I've done this list for the past three years (If you're interested - 2019, 2020, 2021). One thing I could always count on was a few great cards from Stadium Club. When this year's set got postponed a few times, I started to worry. Was Stadium Club going to follow in the footsteps of Big League and not release until the following calendar year? Fortunately, Stadium Club did release in the nick of time, and thanks to the TCDB, I was able to see what all the base cards looked like. Did any crack the Top 10? Find out below:
10. 2022 Topps Heritage - 1973 Topps Comics
#73TC-17 Rafael Devers
Like a lot of kids, I grew up reading comics in the daily newspaper. The Sunday Comics were instantly grabbed and poured over. The whimsy of those days is reflected in Heritage's recreation of the 1973 Topps Comic inserts. These cards are just plain fun!
9. 2022 Topps Archives
#313 Vazquez Leads Red Sox (BS)
The way things are going, this may be the last Red Sox postseason highlight card produced for awhile. I love the look of elation on Christian's face, and the card is well-framed with the perfect background of equally-elated fans.
8. 2022 Topps Now
#587 David Ortiz
A Hall of Famer holding his plaque will always be a cool photo for a card. Big Papi looks sharp holding his.
7. 2022 Stadium Club
#196 Wade Boggs
Topps has used this image before, but it reaches it's potential by getting the full-bleed Stadium Club quality treatment. I feel sorry for the chicken he picked out...
6. 2022 Topps Update
#US44 Ted Williams (SP, VAR)
I don't know why Topps enjoys showing Ted Williams with cars, but this is the best one yet with Williams waving from behind the steering wheel.
5. 2022 Stadium Club
#151 David Ortiz
It's amazing that next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings. Ortiz lifted a whole city with some casual swearing. The flag backdrop makes this card really stand out!
4. 2022 Topps
#398 Jackie Bradley Jr.
JBJ was known as Superman in some Red Sox circles. The guy could get airborne like no other, especially when catching a ball. Dude could fly trying to score too!
3. 2022 Choice Worchester Red Sox
#06 Triston Casas
99.9% of the time, minor league cards don't even register when it comes time to create a list like this. I usually don't even waste my time with them. However, this card is fantastic. I'll argue it's one of the best bat-flip cards ever put on cardstock. Taken from a great angle, it captures the bat in the air perfectly, with Casas and the catcher looking off to the side watching the ball travel. I love this card, and I'm looking forward to seeing Casas do this on the Major League level.
2. 2022 Topps Heritage
#213 Christain Vazquez
Vazquez makes his 2nd appearance on the list with this beautiful horizontal offering from Heritage. Action scenes like this are why horizontal cards exist.
1. 2022 Topps
#90 Enrique Hernandez
For the second year in a row, Kiki takes the top spot! I've already blogged about how he has been kissed by the cardboard gods, and this card is just the latest proof of that. Hernandez's athletic contortions really pop off the card against the simple but unmistakable backdrop of the Fenway Park.
So there you have it! Do you agree with my rankings? Any cards that I might have missed?
I was just saying somwhere else, SC should do a card of the Boggs Drinking challenge. The one Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia made an episode about.
ReplyDeleteWell there is a hangover Boggs card. 1994 UD Collector’s Choice #380
DeleteI just looked it up. Looks like Boggs could barf all over 3B? The back he has sunglasses on at bat...that's probably not good...
DeleteThat Kiki is sweet... and Topps sure does hook him up with great action shots. Your list is rock solid. One Sox card I really like that didn't make your list is the Archives Postcard of Devers, but that is one of my favorite sets of 2022.
ReplyDeleteThe postcard was one of the last cuts I made! It's a great card, no doubt!
DeleteI was just looking through my new 2022 set and noting the Hernandez card, yup they sure do treat him right.
ReplyDeletegreat photos in there for certain
ReplyDeleteLove the Papi plaque card and the speech card of course. Casas was a great addition, the floating bat looks like an exclamation!
ReplyDeleteIs it me or has Topps made more than a couple photo variations with Ted Williams driving classic cars? Was he a big car guy?
Also the Vasquez 'scoops' Highlight is a neat one. I'm still bitter about that series because it really felt like they had Houston on the ropes. Looking more and more like that was their "Last Dance" moment. :/
None of these cards are any good, because they're Red Sox! Just kidding, lots of great photos here. Got my time travel cards today. Thanks and happy new year!
ReplyDelete#3 is my favorite.
ReplyDelete