A Preview Of 2020 Products

Was perusing the listings for new products the other day, and went through most of the major products to see what I might be motivated to get into this year.  This might actually be a heavy year for me and new products.  I'll show you what I mean.

When I look at the list of products scheduled to appear in 2020, I can eliminate several immediately, just because I know they don't coincide with what I like to collect.  Right off the bat, I can strike down pretty much anything Bowman, since I have no attraction to prospect cards, any of those non-licensed Leaf and TriStar things that are also rookie-centric, and most of the high end mojo-only type of products, since I'm sure I'd pull hits from the no-name rookies from the Diamondbacks, Rays, Padres, and Rockies.  (Nothing wrong with those teams at all, but they're just not in my collecting wheelhouse.)

So we're left with this list:

Flagship Topps (& Update)
Heritage
Donruss
Opening Day
Gypsy Queen
Panini Diamond Kings
Big League
Finest
Stadium Club
Allen & Ginter
Chrome
Archives

Which ones will I Collect, Which ones lead me to Reflect and decide later, and which ones will I ultimately Reject?  Let's find out....

Flagship Topps

Mostly doing flagship so I can end on an even year.  Design is decent enough, and some of the Decade's... inserts may be interesting, at least the smaller (20-30 card) sets.  There are THREE insert sets that are 100 cards for series 1, and will probably be 250+ by the Update series.  I will not be bothering with the 1985s or Turkey Reds.  The Decade's Best may be too big to tackle too.  Just depends on how I buy this stuff.  Verdict: Collect

Topps Heritage

I'm almost disappointed that Heritage had to hit 1971 this year.  Though I've been jumping on A&G and Stadium Club the last few years pretty consistently, it'll be a nice diversion to hit Heritage for once.  Although I'm not sure how far I'll delve into it since the inserts will be exactly the same as they always are.  Then & Now, New Age Performers, News & BB flashbacks, and the Willie Mays 20 seasons.  Might be OK.  But I can't see not going for the '71 tribute.
Verdict: Collect

Panini Donruss

 

Hmmph.  Sorry Donruss.  If you can't even show me a base card in the sell sheet, I'm not interested.  I'm pretty sure they will be putting base cards in the packs, they just are too parallel-crazy and Rated Rookie Relentless that there just isn't any reason to show the crappy plain old base card.  They'll probably look like a mishmash of late 80's designs anyway.  Gotta push Rookies, Rookies, Rookies, and eyeball parallels.  Child please.  Verdict: Reject

Topps Opening Day

Normally, I'd only do Opening Day if there was a feature of it unique to the flagship set (omission of stupid foil, or a better version of the design, etc.).  Or that I've rejected the lame flagship inserts and only got the base set (like in 2018).  This year, that is not really the case.  The one motivation that I might have is some of the insert concepts.  Walk This Way!'s showing walkoffs (much better than those monstrosities in 2012), Mascots are always fun, Spring (Training) Has Sprung - an original way of showing pre-season shots, and The Lighter Side of Baseball - which should be cool, but are "limited print", so they won't be obtainable.  Verdict: Reflect

Gypsy Queen

Ever since GQ went to the pastel greens and blues (and every other clashing color) scheme a few years ago, I've been put off by it.  The 2020 version looks like they're coming back around to a classier and more refined (formal?) design theme.  I'm encouraged, but it doesn't quite draw me back in yet, especially since I think I'm doing so much otherwise already.  Keep going in this direction GQ crew, and I may be back soon.  Verdict: Reject

Panini Diamond Kings

Another one that I'm waiting to hit just the right intersection of enticing design and lack of competition.  Even though it's logoless, I've kept an eye on DK for a few seasons, but haven't pulled the trigger so far.  Will keep this on the "hopeful" list for the future.  Verdict: Reject

Topps Big League

I dove into Big League last year and liked it a lot.  Still finishing up the last few inserts and a whole bunch of the base cards.  The next incarnation has gone to a 2009 Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee looking graphic scheme that is nice and straightforward compared to 2019's crooked stack of photos base cards, but it's lost its luster.  The other inserts contain a lot of white frames and space, and fall short of the visual richness of the other two Big League products.
Verdict: Reject

Topps Finest

The example photo was a quick "photoshop" hacking of the closest image that appears in the sell sheets for finest.  Topps did a Donruss in that they never show a base card in the promo sheet, but instead thought a Gold Refractor parallel was a more worthy illustration.  So I removed the gold color.  Finest is another product I've never bought at the box level, but have monitored for cool designs for several years.  Have yet to jump on it, and it's not happening this time either.  Verdict: Reject

Stadium Club

I've enjoyed the last couple Stadium Club releases, and will probably do some more in the future years if they keep up the quality.  Think I'll pass this time though, since, like Heritage and a few others, the format is largely the same and the current design is OK but not earth-shattering.  Again too, if I wasn't adding a couple extra sets this year, I might jump in.  Verdict: Reluctantly Reject

Allen & Ginter

A&G is quickly becoming my favorite new product.  Well, let me rephrase that.  Since I got a big box of several base sets really cheap a few years ago, and then came into another monster box of A&G and GQ from various years for peanuts, I've loved adding several different A&G sets to my wants.  There have been a few aesthetic lows in the base designs, but overall, I like the general look of this set more than any other.  And whichever team comes up with the insert concepts should be promoted and take over the decision making for all Topps products.  I wasn't really planning on getting into A&G for a third consecutive year - I had generally been hitting the even numbered years between 2014 and 2019.  But I just saw the 2020 base design in researching this post, and I am actually impressed again.  It's a bit more squarish and sharp-edged compared to the schemes they've used since 2014, which had more frills and curves, but I still like it.  It's well balanced and fills the entire space.  And the inserts are phenomenal again.  9 Ways to First Base, plus catchers and various animal and city subjects.  While not quite as inspiring as the last two issues, these keep up the level of quality and variety.  I"ll just have to see how I feel about it when it comes out late in the calendar.  Verdict: Reflect

Topps Chrome

Chrome, like Opening Day, to me is a duplication of the flagship set, only shiny.  Shiny by itself, has never been a big draw for me personally.  Only an epic design that is improved by the "metalization" would attract my money.  If they make the side graphics in all silver, these might look good.  Hard to tell from the image.  But the biggest detractor of Chrome is the price point.  For what you pay per pack and only getting around four cards, I can't justifiy it.  I'd almost have to find it in bulk and just build the base set.  Unless the price goes way down (whick I doubt because that technology has to cost something), then I'll pass.  Verdict: Reject

Topps Archives

It's too early to know which vintagey designs Archives will be using this year.  It's the only product on the list that doesn't have presale sell sheets out yet.  Probably fine, though, I've felt like Archives is redundant now that there has been Heritage for so long along with the yearly "tribute" 250+ card inserts for the late 80's set that now clog up flagship.  When they made the shortprints unattainable back several years, that turned me off and I haven't looked back.  The Fan Favorite type player autos are nice, but that's the only real draw here for me.  Verdict: Reject

So I've culled the list down to Flagship (& Update), Heritage, and maybe Opening Day and A&G.  Collecting three current sets is actually on the heavy side for me.  Last year it was four - Flagship & Update, A&G, Stadium Club, and Big League, and I haven't completely finished any of them.  2018 was F&U, A&G, and Stadium Club.  2017 was much lighter than that.  So 2020 should be a collecting year that sees a bit of a diversion over to Heritage, and possibly the last flagship set I'll build.  A&G and SC will continue to be on my radar, but I'm thinking my older wants may take more of a focus after that.

Of course, should events take a major turn - like allowing other companies licenses - I may chuck all these plans and jump into a lot more current products in the coming years.  We'll see.

Which products do you plan on building this year?  Which ones do you look forward to every season?