Trying To Keep My Blogging License

Baseball is back, baby!

Well... exhibition baseball, anyway.  Spring Training is well under way and Cactus League games have begun for my beloved Cubs...  a welcome distraction from the decidedly un-spring like whether currently plaguing the Midwest.  As things stand now, the Cubbies are currently undefeated, sporting a record of 2-0, which obviously means they'll be winning the World Series in five this year.  While the franchise may have disappointed six ways to Sunday this winter, it's just nice to know that real baseball is just around the corner.

Luckily, these first two Cactus League contests have been covered by the terrestrial radio crew; so, I was able to "turn on, tune in, and drop out" out of the real world for a couple of hours this past Saturday.  As I was getting lost in Arizona baseball, by way of the soothing voice of Pat Hughes, I took the opportunity to open my very first pack of 2019 Topps cards. 

Wait a minute... the FIRST pack of 2019? 

  
Flagship has been out for weeks now and is even about to be lapped by Heritage.  What gives?  What kind of baseball card writer hasn't already opened boxes of the stuff by now?  Don't they take away your blogging license for that?

See, here's the thing - I collect in waves and, lately, it's been low tide.  The winter months are usually the doldrums of both card collecting and blogging, seeing as my favorite sport is in deep hibernation.  Additionally, the lax free agent market over the past couple off-seasons has only made this disinterest worse.  Furthermore, I wasn't particularly high on the design of Topps' 2019 Flagship product when it was unveiled last fall.  All of these factors combined have kept my enthusiasm in check for the release of new cards.

However, now that Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and the boys are back on the diamond - albeit at Sloan Park instead of Wrigley - my interest is beginning to rise.  Watch that shoreline... the tide is coming in!

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Thus, when I made my way to the local card shops in the area for National Hockey Card Day this weekend, I decided to grab a pack of the newest edition of our hobby's flagship while I was out and about.  Then, I came home, turned on 670 the Score, and let baseball wash over me as I flipped through the cardboard.  The pairing of the Cactus League opener and new cards made for the perfect way to officially kick off the baseball calendar.

But enough exposition, how'd the pack ripping go?  As the Cubs were whipping the Brewers 8-4 (I know it means jack, but winning is never a bad thing), here's what fell out of my first foil-wrapped packet of 2019 Topps Flagship:

A whole lotta meh in there.  Although, I kind of like the photograph of Kyle Tucker rounding the bases - it's a touch more interesting than the standard, generic batting pose.  Also, I definitely got the wrong mustachioed Athletics hurler.

Next, here's the horizontal heroes portion of the pack:

Nice double play shot of Brandon Lowe there.  I guess it's a good thing I like this picture, seeing as it's a Rays card and I'll, therefore, probably have it forever.  Plus, it's funny that my ballpark card should be Minute Maid Park, seeing as my wife was actually in Texas as I was flipping through these cards.  Of course, she was in the Fort Worth area for a work event, so it's the wrong Lone Star State team; but, I'm grasping at straws for intrigue here.

As far as the best of the base, these two above cards were certainly the best of the bunch.  I'm not a staunch traditionalist in life, let alone in something as (relatively) trivial as baseball.  I say, bring on the Segura-like home run celebrations!  Why shouldn't Jean fly around the bases like an airplane when taking a pitcher deep into the bleachers?  Don't like it?  Pitch better.  Clearly these displays of passion and emotion bring smiles to the faces of fans, smiles as big and beaming as Mookie and Prince Albert here!  After all, isn't reinvigorating fan interest (especially with the youth) the stated number one goal of Major League Baseball?

Thank you for coming to my impromptu Ted Talk.

To close things out, I also found a parallel and an insert nestled in the middle of my 14-card hobby pack.  Former Cubs farmhand, Josh Donaldson, was the closest thing to a Cubs card found within.  
The third baseman is pictured on a Rainbow Foil parallel, which fall at a rate of 1:10 packs.  The most interesting aspect of this card is that, in a few years, we will have all forgotten entirely about the former All-Star's brief, month long tenure in Cleveland.  For what it's worth, Josh already looks confused himself.  #ShortTermStop

As for the retro-themed insert, thank god Topps decided to go with something other than the wood grain borders of 1987.  Quite the opposite actually, as (correct me if I'm wrong) I feel like the 1984 design doesn't get much love from the old bubblegum company.  I'll have to check and see if any Cubbies are available in this insert checklist, as I quite like this resurfacing.

And, with that, we've reached the end of my first pack of baseball cards in 2019.  No Cubs, no particularly eye-catching cards... overall, it was a bowl of "meh."  Oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.  Oh, and before I go, here's what the backs look like, in case you're like me and hadn't seen any of these in person yet:

Yay for the return of full career stats and, unlike a lot of people, I also enjoy the fact that they've kept the social media handles around.  After all, we live in the 21st century and this part of the pop culture landscape now.  While social media services like Twitter and Instagram are often credited with downfall of modern society, they also help our heroes engage with their adoring audiences like never before.  Like I said during my unexpected rant about home run celebrations, aren't we trying to generate new interest in our favorite sport?  At the end of the day, this can only help attract the younger audience.

With that, I have to say that I don't hate the 2019 edition of Flagship.  I like the color-coding on the "borders" and the backside.  However, I don't particularly like the last name being above the first name, it jumbles my delicate brain. That said, I'm still mostly indifferent to it,; but, I'm a little bit more left of center than I had been before holding it in hand.  Plus, I decidedly did NOT like the "waterslide" set of 2018; thus, "meh" is a decided upgrade. 

Toothpaste > Waterslide.  That's what we're calling this year's set, right?  It's not only me that is reminded of big ol' tube of Colgate when they look at these cards, right?

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Again, I know that I'm really late on this and I'm sure you've made your opinions known at this point, but, I'm going to ask anyway.  How do you feel about the 2019 edition of Topps Flagship?  Do you find it clean and refreshing, like a freshly brushed set of teeth?  On the other hand, do you find it to be just another disappointing design in a decade full of almost nothing but disappointing designs (2015 💓)?  Or, are you like me and can't offer much more than a shrug, just grateful for something new to flip through while listening to the ballgame?  

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

In the meantime, the Cubs are undefeated in games during which I open packs of baseball cards.  Perhaps this is just the magic mojo they need to go all the way this year?!  Forget Bryce Harper or making any acquisitions of consequence to patch up the offense that died halfway through 2018, this major market franchise with a lucrative, new TV deal operating like a cash-strapped college student needs me to open baseball cards during every single game this year!

This could get expensive...

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