2008 Bowman

Set Size: 220 cards

Design Notes: A television-style red border surrounds the veterans, while a green border is used for rookies. The player's name, team, and position are printed at the bottom, and a facsimile autograph is placed in a semi-opaque box at the bottom of the photo. The backs contain a scouting report ("Briefing" for veterans) plus some statistics.

Parallels and Similars: Red, blue, gold, and orange parallels were inserted into packs, and the design was also used for the Bowman Chrome and Bowman Draft Picks & Prospects sets. Additionally, a Prospects set for each of these releases uses the same design with white borders. Flagship Bowman cards are identifiable by the card number having no prefix, and the front logo being just "Bowman" instead of "Bowman Chrome".

Distribution: Cards were sold in hobby (jumbo and regular) and retail (various pack types) configurations. Due to the inclusion of Prospects and Chrome Prospects cards in the Bowman flagship release, only a percentage of the cards in each pack were from this set.

Thoughts: I'm glad to have John Smoltz as my type card for this set, as he is one of my favorite pitchers. The design is similar to all of Bowman's designs for at least the past 12 years, and none of them stand out as good. I've come to dislike black borders, too, due to my scanner auto-cropping the cards. It isn't ugly (I don't like the row of dots above the team name) but it's one of Bowman's weaker designs.

2008 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects

Set Size: 55 cards

Design Notes: A green "shiny" border circles the card. The player's name, team, and position are beneath the photo and a semi-opaque white rectangle at the bottom of the photo frames a facsimile signature. Backs use the same basic design, reminiscent of a modern television screen. A detailed scouting report and some statistics fill the majority of the card.

Parallels and Similars: A prospects set contains players who had not yet played in the major leagues. Multiple colored parallels of this set and the prospects set, plus chrome and multiple refractor versions were issued. Additionally, this design was also used for the regular Bowman/Bowman Chrome release. This set is identified by the green border and the card number prefix: BDP. Prospects have the prefix BDPP.

Distribution: Hobby boxes contained 24 packs of 7 cards each. Two of the seven cards were from this set, two were Bowman Chrome cards, two were prospect cards, and the final card was one of the parallels.

Thoughts: Ever since Bowman has been using the same basic design and color scheme I've had no interest in the set. The use of the same design over three releases with complicated naming/numbering schemes make the releases difficult to distinguish. With similar designs from year to year, no one year stands out over others.  Of course, Bowman is a prospecting release and most purchasers are interested in the latest rookies.

2008 Donruss Elite Extra Edition

Set Size: 100 cards in the short set, plus 75 autographed rookies

Design Notes: The cards use a lot of black in the background on these foilboard cards.White squares surround the player's photo; the player's name is at the bottom. Backs have a tinted headshot of the front photo, vitals, some statistics and a write-up.

Parallels and Similars: There are three die-cut parallels for the short set and additional parallels for the autographed cards.

Distribution: Cards were sold in 5-card packs, with 20 packs per box.

Thoughts: Elite Extra Edition is a prospecting set, and the design is pretty boring. The biggest name in the set is Buster Posey, and I'd like to have a Posey autograph, but it doesn't have to be from this set. I'd rather have a more attractive card.

2008 SP Authentic

Set Size: 100 cards

Design Notes: This design uses a lot of white card-space behind the player's photo; foil printing on the left side of the card has the player's name, team, and position in addition to the SP Authentic logo. An abstract combination of foggy/blurry haze in black and team colors plus geometric white lines cuts across the upper-middle portion of the card in the background. Backs carry over the geometric/foggy design at the top, where the player's name, vitals, and a headshot are located. A short highlight biography follows, and statistics are in the bottom half of the card.

Parallels and Similars: A gold parallel was randomly inserted into packs.

Distribution: 24 packs per box, with five cards per pack. One of those five cards is usually some form of insert.

Thoughts: Travis Hafner used to be one of my favorite players. I had him on my team back in 2003 and he did pretty well for me, and he was a pretty good ballplayer for a few years after that, but injuries have been plaguing him for the last five years.

The card design is mildly attractive, though in traditional Upper Deck fashion it's forgettable. The SP line is about autographs and hits, so I get the feeling that very little time was spent on creating the base cards. But then, perhaps some card designer from Upper Deck will read this blog post and see that comment and get upset because he spent a week making sure all the angles were pleasing and the blurriness/fogginess was just right to be indistinguishable but still noticed as being objects.

2008 SP Legendary Cuts

Set Size: 200 cards (100 in the short set, 100 SP rookies)

Design Notes: A horizontal card with a greyish background, the player's name is at the bottom along with his team. A black-and-white action photo is paired with a color head shot. The backs use the same basic design as the front, carrying over the position at the top of the card as well as the headshot. A short writeup and career statistics are included.

Parallels and Similars: Only one parallel set was issued, the 1-of-1 serial-numbered Memorable Moments.

Distribution: Each box had 12 packs of four cards, though four packs held memorabilia cards and six packs included a Yankee Stadium Legacy card, plus there was a chance for autograph cards. Building a short set would take at least three boxes.

Thoughts: I like the design of this set. It's got a lot going on but it's not too busy, and it's not as "clean" as most Upper Deck releases, fitting in with the historical vibe the set was hoping for.

2008 Stadium Club

Set Size: 184 cards (50 SPs and 35 autographs)

Design Notes: In traditional Stadium Club manner, the fronts contain full-bleed photos. Team colors are used at the bottom where the player's name, team, and position appear in a horizontal banner. Backs are vertical with biographical information, statistics, and a highlight paragraph.

Parallels and Similars: Photographers Proofs in blue, gold, and platinum were issued for all of the cards except for the autographed rookies (variations exist for the short prints in Proof version). The short printed cards all have photo variations where the photo on the front does not match the photo on the back. First Day Issue parallels were issued on regular stock (retail) and/or foam stock (hobby). Additionally, printing plates are available for all cards.

Distribution: Card #1-100, divisible by three (3, 6, 9, 12, ..., 99) are serial numbered to 999.

Thoughts: Stadium Club had disappeared for five years before it came back in 2008. Unfortunately, it is one of the most-confusing releases ever, with short prints, divide-by-three short prints, variations, autographed base cards, and some strange way of determining two different types of the same parallel set. The hobby boxes, with one autograph per pack, cost over $200 each. While the base set photography is pretty solid, the cost and confusion turned collectors off pretty quick. I miss Stadium Club, but Topps should bring it back with a more traditional pack format.

I am trying to build a franken-set of this issue, using the retail First Day Issue cards in place of the #/999 divisible-by-three base cards in many cases. If you have anything on my want list (near the bottom of this page), I'd love to work out a trade. Know that I am currently living in Japan and don't have a lot of options when it comes to trade bait...

2008 Sweet Spot

Set Size: 100 cards

Design Notes: A fairly pure card front makes this issue of Sweet Spot one of the most beautiful. The player's name, team, and position are printed at the bottom in gold foil, and the Sweet Spot logo appears in an upper corner. Cards are embossed similar to the seams on a baseball, and a team color airbrushing/tinting is used outside those seams.

Parallels and Similars: None (rookie signature cards have a parallel and the relics have multiple-swatch versions).

Distribution: Hobby boxes contained six packs of eight cards each, and retail tins held three packs of eight cards each.

Thoughts: While the memorabilia cards are boring and most people buy Sweet Spot for the baseball leather signatures, the base cards here are fantastic. It reminds me of Ovation, which people didn't care much for. But if Sweet Spot didn't have the baseball leather autographs, would people buy it for the base design? I liked Ovation to some extent, because I enjoy things like embossing and card design and don't care much for the lottery aspect of card collecting that seems to dominate some discussions. Anyway, with a vibrant photo and no borders, this card set is one of those that might be added to my want list eventually.

2008 Topps Updates and Highlights

Set Size: 330 cards

Design Notes: As a part of the flagship issue, Updates and Highlights uses the same design as 2008 Topps, distinguished by the team name at the top in alternating team-color circles.

Parallels and Similars: There are several 2008 Topps issues using the design, but the only set that looks identical is the flagship issue this follows up. Parallels are similar to the Series 1 and Series 2 releases: gold foil, gold border, black, platinum, printing plates, silk, and a Chrome refractor rookie parallel.

Distribution: Two cards were inserted into each pack of 2008 Topps Heritage High Numbers. U&H has its own boxes, with 36 packs per box and 10 cards per pack. HTA jumbos and retail packs were also released.

Thoughts: There's not much to say here that hasn't been said about the flagship 2008 Topps set. The rookie selection in this set is one of the strongest in years.

2008 Topps Triple Threads

Set Size: 145 cards

Design Notes: The player's photo appears over a monochromatic background; a plateau-shaped border at the top and bottom frame the image. His name, position, and team name are all in the bottom right corner, and a large serial number is in the bottom-right. The fronts have a matte finish. Backs carry over the colors from the front to provide biographical information, prior-year and career stats, and three highlight sentences in "Triple Take".

Parallels and Similars: Parallels have different colors for the  backgrounds and design elements: sepia, emerald, gold, sapphire, platinum, and four colors of printing plates.

Distribution: Six cards appear in every pack, with two packs per box. Three of the six cards in each pack are base cards (serial numbered to 1350); the remainder are parallels plus a triple relic card.

Thoughts: Read the Triple Take on the back of Pedro Martinez's card. It basically says he's lost his power and is now getting by on tricks alone. And that is basically what Triple Threads is - a big trick. For just over $100, you get five cards that were designed in five minutes, plus a card with three plain pieces of jersey (and possibly an autograph). Granted, that might be a super-low numbered Babe Ruth bat card. Then again, maybe you have Elijah Dukes, numbered out of 99. If there ever was a product designed for high-rolling case breakers, Triple Threads is it. And there's just too much pale red on this card.

2008 Topps Opening Day

Set Size: 220 cards

Design Notes: The base cards use the 2008 Topps flagship layout, with red borders. The team name is at the top with each letter in its own white circle. The Opening Day 2008 logo is at the bottom and on the back behind the statistics - the backs otherwise look the same as flagship Topps from 2008.

Parallels and Similars: White-bordered parallels with a date stamp in the lower-right corner and four colors of printing plates were inserted into packs.

Distribution: Six cards are in each pack, with 36 packs per box.

Thoughts: The red really stands out, which makes it easy to identify from regular 2008 Topps in a hurry. The use of team colors, different colors for different cards in the set, or multiple colors (like 1975 Topps) would add some much-needed flavor. But if they had done that, Opening Day might have ended up better than flagship Topps. But what if flagship Topps had multiple-colored or team colored borders, and Opening Day was all white-bordered? A guy can dream...

2008 Topps Moments & Milestones

Set Size: 189 cards (12,569 cards in a master set)

Design Notes: Similar to 2008 Topps Co-Signers, the cards have a lack of color in the design; the background consists of gray french curves. The set name and a serial number is on the top, with the player's name and team name at the very bottom in foil. Also at the bottom is a selected statistic for the player. The total number of that statistic is in the right-side diamond (in the Griffey card above, 147 RBI). This set is "mirrored" such that everything is identical except for the large number in the middle, which exists as sequential variations up to the total number. For example, there are 147 variations of this Griffey card, with the only difference being the number in the center of the card (59 on my copy). Backs contain a paragraph highlighting the statistic and some statistics from the year or event featured on the card.

Parallels and Similars: Each base card appears in multiple versions; a handful of cards have only one version (all the rookie cards #145-189 have only one version as well), while Alex Rodriguez #1 and Frank Thomas #3 both have over 500 versions. Most collectors only want one copy with the version not making a difference. Parallels for all the versions exist in black, blue, and red, plus four printing plate colors.

Distribution: 18 packs per box, with six cards per pack.

Thoughts: With 12,569 cards in a master set, I wonder if anyone has attempted to build a complete monster set. Most collectors aren't interested in all the variations, with almost the entire checklist having over 30 variations per card. I like this set better than Co-Signers, but unless I find an awesome deal on a major collection of these to begin a master set, I have no interest in it. For my collections where I need player cards (such as my collection of award winners), this set looks very nice and fits well.

2008 Topps Heritage

Set Size: base set: 500 (including 75 SPs), update High Number Series: 220 (including 35 SPs)

Design Notes: Copying the 1959 Topps design, the player's image appears in a circle; the remaining border is in one color. His name is at the top, with the team name and logo and his position at the bottom. Backs are horizontal with biographical stats, a highlight paragraph, a small cartoon, and complete MLB statistics.

Parallels and Similars: As mentioned, the set uses the 1959 design, and there are other issues that mimick the 1959 set. However, the copyright information on the back (and 2007 in the last line of statistics) makes this set easy to identify. Chrome, Chrome Refractor, Chrome Black Refractor, and black-ink backs are all partial parallels of this set.

Distribution: Hobby boxes contain 24 packs of 8 cards each. Most packs will contain an insert, and the High Number Series packs contain 2 flagship Updates & Highlights singles plus any inserts.

Thoughts: Topps Heritage is probably the favorite perennial issue for set builders. The 1959 design is colorful and fun, but I've always felt Heritage was missing a small bit of authenticity. In earlier issues, it was the use of photos instead of paintings - as many of the original 1950s sets used - and also the use of low-quality printing. I understand a desire to copy honor earlier issues but a step up in quality would make this set good enough in my book. I also wasn't around to collect any of the 1950s issues, so the design doesn't have much sentimental value with me. In about 30 years, when they get around to the late 1980s/early 1990s junk wax, I might be putting some sets together.

2008 Topps Co-Signers

Set Size: 112 cards (100 regular base cards and 12 autographed cards; two cards appear as both versions)

Design Notes: Fronts are almost exclusively gray with silver foil. The background behind the photo is a slightly-styled team logo; the player's name is in a white bottom border and the team name is in the white top border; the team city and player's position are along a side border. Backs carry over the grey design, with another player photo, biographical stats, and some statistics.

Parallels and Similars: Stick with me here. There are Silver and Hyper Plaid versions for each of the following colors: red, bronze, blue, green, and gold. Hyper Plaid also has a silver version. That's 11 parallels so far. But each of those parallel sets also has a dual-player variation for the 100 regular base cards, making a total of 22 parallel "sets" for this product. Add five more parallels for the five different printing plates inserted into the product.

Distribution: Six cards per pack (five base cards), 12 packs per box.

Thoughts: The gray-heavy cards are dull at first glance, and at second glance are way too busy. But on the other hand, the photos stand out a lot over the overcast background. Unless you're Alex Gordon wearing a faded blue undershirt. The base cards aren't really the point in this issue, and the parallels look okay. This isn't a base set I'd put together, but it doesn't give me seizures either.

2008 Topps Chrome

Set Size: 220 cards plus 35 autographed rookies

Design Notes: Using the 2008 Topps design, the team name is at the top in colored circles, and the player's name is at the bottom. The backs feature career stats.

Parallels and Similars: Several other 2008 sets have the same design, though Chrome is easy to distinguish from the others. There are several refractor parallels: original white borders, blue, copper, and red borders, SuperFractors, X-Fractors, and four colors of printing plates.

Distribution: Cards were sold in hobby and retail packs.

Thoughts: Because there isn't much color in the design, the Chrome concept is kind of lost. Of course, there's plenty of color in the photos, but refractors really shine when there is solid color in the design to stand out. The regular base Chrome cards have never really appealed to me because they're just more-expensive versions of the flagship cards, and unless the light hits them just right they look darker and thus not as vibrant as the original cards.

2008 Topps Allen & Ginter's World Champions

Set Size: 350 cards

Design Notes: A very simple design, a painted-style image of the card subject fades to a white border. The bottom of the card has the subject's name and the Allen & Ginter logo. Backs carry statistics or a short write-up about the subject. The cards use Victorian-era style fonts and design elements.

Parallels and Similars: The set is inspired by the original Allen & Ginter issue from the 19th century, though there's no doubt when this card was made due to the inclusion of the year on the front. All parallels of this set are in mini form: a regular mini, Allen & Ginter back, black-bordered, no-number, Bazooka back, framed cloth, and wood.

Distribution: Hobby boxes of 24 packs hold 8 cards per pack. Additionally, retail packs and blaster boxes were released.

Thoughts: In its third year, Allen & Ginter seemed uninspired and relied on its gimmicks to survive. Not much changed from the 2006 release. I enjoy art sets, and this set is meant to look like the original painted sets. It doesn't quite deliver on the hand-painted part, but I still put together a yearly set.

2008 Topps

Set Size: 660 cards issued in two series of 330 cards

Design Notes: The team name is across the top border, each letter placed in alternating team colors. The photo is in the middle, and the player's name is in the bottom border printed in silver foil. Backs are fairly standard, with biographical information and career statistics. A short highlight is mentioned when space is available.

Parallels and Similars: 2008 Topps has five full parallels - gold foil, gold, black, platinum, and printing plates - plus one partial parallel - Silk. Several other 2008 Topps products use the same design: Chrome, Opening Day, and Update are the three major releases which copy the flagship issue. Team sets also look identical to the base set's layout.

Distribution: Cards were sold in retail and hobby packs of 11 cards each, with 36 cards per box. HTA Jumbos contained 46 cards each and came 10 packs per box. Other packaging methods were used including blaster boxes and, later, complete sets.

Thoughts: The design is quite plain and the team name at the top takes up a large portion of the card space. The alternating colors can make the team name a little difficult to read, as well. It's not a horrible design, and has a nice retro feel, but it's just a couple steps away from being good. More color use (perhaps team color borders and team font use at the top) and movement/elimination of the Topps tab at the top (just overlay the Topps logo in an unobtrusive corner of the photo).

2008 Upper Deck A Piece of History

Set Size: 200 cards

Design Notes: A sort of marble with vines border takes over a large portion of the card, with a cropped photo of the player jumping out of the background and over the border. The bottom has a "nameplate" with the player's team and name and a whitewater wave design. Backs have the marble background, recent stats and a short write-up. Cards 1-150 feature players, while 151-200 are historical moments.

Parallels and Similars: There are four colored parallels - silver, red, gold, and blue - in the set. APOH returned the next year with a similar design.

Distribution: Hobby boxes hold 16 packs of eight cards each. There are several insert sets each with several parallels, so a large portion of the box is not base cards. Each box has four hits (three relics and an autograph) plus four Yankee Stadium Legacy cards and an additional 12 inserts or parallels.

Thoughts: The design tries too hard to be fancy, and fails miserably. It's funny how Upper Deck can put out a great set like Masterpieces and a set as uninspiring as this in the same year. I feel like I'm looking at an overcast day in San Francisco. On the other hand, I'm a fan of history so I have a complete set of the Historical Moments subset that most baseball fans don't care about.

2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces

Set Size: 120 cards (90 regular plus 30 short prints)

Design Notes: A simple foil frame surrounds a painted image of the player. The back uses a cropped version of the artwork, a highlights paragraph and a single year and career statistics. The card fronts have a texture feel.

Parallels and Similars: Ten parallels were issued with various-colored borders, but base cards have white borders. Masterpieces first began in 2007, and the designs are very similar.

Distribution: Cards were sold in packs of six, with only 12 packs per box.

Thoughts: Cards featuring artwork are always welcome in my collection. The set is very well-designed and the art looks great. Is there any doubt in your mind that this set is already part of my collection?

2008 Upper Deck

Set Size: 799 cards

Design Notes: There isn't much design to the front. The player's name and team are printed in silver foil, and his poition is in a silver foil home plate with two fading lines spreading horizontally from the center. The focus here is on full-bleed high quality photography, as Upper Deck usually provides. The backs feature another photo, career statistics, and a short writeup.

Parallels and Similars: Only one actual parallel exists: a gold version serial-numbered to 99. Upper Deck First Edition also uses the same design without the foil printing, so be careful when set-building or card hunting as they are easy to confuse.

Distribution: Cards were sold in hobby packs of 20 cards (16 packs per box), in addition to retail packs, blasters, and rack "Fat" packs.

Thoughts: While I enjoy a good card design, Upper Deck's flagship brand was a consistent photo-first product that I could count on to provide great images without much clutter on the front (at least, in the past decade or so). This might be my favorite Upper Deck design as far as their minimal-clutter sets go. Once Upper Deck could no longer produce MLB cards, I've been left with a void that Topps hasn't capitalized on. Where is Stadium Club? Topps' photography has gotten better but there are no more full-bleed high-quality card sets being produced in this style.

2008 Upper Deck Documentary

Set Size: 4890 (original release) plus 64 Post-Season "update" cards.

Design Notes: After a black border at the top identifying the set, a photo of a player from the team fills most of the card. The bottom border of the card has a team logo, game number, score, and a headline. Backs give the line score, a short game summary, and league standings on that day.

Parallels and Similars: Gold parallels were issued with the original release, but not for the post-season cards.

Distribution: Cards were sold in packs of 15, with boxes holding 24 packs. Post-season cards were randomly inserted into packs of 2009 Upper Deck Series One at a rate of 1:4.

Thoughts: The set was a good attempt at truly documenting the 2008 season on cardboard. To put together the nearly-5000 card set in its entirety would be insanity - has anybody tried? I know some people are collecting "team" sets, and the cards are nicely numbered for the team in addition to the entire set. The big problem most people have with the set is that the photos don't always come from the game shown on the card - and sometimes the photo is of a player who wasn't even in the game. I would have liked to see a full box score on the back instead of just a line score, but at that point I'm just being picky. There are two cards for every game - one for each team. I applaud Upper Deck's efforts but I wish they had put a little more effort into the execution.