2018 Topps Cincinnati Reds Team Set

35 cards total for this year's Topps Reds team set (including the short prints and the Votto super short print). I'm still on the fence as to whether short prints should be included in team sets. Honestly, I would be content if Topps went back to producing their flagship without including short prints in the product. Rather, save that gimmicky stuff for Stadium Club or Heritage. Here's the list of players that make up the team set:

14 Amir Garrett
55 Tyler Mahle
57 Zack Cozart
68 Billy Hamilton
68SP Billy Hamilton
95 Eugenio Suarez
137 Scott Feldman
153 Brandon Finnegan
207 Scooter Gennett
209 Michael Lorenzen
301 Jackson Stephens
331 Raisel Iglesias
352 Cincinnati Reds Team Card
354 Robert Stephenson
450 Joey Votto
450SP Joey Votto
450SP Johnny Bench
450SSP Joey Votto
452 Tucker Barnhart
504 Scott Schebler
543 Luis Castillo
574 Jared Hughes
581 Jesse Winker
589 Adam Duvall
589SP Adam Duvall
596 Keury Mella
601 Jose Peraza
694 Anthony DeSclafani
US28 Alex Blandino
US49 Eugenio Suarez
US74 Joey Votto
US87 Thunder & Lightening (Votto & Hamilton)
US135 Sal Romano
US145 Scooter Gennett
US238 Matt Harvey

A Little Late to the Party

Ok, most of you have already talked about this year's series 2 release of Topps. For better or for worse, I'm just now getting around to it. This past Sunday my wife surprised me with an eBay gift card for Father's Day. Needless to say, within a few hours of receiving it I had already spent it. I was able to purchase a complete set of 2018 Topps Series 2 Reds cards and three short prints. Out of the three short prints this Bench card is my favorite. There's still one more series 2 Reds card I don't have...a super short print Joey Votto card and it will probably never enter my collection. Starting bids on eBay are $50....way too steep for a modern variation card. I'd rather spend that money on a couple of vintage Goudey or T206 Reds cards.

1974 Reds Team Signed Baseball

I decided to save the best for last when it comes to the autograph baseballs in my collection. Although the 1985 autographed baseball holds a special place in my heart because of Pete Rose passing Ty Cobb's mark of 4,191 hits on September 11, 1985, this baseball features many prominent members of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine. While the 74 Reds didn't make it to the Fall Classic, the fact that this ball is autographed during the Big Red Machine era puts it as the pinnacle of my autographed baseball collection. There are a total of 23 autographs on this baseball and the signatures I can discern are: Sparky Anderson, George Scherger, Johnny Bench, Fred Norman, Cesar Geronimo, Bill Plummer, Darrel Chaney, Phil Gagliano, Alex Grammas, Don Gullett, Denis Menke, Joe Morgan, Ross Grimsley, Ted Kluszewski, Pedro Borbon, Pete Rose, Andy Kosco, Tony Perez

1981 Cincinnati Reds Team Signed Baseball

34 Signatures total on this team ball: Johnny Bench, Ken Griffey, Ron Oester, Mario Soto, Joe Price, Paul Householder, Eddie Milner, Vic Correll, Ray Knight, Harry Spilman, Junior Kennedy, Joe Nolan, Doug Bair, George Foster, Jay Howell, Frank Pastore, Sheldon Burnside, Mike LaCoss, Charlie Leibrandt, Paul Moskau, Sam Mijias, Dave Tomlin, Dan Driessen, Dave Concepcion, Hector Cruz, Dave Collins, Tom Seaver, Geoff Combe, Bill Bonham, Tom Hume, Bruce Berenyi, Don Werner, Rick Auerbach, Cesar Geronimo

3 Coins in a Fountain

More oddball items to add to my collection. These three coins were made by Kahn's /Hillshire Farms but I'm not entirely sure if they were stadium promotions. Out of the three (Bench, Morgan, and Rose) I would say that Pete's my favorite. The Bench and Rose feel as though they're made from brass while the Morgan almost feels like a cheap imitation metal of some kind. Nevertheless, I'm glad they're part of my collection.

McFarlane Johnny Bench

I sat on the fence for the longest time in making this decision. I've been collecting Reds bobbleheads for years now, but I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to venture out and chase retail figures. After going back and forth on this for well over a year I decided I would go after these McFarlane figures, but only those produced depicting members of the Big Red Machine. This would limit me on just two figures (Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan). A few weeks back I was able to grab this opened Johnny Bench on eBay for more than half of what I would pay if it were still in the packaging. It's very detailed compared to the Kenner Starting Lineup figures and the poses are great. Johnny leaning over a rail to catch a foul ball is great! I do have plans of acquiring the Joe Morgan figure sometime in 2015 (just in time for the 40 anniversary of the 1975 World Series Championship).

Another Goal Put to Bed!

For the past few months I've been neglecting my card collecting goals for the year by opting to chase after some bobbleheads and a World Series ticket that I had always wanted. This week, however, I decided to take a break from the nodders and chase after some vintage Topps cards that I had been eying for a while but just never pulled the trigger on. I'm very happy to announce that I have now completed my 1954 Topps Redlegs team set. One of the last remaining cards in the set was this Ted Kluszewski card. I was also able to grab my first 1953 Topps Reds cards in the process (which I will be posting about next week). Not everything was rainbows and unicorns this week as I found out that I had missed a card from my 2011 Topps Reds team set. Card #198 is MIA and has been added to my wantlist. The regular version of this card is Buster Posey, but I'm not after that one. Nope, instead I found out that there's a short print 198 that's none other than a Johnny Bench parallel. These short print parallels will be the death of my collecting!

Bobblin Bench

In addition to the 1940 World Series ticket I snagged from selling my 2011 Toppps Gypsy Gueen master set, I had enough left over to add this outstanding bobblehead to my collection. There were only 10,000 of these nodders given away at the game on May 31, 2002 when the Reds were blanked by the Atlanta Braves 7-0. I will say that this is probably my most favorite bobblehead that's in my collection, followed closely by my Pete Rose and Dusty Baker bobbleheads.

TTM: Vic Correll

Vic Correll was the backup catcher to Johnny Bench in the late 70s. My guess is that he probably didn't see much playing time.

Some Love from a Phillies Fan

A few weeks back I was lucky enough to win a copy of The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book from Jim over at The Phillies Room. The package arrived last night and I am very excited to dive into the book. I was also blown away by Jim's generosity to see that he enclosed a relic card from a Hall of Famer and member of the Big Red Machine. It's a dual relic card with a piece of lumber and swatch of jersey. A very beautiful card and I'm very appreciative of Jim's generosity.

1969 Topps

Is there anyone else out there that thinks the 1969 Topps set was just a rehash of the 68 set with just a white border?! I know that Topps has a tendency to reuse design elements from previous years, but it's pretty bold to do so consecutive years in a row. Just wish they could have been a little more creative, that's all. I like the salmon colored backs....reminds me so much of the 1986 Topps set and my introduction into collecting Reds baseball cards. I also like the fact that anytime you can get Rose, Bench and Perez in the same year, then it's a win win for me. I like looking at the old cards from years past. Sure they're not loaded with chrome, high gloss, fancy stock or parallels, they do contain the history of the game. Our childhood heroes staring at us from a piece of cardboard that can bring back memories long forgotten in the hustle and bustle of today.

1979 Topps

1979 was a sad year for the Reds. With the departure of Tony Perez a few years before and now Rose in 79, the era of the Big Red Machine was drawing to a close. Sure, the Reds still had Bench and Morgan as well as the addition of Terrific Tom, but it just wasn't the same. As for the cards Topps released in 1979, they were decent. Not the greatest by a long shot, but also not the worst they produced. I like the design of the 1979 Topps cards, but not as much as the 1977 set. The green and black backs are nice, but it can be a little difficult reading the stats at times. What I like most about this set is that it still features Pete in a Reds uniform...although he had already moved on to Philly at this time. This is by far my most favorite card in the set. Why... because it shows Pete doing what he always did best on the field... slapping the ball for a hit. I'm just glad he decided to return to the Queen City in 1985 for his final charge at Cobb's record.

1970 Topps

This is probably my least favorite set Topps released in the 1970s. The gray border just seemed kind of gloomy on a baseball card. Almost like a rain out on opening day. Very dull, drab, uninspiring. Not only that but the team name on the front of the card in big block letters just doesn't do anything for me. What irks me most with this set is the fact that two of the Reds best players at the time (Pete Rose and Johnny Bench) were high-number cards. I don't understand the mentality of placing stars toward the tail end of a set unless it's to produce demand for the product. I do like the player blurbs and cartoons on the back of the cards, but that's not saying much. If I had to choose a favorite from this set it would be the Tony Perez card. Looks like he's ready to club someone with the barrel of his bat. I also like that it shows Crosley Field in the background. Although I wasn't around to witness a game there, so much history in a field long gone. I wonder what it would be like to go see the Reds of today play at Crosley Field of yesterday? One can only wonder.

1973 Topps

I'm not much of a fan of the 1973 Topps set. Maybe it's because it looks cheap due to the little player graphics on the front of the card. Or maybe it has to do with the orange and black pairing of color on the card back that reminds me of a Halloween nightmare! Sure, you can argue that this set contains the Big Red Machine prior to their reach of Everest in the 75-76 season, but there's just too much bad vibes this set gives off. I make it a point to collect all subsets that have any affiliation with the Reds and that includes rookie, all star, and world series subsets. Looking at the 1972 World Series subset Topps included in the 1973 run is just horrid! One man basically destroyed the Reds in the 72 series... Gene Tenace! Gene Tenace of all people! Not Reggie Jackson or Rollie Fingers or Bert Campaneris or Vida Blue. Gene Tenace!!! Anyway, the only card I do care for in the 1973 set is the Johnny Bench card. I love how Johnny's heading for the dugout to try and catch a popup! Very cool photo! Johnny Bench = Like! Gene Tenace = DISLIKE!

1976 Topps

My last post I talked about the 1975 Topps set and the Big Red Machine's victory over the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. I decided to follow it up and talk about the 1976 Topps set. Not as appealing as the 1975 Topps set... and the photos are a bit sketch. The white border is ok, but I hate the cheesy all star that makes it's reappearance in this set on the bottom corner. But what's lacking in eye candy is more than made up with the player cards in this set. Again, the Big Red Machine is represented well in this set and I would have to say the Bench card is my favorite. Least favorite though would have to be the Joe Morgan card. What's up with the hands under the arms? Is he nervous? Kinda reminds me of Mary Catherine Gallagher when she gets nervous.

1975 Topps

With the playoffs in full swing, I decided to write about one of the greatest teams to take the field... The Big Red Machine. Sure, I'm not old enough to remember them playing baseball, but I have seen the highlights, read the books, and listened to countless stories from others how they were a force to be reckoned with. Carlton Fisk can have his game six home run. Doesn't matter much since Cincinnati won game 7 and the series. I like the 1975 Topps cards. The two tone border was a nice change up for Topps. I also like the player facsimile autographs on the front of the card and the 3-D rendering of the team names at the top of the card. The little all-star stars on the bottom are a little cheesy, but that's something I can overlook. I guess the main reason I like this set is because it features the Big Red Machine in their prime. Rose, Bench, Morgan, Perez, Griffey, Concepcion, Foster, and Geronimo! It doesn't get much better than that.

1983 Topps

Can you say....1963!!! Again, another set made by Topps where it's nothing more than a rehash of a previous set. Don't get me wrong, I like both, but originality here this is not. Not only do both sets look the same, but both years end in 3! Maybe Topps was starting to toss around the idea of Heritage at this time with using old card designs for current players. The world may never know. What I do know is that I wish for originality and creativity, which Topps had a little during the 80s with the 1985 set, but not when you look at the 1980, 1983, and 1987 sets in particular. I do like the fact that in the 1983 set you'll see Seaver and Bench wearing the Reds uniform, but it's a little bittersweet especially since this was Johnny's last year in the big leagues. Time marches on, and waits for no one.

1982 Topps

Not a whole lot to say about this set. Pros and Cons, as I always do regarding any Topps set. I do like the facsimile autographs on the front of the card and the fact that Topps again used their "In Action" subset this year. The photography could have been better (especially from a Reds fan perspective...Johnny Bench portrait!) Standard white border as with any Topps set around this time period. Not that it's a bad thing but white borders year after year do get a little boring. I do like the green on the card backs, although I guess any color would do except for maybe black, but I'm no expert. It's funny really to look at the quality of these early 80s sets and then see how everything changed in 1989. Sometimes I think that if Topps were to take a year and print their base set on the stock they use to and package their cards with a stick of stale gum in an actual "wax" pack that many of us old school collectors would be willing to buy a box or two of the product for the chance of taking a trip down memory lane once more.

1972 Topps

What's not to like about big bold letters in a psychedelic sort of way? I like how Topps used a funky and fun design for this set. I love the "In Action" cards that accompanied many of the great player cards in this set. It's a nice change of pace from the 1971 black border set. And for a Reds fan, this is our chance to grab the first Joe Morgan card in a Reds uniform. Sweet! I have nothing to complain about the 1972 Topps set (which is itself amazing since I always seem to complain about something no matter how small it may be). I will say this, the 1972 Reds should have won the World Series against the Oakland As! Stupid Gene Tenace! Oh well, guess the Big Red Machine had a few gears loose leading up to their momentous 1975-76 season.

1980 Topps

Just getting back from a week of vacation, so this post is a little late. Back to the 80s, when collecting was in it's heyday and everyone thought that collecting baseball cards, or hoarding more like it, would lead to a world of riches beyond belief. I remember going into a Coins+ shop in Beechmont Mall in the late 80s and seeing the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie cards and being in awe at it's beauty...and price! $50 for a card back then for a teen was serious business and though I wanted that card badly, I settled for a 1974 Dave Winfield rookie instead for $10...what a steal at the time! Anyway, I digress. I love this set even though it does resemble the 1974 Topps set in many ways and you can't go wrong with Bench AND Seaver in this set for the Reds. I guess the only complaint I have about the 1980 Topps set was that I didn't care much for the blue backs since it made reading the stats a little difficult. But hey, nobody's perfect.