Retro products-Are you over them?

[robert67]

I have to say I am. I would like to see more creativity and better action photos and designs instead of another edition of Heritage, GQ, A & G etc.

Any thoughts?

 

[BBCgalaxee]

Absolutely
Positively
No doubt
No question


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[olerud363]

I think Topps should have stuck with just Heritage as the annual retro product, as maybe one of GQ or A&G.

Archives is unnecessary in my opinion, and the Fan Favorites Autographs inserts could probably have been added as an insert to base Topps instead of the multitude of parallels. We don't need retail outlet specific color parallels for Target, Walmart, etc; but Fan Favorites gives collectors autos of past players who aren't hobby superstars but still might have a following.

 

[rsmath]

archives is the only retro product I can stand. I only get GQ or AG autos or relics as singles if it's a subject that interests me.

 

[DaClyde]

I'm so tired of seeing retired players in 20 new sets every year! I don't mind the retro stuff so much as the constant barrage of retired players in what SHOULD be normal base sets. Unless some record or special event has occurred, players like Musial and Maris should not have new cards in the Topps base set. Maybe if they would at least impose some sort of limit so no retired player could be used two years in a row or something. I'm just sick of chasing 50-150 new Winfield cards every year. He's not playing anymore, please stop making player cards of him!

 

[BenG76]

I'm so tired of seeing retired players in 20 new sets every year! I don't mind the retro stuff so much as the constant barrage of retired players in what SHOULD be normal base sets. Unless some record or special event has occurred, players like Musial and Maris should not have new cards in the Topps base set. Maybe if they would at least impose some sort of limit so no retired player could be used two years in a row or something. I'm just sick of chasing 50-150 new Winfield cards every year. He's not playing anymore, please stop making player cards of him!

I feel pretty much the same way about this. They could make cards of some of the guys that are actually playing now instead.

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[Mighty Bombjack]

I'm so tired of seeing retired players in 20 new sets every year! I don't mind the retro stuff so much as the constant barrage of retired players in what SHOULD be normal base sets. Unless some record or special event has occurred, players like Musial and Maris should not have new cards in the Topps base set. Maybe if they would at least impose some sort of limit so no retired player could be used two years in a row or something. I'm just sick of chasing 50-150 new Winfield cards every year. He's not playing anymore, please stop making player cards of him!

I disagree, but only because I want MLB to let Topps make some retired-only products. Get those Winfield cards out of base Topps and put them into high end sets akin to the early 2000 Tribute stuff.

 

[DaClyde]

I disagree, but only because I want MLB to let Topps make some retired-only products. Get those Winfield cards out of base Topps and put them into high end sets akin to the early 2000 Tribute stuff.

I'm fine with that, I just don't see the need for new Winfield cards every year. So he has cards in 2015 Fan Favorites or Tribute, then he should not have ANY Topps cards in 2016. But that doesn't mean Topps should give him twice as many cards in 2017. I don't mind them filling a void, but I do mind them just piling on.

I really don't understand why MLB has so many arbitrary rules about what Topps has to produce. Seems absurd to demand that retired players have cards in the base set, or that Topps can't produce a 100% retired player set. But then, the MLB or MLBPA should have no say in what constitutes a rookie card, either.

 

[gt2590]

I've always thought that Heritage should go on every year, til they catch up to '85, then quit. 2034ish.

But more importantly, I believe they should do a rotation of A&G, GQ and Archives where only one of them comes out every year and then only 1 every 3 years for each set.

 

[Will Style 13]

I wouldn't mind Topps making these retro themed sets if they would use previously unused photos. It seems like it's always the same photos sometimes just cropped differently.

 

[predatorkj]

I like them so I'd say no. Archives is cool but unnecessary IMO. I do like the retired player autos but few of them are guys I even collect. This is why I love Panini, specifically their basketball products. They put autos out of guys who are collectible but don't have much out there. And the kicker...it's not just in high end products or just one product, thus making the autos more affordable. I have been buying basketball stuff up lately because quite frankly I enjoy picking up HOF'er autos, even of guys who don't historically sign very much, for less than current baseball players. Either baseball is just overpriced or too many people collect it. But when I'm having to fork out $15 to $20 for every single auto, even when the guy is just a semi star or somewhat decent and nowhere near ever being in the HOF, it's not fun.

I say that to say this...these retro sets are about the only thing I really enjoy that is put out yearly. Aside from the base topps set and some of the inserts and whatever Bagwell's they put out, I don't buy anything new. You lose your rear end on ripping wax and for what? An auto or patch of a guy with 10,000 autos and patches already out there? The retro sets are at least good eye candy.

 

[nkdbacks]

I tend to agree with the majority, not so much the retro theme but the inclusion of retired players in so many sets. Besides Goldschmidt (and Owings of course), the guy with the most D-back cards this year and last is probably Luis Gonzalez. Listen, I love me some Gonzo, but should he really be one of the highest produced players when he hasn't played a game in like 8 years? I'd rather see one or two sets focusing on those types of players and more sets featuring current players who don't get a lot made but are still probably collectable.

 

[jszczech]

I still like heritage and Ginter but I could do without gypsy queen and all the retro inserts they put into base topps.

 

[gt2590]

Since UD never made their Retro baseball with the old Fleer 90s styles, mostly Ultra, maybe somebody can figure out how to do it for them...

 

[smapdi]

Heritage is kind of in a class by itself, as it's really got a coherent year-by-year theme. For everything else, it depends on the set, or specifically the design. I really like this year's GQ, except the photos are too grainy, and I really like the retail white paper frames. But that's the first one I liked since 2011. A&G varies, but I haven't been excited about the base set since 2006. The other things they try, it just depends. If they have a one-and-done set with a really strong aethetic, great. If they force it every year, it's frequently very meh.

I do agree having retired guys mixed in with active players so frequently is kind of off-putting. The SPs they've had in base Topps with HOFers as alternate cards for active guys is kind of neat, a fun chase. But to just randomly have 20 or 30 guys, and it's always the same guys, mixed in with current players is not so much fun. And I realize OG A&G was a set with a wide variety of subjects, but I don't really enjoy the dogsledders and air guitar champions and such.

Bottom line: making a retro set isn't exciting anymore. No matter what you call it, come up with a design I like, and I'm interested.

 

[TNP777]

Heritage should stay for sure. I still like the idea of current players on sets from back in the day.

A & G and Gypsy Queen should go. Like Turkey Red, it was a fantastic idea for the first year at least, but then coming up with new versions, year after year, of sets that had no subsequent versions... I'm done.

I'm still a fan of Archives/Fan Favorites. Having a chance to see new photos of my player in a set he has previously been in definitely gets two thumbs up from me. Shoot, barring being hired as a manager, it'll be the only way I'll ever see new Butler cards.

 

[Hawk8]

I still like retro sets and I still want Dawson in almost every set

 

[David T.]

I don't care a lot for them but have always been a fan of choices.
Don't like them, don't buy them.
Personally I'm sick of all the mini cards.
Yea, I know they're retro too, but I still hate them.
David

 

[JoshHamilton]

They're overdoing the same sets. I get that Heritage and AG are here to stay. Fine.

But why GQ? Why not SF Hess, Four Base Hots, Old Judge, Kimball, Buchner, Ramly, etc?

I wish they'd rotate a new set every year. They have plenty of sets to choose from

 

[gpenko826]

Since UD never made their Retro baseball with the old Fleer 90s styles, mostly Ultra, maybe somebody can figure out how to do it for them...

Agreed. I was so mad when they cancelled this one - 1992 Fleer Ultra remains one of my all time favorite designs and it would have been awesome to see that... Throw in some 1993 Ultra, 1996 Fleer, and some Flair designs and you got yourself a stew!