An Almost Perfect Card – 2010 Topps Joe Mauer #150
Browsing through a stack of 2010 Topps Baseball cards I came across a card that really stood out to me. The card was the Joe Mauer #150. I sat it aside and continued through the stack but I found myself glancing over at the Mauer and losing interest in the others. Even though I am not a big fan of the 2010 Topps design this card came close to perfection.
I don’t think the 2010 design is horrible but it has too much foil, (a pet peeve of mine) and I just don’t like the shading on the left side. But, the photo of Mauer sliding on his knees to pick up a baseball is really sweet. I love action photos on cards especially defensive action photos like this one. Some might say that they don’t like the card because you can’t see Mauer’s face. That doesn’t matter to me because what I see is a great player giving 110%. My coaches always encouraged me to give 110% and not bring anything back to the locker room. It was a good lesson then and it is still a good lesson today.
I labeled this card “almost perfect”, so what would encourage me to call it “Perfect”? As I mentioned earlier get rid of the foil and the shading on the left for starters. The one thing I wished they had done with this card though, would have been to issue it in a landscape format. If they had done that I would probably have to collect every parallel version of this card.
As disappointed as I am in the foil and shading of the 2010 issue I have to give Topps some credit for using some better photos this year. The Topps base issue often features lackluster photography that I barely even take notice of. This year I have found myself studying more photos on the cards this year and enjoying even average player cards because of the increase in quality photos.
I think this card is going to push me over the edge to completing the set this year. It has been awhile since I built a Topps base set from scratch but I am going to have to put my dislike of the foil and shading aside. Now the only decision I have to make about it is what to do about the Target and Walmart versions. I am leaning on building the set and disregarding which versions make up my set. It might be weird later thumbing through the set and seeing different borders, logos and card stock but I don’t care.
Thanks to the almost perfect card #150 I have made a decision about the 2010 Topps Baseball issue. Now, how many blasters will it take? Maybe I should buy a hobby box, it doesn’t really matter I am just going to enjoy my cardboard.
