Random Topps Team Set of the Week: 2011 Topps Cincinnati Reds

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Team Set of the Week:

• Team: 2011 Cincinnati Reds
• Record: 79-83, third place, NL Central Division.
• Manager: Dusty Baker
• Card on the Top: Joey Votto

The checklist consists of the following players:

• CIN1 Joey Votto
• CIN2 Jay Bruce
• CIN3 Edinson Volquez
• CIN4 Johnny Cueto
• CIN5 Bronson Arroyo
• CIN6 Scott Rolen
• CIN7 Francisco Cordero
• CIN8 Homer Bailey
• CIN9 Edgar Renteria
• CIN10 Aroldis Chapman
• CIN11 Ramon Hernandez
• CIN12 Jonny Gomes
• CIN13 Mike Leake
• CIN14 Brandon Phillips
• CIN15 Drew Stubbs
• CIN16 Travis Wood
• CIN17 Home of the Reds

The cards in order from the set (the checklist at the end was cut from the back of the package. What, you don't do that?):

Key differences between the team set and 2011 Topps eponymous set:

• Francisco Cordero's cards use the same photo, but on the retail card the top of the card nearly touches the top border:
  
  

• Whose arm appears in the background of Homer Bailey's retail card? Because you can't see it on the base card:
  
  

• Edgar Renteria was a Giant in 2010, and it looks like for the retail Reds card they photoshopped the Reds jersey over his Giants uniform. For the record, here for your viewing pleasure are both his base and Update Series cards:
  
  

• I'm pretty sure that this is a different picture used on Aroldis Chapman's rookie card...isn't it?:
  
  

• Jonny Gomes is getting ready to step onto the plate on his base card:
  
  

• Definitely a different picture used for Travis Wood.:
  
  

So of the 16 players included in this set, four have picture variations and two use the same picture, but cropped differently. This is a set that is a good example of why team collectors (and regular collectors too) should buy the retail sets. Yes, it may be the same players, yes, there might be the same pictures. But when there are variations...it's pretty cool to compare.

Next week's featured set will be the 2009 Chicago Cubs. Hope you'll be here when we compare the cards from the retail set to their counterparts found in Topps and Topps Updates and Highlights sets.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama