Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Bowman

2011 Bowman
Bowman remains the flagship prospect product in the baseball card world, and the inclusion of Bryce Harper in a Nationals jersey in this year's product has driven a ton of hype for this issue. I am not a prospector at all, but I do love following the Cubs minor leaguers so I typically look forward to Bowman. This year's issue does give us the cardboard debut of a couple of new Cubs in Evan Crawford and Michael Brenly. But neither of these guys are particularly exciting prospects and only having two Cubs in the set is a little bit of a letdown. But I do like the design of the base set cards, and the inserts are decent, especially the 1994 Bowman's Best Throwback set. The Brett Jackson card in this set is easily my favorite card in this issue.

Base Set - 7 Versions - Base, International, Gold, Blue, Green, Orange, Red, 4 colors of printing plates, and 4 colors of International printing plates
#5 Ryan Dempster
#9 Marlon Byrd
#49 Tyler Colvin
#67 Kosuke Fukudome
#98 Starlin Castro
#101 Aramis Ramirez
#161 Alfonso Soriano
#188 Matt Garza


Prospects Base Set - 7 Versions - Base, International, Blue, Green, Purple, Orange, Red, 4 colors of printing plates, and 4 colors of International printing plates
#BP-15 Michael Brenly
#BP-71 Evan Crawford


Bowman's Best Red Veterans and Blue Prospects - 4 Versions - Base, Refractors (#/99), Xfractors (#/25), and Atomic Refractors (1/1)
#BBP-11 Brett Jackson


Bowman's Brightest - No Cubs Included
Buyback & Cut Auto Book Cards - No Cubs Included

Finest Futures
#6 Starlin Castro


Futures Game Triple Relics (#/99)
#BJ Brett Jackson
#HL Hak-Ju Lee


Topps 100 Prospects
#12 Hayden Simpson
#66 Josh Vitters
#92 Brett Jackson


Topps of the Class - No Cubs Included
Manufactured USA Hat Patches (#/25) - No Cubs Included
Manufactured USA Retro Hat Patches (#/25) - No Cubs Included

Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Topps Attax

2011 Topps Attax
This is Topps effort at creating a card based game featuring baseball players. Given that it is kind of a hybrid between traditional baseball cards and playing cards.  The cards themselves have rounded corners, and are printing on a playing card style stock.  I think this is probably because you need to shuffle the cards as part of the game.  I won't be shuffling the ones that go in my collection, but perhaps I will check out how to play the game and see if my son wants to give it a try.  With some extra versions of the cards of course!

Base Set – 2 Versions - Base, Foil Full Parallel Set
#12 Alfonso Soriano
#18 Aramis Ramirez
#40 Carlos Marmol
#41 Carlos Pena
#44 Carlos Zambrano
#89 Geovany Soto
#136 Kosuke Fukudome
#146 Marlon Byrd
#150 Matt Garza
#187 Starlin Castro
#198 Tyler Colvin
#257 Wrigley Field SP


Attax Legends – No Cubs Included

Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Topps Gypsy Queen

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen
This is yet another throwback themed product from Topps which has a heavy focus on miniature insert cards. Blah, blah, blah. Nothing too exciting to see here. I don't love much about this set, but it isn't terrible either. Just a few more new cards to add to the collection.

Base Set - 9 Versions - Base, Green Framed (1st 100 cards only), Bronze Paper Framed (#/999, first 100 cards only), Framed Postage Stamps (#/10), Mini, Mini Black, Mini Red Back, Mini Sepia (#/99), Mini Leather (#/10), 4 colors of full sized printing plates, 4 colors of mini printing plates.
#60 Rogers Hornsby (Swinging)
#78 Ryne Sandberg (Throwing)
#82 Starlin Castro (Pinstripe Jersey)
#112 Carlos Zambrano
#135 Ryan Dempster
#150 Kosuke Fukudome
#161 Aramis Ramirez
#220 Tyler Colvin
#226 Geovany Soto
#247 Matt Garza
#260 Marlon Byrd
#301 Alfonso Soriano SP
#350 Carlos Pena SP


Mini Variations - only the Base Mini and 4 colors of printing plates
#20 Andre Dawson (Cubs, shown as an Expo on his base card)
#60 Rogers Hornsby (Leaning on Knee)
#78 Ryne Sandberg (Swinging)
#82 Starlin Castro (Blue Jersey)


Future Stars - 2 Versions - Base, Minis, 4 colors of printing plates
#9 Starlin Castro


Great Ones - 2 Versions - Base, Minis, 4 colors of printing plates
No Cubs Included

Home Run Heroes - 2 Versions - Base, Minis, 4 colors of printing plates
#16 Andre Dawson


Sticky Fingers - Base Version Only
#4 Starlin Castro


Wall Climbers - Base Version Only
No Cubs Included

Gypsy Queens - 4 Versions - Base, Red Tarot Backs, Jewel Relics, Autos
No Cubs Included

Royal Wedding Jewel Relic - No Cubs Included

Full Sized Relics
#KF Kosuke Fukudome Jersey


Full Sized Autos
#AC Andrew Cashner
#MB Marlon Byrd
#RS Ryne Sandberg


Full Sized Relic Autos - No Cubs Included
Full Sized Dual Relic Autos - No Cubs Included
Full Sized Triple Relic Autos - No Cubs Included
Mini Relics - No Cubs Included

Mini Relic Autos
#EB Ernie Banks Bat #/25


Original Art Patches (1/1)
No Cubs Included