Quick check: 2021 Topps

Because I have too much free time on my hands these days.

I deliberated long and hard before finally deciding to buy the base series for the 2021 Topps set. Part of it was because it was the 70th anniversary edition. Part was because it covered the once in a lifetime circumstances caused by the pandemic. And finally, because I was able to find the set for about half of the going rate because the eBay seller had removed a small subset of rookie cards. Since I’m not buying these as an investment — if such a thing still exists — I’d rather save the money.

So here are a few observations.

• I miss the old days when players used to pose for their cards. It was the 1972 set that turned heads with the inclusion of “In Action” photography. Here are a couple of articles about that watershed production. Someone was selling a Tim Foli “In Action” card for $240. Tim Foli!! Nowadays it’s all action, which strikes me as no big deal.

.

• Used to be included “subsets” such as postseason or league leader cards were batched together. Now they are interspersed with the regular inventory (and there are just four WS cards, one for each of the Dodgers’ wins.
• Used to be the normal seven checklists were double-sided. This year there are 20; the front side for a player, the reverse for the list.
• Used to be “team cards” were posed group photos. No longer. And it seems a bit sad that every mention or image as to carry a registered trademark or copyright symbol, reminding us once again that baseball is a business.
• The total number of cards has been pretty consistent, about 660 to the mid-700s. That was pretty great back when I was a kid. But the number of teams has increased from 20 in 1968 to 30 since 1998. Consequently, the brings the average number of cards per team down dramatically. When you deduct the checklists and subsets, you get 624 cards which comes out to an average of 20.8 cards per team. However not all teams are equally represented. The Rockies and Pirates have just 18 cards while the White Sox have an MLB high 25. Used to be you could put a whole roster together. Now? The Rockies and Tigers don’t have any catchers, while the Dodgers, Padres, and Giants have three apiece. And the Rangers have just one pitcher, with the Nationals coming in with four. How ridiculous is that?? Especially when you think about how players shuffle on and off the rosters over the course of a season. In 1968, the Mets had fewer than 35 players for the season. To date this year? More than 60.

.

.

• Now the layout. The player’s name on vertical (portrait) cards take a back seat size-wise to the team name, making them seem cluttered and hard to read. This isn’t so much of an issue for the horizontal (landscape) cards.

. 

• Bottom line: I would love to talk to someone inside the Topps company to find out what the thinking was behind the process for this set because it kind of seems really disorganized in preparation and presentation, especially for such an anniversary release.