First look: 2009 Topps Series 2 baseball cards

Topps released preview information and images for its 2009 Series 2 baseball set on Monday. Here’s a look at the set, which will arrive in late May …

The product continues much of what Series 1 included — Turkey Red inserts, Legends of the Game, Sketch Cards, Silk Cards and ToppsTown — but includes four World Baseball Classic insert sets.

The WBC sets will include a 25-player standard card insert set, 10 autographed cards (limited to 100 apiece), 10 Relic cards, 10 autographed Relic cards (limited to 50 apiece) and stamp cards that include baseball-themed stamps from around the world.

While the WBC insert set is still TBD (as are the Relics), here is the WBC Autograph and Autographed Relic checklist (subject to change):

BCA-DW    David Wright
BCA-JR    Jose Reyes
BCA-DP    Dustin Pedroia
BCA-RB    Ryan Braun
BCA-BM    Brian McCann
BCA-CG    Curtis Granderson
BCA-AIR    Alex Rios
BCA-CR    Carlos Ruiz
BCA-CD    Carlos Delgado
BCA-DO    David Ortiz

Also returning for 2009 in Series 2 are the Red Hot Rookie Redemptions, which fell one per box last year and included some of the game’s newest rookies. There will be 10 players on that checklist.

A 1959 Topps Mickey Mantle reprint also will be included — limited to just 58 copies —  while 17 more short-printed variation base cards also will be included:

476    Juan Marichal
650    Steve Carlton
520    Tony Gwynn
515    Reggie Jackson
495    Brooks Robinson
400    Frank Robinson
475    Mike Schmidt
600    Greg Maddux
340    Wade Boggs
350    Ryne Sandberg
355    Jim Palmer
595    Robin Yount
610    Paul Molitor
660    Carl Yastrzemski
490    Nolan Ryan
353    Cal Ripken Jr.
415    Bob Gibson
Each hobby box will include one autograph or Relic card, while HTA jumbo boxes will include one autographed card and two Relics.

Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.