First Impressions: 2021 Topps Big League

I was lucky enough to find some of last/this year's Big League product. Was it worth the wait?

 

#216 Adonis Medina (RC)

 

Unlike my streak with Topps base, the first card is NOT a Dodger! But it is another rookie I never heard of. Cool name though.
 

#208 Marcell Ozuna

#62 Brandon Woodruff

#78 Cavan Biggio

#169 Dansby Swanson

#210 Jazz Chisholm (RC) 

#84 Corey Kluber

#153 Ketel Marte

#167 Jesus Aguilar

#243 Bryan Reynolds

#274 Jose Abreu (AW)

 

One of the things I like about Big League is that it'll honor the previous year's award winners. I wish the photo showed the player receiving the award instead of a generic batting shot.

#192 Ryan Mountcastle (RC)

#227 Bo Bichette

#61 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#205 Pavin Smith (RC)

I'm going to use the University of Virginia alum to talk about the design. It's OK, but a bit of a letdown compared to what we've come to expect from Big League. The border has hints of '82 Topps, and I kept thinking of '86-'87 Topps hockey as well. Not bad, but not..fun. Big League is supposed to be fun, and even in the photos, I'm not getting that feel.

#135 Braxton Garrett (RC)

#190 Leody Taveras (RC)

#175 Dylan Bundy

#154 Tony Gonsolin

Gonsolin had the best "Did You Know?" of the pack, so he gets the honor of being the showpiece for my thoughts on the back. Colored borders are good, and the Did You Know is still fun (Don't get rid of that Topps!). Other than that, it's your typical card back.

#124 Tyler Glasnow

#58 Xander Bogaerts

Yay! I pulled a Red Sox card! Hopefully, he won't be playing for a new team by the time 2022 Topps Big League gets released!

#271 Devin Williams (AW)

#191 Cody Bellinger

#299 Kyle Lewis (HL)

#120 Elvis Andrus

#174 Luis Patino (RC)

#142 Sixto Sanchez (RC)

#156 Mike Clevinger

#79 Sonny Gray

#85 Ha-Seong Kim (RC)

#SO-18 Christian Yelich

 

On to the inserts! The Souvenirs insert is fine.  The tag feels like a misstep because home run balls caught as souvenirs are free to the lucky person who caught one. Do you know what would be a good Souvenirs insert idea? Pictures of ballplayers giving kids balls at games. You know, since it's a set designed for kids and all...

#WT-8 Luis Roberts

I like the Wanted Poster concept and execution. Granted, it would have looked weird on the front, but a picture on the back showing the actual play seems like it would have made this better.

#DW-1 Mookie Betts

 

I am here for this insert set! Any card that looks like my middle school Trapper Keeper (TM) gets a thumbs up from me!

#158 Adalberto Mondesi

The pack came with 3 orange parallels. I'm sure I've said this before, but I'm not a fan of orange parallels. Look at this card. Blue and white uniform, yellowish/gold design element, and an orange border. It's doesn't look good!

#39 Tim Anderson (orange parallel)

#191 Cody Bellinger (orange parallel)

 

I don't know. Maybe because we had to wait so long that our hopes and expectations got too high, but this seems like a rather lackluster set. From what I've seen on other blogs, it really misses that element of fun that Big Leagues did so well. Maybe this/next year's set will be better.