What Wood You Do?

There's more lumber in this Cubs card than a Lowe's home improvement store.

This single from the most recent release of Topps Heritage has been a target since the product first hit store shelves this spring.  I have to believe somebody with some pull in creating the checklist purposely paired these rookie hurlers due to their wooden surnames.  It's not as funny as the classic "Bong Puffer" rookie card of 2003; that being said, I can certainly appreciate the attention to detail.

Of course, the wry humor behind this timber twosome is just a bonus.  In all actuality , the reason why I've been tracking this card like a lost lumberjack is because it represents James Norwood's true Major League rookie card.  To this point and to my knowledge, the relief prospect had never appeared in a set that wasn't a minor league team issue.  Thus, I soon found myself "pine-ing" for his Heritage debut, wanting to include it in my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.

It was in hopes of landing that cedar single that I purchased this particular pack of Heritage.  Although, I must admit, I had a rather strong inkling that I wouldn't be leaving my Target disappointed.  As you can see in the image above, the thin wrapping cannot mask the Cubbie Blue showing through - I knew for certain that I'd be adding this card to my CATRC binder as soon as I picked it off the rack.

Did I bend the rules of collecting?  Maybe a little.  I can't help the fact that I have eyes and I can see the dark cards through the thin, light wrapper, even without the glasses that I broke a month ago and still haven't replaced.

At any rate, I now find myself the proud owner of a brand new Norwood for my favorite three-ring.  James made his Major League debut in 2018, getting into eleven games during the summer months and posting a 4.09 ERA in eleven frames.  So far  2019, the 25-year old has made one additional appearance, but he's mostly been biding his time in AAA.  With a power arm, he figures to be seen in Wrigley Field again before long.

While I certainly needed a copy of his first true Cubs card, the young reliever hadn't been completely absent from my collection.  Back in October of 2017, I spent a weekend in the Myrtle Beach area, during which I visited the local ballpark of the Cubs affiliated Pelicans and picked up one of those aforementioned MiLB team sets.

As much I love the memories attached to this souvenir, a true Cubs card is going to beat out a minor league single (even from a Chicago affiliate) any day of the week.  The only characteristic that gives me pause is the fact that the Pelicans card is a solo piece, while the Heritage is shared with Duane Underwood (who himself has an individual pasteboard already in my binder) and I prefer to have my players not have to share pockets with a roommate.  Nevertheless, Heritage wins this battle... for now anyway.

In the process of drafting this post, I discovered that Panini Prizm came out in the middle of last month and James got his own, dedicated rookie card in that super shiny, foil-based product.  With that. while I though it was over, the chase continues...

At any rate, I've rambled on and on about Norwood quite long enough.  I'm sure you're wondering about the rest of my fat pack of Heritage.  Well, please allow me to show off the rest of the goodies that came packaged with the "wood brothers."  I'm sure the NASCAR fans who wandered over here will appreciate that pun.

A current Cubs outfielder and a former one, both with a beautiful blue sky back drop.  Both welcome additions to my collections.

Also, I miss Dexter Fowler.  He just doesn't look right in Cardinal Red.  😢

*ahem*  Meanwhile, back at the ranch, here's what the back of 2019 Heritage looks like; though, I'm sure you've seen every detail of this set covered on the blogosphere already, seeing as it's already been out for a few months:

A very fair approximation of the originals, although the required legal-ese always ruins the illusion when it comes to these nostalgic recreations.  Oh well, nothing that can be done about that, I suppose.

Additionally, I like that the cartoon on the back spotlights Kyle's supremely unlikely performance in the 2016 World Series, which remains the high point of his still young and promising Cubs tenure.  His performance on the field since that time has been extremely up and down, due to his issues with plate discipline; however, if he ever puts it all together - with that prodigious power - the National League better watch out!

That did it for the Cubs content in the packet.  Of course, there were still some other cards that managed to catch my eye, for one reason or another.

This pair of pitchers represent a formidable, folicular duo.  Daniel Mengden would look right at home on an Allen and Ginter or Gypsy Queen single, with that silent movie villain mustache.  It's certainly the best I've seen since former Cub, Carlos Villanueva, sported a similar look a few seasons ago.  Meanwhile, Mikolas' stache isn't nearly as stylish, but the stormy skies in the background of his photograph make for an interesting contrast from the rest of the largely sunny set.

A pair of players from other teams who I find it difficult to root against.  A Nippon League veteran who came stateside with Diamondbacks just prior to the 2018 season and a late-blooming, former prospect who finally worked his way into the Major League picture.  Foreign imports and minor league journeymen are stories that I pretty much always find to be intriguing and neither Yoshihisa nor Nicky are exceptions.

Unfortunately, neither player is having a pleasant 2019, as Hirano's ERA sits comfortably over five and Nicky recently went down for the rest of the campaign due to a shoulder injury.  Here's hoping both of these guys can turns things around, just not when they face the Cubs.

Stephen Strasburg may be an intimidating presence on the mound; but, he certainly isn't imposing in this photograph.  In fact, his smile is proving to be quite infectious - check out those pearly whites!

That about does it for the non-Cubs that caught my eye.  Nevertheless, in the interest of completion, here's a quick compilation of the rest of the cards found within my purchased jumbo pack of 2019 Topps Heritage:

And there you have it.  Unless any of these guys end up playing for the Cubs someday, I don't have much use for these.  Into the trade boxes they go.

Overall, it was a pretty decent rip.  Two bonafide Cubs cards and one featuring a former Second City favorite in a jersey of a different color.  One of those Cubs cards also happened to be a particle board... errrm... pasteboard that I had been actively chasing, although I knew for certain that it was in the packet because I could see it through the wrapper.  While I didn't feel up every pack, pressing the wrap up against the cover card to get a better look, I did glance at a few of them before I made my final decision and it was fairly easy to tell what was first in line on many of them without staring.

On that note, I have to ask, do you think it's problematic to be picking your packs based on cards that can be somewhat seen through the wrappings?  Is this akin to pack-searching and cheating the system put in place to keep things fair?  Or, is this more like the old cello rack packs, where were able to actively choose your purchase based on the cards purposely showcased in the front?  Please feel free to make your thoughts on this moral gray area known in the comment section below and I apologize if we are re-litigating an issue that I hadn't noticed covered elsewhere.

In this situation, what "wood" you do?