2012 Topps is Now Live!!! Guess What I'm Not Getting This Year?

The reason why I have not been posting this past week is because of a transition in jobs.  I still am employed at the same place I've worked for the last thirteen plus years, but have been asked to take back some older responsibilities.  The adjustment isn't all that bad, I just needed a refresher course in a few things, plus I have to learn new things, but it's nothing I can't handle.  It beats the alternative, although I'm getting the feeling...no, I won't go there.  Anyway, the new work also means I get to leave work earlier.  So I'm posting now.

I have been online and have seen that auctions have shown up on the Bay for 2012 Topps S1, and all the goodies that are included within.  One thing I have noticed though is that the legendary SP's have seemed to nowhere in sight.  There will still be short-printed cards in Series 1, but instead of legends, Topps is returning to variation cards of current players in limited quantities.  And it seems that the SP's can be grouped in a few categories:  (hopefully playful) fights with mascots, frivolity in the dugout, or celebrations (think Pie in the Face from 2010). 

To wit, here are the 20 SP cards (not including the already known Pujols and Reyes cards):

• #1B Ryan Braun (celebration with teammates)
• #35B Eric Hosmer (dugout photo with teammates)
• #35C Eric Hosmer (Gatorade bath)
• #76B Ian Kennedy (Pie in the Face)
• #93B Skip Schumaker (It's The Rally Squirrel...and Schumaker's right foot)
• #145B Billy Butler (Gatorade bath...at least the Royals need a way to celebrate)
• #165B Michael Morse (Gatorade bath...okay, so do the Nationals)
• #173B Ryan Roberts (pre-Pie in the Face)
• #185B Pablo Sandoval (fighting with Parrot Pete...again, Pete shows up at the weirdest times)
• #185C Pablo Sandoval (fighting with the Swinging Friar...have you no shame, sir?)
• #188B Bobby Abreu (dugout photo)
• #215B Freddie Freeman (dugout "celebration" with teammates)
• #256B Mat Latos (dugout "celebration" with teammates...Topps couldn't photoshop the Reds jersey on him yet)
• #270B Starlin Castro (dugout photo...great, something for Cub fans to chase)
• #308B Mike Leake (fighting with the Gapper...isn't he on your team???)
• #400B Robinson Cano (dugout photo with teammate)
• #411B Tsuyoshi Nishioka (dugout photo with teammate)
• #421B Heath Bell (dugout photo..with a jar of gumballs)
• #450B Justin Upton (celebration photo)
• #470B Howie Kendrick (dugout "celebration" with teammates)

Now I like the cards.  They show the lighter side of the game, with many happy moments being shared with players and their teammates.  But, just like other variation cards (see 2007 Topps), I'm not really interested in collecting them.  I'll already have each player's regular card, I won't really need the variation.  But that won't mean that I'll be disappointed if I get one (I'll be ecstatic).  But don't expect me to put these in my wantlist on the side bar.  And at least we have a clue as to what number (possibly...there has been a sense of discontinuity with these things) a player will get in series 2 (see #400, 411, 421, 450, and 470).

And I was hoping for a 2012 card of Roberto Clemente or Willie Mays.  Maybe in series 2.  You never know. 

Series 1 is (supposed) to arrive in stores tomorrow.  Are you ready?

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama