Thursday, July 20, 2017

A Malaise Falls over the Crowd: Topps Now

I have been in a rut this year. At first, I thought it was because of being super busy with work and all that goes along with it. Then, I thought it was because my creativity in terms of blogging had slipped. I've come up with all kinds of reasons why I might be in a rut, but none of those reasons dragged me out of my rut.

Then, this morning at work, with my morning coffee, I read this fantastic post from Dan's Other World called "The Great 2017 Baseball Card Price-Out: A Commentary." It helped me put my finger on a few things that have happened over the past six months to a year that have really turned me off to modern cards to some extent. 

I suppose if I'm honest with myself, my malaise truly began with the introduction of Topps Now at the beginning of last season. The idea, in concept, is a good one as I have said on many occasions. In its execution, it's a money grab by Topps. Topps is happy to feature Aaron Judge or Cody Bellinger walking on the field each day as a card in Topps Now, and those cards sell well even at their ridiculously overpriced $9.99 per card (or even at the $79.99 price per 20, or $4 a piece). 

There are signs that collectors generally are a bit tired of these cards. Last year, the lowest print run was a Chris Carter card near the end of the year, which had 178 total cards purchased. This year, that number has been surpassed on an incredible thirty-six  occasions so far, including a recent Marcell Ozuna catch card (Card 362) that just 113 cards sold. 

Before I go on, let me show you the Brewers Topps Now cards that came in from eBay recently. 


I still feel compelled to buy them right now. I have two more on the way, I think. I'm guessing that if the Brewers fall off (and by the way they are playing lately, they will fall off the pace quickly) Topps will fairly ignore them going forward.

I am quickly arriving at the point, however, of ignoring current cards. Sure, I'll collect them if they are sent to me, and I'll probably even buy them as team sets on eBay or at card shows. Even then, I'm not 100% committed to it. It's still "probably" because I'm kind of burned out on the decision making that goes on at Topps. 

For instance, there is the inexplicable decision making that went into the Archives set autographs -- particularly including Zack Hample as an autograph subject. If Topps did not have a completely tin ear, it would have known that Hample is an object of scorn both in the baseball card community and in baseball generally thanks to his ballhawking getting in the way of things like decency and letting military people go to the game at Fort Bragg last year. Similarly, Topps included a New York Yankees fan in the Archives autographs (Fat or Loud Vinny or whatever...who really cares what his name is). Even if those two were in Allen & Ginter, it would have been disappointing. 

Speaking of Ginter, I really liked this set when I first got back into collecting. Ginter & Archives. This year, the Brewers had three base cards in the set. How does that stack up? The Cubs and Mets have 15, the Reds have 9 as do the Diamondbacks, the Rays and Twins have 7, the Padres have 6, the Yankees have 17, and the Red Sox have 19. I know -- the world was clamoring for a new Johnny Damon on the Red Sox card or a new Henry Owens cards (since we sure didn't get enough of those last year /sarcasm). The only team close in terms of the small number of base cards is the Angels with 4 and the Montreal Expos, Milwaukee Braves, and Brooklyn Dodgers with 1 each. Of course, those last three teams no longer exist.

Where am I now with collecting? I don't know, honestly. I'm still grabbing Brewers cards here and there, but I'm more likely to find myself deep-diving on eBay looking for a new police department set to add than I am looking for the single Ryan Braun autograph from a set. I guess what that means is really that I will focus as much -- or more -- on the things that I enjoy in collecting: oddballs.

I'll keep posting here -- don't get me wrong -- but my attention may be spent more on the 1980s Oddball blog than here. 

This was more of a personal vent than anything, so I apologize if it made you upset or if you are the world's supercollector of Henry Owens for whom Topps is printing cards.

17 comments:

  1. I think you've spoken quite eloquently the thoughts that I've been thinking in general about modern day collecting. Since Topps has a monopoly they have free reign to do what they choose with an automatic consumer market. I collected the 2016 set by buying packs the old school way and while I really enjoyed it, I was dismayed by the number of dupes and the number of meaningless inserts. Meaningless to me. But I think collecting is kind of a selfish activity even though we have a really awesome network of fellow collectors who look out for one another, but that's a diversion. If I want any future sets, I'll just buy them factory sealed as it's much cheaper than buying packs or hobby boxes. But I may be in the minority in that my interests are really, truly, stuck in the 1980s and 1990s. I'll dabble in more current (2000- ) cards of Kruk and Strawberry but only for the best deal possible. Anyway, I appreciate knowing where you are will the hobby as I feel the exact same way.

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  2. Well, we all lose focus or refocus from time to time. I've been working on getting my 80s sets finished before I look at the current stuff.. It also doesn't help that if I want to rip anything that actually interests me I have to order it online, since it's not carried here.

    Of course, my main focus lately is getting my collection reorganized so I know what I have.

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  3. I've been primarily focused on my player collections this year, but mostly because Vogelbach finally was thrown into some products. Shoot, I'm starting to feel like he's this year's Henry Owens.
    I'm glad you're still chasing the oddballs. Check your mailbox in a few days. :-)

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  4. Well, guess who pulled a Zack Hample autograph in his box of Archives...why me of course. I would have been less upset if instead of a second auto, Topps had inserted a note that said; "We here at Topps think you suck and hope you die."

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    1. If pulled one I would send it to Clayton Kershaw and ask him to rip it in half for me.

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    2. Man, that sucks. Now, you should try to sell that on eBay, because Hample himself is buying up a bunch of them -- I suppose to save them from collectors like me or Brian who would seek destruction over collection of his card.

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  5. Tony, I hear your disappointment and frustrations! As far as team popularity goes, I seem to pull plenty of Marlins and Rays. Brewers are by far the better team, IMO - one with rich history so exactly where are those cards??? I tend to buy a bit of everything released that isn't high end. This year, I purchased NO Stadium Club, NO Ginter, NO Heritage, NO Opening Day and NO Series Two Topps. I was burned by two Jumbo Series One Topps boxes and two Gypsy Queen boxes. The collation and duplication within all four boxes was ridiculous. And yes, I pulled a Henry Owens auto. Our hobby is reaching another breaking point with relics and autos. These are driving up box prices and are worthless on the secondary market. Lawdy, I could go on but we all understand the situation. I'm working on a package for you and will be reading your 80s blog too. Please keep writing and sharing. You are Topps! snicker

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    1. Well, thanks, Julie. I have a feeling that the 80s blog will keep me sane...

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  6. Leave Henry Alone!!!!

    Just kidding.

    Card collecting, much like baseball itself, is designed to break your heart.
    Topps has never been shy to flood the market with nonsense, making it virtually impossible to complete a collection, even while simultaneously snubbing the team or player being collected.

    I feel for Yankees collectors and Brewers collectors, but for different reasons.

    Topps Now is a good concept that is never going to be executed to the satisfaction of fans. Too many cards and not enough, boring photos and too expensive...

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    1. Your third paragraph made me think of Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart."

      I guess my disappointment with Topps comes from the fact that I expect too much of them. They promote whom and what they know will make them money. These days, it's "flood the market with Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger" which is a change from the first couple of months of this year, when it was, "flood the market with Gary Sanchez and Andrew Benintendi."

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  7. I think what helps me not get bored or overwhelmed is that I've never been a completist when it comes to my cards. If something gets stale I just move on to the next thing. Sometimes in the winter I'll go months without buying a baseball card as I'll focus on my WVU collection. Switching gears keeps things fresh. I'm sure focusing on the new blog will help.

    As for the Topps Now program I'm a fan. Of course this is through the eyes of a Pirates collector. Pirates have been middle of the road in terms of cards produced so it has been relatively easy to accumulate. Since the beginning only a few moments have occurred where I thought "hey this would be a cool Now card" and they didn't produce it.

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    1. Yeah, my OCD when it comes to collecting can be problematic, I suppose!

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  8. On the other side of the spectrum, it makes it really hard to keep up with an over-abundance of cards of one's team. I'm not complaining, as I'd rather have too many choices than too few, but it's not easy and you basically have to be ok with the fact that you won't be able to get them all.

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    1. Trust me -- I appreciate that too. Yankees fans have to be like, "no, our backup catcher does NOT need to be featured in every single set this year."

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  9. As a Red Sox fan, I am also mystified by the Henry Owens love.

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  10. I was gonna write a post on the Fan Favorites autograph of Bald Vinny... but this post sums up my feelings.

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  11. I long ago lost count of how many times I've changed the focus of my own collection. You name it, I probably focused on it for at least a year of my life. I'm not sure what that says about me or my attention span but I'm completely at peace with it. Whichever focus I may be on at any moment in time I'm enjoying it, connecting with others, and staying involved in the box scores. The only true focus is on fun

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