2011 Topps- The same thing as last year?

I've been binging on Topps's 2011 set ever since it came out. Being that I'm a big fan of the flagship set, I'm always impressed with the overall product. However, this year I feel that I've been let down compared to last year's monster effort. 2010 Topps was a great product, with a great base set, awesome inserts and a good design. This year's set, I feel, is just trying to duplicate the success of last year's, in those same areas.

Base set: Last year's set had the engaging purpose of making you feel interested in the regular set with an intriguing design, and a bunch of cool rookies. This year's set has a design that isn't as good as last year's, a semi intriguing base set, and some okay rookies. While last year's base set had the future Rookies of the Year in the base set (Both were in series 1), time will only tell how well Aroldis Chapman will do, and if the other ROY ends up in series 2.

Inserts: This is the main area where I felt Topps was trying to duplicate the success of last year. Just take a look at every insert, and you'll see it's kinda been done before. For example, Topps 60 Years (Or as I call them, NotYo Mamma cards.), is basically just Cards Your Mother Threw Out: Mach 2. And the cards are less relevent than last year's.
Topps 60 is basically Peak Performance with a different emblem. Diamond Duos is just Legendary Lineage again. The Million Card Giveaway is obviously the diamond giveaway. Even Target and Walmart had similar exclusives last year to the Kimball Minis- just some unneccesary minis that you don't need to collect. The only breath of originality is the Before Topps reprints. And they might not be the best insert in the product. So that alone says a lot.

Parallels- This may be the only area of visible differences. While last year had the gold numbered and black numbered, this year's product has gold, black and assorted other parallels thanks to the 6Oth Anniversary Flaunt Fest. There are a lot more parallels this year, and whether that's a bad thing or not is your decision.

In the end, it's safe to say that Topps tried to duplicate the success of last year's set, with the patented "If it ain't broke, use it" strategy. Soon, this tried concept might get broke, if Topps keeps using the same concepts every year.

Which is why I want to say something directly to Topps. I'm saying this as a fan, as a small critic, and not a naysayer in any way. I love your products, and always have, better than anything else out there. I just hope you here what I've said, that the 2010 and 2011 sets are similar because you tried to use the same concepts again. But Topps, I won't give up. Hopefully, the rest of the year will hold new, original concepts, newer inserts. Hopefully, the 2012 set will have an original design, new intriguing inserts, and a sense of orignality that differentiates it from the last two years.

All I'm saying is that collectors want to pick up your products every year, so that they can feel that last year's was different, and so they can contrast the two products, or the products from years before. And I hope that the 2012 set is completely different from the 2011 and 2010 sets. I'm sure the collectors hope this too.

Please, Topps. Listen to the collectors, and make a change for the better. We'll thank you later.

Custom Card of the Day: Tex Edition

Being that I haven't made a Yankee yet, I figured Mark, one of the more underrated Yankees nowadays, would be a good one to customize. I know I promised a Granderson, but the guy has to get some good photos sometime soon. Still, Teixiera is a good asset to have on a team, through offense and defense.

Tomorrow- I need to make some more. Any requests?

Custom Card of the Day: Romero Edition

For some of you, this wasn't the Romero you had in mind. Some of you might have wanted to see a custom of JC Romero, the sad sack steroid abusing reliever for the Phillies. A few of you probably thought it was George C. Romero, that horror dude. But no, this Romero is important too. Because with his help, the Blue Jays are going to jumpstart. It's a shame they're in the AL East.

Tomorrow- Possibly someone in pinstripes. Whose name rhymes with Schmanderson.

Custom Card of the Day

Mike over here was the number one outfielding prospect for the Phillies back in 2007. Of course, knowing Ruben Amaro Jr.'s way of telling prospects their futures, you can already tell what happened. Michael Bourn, along with several other prospects deemed "too good" for Philly, were shipped to Houston, for a seemingly washed up closer named Brad Lidge. Although looking back on it now, it seems as though Houston got the better end of the deal.

Bourn has been playing beautifully for the past 2 seasons, even making an all star team last year. If he remained with Philly, he'd be the current centerfielder, Ben Francisco would be his backup, and Pat Burrell would be an Astro.

Coming Tomorrow- like Michael Bourn, this guy was a promising prospect, until he was sent to No Man's Land, aka Toronto, where it all changed for the better.

Custom Card of the Day- Ethier edition

This card, above all else, should make you feel happy. The colors, the photo, the gleam in Andre's eyes as he waits for greatness. I tried to make a good Dodger custom, and I succeeded. I know I've been quiet as of late, and my posting has been less frequent than usual, but I'll try to get back to posting customs daily. For you, the readers.

Tomorrow- A youngster out of Houston who was originally a player for Philly. Imagine that.

Ten More Packs of Topps Series One

I don't know why I keep snatching up packs of Topps. Maybe for the inserts. Maybe for the base cards. Maybe for the NotYoMamma cards. Maybe for the ToppsTown. Still, ten packs about to be ripped for your reading pleasure.

Pack 1-

131- Kevin Kouzmanoff

121- Brandon Inge

35- Shin-soo Choo. The GUM! You are named after the GUM! HAHAHAHAHA!

138- Leaders...of the lost ark, if we wanna keep the Indy references going.

34- Rick Ankiel

68- Indians.

31- Erick Aybar SHINY CARD!!!

Lou Gehrig reprint

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271- Adam Dunn

86- Carlos Silva

229- Jonathan Sanchez

Pack 2-

323- CJ Wilson

265- Danks for the memories

211- Joey Votto MVP

45- Hunter Pence

77- Tim Hudson

Ty Cobb Mini

Mike Piazza NotYoMamma

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233- Ramon Hernandez

278- Marco Scutaro

84- Roger Bernadina

210- WWWIIIILSSSOOOOOONNN!

Pack 3-

216- Jose Bautista

doubles

324- Boston team card

282- Buster Posey ROY

243- Omar "How am I still playing" Vizquel

Babe Ruth Topps 60

Brooks and Fank Robinson NotYoMama

Cano tt

250- CarGo

207- Angel Pagan

212- Pedro Feliz

Pack 4-

262- Alex Gordon

28- Carlos Carrasco

309- Cubs

61- David Price

110- Aroldis Chapman Rookie

98- Bronson Arroyo SHINY CARD

CarGo Red Diamond

Stan the Man 1960 NotYoMamma...ORGINAL BACK!

Chapman tt

310- Alex Gonzalez

295- John Jay

60- Andrew McCutchen

Pack 5-

197- Aaron Hill

36- Ted Lilly

8- Julio Borbon

223- Gregory Infante rc

304- Thome cl

204- A's

Markakis mini

CODE CARD! Let's see who I get:

1979 LaMarr Johnson. Not that bad. At least I've heard of him.

219- Ruiz

78- Mike Stanton

316- Chris Young

Pack 6-

31- Erick Aybar

302- Adrian Beltre

106- Felix PA

70- Kyle Drabek rookie

157- Mets

158- Casey Blake

Josh Hamilton Topps 60

Steve Garvey NotYoMamma

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162- Ronny Cedeno

1- Ryan Braun

23- Jaime Garcia

Pack 7-

64- Yorvit Torrealba

296- John Buck

103- Cliff Lee

152- Orioles

203- Dillon Gee

329- Brett Walace

315- Big Poopi

66- Hey, it's RA Dickey #'d to 2011

MigCab mini

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242- Brad Lidge

194- Andres Torres

Pack 8-

55- Matt Joyce

30- Gio Gonzalez

330- DEREK JEEETAAHH!

211- Joey Votto again

217- Yonder Alonso

12- Carlos Marmol

189- KERRY WOOD SHINY CARD!

Honus Wagner reprint

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81- Omar Infante

100- Albert Pujols

142- Johnny Cueto

Pack 9-

doubles

63- Edinson Volquez

98- Bronson Arroyo

Prado mini

Eddie Murray NotYoMamma

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22- Barry Zito

101- Gregor Blanco

48- Andrew Cashner

266- Rickie Weeks

Pack 10-

doubles on base cards

Chapman and Seaver duo

Jackie Robinson NotYoMamma

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229- Jonathan Sanchez

10- Stephen Strasburg

240- Andre Ethier

That was a nice rip. The diamond dig gave me a Padres ring, and being that it was my 10th, I got a Shop Topps gift card. Dunno if I'll ever use it, but still...

Custom Card of the Night

This is another one of my favorites, because it seems like Miguel Tejada's flying off the card. It isn't the easiest element to create, but it still makes a great finished product.

Tomorrow- Irony is what you call following a Giant with a Dodger. No coincidence is the fact that it's possibly the best batter on the team.