Saturday, September 30, 2017

A Blaster-ful of 2017 Topps Heritage High Number

It was the kind of thing where I'd go to my local Target every week, to get a case of water and kitchen stuff...and then, on a whim, I'd check the card aisle for Heritage High #...and there'd be nothing there. This was three or four weeks in a row. So today, I'm there, and I'm expecting nothing...and FINALLY there's a bunch of blasters of the stuff hanging around. Never there when ya need 'em.

This is a nice enough set for me, because I was never a fan of Allen & Ginter, so this is my bridge from Stadium Club/Archives to Update Series, and the past few years it's been a nice little pick-me-up, even if it is primarily static, posed shots.

8 packs, 9 cards per pack. Looking for Judges and Bellingers because I'm a chump.

Pack 1-
666- Kyle Freeland. Nice start getting the Rockies' fireballer, though the card number is pretty eerie.
664- Edwin Encarnacion. Glad he knew when to jump ship and end up on a likable, and still awesome team.
662- Martin Maldonado. Imagine how his season would have gone if he's stayed in Milwaukee
547- Dan Straily, the only Miami starter that stayed healthy
718- Taijuan Walker. SHORT PRINT, and a solid third-starter in Arizona.
621- Tyson Ross. I feel like he's done being productive.
687- Adam Ottavino
683- Brad Peacock. Glad he finally made it out of the bullpen.
638- Jason Grilli. The first two words of Jason's writeup on the back is what I'd like to see happen to him this year: "Jason retired".

Pack 2-
606- Ian Kennedy. Yeah, his stuff's worn off too.
651- Jeff Hoffman. Another impressive Rockies pitcher.
554- Brandon Kintzler. Now with the Nationals, no longer closing games.
560- Stephen Cardullo
541- Yangervis Solarte. 'HE made the High Number set?'
590- Travis D'Arnaud, the glass catcher. He and Devon Mesoraco should get drinks...just maybe get plastic pitchers...
591- Alex Meyer
546- James Paxton, who FINALLY had a great season this year.
588- Daniel Robertson

Pack 3-
510- Yovani Gallardo. Another guy who should have stayed in Milwaukee.
515- Matt Adams. Always liked him. Glad he got out of St. Louis.
530- Junior Guerra. Hazier season, but still a great pitcher.
678- CODY BELLINGER. Okay, folks. I can die happy, I've got Bellinger's rookie. Good stuff.
714- Kelvin Herrera. This one's another SHORT PRINT. Also, why wasn't HE in the low number set?
563- Andrew Triggs. Man, if he would have stayed healthy..
583- Rafael Bautista.
633- David Peralta, who finally had a good year this year.
630- Mark Melancon, AKA what happens if you sign a closer to a multi-year deal.

Pack 4-
616- Whit Merrifield, offensive savior of the Royals
504- Pierce Johnson
519- Gift Ngoepe. To be honest, the only rookie I actually wanted from this set.
648- Delino DeShields
Award Winners of Michael Fulmer
623- Edinson Volquez. I mean, at least he had that no-hitter...
536- Joe Ross
665- Trevor Plouffe, now in Tampa
513- Amir Garrett

Pack 5-
568- Koda Glover. When healthy, a great closer. When unhealthy, making Sean Doolittle look really good.
655- Craig Breslow
584- Bruce Maxwell, who, despite an okay season, has already become a legend in Oakland, and rightfully so.
641- Ivan Nova. Will always root for him.
Now and Then of AARON JUDGE. THE GREATEST.
657- Nathan Eovaldi. Sir Not Appearing in this Season
695- Christian Vazquez, looking pretty awesome
537- Rob Zastryzny.
603- Dovydas Neverauskas

Pack 6-
654- Teoscar Hernandez
694- RONALD TORREYES! Best Yankee Bench Player since Luis Sojo.
652- Derek Holland. Well, that didn't work too well, did it?
587- Domingo Santana, Milwaukee powerhouse
707- Steven Matz. SHORT PRINT. Hope he can come back for good.
553- Steve Pearce
601- Blake Snell
602- Alex Wood. Amazing season out of this guy.
517- Jesse Winker. Guy's got a future. Unfortunately, glancing at the Reds' outfield, not sure if it'll be in Cincinnati.

Pack 7-
574- Colby Rasmus. Any idea as to why he left so quickly?
653- Jon Jay, who's having a great season in Chicago
647- Matt Wieters
605- Shelby Miller. Still injured.
Topps Game insert of Joe Musgrove
535- Eric Thames. The other 'GIMME GIMME' card in the set, as of April.
660- Ian Happ.
502- Mike Zunino
518- Lance Lynn, finally back to his old tricks

Pack 8-
609- Matt Carasiti
525- Nick Hundley
558- Jesus Aguilar
507- Brandon McCarthy, who had a great season and stayed healthy for a great deal of it.
Rookie Performers of Orlando Arcia
538- Rob Segedin
559- Jorge Bonifacio
580- Hector Rondon
585- Joe Biagini

So, that's High Number. I got some good cards out of it, but I feel like this set would fulfill its purpose a bit more if it went out a bit later, and actually included later trades, instead of delivering April and May's news in September. Still, nice enough pick-up.

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