Finally snagged some 2018 Topps

I was finally able to pick up some 2018 Topps Series One. It was released on Jan 31, and I grabbed some the next day. However, it felt like an eternity and like I was the last one to find some.

In a cruel twist of fate, I arrived at Target and realized I forgot the two gift cards I had set aside! I toyed with still buying some, but I put my foot down. I saved these gift cards for this occasion. So I went in to check to make sure Topps Series One had arrived and it had! Glorious! So I picked up the grocery item my wife asked for, and left with only one pack of cards. For now.

I cracked that pack in the car and the first card was this:

I then returned home - about a 12-15 minute drive - and it was a about 8:50pm. I ran in and grabbed the gift cards, and made my way back. I got back to Target at around 9:10pm, grabbed three blasters and two hanger boxes - more than I planned but got caught up in the excitement - and was home a little before 9:30pm.

I made my way up to my ugly attic and sat on the ugly carpet. I opened the two hanger boxes first, which I should have known better than buying more than one of these because there were a bunch of dupes in the exact same order in both boxes, like in previous years. And it seems as though the back half of the brick were nearly all horizontal cards, right in a row. Interesting. The collation on these hangers are never good and I know that.

I then proceeded to open the rest of the packs. I laughed to myself because I should have just ordered a hobby box if I was going to buy this many packs, but oh well.

I think the base cards are completely fine looking. I know it's more fun to hate the design than I like it because it's enjoyable to be #madonline, but I think they are decent. Not the best and not the worst. Also, please stop with the lazy criticism that these cards are now designed for the digital app BUNT. This was last year's Bunt design. It's not the same as flagshape. Maybe it shares an element or two, but it's not a carbon copy. And it's ok for cards to look good in person and on a cellular telephone device. Really, it is.

The photography seems decent. I noticed a lot of good action shots, and I was thrilled to see this Brett Gardner. This will be his 11th season and I think this will have to go down as his all-time best base card. That photo is what I think of when I think "Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner." Kudos, Topps.

Another great base card here. For knowing prospects fairly well, I do have to say that I have no idea who Richard Urena is. But what a bad ass rookie card, right?

I did get a bunch of Yankees (time to prep my TTMs!) and did exceptionally well on Judge cards. Six total, including all three in the base set (p.s. he's not the only one with three cards). I was happy to pull a fancy Rainbow Foil of him.

I was thrilled to get a few Yankees RCs as well, especially of this guy. I love that he was given #7 in the checklist. Nice troll move by Topps. Goodness gracious I hope Suzyn Waldman doesn't get too offended.

And was finally glad to get some Marlins cards! For the first time ever!

I pulled a handful of Topps Golds, highlighted by this Cody Bellinger rookie cup. I agree with others that they are a little hard to spot the first time, but it was easy after seeing one.

I also snagged a SP, and outside of Judge, what better player for me to get? I knew it was an SP right away thanks to the internet showing these BP-type jersey cards, notably the Trout.

Let's go to some inserts. I like the Manu-relics more than I thought I would, but I was expecting them to be a little heavier like the coins from the past. Not a big deal. Just an observation. The Hoskins is a blue parallel /99. I wish I could see his name on his jersey!

It was a Cutch hot box, by the way! These are going to our favorite McCutchen collector. However, I did notice that my inserts were sort of grouped by player. I observed that if I pulled one Arenado insert, others were to follow. And one pack had two Buster Posey inserts. Both different, but I wonder how that works?

I like Legends in the Making the most, I think. They do remind me of 2016 Topps Fire inserts though. The parallels were a little tough to spot, but not bad once I knew to look for them. I didn't do my homework, so I wasn't aware that there were different colored versions.

I also like the '83s - my birth year! I wish they were on vintage stock versus glossy, but I think they look great.

Here are a few others.

I also got one of the HR Challenge scratch offs. Good guy to get!

Lastly, I like the looks of the Jeter set available at Target. I can imagine it's frustrating for non-Yankee/Jeter collectors to have a set dedicated to him (for the second year in a row). I get it. Aesthetically though, I think it's really nice looking and I might try to complete the set, so feel free to send any my way. I hope card #30 is him trading Stanton to the Yankees. What a great SSSSSP that would be.

That about wraps up it. It was fun, and I'm glad to be in the 2018 club now. I definitely went a little overboard, but it's good to be excited about something in life, right?

Now, time to send these puppies out for the 2018 Topps Yankees Project.