Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Bowman Chrome

2011 Bowman Chrome
Following up on the 110 chrome prospect cards and autos that were included in the 2011 Bowman packs earlier in the year, Topps put out their main Bowman Chrome issue this past week. Other than the new players each year, not much has changed with this product in recent years. The product is driven by the prospect autos and the colored parallels. There are a couple of insert sets this year - a die-cut set that is actually pretty good looking, and a 2001 Bowman Chrome throwback set. But these are just window dressing for the prospects and the chrome itself.

The player selection from a Cubs standpoint is pretty good in this issue, which is a bit unusual among the recent spate of issues. We got Evan Crawford and Michael Brenly earlier in the year on their first Bowman Chrome cards, and the high number prospect set features Trey McNutt, Chris Carpenter, Scott Maine, and Kyle Smit in their first BC appearances. I always love seeing new guys in a set. We also get a card of Brandon Guyer as a Cub, despite the fact he was traded 10 months ago (and appeared with his new team in the low numbers for 2011 Bowman Chrome Prospects five months ago). The regular set also features a relatively robust nine Cubs players in it. Other than the Guyer, there is a lot to like in this issue for Cubs collectors.

The breakdown of Cubs in this issue is below.

Base Set - 8 Versions - Base, Refractors, Blue Refractors (#/150), Gold Refractors (#/50), Orange Refractors (#/25), Red Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Canary Diamond (1/1), plus four 4 colors of printing plates
#7 Marlon Byrd
#38 Tyler Colvin
#76 Ryan Dempster
#84 Starlin Castro
#87 Aramis Ramirez
#143 Alfonso Soriano
#168 Matt Garza
#207 Darwin Barney
#211 Andrew Cashner


Base Set Rookie Autos (Partial Parallel Set) - 5 Versions - Base Autos, Autos Refractors (#/500), Autos Blue Refractors (#/250), Autos Gold Refractors (#/50), Autos Superfractors (1/1), plus four 4 colors of printing plates
No Cubs Included

Prospects Base Set - 10 Versions - Base Set, Refractors (#/799 for low numbers, #/500 for high numbers), Purple Refractors (#/700 for low numbers, #/799 for high numbers), Blue Refractors (#/250 for low numbers, #/150 for high numbers), Gold Refractors (#/50), Orange Refractors (#/25), Red Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Green Xfractors (high numbers only), Canary Diamond (1/1, high numbers only), 4 colors of printing plates
#BCP-15 Michael Brenly
#BCP-71 Evan Crawford
#BCP-168 Brandon Guyer
#BCP-180 Trey McNutt
#BCP-206 Scott Maine
#BCP-207 Kyle Smit
#BCP-212 Chris Carpenter


Prospects Base Set Autos (Partial Parallel Set) - 7 Versions - Base Autos, Autos Refractors (#/500), Autos Blue Refractors (#/150), Autos Gold Refractors (#/50), Autos Orange Refractors (#/25), Autos Red Refractors (#/5), Autos Superfractors (1/1), Autos 4 colors of printing plates
#BCP-168 Brandon Guyer
#BCP-180 Trey McNutt


Bowman's Best Prospects (Green) - 4 Versions - Base, Refractors (#/99), Xfractors (#/25), Atomic Refractors (1/1), plus four colors of printing plates
No Cubs Included

2001 Bowman Chrome Throwbacks - 4 Versions - Base, Refractors (#/99), Xfractors (#/25), Atomic Refractors (1/1)
No Cubs Included

Futures Die-Cuts - 5 Versions - Base, Refractors, Bubble Refractors, Orange Bubble Refractors (#/99), Gold Bubble Refractors (#/25)
#21 Brett Jackson


USA Baseball Junior National Team - 14 Versions - Refractors (Base, #/417), Blue Refractors (#/99), Gold Refractors (#/50), Orange Refractors (#/25), Red Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Xfractors (#/299), 4 colors of printing plates, Autos Refractors (#/417), Autos Blue Refractors (#/99), Autos Gold Refractors (#/50), Autos Orange Refractors (#/25), Autos Red Refractors (#/5), Autos Superfractors (1/1), Autos Xfractors (#/299), Autos 4 colors of printing plates

Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Finest

2011 Finest
Topps changed up the timing of their Finest issue a little bit this year, putting it out late in the year instead of early in the year. They also got rid of the manufactured rookie patches and replaced them with actual game used stuff, which I think most people would consider a positive (although I didn't hate the manufactured letters). Beyond that, it's pretty similar to what this brand has been in the past. That is, heavy on parallels and light on inserts.

As far as the design of the cards go, I kind of like it. It is probably the best design for Finest in several years. And the die-cut parallels #/10 are awesome looking, these might be the best parallels of the year. Unfortunately, the Cubs are only represented by Starlin Castro, Andrew Cashner, and Darwin Barney in the set. That should tell you something about the state of the team at this point.

The breakdown is below!

Base Set - 11 Versions - Base, Refractors (#/549), Green Refractors (#/199), Orange Refractors (#/99), Gold Refractors (#/50), Red Refractors (#/25), Purple Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Xfractors (#/299), Die-Cut Mosaics (#/10), Canary Diamond (1/1), and four colors of printing plates
#33 Starlin Castro
#87 Andrew Cashner
#92 Darwin Barney


Rookie Autos - 9 Versions - Refractors (Base, #/499), Green Refractors (#/199), Orange Refractors (#/99), Gold Refractors (#/59), Red Refractors (#/25), Purple Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Xfractors (#/299), Die-Cut Mosaics (#/10), plus four colors of printing plates
Some of these parallel the base cards, some have different photos
No Cubs included

Rookie Double Relic Autos - 8 Versions - Refractors (Base, #/499), Green Refractors (#/199), Orange Refractors (#/99), Gold Refractors (#/59), Red Refractors (#/25), Purple Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1), Die-Cut Mosaics (#/10), plus four colors of printing plates
Some of these parallel the base cards, some have different photos
#87 Andrew Cashner
#92 Darwin Barney


Rookie Jumbo Patches - 3 Versions - Orange Refractors (Base, #/10) Purple Refractors (#/5), Superfractors (1/1)
Some of these parallel the Double Relic Auto cards and the base set, some have different photos
#87 Andrew Cashner
#92 Darwin Barney


Finest Foundations - 3 Versions - Base, Orange Refractors (#/99), Purple Refractors (#/5)
No Cubs Included

Finest Freshmen - 3 Versions - Base, Orange Refractors (#/99), Purple Refractors (#/5)
#13 Andrew Cashner


Finest Moments - 7 Versions - Base, Orange Refractors (#/99), Purple Refractors (#/5), Relic Autos (Vaied Numbering), Relic Autos Orange Refractors (#/99), Relic Autos Purple Refractors (#/5), Relic Autos Superfractors (1/1)
No Cubs Included

Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Leaf Metal Draft

2011 Leaf Metal Draft
It appears that Leaf is going to give it another go in the baseball prospect market (after their previous attempt when they were known as Razor back in 2008). Leaf Metal Draft recently released and they have another product called Leaf Valiant coming out next month. This issue features all Chrome cards, and all are autographed (there are no 'base' cards).

The design of these cards is not terrific, it's sort of bland in my opinion. But the cards are printed using Chrome technology and the physical feel and look of the cards is excellent (I do love Chrome!). As far as player selection goes, we get our first card of the Cubs #1 draft pick from 2011, Javier Baez, in this issue. We also get cards of Hak Ju Lee, and even though there are no logos on the cards or team affiliations listed, I think it is fair to say they he is depicted as a Cub. That's it for the Cubs here though, which is pretty sparse for a 100 card set. That brings the grade down a little bit from my point of view, but overall this is still a good enough addition to the yearly card lineup that I hope it makes it back next year.

Base Set - 8 Versions (All are Autos) - Base, Prismatic (#/99), Prismatic Blue (#/25), Prismatic Purple (#/25, inserted in 2011 Rookie Retro), Prismatic Red (#/5), Prismatic Gold (1/1), Player Issue (Non Auto), Gold Non Auto (#/200), plus four colors of printing plates
#HL1 Hak-Ju Lee
#JB2 Javier Baez


Ichiro Suzuki Autographed Patch Cards (#/99) - No Cubs Included

Cubs Breakdown - 2011 Topps Update

2011 Topps Update
I think Topps Update is typically one of the best issues of the year based on the fact that it usually includes a lot of cards of players who don't have a lot of Cubs cards. That's because the set focuses on players who joined the team just this season. And this year's set is no exception in that it includes several lesser known players and fringe rookies for the Cubs. So in that regard, I am pretty happy with it.

The insert sets are mostly just continuations of the insert sets we saw in Series 1 & 2. Nothing to complain about there since this year's insert offerings were pretty strong. Topps also included extra Diamond Anniversary parallels of all of the cards from Series 1 & 2 in the Cognac Diamond and Hope Diamond (#/60) parallels. This is a nice addition to the packs, although I doubt I will be picking up any of the cards from these two sets. The now standard All Star Stitches workout jersey relics are also included and this year's design looks pretty good in my opinion.

I do have a couple of disappointments with the set. First and foremost, I am disappointed that we still haven't seen a card of Mike Quade. I know a lot of Cubs fans have a negative opinion of Quade. I don't share that negative opinion of him, but even if I did, I would still want to see a card of him.

Another thing that I am disappointed to see, and this is a real pet peeve of mine, is that Topps changed the format of the Target and Walmart parallel cards from what they were in Series 1 & 2. In Update, Target parallels are Red Bordered and Walmart parallels are Light Blue Bordered (similar color to the Topps Opening Day Parallels). By themselves, these parallels are reasonably good looking and I have no problem with a change. But I absolutely hate when card companies change something from one series to another within a set. And this change hits especially hard since I like the old Target grey back parallels and probably would have put together a set of them for Series 1, 2, and Update. But since I can't get all of the cards in that format, I will be abandoning that plan. How hard would it have been to wait until 2012 Series 1 to do this and keep the continuity between the series in 2011?

And one last thing that bothers me here. What's up with the Doug Davis Silk card? He has no regular card in any of the Topps Series from this year. Having him in the silk set just makes no sense. What a weird card.

The breakdown of the Cubs in this issue is below. I will also be updating the 2011 Topps Base Issue breakdown post to reflect the cards from this issue which are part of insert sets from Series 1 & 2.

Base Set - 12 Versions - Base, Target Red Border, Walmart Blue Border, Diamond Anniversary, Cognac Diamond Anniversary, Hope Diamond Anniversary (#/60), Canary Gold Diamond Anniversary (1/1), Gold (#/2011), Black (#/60), Platinum (1/1), Diamond Collection w/real embedded diamond (1/1), Silk (Partial Parallel #/50), plus 4 colors of printing plates
#13 Koyie Hill
#16 Welington Castillo
#57 Tony Campana
#90 James Russell
#115 Kerry Wood - Silk #225
#157 Reed Johnson - Silk #254
#205 D.J. LeMahieu
#249 Starlin Castro (All Star Game)
#291 Andre Dawson SP
#307 Casey Coleman
#315 Carlos Pena - Silk #207


Doug Davis Silk Parallel #241 - he has no regular cards in any of the Topps Series this year


Topps 60
Fergie Jenkins has a card in this set that shows him as a Ranger
#105 Rogers Hornsby
#123 Andre Dawson


Topps 60 Autos
#AC Andrew Cashner


Topps Next 60 Autos
#SC Starlin Castro


All Star Stitches Workout Jerseys - 6 Versions - Base, Diamond Anniversary (#/60), Canary Diamond Anniversary (1/1), Auto (#/25), Jumbo Patch (#/6), Jumbo Patch Auto (#/6)
Not all players have all versions
#51 Starlin Castro - Has Base, Platinum, and Jumbo Patch Auto versions


All Star Stitches Dual Jersey (#/25) - No Cubs Included
All Star Stitches Triple Jersey (#/25)
#3 Starlin Castro, Troy Tulowitzki, and Asdrubal Cabrera


Commemorative Patches
#FJ Fergie Jenkins
#RS Ryne Sandberg


Diamond Duos - 2 Versions - Base & Dual Relic (#/50)
Not all cards have the Dual Relic parallel
#7 Starlin Castro & Darwin Barney (has Dual Relic parallel)


Diamond Giveaway Code Cards - No Cubs Included

Kimball Champions
#138 Rogers Hornsby
#141 Andre Dawson


Leather Nameplates - 3 Versions - Brown Leather (Base), Black Leather (#/99), Brown Leather Nicknames (1/1)
Andre Dawson has a card in this set that shows him as an Expo (he has a Cubs version from Series 2)
Fergie Jenkins has a card in this set that shows him as a Ranger (he has a Cubs version from Series 2)
#RH Rogers Hornsby


Mickey Mantle 1966 Reprint Relic - No Cubs Included
Sketches (All 1/1s) - No Cubs Included

Topps Town
#14 Matt Garza
#28 Alfonso Soriano