Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Topps 2015 for Trade

Recently I sorted my singles for the Topps 2015 base set.  I had bought a box of jumbo packs for both the first and second series and then a couple of weeks ago, I got some repacks of singles from the set. 

After sorting the cards I created a want list of the cards I need to complete the set.  I am wondering if anyone out there is interested in making a trade.  I've also listed my doubles so you can review the list to see if there are any cards you would like to get in a trade.

When I was sorting these cards, I was amazed with the photography.  I've be collecting since the late 60s and can track the evolution of the pictures used on cardboard.  In the late 60s, when I first started to collect, there were no action cards.  In the 2015 set, it seems every card is an action shot.

With cards from the 60s, what you got were posed or head shots.  Sometimes I think I had a connection with the players from those sets, as I became familiar with the player's face, compared to today's cards where there is much more emphasis on the photography of action shots. 

Topps 1968 Ron Willis Card #68

Topps 1968 Dan Schneider Card #57

Come on Topps, who decided to use these pictures.  Is this the best you could do? 
 
The current Heritage product brings back the head shots.  After thumbing through Heritage cards and sorting the Topps 2015 Series One and Series Two base set cards, I am really starting to appreciate the photos that are used on cards today.  

Topps Heritage 2011 Derek Lowe Card #278

But then there are some of those beautiful vintage cards that can't match the cropped action shots from today.  

Topps 1966 Hank Aaron Card #500
 
Topps 1968 Card #50

I know that most of these vintage cards are way out of my price range, but I always have enjoyed looking through boxes of them at my local card shop or at shows.

Here are some cards from the 2015 set that I like and an attempt to show similar actions shots from Topps 1970 sets.
  
You're Safe
Some nice pics of players sliding.

Topps 2015 Gregor Blanco Card #611 

Topps 2015 Yoenis Cespedes Card #120 

Topps 2015 Andre Ethier Card #93 
 
Then a flying, head first slide.
 
Topps 2015 Jason Kipnis Card #221
 
Here are couple cards from 1970 sets of players sliding.  
 
Topps 1973 Oscar Gamble Card #372

Topps 1974 Gary Matthews Card #386
 
 Look how small Gamble and Matthews are compared to the size of the players portrayed in the 2015 cards.  They are taking up somewhere between maybe five to ten percent of the card as with the 2015 cards, it seems that the players are taking up almost the entire card.
 
The play at the plate
 
Here are a couple of cards from this year of plays at the plate.
 
Topps 2015 Mike Trout Award Winner Card #510


Topps 2015 J.J. Hardy Card 563
 
 
Here are couple plays at the plate from 1970 sets. 
 
Topps 1971 Thurman Munson Card #5

Topps 1974 Chris Speier Card #392
 
The Munson card has always been a favorite of mine, as it is sweet shot plus its got a All Star Rookie trophy.  The Speier card isn't cropped as close as the 2015 cards so it shows all the empty seats behind the Phillies bullpen at Candlestick Park.
 
Diving catches 
 
Here are some Royal outfielders making diving catches from this year's set.
 
Topps 2015 Jarrod Dyson Card #570 

Topps 2015 Lorenzo Cain Card #516 

Topps 2015 Alex Gordon Card #456
 
The issuance of cards of players making diving catches is a new to Topps.  It has been a photo that they have been using more during this century.
 
Here is a card from the 70s of an outfielder attempting to make a catch.  Not quite a diving catch. 

Topps 1974 Tommie Agee Card #420
 
This picture from the Topps 1974 set is where Hank Aaron is about to make a catch.  He is probably closer to the infield, about ready to catch a pop up, as he played first base during his last years with the Braves.
 
Topps 1974 Hank Aaron Card #100
 
Snow cone catches
 
Here are a couple sweet snow cone catches from the 2015 set.
 
Topps 2015 Jackie Bradley Jr. Card #314

Topps 2015 Andrelton Simmons Card #651

  
 
Here is an almost snow cone catch from the 1974 set.
Topps 1974 Dave Concepcion Card #435
  
Great World Series defense
 
A card from this year's set of Giants Joe Panik starting a double play, while laying on his stomach, during game seven of the 2014 World Series.
 
Topps 2015 Joe Panik Checklist Card #449
 
 
And a card from the Topps 1971 set of Brooks Robinson making another clutch play he made during the 1970 World Series.
Topps 1971 Game 5 from 1970 World Series Card #331
 
A short video about the 1970 World Series (The Brooks Robinson Series) that the Orioles beat the Reds four games to one.  Robinson, who was the Series MVP, batted .429 (9 hits in 21 at bats) with two homers and six RBI. 
 
 
Turning Two
 
Here is the 2015 Topps card of Gold Glove second baseman DJ LaMahieu turning a double play. 
 
 
 
From the 1974 set, here is Dick Green's card turning a double play.  The LaMahieu card is chopped closer so that he and Alex Gordon take up the entire card

 
 
Air Brush Specials
 
Here are a few air brushed cards from this year's set
 
Topps 2015 Tyler Clippard Card #546

Topps 2015 Dave Robertson Card #368

Topps 2015 Marcus Semien Card #356

These are three air brush cards from the 70s. 

Topps 1973 Frank Robinson Card #175
 
Frank Robinson spent only one year playing with the Dodgers, during 1972 and he was traded to the Angels during the winter prior to the 1973 season.   Note that all Topps did on Frank Robinson's Topps 1973 card was air brush out the Dodgers team name on the front of his uniform.  
 
 

Topps 1977 Dave Robertson Card #254
 
As I remember, this Doyle Alexander card was one of Topps first attempt to air brush a player into his team's new uniform.  Topps has come along ways in the last 40 years.
 
 
Topps 1977 Tommy Helms Card #402
 
On this Tommy Helms air brush job from the 1977 set, you can see that the color doesn't really match the A's caps actual color. 
 
The caps on the Clippard and Semien cards from the 2015 set is not really the kelly green used on A's caps, but Topps got closer than the green used on the Helms card.  And the front of the Robertson card shows his new White Sox uniform and it kinda looks like an actual photo, as Topps attempt with this card is better than just air brushing out the team name, like they did with the Robinson card.
 
If anyone out there is interested in trading to help me complete my Topps 2015 set, then let's make a deal.
 


3 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this article. Its a literary "action shot" about action shots. I also enjoyed how you compared cards with cards from different eras. Its neat to see it all come together.

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  2. Great post. I went to a card show and saw the 71 brooks card (after seeing it here) so I picked it up.

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  3. The elastic waistband looks shot on Alexander's card.

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