Two Hanger Boxes of 2021 Topps Update

 I rounded the aisle to check for gift cards for the holidays and I had to triple-take.

The Target stock clerk. METICULOUSLY CURATING THE CARD AISLE SHELVES. Immaculately organizing the Update, the Archives boxes, the assorted basketball stuff. In a way I had not seen since before I left for college. I was floored. Not only was there product at a retail store, but there was LOTS of it. I couldn't believe it.

As I grabbed my hanger boxes, I thanked him. "It's good to see product back here. It's been a long few months." And I went on my way.

I grabbed a blaster of Archives, which I've already broke a box of for here, and this one didn't yield much else [I did get a Brian Anderson silver parallel #'d to 99, which...of course I would]. I also grabbed two hanger boxes of Update, because, HEY, IT'S DECEMBER AND I HAVEN'T BROKEN ANY UPDATE YET. GADZOOKS.

Here are the results. I'll do what I usually do and point out which players changed uniforms again by the end of the season, because the deadlines for this set are unreasonably early now.

Box 1-

225- Corey Knebel

28- Manuel Margot

231- Travis Blankenhorn

167- Juan Lagares. Thrilling stuff

179- David Phelps

79- Tatis/Cronenworth combo. So...the combo cards aren't checklists. They're set filler...in a set where the ASG cards are now inserts? WHY?

314- Liam Hendriks. 

22- Maikel Franco. The amount of goodwill wasted on this guy by Phils fans, has to be through the roof.

264- Jonathan Loaisiga. Thank god they did this guy

52- Kluber no-no CL. Yes, there were so many no-hitters that Topps had to do combo cards aside from them. On the bright side, this card exists.

282- Lance Lynn

246- Brent Honeywell. Has been traded, but after the season.

190- Rony Garcia

224- Steve Cishek. They've...done pretty well so far.

305- Bryan Garcia

287- BoSox combo card featuring the city connect unis

255- Jake Lamb. THERE WE GO. Outdated Update #1, finished the season with the Blue Jays

103- Kyle Finnegan. Annoyed with all these rookie listings for people who had substantial 2020 numbers

36- Wade Miley no-no CL.

13- Chance Sisco. Outdated Update #2, waived by the Mets IN JUNE. WE'RE THAT EARLY??

249- Jarred Kelenic RD. Okay, at least this exists

242- Dillon Tate

51- Roel Ramirez, the guy who gave up 4 straight home runs in 2020. SEEMS RIPE FOR 2021 UPDATE.

163- Spencer Turnbull no-no CL

278- Chris Rodriguez

34- Tyler Naquin

93- Corey Ray

328- Yu Chang

84- Bailey Ober.

238- Trevor Rosenthal ORANGE #'d to 299. That's right, a parallel base card of a player who didn't even play for the team depicted in 2021, due to injures. Thanks, Topps.

ASG Insert of Jake Cronenworth. Yes, an insert...of an ASG base card...of a player depicted NOT in the ASG. The deadline is too damned early.

Topps Cards That Never Were insert of Alex Rodriguez from 1994. I like the concept of this one. Hope it doesn't render my Should Have Been set too moot

86T insert of Jonathan India

92T insert of Randy Arozarena, the [sigh] ROOKIE OF THE YEAR.

92T insert of AARON JUDGE

92T insert of GIANCARLO STANTON. Double Yankee fun,

92T insert of Christian Yelich

33- Marcus Semien. Not outdated by the construct of this.

194- Miguel Castro, a good, smart relief choice by Topps

88- Victor Caratini

25- Chi Chi Gonzalez

316- Patrick Wisdom, thank god. NOT A ROOKIE CARD THOUGH.

61- Marvin Gonzalez. Outdated Update #3, finished the season with Houston

178- Ryan Weathers RD

283- Sergio Romo. 

174- Mario Feliciano

164- Andrew Knapp

41- Alex Kirilloff RD. Thrilling stuff

18- Billy Hamilton. GOOD. HE GETS A BASE CARD. GREAT!

30- Brock Holt, PRINTED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE BACK. Ughhhh.

26- Taijuan Walker, also printed upside down on the back

166- Chris Gittens. [loud sigh]

171- Matt Moore

105- Chad Kuhl, yeah, the Bucs' Opening Day starter didn't make Flagship

20- Josh Staumont

66- James Paxton

117- Hirokazu Sawamura

92- Tyler Stephenson RD

228- Dylan Moore, who, thanks to Adam Frazier, is now out of a job

19- Chase Anderson

67- Angel Rondon

120- Seth Brown

138- Will Harris

136- Nate Lowe

75- Kyle Funkhowser

236- Ross Stripling. Also should have been in Flagship

131- Jon Berti. Ditto

Box #2-

6 dupes

23- Jake Cave. Why wasn't HE in Flagship?

113- Aaron Civale. Okay. Another person who was definitely relevant enough in early 2021 to be featured in flagship. Why leave people out? Because it's easier to just do a Series 3 than actually do an Update Series? CHANGE THE NAME.

147- Luis Torrens

245- Gilberto Celestino

158- Darin Ruf. I'm just glad they remembered to make a Darin Ruf card at all

326- Aaron Fletcher

311- Jake Arrieta. Outdated Update #4, finished with San Diego

268- Geraldo Perdomo

189- Jeff Hoffman

260- Owen Miller RC. Oh yeah, he made his debut this year, forgot about that

139- Jake Odorizzi

250- Alec Bohm RD. DON'T...REMIND...ME.

90- Joe Kelly

63- Casey Mize RD

3 dupes

273- Mike Minor

148- Daniel Vogelbach. He was...he was with the team in January, why's he in Update? This set frustrates me.

175- Ha-Seong Kim RD

211- Luis Patino

140- Andrew Vaughn RD

196- Akil Baddoo RC. Okay, at least they got him

ASG insert of Fernando Tatis Jr.

70 Years of Topps insert of Christian Yelich in the 87T design

86T insert of Mookie Betts

92T insert of Ian Anderson

92T insert of Kyle Lewis

TWO 92T DUPES. JEEZ

186- Sixto Sanchez RD

128- Rich Hill. Outdated Update #5, ended the year with the Mets

144- Mariners combo

172- Giovanny Gallegos

150- Zack Wheeler. HOW DID HE NOT HAVE A FLAGSHIP BASE CARD? WHAT IS GOING ON??

58- Austin Dean

12- Nick Gordon RC

243- Lane Thomas. Outdated Update #6, traded to the Nats

46- Ryan McKenna

237- Will Craig. EVEN THE GUY WHO BOTCHED THE BAEZ PLAY GETS A CARD? Wow.

TEN DUPES

89- Brad Hand. Outdated Update #7, ended year with Mets

35- Joe Musgrove no-no CL

54- Yoshi Tsutsugo. Outdated Update #8, waived by the Pirates in July.

233- Nick Anderson. BARELY PLAYED THIS YEAR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN FLAGSHIP.

149- Travis Shaw. Outdated Update #9, ended year with Red Sox

218- Connor Brogdon

43- Franklyn Kilome

160- Erik Gonzalez

253- Steven Duggar

325- Chris Archer

Man this set's a mess. A few cool things here, some actual needed cards, but a lot of making up for flagship while also failing as an Update set. This set has been flawed since 2019, ever since the deadline for this set was moved up to June, and ever since MLB laws have made rookies not count after then. This set needs to be seriously rethought, though it probably won't seeing as Fanatics isn't far off.

Three Head-to-Head Hanger Boxes of 2020 Topps Series 2

Kinda weird that S2 shows up with such a whimper rather than a roar, but...coming out one week after Big League will do that to you.

I think because we've had such a  weird card year where we've had nothing on the shelves for two months, the prospect of Series 2 seems so much  richer and grander now. MORE CARDS? DIFFERENT TURKEY RED SUBJECTS? RANGERS ON BASE CARDS? PLEEEEASE.

So I picked up 3 hanger boxes of the stuff. I've seen other bloggers do this, probably Night Owl or somebody else that's good at this sort of thing, but I'm gonna go card by card in each 67-card hanger box and have  them square off. For consistency's sake, I'll number the three boxes...and give them Yankee-related nicknames, so the Billy box, the Derek box and the Babe box, and...see which one totals the most points by the end. Because of the way this will be presented, dupes will not really be a factor.

 Card 1-
Billy: Danny Santana
Derek: Ian Happ
Babe: Sean Manaea
ADV- Santana, as it's a Rangers base card in a 2020 Topps product.
1-0-0

 Card 2-
Billy: Mookie Betts airbrushed into a Dodger uniform
Derek: MIGUEL ANDUJAR
Babe: Willi Castro
ADV- Andujar beats the airbrush
1-1-0

Card 3-

Billy: Brandon Workman
Derek: Jonathan Schoop airbrushed into a Tigers uniform
Babe: Noah Syndergaard
ADV- Three very basic shots, but I'll go with Thor, as it's the closest thing  to a star card.
1-1-1

Card 4-
Billy: Joey Gallo
Derek: Ehire Adrianza
Babe: BRETT GARDNER
ADV- GARDYYYYY.
1-1-2

 Card 5-
Billy: Tucker Barnhart in a rare non-gear shot
Derek: Wade Miley in a Reds uniform
Babe: Danny Duffy
ADV- Tucker Barnhart just makes for really cool cards
2-1-2

Card 6

Billy: Will Smith  in a  Braves uniform, expertly photoshopped
Derek: Willson Contreras
Babe: Austin Romine in a Tigers uniform, less-expertly done
ADV- Smith is pretty damn convincing.
3-1-2

 Card 7-
Billy: NICK CASTELLANOS IN A  REAL LIVE REDS UNI
Derek: Elvis Luciano
Babe: Michael Brantley
ADV- CASTELLANOS. Not only is it an actual new uniform, but Topps FINALLY CUT OUT THIS NICHOLAS BUSINESS AND ARE BACK TO CALLING HIM NICK.
4-1-2

 Card 8-
Billy: Khris Davis
Derek: Jake Odorizzi
Babe: Lance McCullers
ADV- Three standard cards, so the  edge goes to Davis for standing  out  the most.
5-1-2. Billy Martin has an early lead

Card 9

Billy: Glenn  Sparkman
Derek: Kevin Kiermaier
Babe: Delino DeShields
ADV- Delino's is a good PS job, and it makes up for Kiermaier not doing some insane outfield thing on his card.
5-1-3

 Card 10-
Billy: Hyun-Jin Ryu  on  a faux-Jays uniform
Derek: BOMBA BROTHERS.
Babe: Phil Ervin
ADV- That Twins combo is awesome. AN ACTUAL BOMB. NICE.
5-2-3

 Card 11-
Billy: Aaron Barrett
Derek: Rangers CL
Babe: Teoscar Hernandez
ADV- I'm glad Topps gave Aaron Barrett a card.
6-2-3

Card 12-

Billy: Darwinzon Hernandez
Derek: Rich Hill photoshopped into a Twins uniform
Babe: Cam Gallagher
ADV- I'm so started for players in new uniforms that I'm going  with Rich Hill
6-3-3

 Card 13- [note- why is the Babe pack so landscape-averse?]
Billy: Marlins TC
Derek: Justin Dunn
Babe: Ross Stripling
ADV- The Stripling card is the most layered and has the most intensity
6-3-4

 Card 14-
Billy: Manny Pina
Derek: Aledmys Diaz
Babe: JD Davis
ADV- This was between Pina and David for a while, but the  design kind of ruins  the full shot for Diaz. Pina's is just a cool catcher shot.
7-3-4

Card 15-

Billy: Joe Musgrove
Derek: Harrison Bader's DIVING CATCHH
Babe: Austin Voth
ADV- I love that Bader shot. Pains me, as someone who constantly shits on the Cardinals, but it's a nice one
7-4-4

 Card 16-
Billy: Marcell Ozuna in a Braves uniform
Derek: Byron Buxton sliding
Babe: Chad Green
ADV- Surprisingly not the Yankee. Buxton has the best shot here.
7-5-4

 Card 17-
Billy: Johan Camargo in a sweet throwback
Derek: Garrett Hampson
Babe: Junior Fernandez
ADV- That Camargo edges out the Hampson  for not getting in the way of the photo.
8-5-4

 Card 18-
Billy: Pirates TC
Derek: Eddie Rosario sliding, much like Buxton
Babe: DIDI GREORIUS  AS A PHILLIE.
ADV- You see, I collect Didi, which makes this tough...but Rosario has the better photo.
8-6-4

 Card 19-
Billy: White Sox CL
Derek: Kevin Newman
Babe: Xander Bogaerts
ADV- Newman has the best shot, despite Bogaerts being the bigger name
8-7-4

 Card 20-
Billy: Jays TC
Derek: Brian O'Grady airbrushed into a Rays  uniform
Babe:  Jose Rodriguez
ADV- Kind of duds all around. O'Grady's shot has the most depth, despite obviously being Great  American  Ballpark, but Rodriguez' is more dramatic, so I'll go with that one
8-7-5

Card 21-

Billy: James Karinchak
Derek: Gerrit Cole badly photoshopped into a Yankee uniform
Babe: Tim Lopes
ADV- I can't give it to the airbrush job. Not while Karinchak's is here.
9-7-5

 Card 22-
Billy: Kevin  Gausman on the Giants
Derek: Adam Duvall
Babe: TJ Zeuch
ADV- Duvall is probably the weakest player here, but he has the best shot
9-8-5

 Card 23-
Billy:Jordan Hicks
Derek: Orioles TC
Babe: Justus Sheffield
ADV- Hicks by default, as it has the most going  on compared to the other shots, which are pretty basic
10-8-5

Card 24-
 Billy: Eric Lauer in a new Brewers uniform
Derek: Rangers TC
Babe: Paul DeJong
ADV- Lauer's is another nice PS job, as it is genuinely believable.
11-8-5

 Card 25-
Billy: Dawel Lugo
Derek: Bryant, Cubs TC
Babe: Dee Gordon
ADV- Yeah, that Kris Bryant shot does it for me.
11-9-5

 Card 26-
Billy: Brendan Rodgers
Derek: Shogo Akiyama RC
Babe: Bryan Reynolds
ADV- Akiyama takes it. I just kinda can't wait to see him in the Reds' OF
11-10-5

Card 27- Back to all verticals

Billy: Colin Moran
Derek: FELIX HERNANDEZ ON THE BRAVES
Babe:  Ronald Guzman
ADV- HOW COOL IS IT TO SEE KING FELIX ON A TEAM THAT ISN'T THE MARINERS? This hasn't gotten old for me yet.
11-11-5. All tied up, and Babe's fallen way behind.

 Card 28-
Billy: Rangel Ravelo
Derek: Ji-Man Choi
Babe: Zach Plesac
ADV- Very basic shots here, but Ravelo's is captured at the right moment. Why the heck have I given so many  close matches to Cardinals?
12-11-5

 Card 29-
Billy: Victor Caratini
Derek: Willie Calhoun
Babe: Mike Leake
ADV- Leake, because this is a cool card that we SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN LAST YEAR'S UPDATE.
12-11-6

Card 30-

Billy: Shun Yamaguchi RC
Derek: Andrew Knapp in a sweet 80s Phils throwback
Babe:  Harold Castro
ADV- The  Shun looks like what Topps wanted their Yusei Kikuchi base last year to be. So fun!
13-11-6

 Card 31-
Billy: Cal Quantrill
Derek: Chad Wallach
Babe: Kelvin Herrera
ADV- Quantrill's has the new brown Padres uniforms before they became the new normal for them.
14-11-6

 Card 32-
Billy: A truly atrocious PS job on Corey Dickerson
Derek: Sean Manaea
Babe: Tyrone Taylor
ADV- Taylor, for having the new Brewers uniform, and...not being a dupe or pissing me off.
14-11-7

Card 33-

Billy: Yonny Chirinos
Derek: Willi Castro
Babe: Stephen Vogt
ADV- Vogt. I can't not even, with the airbrush
14-11-8

 Card 34-
Billy: Shin-Soo Choo
Derek: Noah Syndergaard
Babe: Lucas Sims
ADV- As colorful as Sims's is, I'm going with Choo, because it's nice to have Rangers in this set again.
15-11-8

 Card 35-
Billy: Cole Tucker
Derek: Nate Lowe
Babe: Jack Mayfield- OH SO NOW BABE'S BOX STARTS HORIZONTALS. FINE TIMING.
ADV- Despite being a filthy Astro, Mayfield has the best shot.
15-11-9

Card 36-

Billy: Josh Staumont
Derek: ADAM OTTAVINO
Babe: Drew Streckenrider. It's nice to see the new Marlins uniforms feel normal.
ADV-  Ottavino. My  Yankee bias rears its ugly  head.
15-12-9

 Card 37-
Billy: Zach Eflin
Derek: Carter Kieboom
Babe: Rougned Odor
ADV- That Odor shot is awesome, and pretty monochromatic, too
15-12-10

 Card 38-
Billy: Yu Chang
Derek: Edwin Diaz
Babe: Dylan Moore
ADV- Moore's is the only one that feels new to me.
15-12-11

Card 39- 

Billy: Carlos Martinez
Derek: Griffin Canning
Babe: Eric Sogard in a NEW BREWERS UNIFORM.
ADV- Gotta be Sogard. It's so refreshing to see the new ones.
15-12-12. THERE'S A COMEBACK FOR YA.

 Card 40-
Billy:  Jeff Mathis
Derek: Lorenzo Cain
Babe: Victor Reyes
ADV- Reyes' looks the coolest
15-12-13

 Card 41-
Billy: Nick Wittgren
Derek: Franklin Barreto
Babe: LUIS SEVERINO
ADV- The Yankee, of course
15-12-14

Card 42-

Billy: Yan Gomes
Derek: Joe Jimenez
Babe: Justin Upton
ADV- Upton's is the best photo. Damn, now Babe's tying it up.
15-12-15

 Card 43-
Billy: Dustin Pedroia
Derek: Steven Duggar
Babe: Rangers TC. Fine time for the Babe box to fall into dupes
ADV- Pedroia might have a  HOF case, and this may be  one of his last cards, so yeah
16-12-15

 Card 44-
Billy: Nomar Mazara as a White Sock
Derek: Renato Nunez
Babe: Bryant CL
ADV- Mazara's PS job isn't too bad
17-12-15

Card 45-

Billy: Kevin Cron
Derek: Ryan Zimmerman
Babe: Shogo Akiyama RC
ADV- Zim has the best career, and the best looking non-dupe here
17-13-15

 Card 46-
Billy: Carlos Carrasco
Derek: DJ Stewart
Babe: Seth Mejias-Brean
ADV- So much  to love about the Mejias-Brean card. The camp, the hands, the depth.
17-13-16

 Card 47-
Billy: Josh James
Derek: Tony Kemp
Babe: MIKE FORD
ADV- At least here the Yankee has the best card as well
17-13-17

Card 48-

Billy: Billy McKinney [heh]
Derek: Eduardo Escobar
Babe: Jose Trevino
ADV- Zooming Escobar's out a bit was a smart move.
17-14-17

 Card 49-
Billy: Dallas Keuchel in a Sox uniform
Derek: Eric Hosmer just kinda standing there
Babe: Tom Murphy
ADV- Keuchel, makes me want the season to start so I can see him on the Sox
18-14-17

 Card 50-
Billy: Jose Trevino. Of course, once somebody gets a lead, they go to dupes.
Derek: Travis d'Arnaud on  the Braves
Babe: Stephen Strasburg
ADV- Strasburg's is a cool one, especially in comparison to some recent bland shots on flagship releases
18-14-18

Card 51-
Billy: Tom Murphy
Derek: Stevie Wilkerson
Babe: Charlie Blackmon
ADV- Blackmon's the best player, and he's getting over COVID
18-14-19

 Card 52-
Billy: Stephen Strasburg
Derek: Dylan Bundy ACTUALLY on the Angels
Babe: Logan  Webb
ADV- The Bundy helps prove Spring Training actually counted for something
18-15-19

 Card 53-
Billy: Charlie Blackmon
Derek: Eugenio Suarez
Babe: Kyle Freeland
ADV- The Freeland's the only new photo for me here
18-15-20

Card 54-
Billy: Logan Webb
Derek: Ryan McMahon
Babe: Rio Ruiz
ADV- By default, McMahon
18-16-20

 Card 55-
Billy: Kyle Freeland
Derek: Brusdar Graterol on the Dodgers
Babe: Albert Pujols
ADV- Albert, for posterity's sake
18-16-21

 Card 56-
Billy: Rio Ruiz
Derek: Michael Taylor
Babe: Shed Long
ADV- Long's throwback wins it
18-16-22. And to think, Babe was trailing for a bit

Card 57-
Billy: Albert Pujols
Derek: Victor Robles
Babe: Topps Now promo
ADV- Robles' is the only one I'm actually keeping from these 3.
18-17-22

 Card 58-
Billy: Shed Long
Derek: Daryl Strawberry CHROME Turkey Red
Babe: Chad Green shiny parallel
ADV- Strawberry, for sure, even if I don't collect him.
18-18-22

 Card 59-
Billy: Tatis insert
Derek: Robbie Ray RED PARALLEL NUMBERED TO 50
Babe: Tatis insert blue...which I'm not sure if that means anything.
ADV- Ray. I don't know how I have the kind of luck where I keep getting low-numbered cards from retail.
18-19-22

Card 60-

Billy: Francisco Mejia GOLD #'d to 2020
Derek: Tatis insert
Babe: Tatis insert
ADV- I guess Mejia for not falling into the monotony
19-19-22

 Card 61-
Billy: Tatis insert
Derek: Tatis insert
Babe: Tatis insert
ADV- Drop and Drive is a dupe. I guess Ready for the Roster looks the coolest
19-20-22

 Card 62-
Billy: Decade's Best 50s Braves
Derek: Decade's Best 80s Bruce Sutter
Babe: ...Decade's Best 80s Bruce Sutter. Score for consistency.
ADV- Braves, for...not being a Bruce Sutter dupe
20-20-22

Card 63-
Billy: Ken Griffey AS 85T
Derek: Ozzie Albies AS 85T
Babe: Andrew Benintendi 85T
ADV- Can't not give it to Griffey.
21-20-22

 Card 64- Onto the Turkey Reds
Billy: Don Mattingly
Derek: Tommy Edman
Babe: Josh Rojas
ADV- TWO ROOKIES AND DONNIE BASEBALL. HMMMM...
22-20-22

 Card 65-
Billy: Jeff Bagwell
Derek: Randy Johnson
Babe: Stephen Strasburg
ADV- Randy card looks nicest.
22-21-22

Card 66-
Billy: Vladimir Guerrero
Derek: Andrew Benintendi
Babe: Reggie Jackson
ADV- I don't get the same joy from pulling Reggies as I do from pulling Expo Vlads nowadays.
23-21-22

Card 67-
Billy:  MIKE SCHMIDT
Derek: Rickey Henderson
Babe: Jaylin Davis
ADV- Okay so Babe just lost in extras with that Davis. As much as I love Rickey, I can't not give it to Michael Jack, especially with that shot.

FINAL SCORE:
BOX 1- 24
BOX 2- 21
BOX 3- 22

Close match, but  Box 1 takes it. This is still a slightly flawed product, thanks to some design and collation choices, but this was a fun rip. Might go for some more soon just to chase more Turkey Reds.