2017 Topps Now Predictor: MLB Little League Classic – August 20th

Rumors were confirmed this week that the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals will play a regular season game in Williamsport, PA this year.  The game will take place on August 20th, right in the middle of the Little League World Series.  It’ll be broadcast on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball”, and played at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.  Based on the official press release from the Williamsport Crosscutters, only Little Leaguers and their families will be invited.  Tickets will not be sold to the general public.

The MLB Little League Classic would make for a perfect Topps Now card.  It is right on par with the Fort Bragg game they played in 2016.  I’m predicting that Topps will make a Topps Now card to commemorate this game.  If they do, it would most likely show up for sale on August 21st.  I at least just want to see a base Topps Now card made.  If any of the players do something spectacular, I guess autographs and/or relics won’t be out of the picture.  Whoever pulls the Topps Now Golden Ticket for August 20, 2017 will be due a special gold stamped parallel #’ed/1.

Its not easy to predict who and what will receive a Topps Now card.  This game feels like a sure thing.  Having it take place in my backyard is even cooler.  I visit BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field almost every summer for a bobblehead night.

Card of the Day: Tommy Hanson 2009 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection Rookie Auto

Flashback Product of the Week: 2002 Upper Deck Ballpark Idols

Bobbleheads are some of the most entertaining pieces of memorabilia a collector can own.  Especially the ones that come as stadium giveaways.  In 2002, Upper Deck released Ballpark Idols where collectors could find one bobblehead inside each larger box.  They had other boxes that didn’t contain bobbles, but I doubt they were as exciting to open.  The bobbleheads that collectors could pull from Ballpark Idols aren’t as desirable as the ones that you would get as stadium giveaways, unless you were lucky to pull a bobble that was autographed.  Autographed bobbleheads seem like a great idea, but Upper Deck used huge silver stickers that were slapped to the base.  These giant stickers make the product look cheap and it would have been much better if they could have had the player sign the actual bobble.  I think it was a great idea, but not executed very well.

Card of the Day: Brian Bocock ’08 UD Ballpark Collection Auto

“It’s like deja-vu, all over again”

I hope Yogi doesn’t mind me using one of his all-time favorite quotes, but thats the first thing that came to mind when I saw pictures of the new UD Ballpark Collection.

Seven years ago Upper Deck released a multi-sport product called Superstars, which I have blogged about once in the past.  Unfortunately it never amounted to much, but there was one card that everyone wanted to pull – the Tiger Woods / Michael Jordan dual autographed relic #’ed/25.  Even though I don’t collect basketball and only have a few golf cards, this is one I’d love to have.  It features two of the best athletes each sport has ever seen, plus the autographs are on-card.  Upper Deck’s ’09 Ballpark Collection teams Woods and Jordan up again, but this time it looks as if the autographs are on stickers.  The serial number is lower, but I think the one from Superstars will always be king because of the on-card signatures.

Even though the autographs look to be on stickers, I’d probably crap myself if I pulled one.

Card of the Day: ’09 UD Ballpark Collection Jeter/Jordan/Woods Relic