2021 Heritage Baseball Hanger

2021 Heritage Baseball: I found some Heritage this weekend as well as a tin which I'll show off later this week.  I'm not a huge fan of the older designs but Heritage is in the 70s now so there'll be more designs I like.  I was excited until I checked out.  This hanger box was $11.  Other than the card stock I don't get it.  But on to the good which starts with this trip back to '72.  I'm good with this design.  It's quirky and definitely something I can see being done in 1972.  Pulling a Mike Trout is always a good thing.

Static photos of players isn't that exciting but some photos have more character than others.  Thank you Joey Votto.

The backs are fun and take you back to when you were a kid. The trivia are always fun as well.  

There are some inserts.  The Boyhood Photos is a cool concept.  New Age Performers highlights players who have "outdone all-time greats".  What did Dave Fletcher do you might ask.  I don't really know.  On the back it talks about his defensive versatility and compared him to Bobby Grich on the '72 Orioles.  <yawn>  I do love me some World Series cards. The back has the box score which doesn't do justice to what might be the craziest finish ever in a World Series game. 

The Rookie Stars inserts will have either young players from the same team, different teams within the same league or across the leagues as you see here.  There might be two or three players on each card.

I like League Leader cards.  Simple but a fun look back at the top players for a season.

In Action inserts finally get us on the field.  The designs overall are pretty true to the '72 versions.  This probably isn't my favorite Heritage design but I do like it better than most.  We'll end it with Mike Yastrzemski, a PC guy, whose first two years in the big leagues were very solid.  Hopefully he can keep it going this year.

BREAKDOWN:
35 – Total Cards
6 – In Action
3 – Rookie Stars
2 - RC
2 – Boyhood Photos of the Stars
1 – World Series
1 – League Leaders

 

2021 Donruss NASCAR Hobby Box

 2021 Donruss NASCAR: I've enjoyed Donruss Racing the last few years and picked up a few hobby boxes over that time.  Panini does a good job with variety, parallels and including retired greats.  We'll kick it off with Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.  A past champion, Hall of Famer, winner of 44 races, he finished in the top 10 in the standings 13 times (eight in the top five), and is the father of the current NASCAR Champion Chase Elliott.  He also won the award as NASCAR's most popular driver a record 16 times.

These Retro '88 cards are a design I really like and account for 75 cards of the set.  I did pull two relics and for my auto I pulled a redemption card for a Jimmie Johnson Timeless Treasures Signatures Holo Gold #/25.  I'm not a big Johnson fan but I've found a good home for it.

This is the "base" card design which isn't bad.  The set consists of six subsets: Race Kings, Rated Rookie, Cars, Base, Cars, Retro '88.  

This is a silver parallel of the 2020 Champion Chase Elliott.  He had a heck of a run in the playoffs to win it all.  These silver parallels always look gray to me.  Or grey even.

I do like most of the inserts and they help the variety.  I'm a Contenders guy but I think the Elite Series is my favorite of these three. 

I love retired greats and there are usually plenty in these sets.  The colors in the Retro Series inserts help that retro theme.

The colors on these cards are great.  I also like how the drivers and cars are able to share the card with a good design.

Parallels are a big part of this set.  Here you see the blue (#/199), green (#/99) and purple (#/49).  There were a total of 28 parallels in this box. 

A couple red parallels (#/299) and another silver parallel.  Panini didn't shy away from the masks which I really like.  For the majority of the season we saw drivers with masks on when they weren't in their cars.

My Race Day Relic Black Parallel #/10.  It is race worn/used material according the back of the card though I couldn't say specifically what it is a part of. The material is smooth and shiny like plastic.

Not a bad looking insert but I wish the colors were more along the lines of the team/car colors.

Optics come one per pack and are pretty popular.  I think this is my first card of Ernie Irvan on new cardboard so I was excited to pull this card.  Probably my only real gripe is the Race Kings which is the insert I look forward to the most.  What do they do?  Put a head and shoulders picture on it.  <yawns>  Not sure what they were trying to do.  I enjoy it more when they do art or even when they've thought outside the box and did full body cards that weren't just a photo .  I just like the "artsy" look the "Kings" cards normally give ya across the different Donruss sports brands.  Still this was a really fun box.  Glad I went the hobby route again this year.

BREAKDOWN:
192 – Total Cards
61 – Retro 1988
24 – Optic
20 – Race Kings
17 – Retired Greats
14 – Silver Parallel
10 – Rated Rookie
8 – Car Cards
5 – Retro Series
4 – NASCAR Classics
4 – Red Parallel #/299
3 - Contenders
3 – Dominators
3 – Aero Package
3 – Action Packed
3 – Blue Parallel #/199
2 – Elite Series
2 – Green Parallel #/99
1 – Retro 1988 Relic
1 – Purple Parallel #/49
1 – Holographic Parallel #/199
1 – Race Day Relic Black Parallel #/10
1 – Timeless Treasures Signatures Holo Gold #/25 (Redemption)

Godzilla vs Kong (2021) Movie Review (NO SPOILERS)

Godzilla vs Kong: We watched this one over the weekend and loved it.  I'll keep this short and sweet.  We really like this movie.  It was extremely entertaining.  Plenty of fights with the two stars which is all you can ask.  They seemed to have learned after Godzilla (2014) when his screen time was minimal.  I won't ruin anything but there are nods to the Godzilla/King Kong universe of years past.  I highly suggest this one.  It's fun and has plenty of action. 

2020 Topps Opening Day Blaster

 2020 Topps Opening Day: One last Opening Day offering as fans are enjoying the opening week of baseball.  I'm not bullish on the 2020 Topps design but it is Opening Day which I love. Tough when I start off with a Yankee.  This must have been a bad box.... Torres will be looking for numbers this year closer to 2019's when he hit 38 homers.

Infielders all around.

Mirror mirror...kind of close anyway

Michael Conforto had a great year last year.  I'm sure he wasn't happy it was so short.  Polanco and Baez couldn't wait for the 2020 season to end and are hoping for a better showing this season.

Mascot!  Kirby Yates took his talents to Toronto while Maeda missed out on the Dodgers' Championship in 2020 but had a really good year for the Twins.

Youngsters on parade.

The blue Opening Day Edition parallel with the opening day date stamped on the front.  Spring Has Sprung and this Justin Verlander sticker round out these inserts.  I like the inclusions of stickers.  

Opening Day moments for a few different teams.  I really like the photography on these.  Stud Nolan Arenado will close out this post.  

BREAKDOWN:
77 – Total Cards
9 – RC
6 – Opening Day
3 – Topps Rookie Cup
2 – Mascot
1 – Sticker
1 – Spring Has Sprung
1 – Blue Foil Parallel
1 – Team Traditions and Celebrations

2015 Topps Opening Day Hobby Box

 2015 Topps Opening Day: 2015 Topps is one of my favorite designs so I've been eyeballing a box of Opening Day for some time and I finally pulled the trigger.  I wasn't disappointed.  I'll do multiple posts of this box over time.  We'll kick this one off with the man himself, a great photo and great design.

There are 200 base cards in this set and it's stacked with greats of the game.  Big Papi and Yadi are favorites of mine.  Not sure how a Yankee snuck in here.  I do like MLB analyst/announcer A-Rod though.  I just pretend he only played for Seattle and Texas.

I love these photos.  Cutch was so much better before he cut the hair.  Fail.

Maybe the most exciting thing with a set six years old is to see players just kicking off their major league career.  All three of these have of course gone on to be stasr in the MLB today. Props to Abreu for the throwback uni.

That blue border means Opening Day Edition parallel though the 2015 Opening Day date was stamped on the back as opposed to the front like they are now on these same variations. Team Spirit cards show off excitement in the game while Opening Day Stars give us 3D cards.

Seems like that Mike Trout card would have fit right in with the Hit the Dirt insert cards.  More fun as Superstar Celebrations show off joy in the game.

Who doesn't love mascots?

2014 was seven years ago but Pujols' numbers were already Hall of Fame worthy.  Albert is in the last year of the mammoth deal he signed with the Angels after leaving St. Louis via free agency. 

Stadium Scenes are pretty awesome as they show photos fans uploaded to Instagram throughout the season. I wish they'd do more of this.  Throwback jerseys are always fun so I like the Franchise Flashbacks.  Stadium Scenes are always good in how they show of home venues and special moments.

Great photo of Clayton Kershaw.  Is that Bryce Harper with short hair? 

King Felix while he was still at the top of his game.  He was 2nd in Cy Young voting in 2014.  I love this set and I loved this box.  So much fun. Is the Mike Trout Franchise Flashback a throwback to the jersey or his hair?  Both?

BREAKDOWN:

252 – Total Cards

19 – RC

11 – All-Star Rookie

8 – Superstar Celebrations

8 – Blue Opening Day Edition

7 – Mascots

7 – Hit the Dirt

7 – Opening Day

7 – Franchise Flashback

2 – Opening Day Stars

1 – Team Spirit

2021 Topps Opening Day Hobby Box

 2021 Topps Opening Day: Did someone say it's opening day?  Time for a hobby box of Topps Opening Day which I've made a tradition for myself.  Why?  Because I really like Opening Day as a brand.  The logo is great and I enjoy the small set size and inserts.  These hobby boxes don't guarantee hits and the last one I had was a Kyle Freeland auto in 2019.  Doesn't ruin the fun.  Just have to know that going in.

Plenty of star power in this set as you'd expect from a set of 220 base cards.

We'll give catchers some love here.  Was really hoping for a photo with the Yadi stare down.  Topps will really miss out if they don't have a card in next year's set noting Yadi throwing out the youngster after he gives Yadi the finger wag this spring training.  Maybe a Great Spring Training Moments insert?  If you haven't seen it click on that link

  Mascots are always a favorite of fans and collectors.

Youngsters are well represented as well.  

I really like the inserts this year which have a heavy retired legends presence.  Legends of Baseball is all about the retired greats.  Outstanding Opening Day showcases present and past players who had notable opening days.

These Opening Day cards highlight notable 2020 opening days by team.  Doesn't mean they always won but the write-ups always have a way of still making it cheerful.  Dugout peeks, Opening Day Origins and Walk this Way are three inserts I didn't pull.  Those are all short printed but I'm disappointed I didn't get at least one.

This is opening day so these Outstanding Opening Day inserts deserve more blog time.  I like the design and the backs are simple but provides details of the player's highlight.

These are the Blue Foil Opening Day Edition cards which have today's date on the front.  

A little horizontal swag.

Fun box.  I like this year's design and the insert choices.  I'll show off another Opening Day hobby box tomorrow...but from what year?  Come back tomorrow to find out.  Play ball!

BREAKDOWN:

252 – Total Cards

47 - RC

18 – Future Stars

14 – Retired Greats

12 – Mascot

12 – Legends of Baseball

7 – Team Opening Day

6 – Outstanding Opening Day

5 – All-Star Rookie Cup

4 – Blue Foil Opening Day Edition

2 – All-Star Rookie Cup/RC