

Nice BoSox checklist card.  I do like the 2022 Topps set overall.

I like the Stars of MLB inserts. Bobby Witt Jr. just signed a massive contract extension with the Royals.

Another youngster on this Generation Now insert.

I like that Villar photo.

Combo cards feature either rookie combos or veteran combos.

I could have easily led off with this cool Griffey Jr. 1987 Topps Baseball insert.  Nice photo and card.

BREAKDOWN:
67 – Total Cards
22 – RC
8 – Rookie Debut
5 – Rookie or Veteran Combo
4 – Stars of the Game
1 – Checklist
1 – Generation Now
1 – 1987 Topps Baseball

 

2022 Topps Update

2022 Topps Update:  We might be past the baseball season but we still have some new baseball for some of us in the form of Topps Update.  This one of course is centered around young players and those who have changed teams.  One of the big ones to move in the offseason was Matt Olson.  Olson's batting average wasn't anything to write home about but he did hit 34 dingers and drove in 103 runs.

Always fun seeing players in their new unis.  Corey Seager's average was down this season.  Bryant had a good year but it was very limited due to injuries.  Correa had a good year in his first season with the Twins.

Youngsters play a big part of this set and Julio Rodriguez is the new hotness.  That Brujan is a royal blue parallel which I like.

Cutch hot box?  I'm okay with that as I'm a fan.

I like these manufactured relics.  It's a good look in hand but they are so thick it makes them tough.  you have to find holders and sleeves specifically for this size.

Stars of  MLB to include a Topps Chrome version for Yu Darvish.  That Royce Lewis is a Topps Black Gold.  Not sure what I think of that one yet while I do like the design of the Stars of MLB.

Nice Wander Franco pull.  I also enjoy retired greats and you know I'm a huge fan of All-Star cards.  Though I might not be a big fan of those jerseys.

Generation Now.  Meh.

Here we have a Checklist, 1987 Topps Baseball and Combo card.

These are fun though they don't have quite the star power of the series one cards.  Still it's fun with inserts helping break up the monotony.  We'll end it with a nice pull in Shoei Ohtani.  Now for the MLB offseason.  Let's hope it's not as slow in years past.  By far the worst of all the major sports.

BREAKDOWN:
99 – Total Cards
36 – RC
9 – Rookie Debut
8 – Stars of MLB
2 – All-Star
2 – 1987 Topps Baseball
1 - Checklist
1 – Black Gold
1 – Combo Card
1 – Retired Great
1 – Topps Chrome
1 – All-Star Rookie
1 –Generation Now
1 – Royal Blue Parallel
1 – Diamond Greats Die-Cuts
1 - Commemorative Batting Relic Manufactured Relic