Random Wax: 1992 Triple Play (4 Packs)

1992 Triple Play:  Sandy Alomar was a good catcher for 20 seasons.  He had some great hitting seasons for those 90s Cleveland teams that went to 2 World Series.  We see him here in this really fun photo.

Big fans of all three of these guys.  Deion was a master speedster and was so entertaining, The Crime Dog was one of the most feared hitters of his time, and Robin Yount was a 2X MVP.  McGriff and Yount are both in the Hall of Fame.  To be fair, Deion is in the NFL Hall of Fame.

Lots of fun photos in this set like this horizontal offering.

More good photography.

Always liked the Ballpark photos.

We love mascots and the San Diego Chicken is one of the best.  Triple Play had their own "Diamond Kings" with Gallery of Stars.  Awesome Action cards are good too.  All great adds to the set.

He does not look happy.  Or maybe he's savoring the moment?  Tony Fernandez was  a 5X All-Star and 4X Gold Glove winner.  

Love the McDowell photo.

Another Awesome Action and good photos.

Greats from the era!

BREAKDOWN:

60 – Total Cards

2 – Mascots

2 – Awesome Action

1 - Stadium

1 – Checklist

1 – Gallery of Stars

Random Wax: 2025 Topps Baseball Hanger Box

2025 Topps:   Vlad and the Blue Jays have struggled this season.  Not sure what happened to his power but I hope he can find it again. He's been such a great hitter before this season.

Bryce Harper's averaged has dropped a little but he still gets on base at a good clip and is hitting dingers.  He's also been healthy this season.

Photos on Team Cards like this one are so much fun.

Youngsters.

I really like the Diamante Parallels exclusive to hanger boxes.

Some good photography.

Justin Verlander has said he'll hang it up after this season.  3X Cy Young, 2X ERA, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Triple Crown, 10X All-Star.

Topps 35th Anniversary cards and a First Pitch insert.  I like both and enjoy seeing Tatum on a card with local ties.

All good-looking cards with a couple of alternate unis.

Skubal is now a Dodger.  Man, it feels like they are going to be next to impossible to beat again in October.

Great Stars of MLB pulls.

BREAKDOWN:
59 – Total Cards
11 – RC
4 – Stars of MLB
3 - Checklist
2 - Diamante Foil
2 – League Leaders
1 – First Pitch
1 – Team Card
1 – Future Stars
1 – Topps 35th Anniversary

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

Random Wax: 2024 Blaster

2024 Topps:   Ronald Acuna Jr. recently returned to the Braves' lineup after recovering from injury.  Felt like he was getting his swing back before the injury and the lineup needs his bat.  Hoping for good things in the second half of the season.

Nolan Arenado is a 10X Gold Glove winner and recently reached 2,000 hits for his career.  He's currently playing for the D-Backs.

Speaking of...  A nice photo on this horizontal card.

Gabriel Moreno has hit at or above .300 most of this season.  Nice bat to have in your lineup especially as a catcher.  While he's helped my fantasy team, in truth there is no helping my fantasy team this season.

2023 Greatest Hits, Home Run Challenge and Grand Gamers.  The latter gives a chance to see all-time greats like Ichiro who truly is one of the greatest hitters we've seen.  Maybe someone breaks his streak of 10 consecutive 200 hit seasons but it feels like it will be near impossible to beat.

Checklist, Holiday Parallel (Easter), and Blue Parallel.

The backs on the '89 Topps inserts are solid and seeing Jose Ramirez stats are always fun.  Such a good hitter.

Really good collection of hitters including two 1989 Topps inserts.

Team card.

Stars of MLB are okay but getting a bit stale by 2024.  No complaints with my pull though.

2024 Topps backs are good.  Love seeing all those stats.

More stars of the game and what a fun box.  Mike Trout is having a really good year.  Average is still down but he's hitting with power and getting on base.

BREAKDOWN:

84 – Total Cards

17 – RC

7 – Stars of MLB

4 – Future Stars

4 – Holiday Parallel (Easter)

1 – Checklist

1 – Team Card

1 – Grand Gamers

1 – Blue Parallel

1 – 1989 Topps Baseball

1 – Home Run Challenge

1 – Topps All-Star Rookie

Random Wax: 1990 Upper Deck Baseball

1990 UD:  Will Clark was a great hitter averaging .303 for his 15-year career.  He also batted .333 in 31 games with San Francisco, Texas and St. Louis.  Clark's first hit, in his first at bat, was a home run off Nolan Ryan in 1986.

Willie McGee, a switch hitter, had more hits than Clark in his 18-year career while hitting .295 in his career.  He also won an MVP and 2X batting titles.  Like many I've always been a fan of this set.

In 1991, Clark would set a career high in runs batted in with 116 and would lead the league with a .536 slugging percentage.

The backs really are nice even if we don't get career stats.

1985 was Willie McGee's MVP season.

My Team Hologram insert which is too cool.

I'm a big Robin Yount fan and I'm a big Upper Deck Checklist card fan with that art.  Yount was a 2X MVP who had 3,142 hits in his 20-year career.

BREAKDOWN:
15 – Total Cards
1 – Team Checklist
1 – Team Hologram