[rjcj2017]

So I know a lot of you do not like Panini baseball products because they’re unlicensed.

In a perfect world, I would love to see what they could do with a license, because I have finally decided I am all but done with Topps flagship blasters based on the absolutely horrible collation and lack of overall value in my recent Series 2 busts.

Basically there are two players I’ve been looking for this season – Mookie Betts’ first Dodgers cards as well as Luis Robert’s RCs.

A quick comparison of my two most recent - and similar sized - breaks:
 
Topps Series 2

4 blasters – 7 packs of 16 cards each … 448 cards
1 hanger – 60 cards
7 loose packs – 14 cards each … 98 cards

606 total cards, and this is what I pulled:

Betts – 1 Home Run Challenge insert
Robert – 0 ... despite having several different cards in the product
Autos – 0 … not available in blasters unless you hit a crazy manufactured relic parallel
Mem - 0 … unless you count the manufactured relics in the blasters, which I don’t … they keep getting worse and worse and these coin versions are the worst yet in my opinion

But, for the record, my four “coin relics” were:

Bryant
Bregman
Lindor
Gallo
 
Diamond Kings

3 blasters – 7 packs of 5 cards … 105 cards
3 hangers – 20 cards each … 60 cards

165 total cards, and this is what I pulled:

Betts – 1 base
Robert – 1 RC

So I’m already doing better than Topps 2 in barely over a fourth of the number of cards.

But wait, there’s more!

Autos – 1, Deivy Grullon sticker
Mem – 2, Hyun-Jin Ryu quad relic and SICK Brendan McKay double relic patch (like 6 total colors)/49

The Grullon and McKay came in the same blaster this morning (last blaster rule, always!)

Also pulled:

Ken Griffey Jr. All-Time Diamond Kings/25
Mickey Mantle Press Proof Blue base
 
Like, it’s not even close.

Total approx. $ spent on Topps 2: $119.47
Total approx. $ spent on Diamond Kings: $96.91


About $25 cheaper and waaaaaaay more value.

To be fair, Topps 2 does not have the same overall checklist that Diamond Kings does because Topps flagship is split up into three sets, but it is overall a fair comparison because both sets have the two players I was looking for.

I mean, crap checklists happen depending on when the rookies come up and when veterans are traded or sign elsewhere, but Topps could do itself a major service by giving half a crap about its horrible collation.

I got 4-5 duplicates of some players and obviously zero cards of others, despite the blasters and hangers being from the same store and put out on the shelves at the same time (so obviously from the same vending case).

Had I gotten at least one Betts base and one Robert RC this would have been a totally different vibe, but Topps clearly failed here and I won't be giving them any more money.

[seniordiamonte]

That's tough, but I am eye-to-eye on some points. In the 1 2020 Topps S2 jumbo pack I purchased, I got pulled a Luis Robert 2030 refractor as well as the base RC, but that was it. I haven't ripped into any Diamond Kings this year, but in the past I have pulled: Frank Thomas relic/auto /25, Corey Seager  dual relic/auto, and a Ketel Marte dual relic/auto. I don't recall off-hand what the Seager and Marte were numbered to, but I am more than pleased with those pulls and have pulled many other relic/autos from Diamond Kings. With pulls like that, it's hard to slam the unlicensed products. Hope Diamond Kings continues to treat you well!

[rjcj2017]

That's tough, but I am eye-to-eye on some points. In the 1 2020 Topps S2 jumbo pack I purchased, I got pulled a Luis Robert 2030 refractor as well as the base RC, but that was it. I haven't ripped into any Diamond Kings this year, but in the past I have pulled: Frank Thomas relic/auto /25, Corey Seager  dual relic/auto, and a Ketel Marte dual relic/auto. I don't recall off-hand what the Seager and Marte were numbered to, but I am more than pleased with those pulls and have pulled many other relic/autos from Diamond Kings. With pulls like that, it's hard to slam the unlicensed products. Hope Diamond Kings continues to treat you well!

In general I have really good luck with retail (hobby is not an option for me) ... Topps' crappy collation makes it very difficult to justify buying their flagship retail products, although generally I do really well with Opening Day and Gypsy Queen for some reason.

In all honesty I'm probably just mad at myself because I know better after years of the same BS ... I shouldn't expect a good mix of cards even if it is, as I mentioned, 606 cards from the same freaking store.

I could handle it if, say, I got mostly different cards in each of my blasters and just didn't happen to pull the one(s) I wanted ... then it would be more like I just didn't pick the right one or someone else grabbed it before I did.

That I can live with ... luck of the draw.

But when I pull four Shogo Akiyamas and zero Luis Roberts, that's when I have a problem.

To be honest, Panini in general is a lot more generous across all their products and will usually include a guaranteed mem or auto card in their basketball and football products, for example.

After this latest disappointment, I am sooooo hoping Panini can get a full baseball license so that Topps will truly have some competition.

I mean, I guess it's a business decision not to guarantee autos and/or relics in their products, but not giving a crap about basic collation is just laziness on their part.

[seniordiamonte]

I agree. When you get a few blasters or loose packs from the same store, you expect to pull a variety of cards, if not least the one(s) you are hoping for. I can't say for myself how many times I've come home from a Target run and pulled duplicate after duplicate of base cards, no gold parallel #'d cards, and typically pull the "worst" player on the relic list. However, I did just win a lot of 2020 Topps series 2 2030 inserts, which includes 4 Mookie Betts (in Dodger blue). If you'd like, I'd be more than willing to make a deal to get one or 2 to you. I got the lot for Tatis Jr, Alonso, and Guerrero Jr, so I'm willing to move the Betts.

[rjcj2017]

I agree. When you get a few blasters or loose packs from the same store, you expect to pull a variety of cards, if not least the one(s) you are hoping for. I can't say for myself how many times I've come home from a Target run and pulled duplicate after duplicate of base cards, no gold parallel #'d cards, and typically pull the "worst" player on the relic list. However, I did just win a lot of 2020 Topps series 2 2030 inserts, which includes 4 Mookie Betts (in Dodger blue). If you'd like, I'd be more than willing to make a deal to get one or 2 to you. I got the lot for Tatis Jr, Alonso, and Guerrero Jr, so I'm willing to move the Betts.

I'm good, I really, really appreciate it though.

[seniordiamonte]

I'm good, I really, really appreciate it though.

My pleasure. Keep it in your back pocket in case you change your mind. Keep us updated if you purchase and rip more 2020 Topps or Gypsy Queen.

[rjcj2017]

My pleasure. Keep it in your back pocket in case you change your mind. Keep us updated if you purchase and rip more 2020 Topps or Gypsy Queen.

Will do ... I saw four more Series 2 blasters at a different store on Wednesday ... went back to grab them Thursday morning and they were gone.

That's the other irritating part about this ... it feels like you catch lightning in a bottle to find any new product as it is, so your two choices are either clear it all out or hope you get lucky, because it won't sit on the shelves more than a day.

Retail used to be pretty plush around here. In the above scenario, at least one or two of those four blasters that I saw on Wednesday would still be around by the time the weekend hit and I could go back and grab them.