I finally tracked down one of those factory sealed team sets that Topps puts out in the form of a blister pack. Our family travels took us into central New Jersey last weekend and I was able to guide the family truckster to a quick pit stop at the same Modell's Sporting Goods at which I've been buying these things since 2010.
Each year I buy one of these and each year it's the same drill. You've got 17 cards with a NYM prefix attached to each of the card numbers. For the most part the same photos that you find in the flagship set are utilized. Once in awhile Topps will throw you a welcomed curveball by using a photo variation, but not often enough.
My common complaint is that the checklist for each team isn't big enough. If you're gonna make a specialized set for each team, why not go crazy and expand the inclusion list a bit? Go beyond what you're giving us in the flagship set. I mean, we're paying $5.99 for this thing; why not give us a little added value?
Sure, the stadium card is swell and all, but how about a manager card? Mascot? Would giving us maybe 25 or 27 total cards kill ya?
Anyhow, I guess I should quit my whining since I'm the idiot that opens my wallet each May to buy these stinkin' things.
Onto the cards...
I can't say for sure if any of these photo choices are different from what we'll find in Series 2. If anything, I guess the Colon, Granderson or Young cards might look different, since each is a Photoshop job. [Ed. Note: Check out Young's socks and stirrups; something ain't right!]
My favorite photo of the lot? The Daniel Murphy, of course! Can't go wrong with a cameo from the Home Run Apple 2.0. The Mets logo looks like a halo around Murph's head.
As for player choice, pretty much all the essentials are there. Though I'm pretty P.O.'ed that Eric Young Jr. did not make this set nor the flagship. Doesn't make sense to me, since the guy played 119 games for the Mets last season and was essentially the everyday lead-off man after arriving from Colorado. Would have also liked to see my boy Jenrry Mejia in this set, too.
Anyways, there they are. Your 2014 Mets as seen in this year's Topps Team Set.
Let's Go Mets!
MK
Worth it for the Ike Davis alone, since he shouldn't be in Series Two now. And I, personally, love the Grandy (photoshopped though it may be). I'm with you on expanding the set. They did those mammoth sets in, what, 2006? 2008? Even though those had too much filler for my taste, you still got the coaches and a bunch of guys who wouldn't have gotten cards otherwise. I still want a Dice-K Mets card, too. C'mon Series Two. But I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy this now--for Davis and Grandy, if nothing else.
ReplyDeleteYou have more faith than I do. I had already accepted it as fact that Ike will have a Series 2 card, and that card will be of him in a Mets uni. Here's to hoping I'm wrong...
DeleteWhat a great looking set, Mark! My vote is for the Niese and Lagares cards, but again, they all look great together.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing... I hate to buy these sets if they're largely the same as what's in the base set, but this one has CitiField, plus that Chris Young is different than his Series One card. We'll have to see about the Series Two cards.
ReplyDeleteI'd bet a stack of junk wax that Ike Davis will be a Met in series two, and then will show up again in the Update set.
Yup, I think that sounds about right (re: Davis).
DeleteJeez, I'm out of it. I didn't even know Young had a S1 card!
That Murphy is a pretty awesome looking card.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see managers and coaches included in these things. Go nuts, throw in the random clubhouse attendant, or better yet, radio guy. I'd definitely track down a White Sox set if Hawk Harrelson was in it. It's exploitive enough that I'm surprised Topps hasn't done it yet.