Topps gets Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez in 2011 Topps Series 1
When the email came over with the press release that Topps was able to get Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez
in Red Sox unis for 2011 Topps Series 1
, I had a good laugh on the inside, and not in a mean way.
I am not laughing at the magic of Photoshop. I think it’s a good idea, especially for people who want to see their newest players in uniforms. I think it’s a solid idea to get them in the product.
I laughed because over the years Series 1 has had guys who were free agents and wound up with another team during the offseason only for them to be shown in uniform with their former club. Then, would leave out guys who you knew weren’t going anywhere – specifically Derek Jeter – and not include them until Series 2.
I’m happy to see that Topps is moving in the right direction when it comes to these types of scenarios.
But because the product is essentially coming close to being finished, the Crawford and Gonzalez cards will be short-prints and numbered as variations.
Is there a way to tell which stadium Crawford is actually in? Does anyone know?
I don’t think the Red Sox uniform is very becoming of him, by the way. 😉
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The ring probably won't look good on his finger either. 😉
I agree with you. I like the idea in principle, but it is annoying that the card will be short printed. That basically means that these card won't even make it into my collection unless the interest in them is low once they are released.
I can't answer your question, but I will say that image makes me sad…
Meh. One more reason why I don't really bother with the Topps base set anymore. The bastards better not mess around and short print Uggla's card though…
Geez – Just do a head shot from the press conference for Series 1 and an action shot in the new uni for series 2.
The leaving out of premier players in S1 that aren't going to get moved is just done to sucker us into buying S2.
oh and I agree that just aint a very becoming shot of mr crawford.
I think they should just leave all the free agents out of series 1. That gives series 2 something worth looking at cause otherwise it is pretty useless. If they muet put them in series one use the press conferance photo. The absolute worse thing they could do is short print them and of course…
What's the rush? The kind of fan/collectors that would want a new FA card that fast aren't going to going into stores in Feb. anyway. And when they go looking for them will only get frustrated at the difficulty in getting one.
Topps Photo-flop gets a fail almost every time anyway.
Boo to photoshopped cards.
Why not get some spring training footage and just get them into later print runs of Series 1 or like everyone else said, Series 2.
Knowing a card has been photoshopped just feels wrong.
Are they going to photoshop up a Shawn Marcum Brewers card? I'd rather see him in a real Brewers game than see some photoshopped footage from a game in the AL in a dome.
The idea of cards is to have a record of what that person did last season, in whatever uniform that was. Crawford should just have a Series 1 card in a Ray jersey with a Rays logo and Series 2 or update card in a BoSox jersey.
That's one thing that I've ALWAYS found annoying with baseball cards (specifically with Topps) is the uniform manipulation. Either get a genuine photograph of the player wearing the actual uniform of the new team he's on of the season represented in the set, or maybe do something creative and do a Hot Stove set WITHOUT swapping out uniforms. What may actually be worse is when they use ridiculously old photos. Case in point–2009 late-season UD Spectrum Manny Ramirez Dodgers card. He'd been with the Dodgers since, what… mid-08? He was shown wearing a BoSox jersey. Really? How hard is it getting the rights to a CURRENT freakin photograph, anyway?
To make it so they aren't short printed, either put a "traded to/signed by Boston" on the card with their old uniforms (remember that technique?), or if that still won't buy enough time – save them for series 2. I think people will understand the delay.
–Jon