Last time I visited my local card shop I noticed that he had boxes of 2014 Topps High Tek for sale at less than the going online rate. I went ahead and grabbed one to see how I'd do. I like the design of the cards, but I am still a little miffed that you only get ten cards in a box.
These three cards are from the most common tier of variations. Players from each league get six background patterns that all have a different rarity. Cardboard Connection calls these patterns Wave for the AL and Spiral Brick for the NL. I don't have a lot of interest in these three dudes, although Cueto is a pretty darn god pitcher. It seems like he doesn't get the respect he deserves for that, although he did get into the All-Star Game last year.
These cards come from the second tier of rarity. Again deferring to the Cardboard Connection names, these backgrounds are Grid for the NL and Spirals for the AL. I hope that Fielder is able to regain some of his power-hitting prowess this year, as I picked him up on one of my fantasy teams as a late round flier.
George Springer skips right past the third level of rarity and lands in the fourth tier with a pattern called Circuit Board. Springer is an Astro, so that falls right into my collecting wheelhouse. I am putting together a Jon Singleton rainbow from Topps High Tek but I don't have much from the other Astros in the set, and that makes this Springer a welcome addition to my collection.
Now we are into the 'hits' section of the box. Each box promises a numbered parallel and an autograph. All of the numbered parallels use the basic background for the player's league (in this case Wave for the AL), but add colors or foil patterns to distinguish them from the base cards. This is the Gold Diffractor version of Sonny Gray's card, which is the most common numbered parallel. This is copy # 46 / 99.
And my autograph is Roenis Elias, who pitched his way to a 10-12 record last season and is competing right now for the last spot in the Mariners' rotation for this season. At the moment it looks like he might miss out.
Well, that box wasn't very exciting, although it hit a couple of players and teams I like in George Springer and Sonny Gray. With just ten cards in a box it can be hard to pull something exciting every time out.
I like the High Tek set a lot - and that Cueto is really nice. That said, the set itself is still to expensive for me to give it a try. Maybe it'll go on sale someday?
ReplyDelete