My take on 2017 Topps

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I didn't get my first in person look at 2017 Topps until February 2nd. I picked up 3 retail packs and 1 hanger box that day and I picked up 2 more packs and another hanger box a couple days later.

My first 2017 Topps card was ...

Eaton spent his first two seasons with the D-Backs and so I've always really liked him and I've continued to follow his career with the White Sox. I tweeted this out when I pulled it and included his twitter handle (which can be found on the back of the card) and he liked my tweet so that was kinda cool. For the record I was already following him on twitter.

Some people love the front design and some people hate it. Most of the hate is pointed toward the "wasted" space of the bottom right-hand corner. 

I like the design, but I'm easy to please. 

Here's the back. Topps included the Twitter and Instagram handles of players when applicable for the first time this year, which I think is cool.

I know a lot of collectors have been mentioning the fact that Topps is not including full career stats for the first time in a long time. To be honest, I didn't know they had full career stats before, so that fact that they don't this year doesn't really bother me.

The card backs are different colors. From what I can tell, it's based on the team colors. This is a nice touch by Topps in my opinion.

I think the 1987 inserts have garnered the most attention among collectors and so I was excited to get a look at them for myself. In my first pack I one from the side. Wait a second...that an original 1987 Topps card with a REDISCOVER TOPPS stamp on the side. Strike one.

The concept of Rediscover Topps is cool, but I pulled this 1987 and two 1989 Topps cards from my 5 packs and two hanger boxes. I've got plenty of these lying around. I don't need any more.

I noticed that the REDISCOVER TOPPS comes in different colors. Not sure if some are rarer than other or if there is any significance.

While I was disappointed that I didn't get a look at the 1987 insert set in my first pack, my next pack produced one. It was a ... what the heck is this? 

Not a 1987 insert card. This is a Topps advertisement with a 1987 Topps Mark McGwire card on the front. Strike two.

My third pack didn't have a 1987 insert. Strike three.

It wasn't until my hanger box that I pulled this.

I do like this insert set. I like the 30th Anniversary stamp. 

The backs look and feel very similar to the originals. Well done Topps. I'm sure this 100 card set will be collected by many.

Alright, back to the base cards for a bit before we take a look at some of the other inserts.

Topps decided to end it's ban on using card #7 (a tribute to Mickey Mantle) without warning, although they have discussed it since and indicated that they picked young Gary Sanchez  since Mantle and Sanchez are both Yankees.

I don't really think they should have ever retired #7 in the first place, but I know why they did. I don't think they should have brought it back though.

One thing I noticed right away was that the League Leader cards this year are different than in recent years. Everyone gets their own card rather than combining the top three onto one card. I personally don't like it. I don't know what category or the ranking of the player on the front until I turn it over.

The RC logo and the All Star Rookie Cup both return in 2017. Some cards even have both?

The checklists feature a combo card on the front with the checklist on the back. I'm a fan of the combo cards, but I wish there was a write up about the combo on the back in addition to the checklist.

Series I features World Series highlights including this card commemorating the Cubs winning game 7 and their first World Series title in more than a century.

Alright, let's take a look at a few of the parallels and inserts that I pulled.

Here's a Rainbow Foil and a gold numbered parallel. Both are fairly easy pulls. 

2017 Topps is packed with inserts. Some retail only and some hobby only, while some are found in both. Here's a sampling of the different inserts set that I pulled. 

My favorite insert set is the 5 Tool set. The design and images they used are phenomenal. I do have one concern with the set though. Are there really 50 different Five Tool players in the MLB right now?

Overall, I like 2017 Topps, but I don't think that I've ever really been introduced to a new set and not liked it. I'm pretty much addicted to cardboard. How about you? What are your thoughts on 2017 Topps? Likes, dislikes. Let me know.