2011 Topps Baseball

2011 Topps Baseball Product Details

Release Date: Mid-February 2011
Box Configuration: 36-Pack Hobby/10-Pack Jumbo
Pack Price: $2-$3 Hobby/$10-$12 Hobby Jumbo
Product Type: Low-Mid End Baseball Card
Geared Toward: Set builders, collectors looking to get an early jump on the 2011 MLB Season, nostalgia collectors, cut signature collectors, inscription auto collectors

What's in the Box:

* 1 Hit Per 36-pack hobby box
* 3 Hits Per 10-pack hobby jumbo box

Product Highlights/Details:

* On-Card "Happy Birthday" Inscription Autographs- Sixty players past and present have signed these cards along with an additional inscription wishing Topps a “Happy 60th!” All autographs and inscriptions are signed directly on each numbered to 60 card. Numerous players’ cards will be inserted into each baseball product throughout 2011. Five will be found in Series 1.
* Kimball Champions Cards- Re-creating the historic and rare N184 Kimball Champion cards produced in 1888 which featured two gorgeous player images on each card front – portrait and action. These vintage-design mini cards will span the 2011 Topps brand baseball program. The first 50 cards highlight legends of the game and current stars and will appear in Series 1. The next 50-card installment will appear in 2010 Topps Baseball Series 2 and the final group in Topps Updates and Highlights Baseball.
* Topps Diamond Card Giveaway- 2011's version of the Million Card Giveaway with a few added bonuses including: 1/1 Topps Diamond Collection Cards featuring real diamonds embedded in card, Diamond Die-Cuts, and Black Diamond Die-Cuts numbered to 60!
* Baseball Legends Cut Signature Cards - 15 cut signatures from past legends of the diamond
* Topps 60 Autographs, Relics, and Relic Autographs - Legends and current stars appear on cards noting the statistical category in which each places in the top 60 all-time or active leaders
* 1/1 Sketch Cards- Original artwork honoring the most famous and collectible cards in Topps history. Each sketch is an original ONE-OF-ONE masterpiece and is signed by the artist!
* Glove Leather Relic Cards!
* 330 card base set with 25 retired legends variations
* Parallel Cards - Platinum 1/1, Black /60, Gold /2011, Printing Plates 1/1
* 100 Silk Base Parallels numbered to 50!
* NEW One of one Cannary Diamond Anniversary Cards!
* NEW Platinum Diamond Anniversary Parallel Cards - 1:4 Packs!
* Yankees World Champions Relics, Autographs, and Autographed Relics
* 1964 Mickey Mantle Reprint Relics numbered to 64!
* "In the Name" 2010 All-Star Game nameplate lettermen - 76 in all!

Description:
2011 Topps celebrates it's Diamond Anniversary through a 60-year retrospective of both the hobby and the game of baseball. All the whistles and bells of past Topps sets will be present with a slew of new celebratory additions including the Diamond Giveaway, Cut Signatures, 60th Anniversary Inscription Autographs, and some intriguing Parallels.

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Baseball Product Details

Release Date: Late April 2011
Box Configuration: 24 packs + 1 ten card mini box
Pack Price: NA
Product Type: Vintage Baseball Card
Geared Toward: Fans of Allen & Ginter, old school collectors, collectors looking for something new, collectors looking for something odd, relic & auto collectors, tobacco card connoisseurs

What's In The Box:

* 2 Autographs
* 2 Relics

Product Highlights/Details:

* Modeled after the 1887 N174 Gypsy Queen baseball card set.
* Massive 450 card base set featuring 50 short prints and a mix of veterans, rookies, legends and possibly odd balls.
* 7 base cards and 3 parallels in every pack.
* All 450 base cards will feature a stamp relic parallel relating to the player's city or country of origin numbered to 10 each.
* In addition there will be framed paper parallels numbered to 999 seeded one per box.
* Gold parallels seeded one per pack.
* 1 mini parallel per pack. Mini's come in hobby-only leather versions limited to 10.
* Other mini parallels include: Sepia numbered to 10, back variants and black-bordered back variants.
* Autograph checklist will include dual and triple autographed relics as well as standard autographed relics and mini autographed relics.
* Art Patch Cards - 1/1 sketch cards featuring an attatched game-used patch.
* "Bonus hits" will include Gypsy Queen cards, inserts, autographs and jewel cards.
* Insert sets include "The Great Ones", "Home Run Heroes" and "Future Stars" with each insert set coming in the mini variety as well.
* Printing plates both tall and small (regular and mini card).
* Early auto checklist includes: Albert Pujols, Buster Posey, Curt Schilling, Tom Seaver, David Wright, Frank Robinson, Alex Rodriguez, Nolan Ryan, Mike Stanton, Jason Heyward, Johnny Bench, Bernie Williams, Ryan Howard, Brooks Robinson, CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, Cal Ripken Jr. Al Kaline, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, Mike Schmidt, Fergie Jenkins, Greg Maddux, Starlin Castro, Cliff Lee, Ryne Sandberg and Sandy Koufax.
* Relic checklist includes: Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Thurman Munson, Rickey Henderson, Jackie Robinson and more!

Description:
Gypsy Queen Baseball is a first year baseball card offering modeled after the 1887 N174 set with the same name. From early pictures and details, Gypsy Queen is built in the mold of Topps' franchise flashback product Allen & Ginter, rather than other old time offerings like Heritage and T206. 2010 Topps Gypsy Queen is set to hit hobby store shelves in late April of next year featuring 4 hits and plenty of oddities per 24-pack hobby box.

2011 MLB season thoughts

BY: Clay

I know it is only January but I'm so excited for this season which is odd considering I'm a Cubs fan, so I know it'll never work for me and the rest of Cubbies Fans.

Let's start with the AL West. I still like Texas in this division. they are better than they were last year with additions Adrian Beltre and Brandon Webb. I think they can hold off Angels and make the playoffs once again. Seattle should finish last.

Moving on to the AL Central, blah blah blah Twins and White Sox, blah blah blah. Another late rally by the Twins will put them ahead of Detroit and then Chicago. There are also other teams in this division. Who knew?

Ah! The AL East. I hate this division. I like the Orioles to win some games. They play the Pirates in interleague semi-action this year.

Taking a look at the NL East, now, I've heard that the Phillies added a pitcher this offseason. His name is Cliff Lee...or is it JC Romero. Either way, the Phillies take the east and the Braves get the wild card.

This one is easy. The Cubs will win the Central this season, backed by strong pitching from Big Z and Garza. Not to mention some sweet ass hitting from Colvin, Pena and A-Ram. Where are the Cards? Dead last my friend. 40 games back...of the Astros! High Five!

And finally, on to the NL West. This should be the tightest race in the league. I think the Rockies will pull it out, leaving the Giants and Dodgers just a game or two out.

Championship Weekend picks and more

BY: Clay

Let's start with the Bears/Packers. Defense will decide this one. I see big games from both teams secondaries. However, the Bears will pull it out 20-17. This is more than likely the last shot for Urlacher, Kruetz and Mannelly considering their age and declining skills (though Urlacher has looked awesome this year) and also considering how difficult it is to repeat success in the NFL (see 2006 Bears, 2001 Raiders, 2010 Colts & Saints...well, actually everyone except the early 2000's Pats).

Moving on to the AFC, I see the Jets defeating the Steelers once more this season. that score should be around 27-24. I fully expect Rex Ryan to take over John Madden's job as the "Tough Actin' Tinactin" spokesman. Boom!

That means the Jets will meet the Bears in the Super Bowl. And maybe by then, a new version of the Super Bowl Shuffle. Team analysis: I understand a Jet can fly over a Bear, however, if the combined weight on that Jet is an NFL Team plus Rex Ryan...sorry but that plane is going down. And whats a crashed Jet with burning humans inside? why, it's a deliciously cooked meal for a Bear.

I suppose my vote for NFL MVP would go Tom Brady. While Mike Vick had an excellent year, he is still a dog killer and definitely not as good looking as Tom Brady.

Verses of the 2010-2011 Bears Super Bowl Shuffle

By: Sports Jerks Staff

The name's Brad Maynard and I'm the best in the league
at directional punting and planting my seed
I'll kick to the Pack any day
America knows that they are gay

Hey, this is Jay and I'm on the mic
Kristin Cavilari is the girl i like
when I'm not slanging the ball to Forte
I'm putting my wiener in her bootay

I'm marble mouthed Devin and I run back the Kicks
My ass was on TV but not my dick
Deion loves me and I went to The U
That's why I still can't add 2 plus 2

What's up ya'll, I'm Mike Tice
I know how to make the line play nice
I don't mean to brag but I love to gloat
I just send the guys on a sex party boat

Hey there gang it's Aromashodu
I betcha like to know what I'magonnado
I'm gonna run the wrong route really fast
and when I turn around, Jay will be sacked

I'm Tommie Harris from the defensive line
my ridiculous contract is a real goldmine
Pretty please don't gimme no slack
just cuz I've made $3 million per sack

2011 NFC CHAMPIONSHIP

By: Clay

Mark my words, the Bears will win tomorrow. To quote *NSYNC, "This I promise you". Check back here soon for a new version of the Super Bowl Shuffle.

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NL Central Projected Pitching Rotations

These are the projecting starting rotations as of today.

Reds - Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake, Travis Wood, Edinson Volquez
Brewers - Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, Chris Narveson, Randy Wolf
Cards - Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Jamie Garcia, Jake Westbrook, Kyle Lohse
Pirates - Daniel McCutchen, Paul Maholm, Brad Lincoln, Scott Olsen, Kevin Correia
Astros - Wandy Rodriguez, Brett Myers, J.A. Happ, Ryan Rowland-Smith, Bud Norris
Cubs - Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Carlos Silva, Randy Wells

Cubs Trade for Matt Garza

By: Clay

At first, I thought this was a good trade for the Cubs to make. Then, thanks to Harvey informing me on who the Cubs gave up, I didn't like it so much. But as of this morning, I'm OK with it.

The way I see it, the Cubs haven't had good luck with their farm system prospects over the past couple of decades. Or at least since Mark Grace! Sure there has been marginal success with Kerry Wood (The Prodigal Son Returns for 2011!), Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano, Carlos Marmol and last years rookie sensations (Castro and Colvin) but there just hasn't been an actual MLB star player drafted and crafted by the Cubbies in many, many years.

If you haven't noticed, the Cubs have some terrible contracts out right now that are virtually unmovable and the Cubs are just gonna have to eat that. While their younger players are better and hungrier than their big money options, it seems hard to bench players like Soriano, Ramirez and Fukudome when you are paying them an ass load of cash. And even though they under-perform and can never seem to all play well at the same time, they are just owed too much money to ride the pine. Plus, if there was even a slim chance that the Cubs could trade one of them, they would have to play just so potential teams could see them perform. Their trade value won't rise by them sitting the bench.

We already have the positions filled for the guys we traded away, anyway. Pitcher Chris Archer, shortstop Hak-Ju Lee, outfielder Brandon Guyer, catcher Robinson Chirinos and outfielder Sam Fuld are the fellas going to Tampa. Archer is the only player that the Cubs could have made a spot for in the next couple years. Lee is blocked by Starlin Castro, Guyer is blocked by a handful of players, Chirinos is blocked by Soto and Welington Castillo. Though, I suppose I wouldn't have minded seeing Chirinos replacing Koyie Hill at some point but maybe Welington Castillo can fill that spot.

Garza has never had an ERA over 4.00 by the end of the season. Plus, pitching against the Pirates and Astros multiple times this season should help pad his stats if the Cubs needed to move Garza for some unforeseen reason. Or, if the Cubs do make a serious run for the playoffs in the next couple years, Garza has that experience and knows what it takes to reach that level.

Overall, this is a bad move for the long term of the Cubs if their front office is serious in trying to commit to winning with farm raised talent(Duh). However, Garza and Carlos Pena should help put a few more butts in the seats for the next season which means more money to spend on bad contracts. This is good for the players that the Cubs traded away, however. they have a better chance at succeeding with the Rays than they did with the Cubs.