A Surprise Blaster of 2017 Topps Series 2

Didn't see this one coming.

Lately, I've been hitting Wal-Mart for my week-of-release card needs, because the local Target never seems to have products until two weeks after they're out. Tonight, I was there to get socks and toothpaste...but my curiosity was piqued. I sauntered over to the card aisle, and sure enough...Series 2. Right there.

So I bought a blaster. And since my scanner's not working with my new laptop, I'm gonna just log it cold.

By the way, my box came with a guaranteed american flag manufactured thing...of Masahiro Tanaka, a Japanese pitcher. So, while it's nice to get a Yankee, there's still that famous Topps flavor of pathetic irony.

Pack 1-
554- Jason Castro. The photoshop job to start off is actually pretty nice. They're definitely improving.
664- Blake Swihart
572- Braves team card. Look, I'll give Topps credit- the team cards they've brought back into the set have been pretty great shots.
426- Mets team card- AND ANOTHER ONE!
559- Jason Motte GOLD #'D TO 2017. Nice shot for it, too.
Memorable Moments insert of Carlton Fisk's walk off. This design's a little better than the boring insert designs of late, but it's still a bit too white.
Topps Salute- an Independence Day card of Matt Carpenter.
372- Ryan Schimpf. The Padres throwback helps a bit.
516- Tony Wolters
684- Jorge Polanco, a member of the battalion of Twins rookies.

Pack 2-
647- Jose Reyes. Great card, even if he's back to tanking this year.
393- Koji Uehara. I still don't like the truncated stats on the back.
564- Nationals team card.Ooooh, this one's another amazing one.
368- Jhonny Peralta, who's been airlifted from the Cardinals infield.
'87 Topps insert of ROBINSON CANO.
377- Adam Rosales SHINY??? I don't get these.
FIRST PITCH of Bonnie Hunt, which is a pretty nice name.
546- Addison Reed
377- Adam Rosales...again.
434- Tyler Saladino

Pack 3-
406- Stephen Vogt. Yeah, the increase in good photography is DEFINITELY evident this series.
436- Cody Allen, one of the best closers nobody's heard of.
504- Austin Hedges
396- JT Realmuto. Again, aside from the over-abudant border usage, the horizontals are still great.
Topps Salute of Josh Donaldson...commemorating Spring Training...for some reason.
ID4 insert of Miguel Cabrera, which is pretty cool.
609- Adalberto Media
614- Shawn O'Malley
510- Kelby Tomlinson
489- Jarrod Dyson. Again, zoomed back, interesting photo.

Pack 4-
501- Ian Kinsler
496- Mike Fiers
389- George Springer. Again, really nice horizontal photography.
611- Victor Martinez
All Time All Stars insert of Hank Aaron. This, however, we didn't particularly need.
ASG MVP insert of Roberto Alomar. These, on the other hand, I do like.
493- Hunter Dozier
676- Eric Hosmer, whose on-ness is getting the Royals back into the picture this season.
446- Dexter Fowler. Still a favorite, no matter what uniform.
550- Mikie Mahtook

Pack 5-
388- Yasmani Grandal. Something else I've noticed is that there are a ton of great shots of catchers in this set.
605- Michael Brantley
417- Darren O'Day
Memorable Moments of Nolan Ryan signing with Houston.
665- Yu Darvish SHORT PRINT VARIATION!!! This has a different image of him fielding warm up balls, and I'm so happy I pulled a variation.
ID4 insert of Mookie Betts
413- Rob Segedin
556- STARLIN CASTRO. the best.
473- Eugenio Suarez and his gum-blowing fixation.
507- Matt Garza

Pack 6-
521- Brandon Phillips. Nice that they got a shot of him in a Braves uniform.
534- Cody Asche. Man, I'm glad we got rid of him when we did..
549- Miguel Gonzalez
470- Brandon Drury
87T Johnny Damon..SOX. ARGH.
Major League Milestones of Trevor Story. And back to the lazy insert designs Topps is used to.
514- Jeremy Jeffress
555- Noah Syndergaard!!
694- Matt Wieters, looking commanding in a Nats uniform
462- Rich Hill

Pack 7-
431- TOMMY JOSEPH
695- Jon Jay
576- Russell Martin. Don't love him, but I love this shot.
608- Dodgers team card
Topps Salute of Kenny Lofton
ID4 insert of Francisco Lindor
415- Pat Valaika. Man, they picked the wrong Rockies rookie..
600- YOENIS CESPEDES.
653- Cam Bedrosian
422- Andrew Miller, best set-up man in baseball.

Pack 8-
482- SIR DIDI GREGORIUS.
391- Jonathan Schoop
430- Rangers tc
636- Pirates combo
485- GREG BIRD...GOLD #D TO 2017. Wish he was doing better, but it's still a gold Yankee.
All Time ASG of Juan Marichal
ASG MVP of Melky Cabrera
689- Jason Vargas, back to pitching really well for Kansas City.
505- Seung Hwan Oh
441- Jose Iglesias

Pack 9-
428- Jay Bruce
355- Shelby Miller, burning all his former credibility
630- Edwin Encarnacion, with another great shot
499- Danny Valencia
Memorable Moments of YAZ
ID4 of Giancarlo Stanton
519- Dan Fogelbach
425- Carlos Gonzalez, in a Stadium Club-worthy shot.
567- Devon Travis
376- Chase Anderson, slowly becoming an ace on this Brewers team

Pack 10-
579- Taylor Jungmann
444- Andrew Heaney
452- Travis Shaw
424- Derek Dietrich
565- JD Martinez, with a pretty great horizontal shot
87T Omar Vizquel
First Pitch of Luke Donald, one of the many unnecessary golfers in this set
672- Luke Maile
620- Sam Dyson
383- Adam Frazier


That was a pretty nice blaster, and proof that Topps is improving flagship with Series 2.