Belated Update Cards

I actually opened up a box of 2016 Topps Update when the set was first released in mid-October.  I opened up my packs and set them aside so I could sort them later.  "Later" actually turned into a month when I finally had the time to go through 500 cards.  I don't feel busy but it always seems that the hours after work disappear quickly.

With this being end of the baseball year after I re-joined the hobby earlier this year, I figured I would close the book on 2016 with a box of Update.  I actually still need to finish collecting Series 1, though.  That will give me a good off-season project.

A very well deserved inclusion in Update for Edwin Diaz.  Diaz moved directly from AA to the Mariners in June and threw nothing but fire.  He recorded his 50th strikeout after throwing 25 1/3, which made him the fastest pitcher to reach 50 strikeouts since 1893.  He also finished the season with a rate of 15.3 strikeouts per 9 innings.  Diaz didn't assume the closer role until August 2nd and managed 18 saves.  He was 5th in Rookie of the Year voting.

I'm excited to see how Diaz progresses in 2007.

Robinson Cano was the lonely all-star for the Mariners this year. That's not to say that the rest of the team wasn't any good.  Rather the usual potential all-stars like Felix, Kyle Seager, and Cruz had some bumps in the road toward the beginning.

Taylor Motter rookie card!! Who is Taylor Motter you ask? Until Friday afternoon I had no idea either.  The Mariners traded for Motter, along with Richie Shaffer, in exchange for three minor leaguers.  This move appears to be a depth move.  

Base

Short Print

Out of the 25 or so short prints, I hit one of the lesser exciting ones.  In 10 starts he didn't get a single win and had a bloated ERA of 7.36.  Apparently, these run 1 out of 1,224 packs so I glad to have at least pulled one with these odds.

Notable parallels included a black Xander Bogarts (#'d/65), black and white negative of Erick Aybar, and a rookie gold of Aledmys Diaz (#'d/2016).  The black and negative parallels occurred only once in my box and the gold parallels were one per pack for a total of 10.

My first hit was an All-Star Game Dual Stitches relic! This was a nice short printed card to only 25.  I like the look of the ASG relics so I was excited to get a dual patch.  Even better, the odds on the dual relics are 1:1,008.  My luck with hobby boxes isn't usually this good.

Seeing as how I pulled a hot card during the initial opening of the product, I threw it up for sale on eBay.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to make some money back on my box and buy a relic I had more interest in.  After a 7-day auction, the card sold for $42.50.

If I thought I got lucky with the dual ASG patch, I think I was even luckier with buying this First Pitch relic numbered out of 25.  When I looked for it on eBay a few weeks after release, there was an auction starting out at $4.99.  Surprisingly, I was the only bidder.  I couldn't believe it considering other First Pitch relics were going for at least $20-$40.  For a card that has odds of 1 per 1,506 packs, I pretty much stole this card.

 

The only All-Star relic I was hoping to pull was the Cano relic.  Although it wasn't in my box, it was another cheap buy on eBay.

My second relic card of the box was an Al Kaline 3000 Hits Club Medallion.  Usually, I don't mind manufactured relics but the weird flowery background is not appealing.

My final hit of the box, a Scouting Report autograph.  Not the autograph I was hoping for but I was easily able to remedy that...

Why did Topps give Vincent a unibrow?

The Nick Vincent autograph was the card I hoped to pull.  Even though it wasn't in my box, it was an inexpensive eBay purchase for only a couple dollars.  It can be tough being a Mariners fan with all the heartbreak but on the flip side, not everyone is trying to chase their cards making them cheap.

That wraps up Topps flagship!  It has been a fun year collecting baseball cards again.  As I look forward to 2017, it's hard to know whether I'll try to collect the full flagship set.  Right now I don't like the design.  This year's set didn't grab me a first either so it's possible things will change.