2026 MLB Playoffs

 Playoffs start tomorrow!  San Diego is possibly the hottest team going into the playoffs while Houston barely made it in with a .500 record winning the AL West. Milwaukee had the best overall record with 103 wins with the Dodgers (100) and Tampa Bay (98) up next.  Playoff schedule is here. 

Atlanta gets Philadelphia in the first round.  Never want to see a division opponent in the playoffs but Philly won on the last day to get in.  I like the Braves here, but they've been streaky and the offense inconsistent.  That said, they are a good team.  Three game series are always tricky.  You want to win right off the start.  By getting in the playoffs so late, the Phillies starting pitching isn't lined up to start the series.  Hopefully that gives Atlanta an edge and they can get going quickly.  Wish Atlanta wasn't given early afternoon time slots.  Won't be able to watch the games.  Go Braves!

Boston has been locked into playing the 93-win Yankees in the first round for some time now.  Would have been nice not to play New York but it's not to be.  Boston can beat New York. It just won't be easy.  The pitching staffs are fairly even but New York's offense is a little better.   New York won the season series 7-6 but it felt like Boston was very streaky.  The end of the season has been meh for Boston but New York will be without Aaron Judge.  It is Red Sox - Yankees so anything can happen.  Go Red Sox!

Random Wax: 2021 Playoff Football

2021 Playoff:  Tom Terrific has 13,400 playoff passing yards in his career.  #2 is Peyton Manning with 7,339.  That's crazy.

I've always liked the Playoff brand.  A few good looking designs over the years including this one.  Josh Allen and the Bills are off to a 2-0 start and are looking good.  They get the struggling Chargers today.  Allen is already 14th on the all-time playoff passing yards list with 3,915.  Cameron Jordan is in his 16th season in the league with 132 sacks to his name.

Love the retired greats in these sets.  Chad Johnson was a 2X 1st Team All-Pro which is no easy feat.

Najee Harris has rushed for 1,000+ yards 4X in his career.

A-A-Ron and the Steelers' offense are struggling this year, but he looks good on this Call To Arms insert.  He's 3rd in career playoff passing yards with 6,040.

Jalen Hurts and Matthew Stafford have thrown their fair share of playoff passes but not on the scale of those others.

John Elway is 9th on that list with 4,964 yards passing in the post season.

BREAKDOWN:
40 – Total Cards
6 – RC
5 – Retired Greats
3 – Green Parallel
1 – Rookie Wave
1 – Call to Arms

Bob Petit passes away at age 93

Bob Petit passed away this week at 93 years old.  He's truly one of the all-time greats of the game.  I'm not saying top 10, top 20 or 30.  I understand the complexities of comparing NBA eras, but he was a dominant big man in his day.  He averaged 26.6 points and 16.2. rebounds per game in his 11-year career while dealing with the likes of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.  His career points per game average is best for 10th all-time while his career rebounding per game average is 3rd all-time.  As a big NBA fan and a Hawks fan, I've read and seen much on Bob Petit and became a big fan.  From what I know he lived a good life after basketball.  He'll be greatly missed.  RIP.

1X NBA Champion, 2X MVP, 11X All-NBA, 11X All-Star, 2X Scoring Champion, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Baseball

 

2024 Topps:  Tyler Glasnow's health is a big subject for the Dodgers as the playoffs loom.  Ohtani isn't pitching so he could factor big into their postseason pitching.  Glasnow had a great 1.69 ERA for LA in last year's playoffs.

Bregman recently took a foul ball to the face while in the on deck circle.  The Blue Jays were eliminated from playoff contention this week.  Still plenty to be decided this weekend as teams are still jockeying for wild card position in the NL and the AL West is still up for grabs.

Riley Greene had another solid season for Detroit.

The 1989 Topps backs.  And aren't they glorious with all those stats.

Team card.

Good photos.

Stars of MLB and a Rainbow Foil Parallel.

Nice checklist.

Pete Alonso had a really good year in Baltimore after signing a deal there as a free agent.  Cutch looking good in the retro Pirates look.  

BREAKDOWN:

36 – Cards

6 – RC

2 – Team Cards

2 – Stars of MLB

1 – Checklist

1 – Future Stars

1 – 1989 Topps Baseball

1 – Rainbow Foil Parallel

1 – Topps All-Star Rookie Cup

Random Wax: 2021 Score Football

2021 Score:  Josh Allen and the Bills have high expectations again this season.  Hopefully some of the small tweaks and coaching change can get them over the hump.  He passed for 3600+ yards and 25 touchdowns.  He also added 14 touchdowns rushing.  Not his greatest year but one almost any team would take.

Wow, the quarterback landscape has changed in the last 5 years.  And yes, I bought this pack 5 years ago and showing it off for the first time.

None of these three made their mark on the NFL.

These 3D inserts are pretty cool and include retired greats.

I really like that Deion card.  I'm a fan of him and he looks great in the GOAT Falcons red jerseys and all the red works for me on this Game Face insert.  I do like the Next Level Stats but I'm not sure those stats are really "Next Level Worthy".  No offense to Chase Claypool and maybe I'm missing something.  Derrick Henry on a Score Team insert.  Henry is still a beast.  He rushed for over 1500 yards and had 16 touchdowns last season at age 31.  

Good looking Collegiate Champions insert.  I'm a big fan of these with photos from both college and the NFL.  Reggie Bush was also part of that 2009 New Orleans Saints Super Bowl winning team.

I like all three of these photos.

NFL games start tonight and I can't wait!  Some great tight ends and another retired legend.  We'll end it with a great Davante Adams photo.

BREAKDOWN:

40 – Total Cards

7 – RC

4 – Next Level

3 – 3D

3 – Red Parallel

2 – Score Team

2 – Retired Greats

1 – Game Face

1 – Throwback Rookie

1 – Collegiate Champion

The Odyssey

 The Odyssey:  I was looking forward to this one and was able to see it in the theater while on vacation.  I enjoyed this movie.  Done well all around and the cinematography was great.  Did it have to be 3 hours?  Probably not but it went by pretty quick.  The casting, story, visuals were good.  I suggest this movie when you get the chance.

Random Wax: 2024 Topps Stadium Club Blaster

Stadium Club 2024:   We like us some Stadium Club photos and it's hard not to like Jose Ramirez.  He is struggling this year but he's a 6X Silver Slugger and has a career batting average of .277 with 1700+ hits and 295 home runs.  And it's hard not to like this photo.

So many excellent photos and we get Austin Martin on a Red Parallel.  Love the Trident the Mariners use as part of celebrations.

Mike Yastrzemski laying out.

I think of Stadium Club as having an old school feel, so these inserts feel a bit out of place for me.  Still, there are some good looks here.  Here we have Chief Fantasy Professionals, Chrome Triumvirates (diecut) and Special Forces.

Sepia Parallel.

This is Steven Kwan's 5th season with the Guardians and in his career, and he already has 4 Gold Gloves and a career .280 batting average.

The backs are good.  Lots of color, a different photo and player info even if we don't get career stats.

Another of my 4 Chrome Parallels from the blaster.  Ozzie knows a thing or two about Gold Gloves with 13 in his Hall of Fame career.

Mariner greats.  Enough said.  Great box of cards and lots of fun.

BREAKDOWN:

40 – Total Cards

16 - RC

6 – Red Foil Parallels

4 – Chrome

3 – Retired Greats

1 - Triumvirates

1 – Sepia Parallel

1 – Chief Fantasy Parallels