Collectors who rip into packs of 2017 Topps Series 2, which officially arrives today, will find a new series of MLB Network personalities.
These 10 cards are a continuation of the 2017 Topps MLB Network set that began in Series 1 and this one includes the hosts of Intentional Talk, Hall of Fame honoree Peter Gammons and even a little ¡PLAKATA! from former big-leaguer Carlos Pena.
Update: Kris Bryant is card No. 1 in the 2017 Topps set as revealed on the show. He was chosen via a collector vote.
“It’s a huge honor to be chosen as Card No. 1 since it has depicted so many legends before me,” Bryant said in a prepared release. “It’s very humbling and nice to know it came from the fans.”
“Kris Bryant is an outstanding player with an infectious personality,” said David Leiner, Topps’ GM & VP of North American Sports & Entertainment. “He’s done so much in his career and has created fans throughout baseball regardless of team loyalties. He’s the perfect pick.”
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Want a first look at the MLB Network baseball cards to be found a week from today in packs of 2017 Topps Series 1?
Watch the Network on Thursday and it should happen — and we’re betting card No. 1 will be unveiled, too.
Although we can see the John Smoltz autograph here, the cardboard news — whatever it is — will come on Network’s Hot Stove morning show tomorrow between 9-11 a.m. Eastern.
Although the MLB Network has its share of Hall of Famers like John Smoltz, “Rookie Cards” for some of the other names who bring you the highlights begin arriving on Feb. 1 in packs of 2017 Topps Series 1 baseball cards.
A 10-card release begins a set that will continue in Series 2 and Update later this year and this series will include Lauren Shehadi (RC), Kevin Millar, Mike Lowell, Greg Amsinger (RC), Ryan Dempster, Sean Casey, Harold Reynolds, Dan Plesac and Smoltz as well as an MLB Tonight card.
A number of that crew’s members already have cards as players (click to view a Buzz archives piece) — but there will be several debuts in the forthcoming releases. Meanwhile, a number of them haven’t had many autographs and all nine found in Series 1 will have ink.
Buzz has spent a lot of the off-season watching MLB Network because there’s plenty going on when it comes to transactions, baseball chatter and there’s always time for documentaries.
And there’s Intentional Talk, too.
But watching a lot of the Network also got Buzz wondering about autographs of many of the people on the air bringing the news to us. Many are former players who have certified autographs that were placed into packs of baseball cards — but there are some who have far fewer cards than others. Who might cost you the most between Billy Ripken, Kevin Millar, Sean Casey and Peter Gammons? It might be surprising — but the first challenge is to just find a signed card from some of them.
It’s surprising that a card company hasn’t attempted some type of card set focusing on the Network (signed or not). An unsigned set would immediately become a favorite of through-the-mail autograph seekers — and probably a good piece of marketing for MLB, too.
Keep reading for a rundown of the MLB Network roster when it comes to certified autos …
BlowoutBuzz.com 