Now That I've Calmed Down...You Want to Know What I Got?

I finally got around to breaking open the packs that I bought this morning.  I'm liking the cards and the design specifically now that I have them in hand.  Many of the shots are really up close, and you can see what many of these players really look like.  I do like many of the action shots, although it seems that Topps has resorted to using companies like Getty Images to get their pictures.  If they've had to lay off some of their photographers, you have to find other ways to get shots, I guess.

So first of all, ladies and gentlemen, here is the first card from the first pack that I opened for the 2013 Topps Baseball Card Season:

(drumroll please)

2013 Topps #328 Jayson Werth

The big free agent signing of the Nationals in 2011 is the subject of the first card of the year.  Let's look at the card back, something that I would like to request Topps to include when they put their previews out onto the Internet:

I love the backs.  It incorporates the curved home plate (I still like to think of it as a spaceship), bright colors, easily readable text, and look, they've even incorporated the big theme of 2013, the Chase.  Every player card I've seen includes a "Career Chase" line.  In the case of Werth, "With 145 home runs, Werth is 617 away from Barry Bonds' all-time record of 762."  Other "Career Chase" lines include:

• Hank Aaron's all-time record of 2,297 rbi's
• Hank Aaron's all-time record of 1,477 extra-base hits
• Tris Speaker's all-time record of 792 doubles
• Sam Crawford's all-time record of 309 triples
• Barry Bonds' all-time record of 762 home runs
• Rickey Henderson's all-time record of 2,295 runs
• Rickey Henderson's all-time record of 1,406 stolen bases
• Ivan Rodriguez' all-time record of 2,428 games caught
• Jesse Orosco's all-time record of 1,252 games pitched
• Cy Young's all-time record of 511 wins
• Nolan Ryan's all-time record of 5,714 strikeouts
• Mariano Rivera's all-time record of 608 saves (which is still active...should he decide to pitch in 2013)
• an all-time record of 4,256 hits (which does not name the player who holds this record)

So it's funny to read that "With 1 hit, Melky Mesa is 4,255 away from the all-time record of 4,256."

The rest of the cards in the first pack:

• #257 Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves
• #62 Tommy Hunter, Baltimore Orioles
• #157 Carter Capps, Seattle Mariners
• #254 Sean Burnett, Washington Nationals
• #171 Brock Holt, Pittsburgh Pirates
• #173 Tyler Skaggs, Arizona Diamondbacks
• #CH-5 Yogi Berra, New York Yankees, Chasing History
• #CC-15 Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Callig Card
• #195 Chris Heisey, Cincinnati Reds
• #291 Ryan Sweeney, Boston Red Sox
• #139 Bobby Parnell, New York Mets
• #96 Edward Mujica, St. Louis Cardinals

Wait, including the Werth card, that's (one...two...) thirteen cards.  I got an extra card in my first pack.  Yay!!!

I opened the other four regular, two jumbo, and one box.  I will tell you now that none included any relics, autographs, or those wonderful short-printed "Out of Bounds" inserts (I think...will have to double check).

I hope you're finding 2013 Topps in your neck of the woods.  In the meantime, I am going to start checking on the Bay for master sets.  

Let the "Chase" begin!!! (Yes, I know people are tired of that phrase now...can't help it).

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama