OK I hate the Short Prints but 2026 Topps Heritage (1977) is the best Heritage set of All-Time (for me)

 Well they finally Topps did it or almost did it - But -  Topps finally put out a set that makes me feel like I was collecting cards as a 12-year old. 

The funny thing I was 12-years old when I was collecting the 1977 set. 

This time is the first time my mind can match what I was collecting back in 1977 and get the same feeling when I look at Heritage.

There are some imperfections - the short prints, a tad to many slightly in action cards, but darn they look good. 

Always love the Blue Jay cards from the 1977 - there was no photo like Vlad Guerrero (46), but dam Topps hit it with that card - the Blue Jay logo visible on his helmet, the Blue Jay team name at the top and A+ All Star Banner

These All Star Banners may top the All Star logos from 2024 (1975) and 2025 (1976).

They caught a couple of Orioles (48,49) wearing those Orange Uniforms like they did in 1976.

OK the Rays cards look a little out of place.

When I saw Devers (62), a 1977 Bill Madlock Giants card popped in my head. Yes, Topps finally did it (or as close as they will ever come with me) - they brought back that feeling.

The first packs I ever bought was as a 7 year old in 1972. 1972 my favorite set of all time but Heritage (2021) did nothing for me along those lines. I look at it (2021 Heritage and don't see 1972 Topps) and get no feeling (almost like falling out of love). I bought packs in/of 1973, 1974 but for some reason they sets did not hold the same feeling at the 72ers. Then 1975 Topps happened (2024 Heritage a slight disappointment) and like Wow. I really liked 1976 (2025 Heritage started to give me the feeling) and loved 1977 set a little bit more.

I think this has something to do with my age at the time of collecting because last years Heritage (1976 - when I was 11 years old collecting) - started to give me that feeling.

With this years set finally coincided with my past - Looking at Willson Contreras (156) and I feel 1977 Lou Brocks card. It is an incredible feeling.

I realize this has something to do with my age at the time - 12 years old at the time - Maybe at age 12 Nostalgia really kicks in for Baseball Cards. But I think it also has to do with the 1977 design which has that simple 70s feel.

Now I am wondering if I might try to collect the upcoming Heritage sets (if they happen) but I could not see anyway I would collect 2031 Heritage (1982 Topps - Not with that Hockey stick design)

 

Topps screwed us again - They have Short printed 100 of the 400 2026 (1977) Heritage cards

 That is the first reports I am hearing/seeing

When I saw basically all the stars in the initial checklist of 400 (and no short prints listed)- I thought this might be the year I buy some boxes and put together the set. 

Well it appears that Topps has short printed cards throughout the 400 card checklist. They did this more than 10 years ago but the checklist were 500 cards. So no one saw this coming until......

Until collectors starting opening the packs and started getting 2 cards of the same player in a pack. A comment on Becket revealed some one bought 2 boxes and got 33% of the set.

It appears there are only 8 short print cards per box (better than the 25 cards they short printed in 2025 Heritage update - I dont want to pay $50 for a Nick Kurtz rookie).

To complete the 400 card set - you might have to buy 20 boxes. 

Growing up as a kid in the 1970s - the 1977 and 1979 set may have been the last 2 sets to give me that nostalgia feeling.  Really like the 1983 set but I was in college and that was the beginning of Baseball cards were about the Rookies. 

If this will be what Heritage is for now on - Good bye Heritage - the Nostalgia is over.

The Baseball Hall of Fame is BROKEN

 Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones, and Carlos Beltran were fine players. They were very good players But truly when they were active did anyone think they were watching a Hall of Famer. I doubt it.

I thought Dick Allen and Dave Parker were borderline choices last year. They won MVP and seemed to be the best players in the league for about a year or two.

Harold Baines got in. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio (ok he got 3000 hits) were borderline. 

The problem with the hall of fame began years ago when they put all of those players in from the 1920s and 1930s who did not really deserve it - but when the 1960s and 1970s were happening those batting averages from those players in the 20s and 30s, made them look like gods. Of course the NL hit .300 in 1930.

Who is not in

Joe Jackson - 2nd highest batting average all time

Pete Rose - All time hit King

Barry Bonds - let me see Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron steal 500 bases.

Roger Clemens - 7 Cy Youngs

A-Rod - are you kidding me there is not a pill that can make you hit

Manny Rameriz - He was baseball for 10 years - Dominate

Mark McGuire - When you saw him play - he was greatness

Rafael Palmerio - To me he was borderline and like some of the players from the 1920s and 1930s who had inflated stats but he probably should be in. 

T J Watt has been the most valuable defensive player since he entered the league

 The Steelers have won 60 games and lost 24 games with 2 ties if TJ Watt gets a sack or interception

When he does not get a sack, interception or does not play the Steelers record is 26 wins and 30 losses.

That is a winning percentage of .703 vs. .464

2025-26 Topps Basketball is being release .........without Luka Doncic in the set

 It sort of ruins the wait and anticipation for this set. This set is missing one of the Top players in the world,  It would be like having a set without Ohtani, Mahomes, or McDavid in it.

How was Topps not being able to acquire his rights to publish his card.

Topps is reusing the 2025 baseball design which I  really did not like but I have seen samples of a few NBA cards and for some reason the design seems to work better with the NBA than MLB

HITLESS WONDERS - The National League has one .300 hitter (Trea Turner) matching the American League in 1968

 There is something seriously wrong with baseball now.

Trea Turner is the only .300 hitter in the National League which would match the American League in 1968 (Yaz).

Baseball has become Softball to an extent. This year produce 4 - 50 home run players - which ties 1998 and 2001 for the most ever.

In 1968 Gibson had an era of 1.12 and Denny McClain won 31 games.  Nothing happened close to that this year. Pitchers hit in both leagues in 1968 - not in 2025.

How to get the batting average up - decrease the foul area, put seats in there with nets. You would have nets but the fans would be closer to the action more than ever. Make it harder to home runs. Move back the fences, make the wall higher. 

Baseball has been trying a number of rules to change the offense in this game and it does not seem to be working.

A larger problem looms a lockout by the owners at the end of 2026. It is salary cap or bust by the owners. I am cutting back on my card buying now. 

HITS - The Major League leader will have the least amount of Hits since 1891 ( - in a non Strike, Covid, WW1 year)

 The major league hits leader will be  maybe Bobby Witt Jr or Luis Arreaz and they will likely finish with 185 or less hits. That will be the lowest since Billy Hamilton 179 in 1891 when the most games a team played was 140 games.

The leader this year will be below every leader during the 154 game era. In 1918 the season stopped at the beginning of September because of WW1 and most teams did not play 130 games. George Case had 178 hits

WE ARE NOW LIVING IN THE ERA OF 

THE HITLESS WONDERS