World Series is where new names can spike hard on cards — and Enrique Hernandez was a preview

We got a preview of the possibilities of the postseason last week when Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder/utility player Enrique Hernandez smacked three home runs in Game 5 of the NLCS.

His few baseball cards suddenly had a lot more interest and that’s something that David Freese, Andruw Jones, David Eckstein and many others can relate to. The postseason and the World Series is where new stars are born, especially on cardboard.

Hernandez played his first MLB game in 2014 — and was drafted five years before that, ironically by the Houston Astros, who he’ll face in the World Series beginning tonight — and through all that time he’d barely appeared on 100 different baseball cards, got just one Rookie Card and one certified autograph before a rainbow of Topps Now cards arrived last Friday.

Hot MLB season helps Topps Now reach one million cards sold

The Judge helped sell plenty of cardboard this summer and Topps knows it.

One way? Topps Now.

Aaron Judge‘s recently released card for his record-breaking 50th home run of the year set a single-card record of 16,138 copies sold, but Topps also has crossed the one-million mark for cards sold, according to a company statement on Tuesday.

“Topps Now has been a truly innovative program that Topps was thrilled to bring to sports fans and collectors first,” said David Leiner, GM & VP North American Sports & Entertainment at Topps. “The program resonated with baseball fans because it helped bring them closer to a sport they are truly passionate about. Whether it’s a walk-off win, an amazing home run-robbing catch or a great milestone, fans know they can count on Topps Now to capture those moments almost immediately.”

Aaron Judge’s colorful Home Run Derby socks make way into new Topps Now memorabilia cards

If you’ve noticed those colorful socks used recently in MLB, well, now they have a new home.

Topps Now Relic cards.

Aaron Judge and his All-Star Home Run Derby title captured all the attention Monday night in Miami and today there’s the cardboard to show it.

Gallery: 2017 Topps Now baseball cards (updates daily)

After team set previews and spring training highlights, a new season of Topps Now baseball cards is finally here.

It’s the second year of real-time baseball cards on Topps‘ print-to-order program and this new season arrives with five cards, including Madison Bumgarner‘s two-homer day.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Feb. 28)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: The wait for 2017 Topps Heritage is nearly over, big breaks, big questions and more hobby discussions.