Pack Wars: ZZ vs. 2019 Topps

Alright!  We've got some good stuff for you on the blog tonight! School was cancelled for the second day in a row due to sub-zero temperatures and I needed to get out of the house. I struck out in Peoria on 2019 Topps Series 1 release day yesterday, but I ventured across the river this morning and found some!

Plus, and here's the real draw, the Zippy Zappy packs fresh off a mammoth jet-leg inducing flight from the land of the rising sun. This is going to be epic!

The 2019 Series 1 hobby pack contains 14 cards. The thickness of two Zippy Zappy re-packs is comparable. Let's see what happens!

Round 1:

When Samardzija was drafted I thought it was a bit of a reach by the Cubs front office, so I boycotted many of his earlier cards. This one is new to me!
Eugenio Suarez was a steal for me in my fantasy draft last year and did a nice job at third for my team. My first 2019 card could have been of a middle reliever or <gasp> a Cardinal. So, the Suarerz card isn't too bad. Did you notice how the bat goes over the right border? For whatever it is worth, I like this little attention to detail by Topps.
That being said, I'll take Shark for the win here!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 0
Zippy Zappy Packs = 1

 Round 2:

A mini Kosuke Fukudome from Epoch? What in the world? That is pretty fricking cool! For those of you who weren't reading my blog back in 2012, the year of last issued MLB Fukudome card, I player collect the former Cubs right fielder. In fact, there was a time where I had more BBM and Calbee cards of his than Topps! I was driving that bandwagon after his signing with the Cubs.
Yolmer Sanchez plays for that other Chicago team . . . so this is a fairly simple call for this Cubs fan.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 0
Zippy Zappy Packs = 2

Guess what, the Fukudome is a sticker! 2000 is a second year card/sticker for Fukudome. Nice!

Round 3:

Now, that is a sweet Fukudome card. It has the coolest texture to it, which almost gives it the appearance of canvas. Tyler Flowers in full gear? Um, yeah, woo-hoo and what not.
At this rate Topps will be lucky to get on the scoreboard.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 0
Zippy Zappy Packs = 3

Here's the back of the BBM card. I don't understand 95% of it, but it's still easier to figure out what year this card was produced than most US Brands not named Fleer.

Round 4:

 Wow. A shiny Fukudome versus my first Cub of 2019? I'm a huge Willson fan, but I'll be swimming in base cards of 2019 Cubs before too long. A Fukudome from a LCS in Japan? Now it's my collection? That's downright remarkable. Plus... SHINY!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 0
Zippy Zappy Packs = 4

I'll give Topps some credit here. They brought back full stats, incorporated the design from the front on the back, still found room for the social media handles AND used team colors. I'm a fan. Thank you, Topps.

Round 5:

 Red-bearded Justin Turner versus a shiny blue Fukudome? It's as though the cardboard Gods are intentionally trying to have Topps lose by the player selection alone. I respect Justin Turner's hitting abilities, but he is a thorn in the Cubs side. Ugh.
The Zippy Zappy shutout continues!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 0
Zippy Zappy Packs = 5

Round 6:

Whoa. The Fukudome gravy train comes to an end and Evan Crawford, who never made it above High-A ball makes an appearance. I'm not a Quintana fan. He eats up innings, but the Cubs gave up Eloy Jimenez AND Dylan Cease for him. Ugh. You've probably heard of Jimenez... I think Cease, when healthy, has a higher ceiling. You heard it here first.
We'll give this one to Topps.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 1
Zippy Zappy Packs = 5

Round 7:

Chris Carpenter is the pitcher the Cubs sent to Boston for Theo Epstein. Worth it ... ten times over.

Big Maple! The Dude had an eagle land on him last year before one of his starts! That was a pretty cool moment. I'm also a closet Mariners fan, you know, because of that Vogelbach character.
Topps is making a comeback!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 2
Zippy Zappy Packs = 5

Round 8:

Scott Maine running through PFP drills during spring training. A decent offering.
OMG. Look at that Mookie card. The man has one of the greatest seasons ever, can bowl a 300 game, and is blessed with that smile. Some guys have it all.
Topps is rallying!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 5

Round 9:

 First BowChro card of The Professor, Kyle Hendricks! I thought this was a regular old base card of Alex Gordon, but when I was reviewing the backs I couldn't help but notice the serial number at the top. The front looks the same as the other base cards, but maybe I'm missing something here.
I have this Hendricks card, but mine is all scratched up. This is a huge upgrade and one I'm quite thankful for. Zippy Zappy puts an end to Topps mini-rally.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 6

Round 10:

Shawon Dunston, Jr.  Sigh. I really wanted him to succeed with Chicago. He played in Chicago last year, with the Independent Chicago Dogs. Double sigh.
Kyle Barraclough throws nasty breaking stuff. But, he pitches for the Marlins and I'll never be able to get rid of this card. I mean, just look at all the empty seats behind him. Ugh.
Dunston wins by a nose.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 7

Round 11:

Woooo! Kyuji Fujikawa! I also player collected Fujikawa for a while, but his Cubs career never really amounted to much: 25 innings and an ERA of 5+.
Kirby Yates? Another reliever? There's only one Padre who could have beat this Fujikawa card in a battle, and his first name is Luuuuuuuiiiiiissssss.

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 8

Round 12:

More Fujikawa-san! Justin Bour is a former Peoria Chief who I enjoyed watching in the home run derby a few years back. Remember when he ate the donut during his time out? He's with the Angels now and should see semi-regular at-bats as he shares time at first with Pujols and at DH with Pujols and Ohtani.
BBM cards are so cool. Zippy Zappy knows how to pack a punch!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 9

Round 13:

Blake Treinen. Wait, he's not the A's pitcher with the cool mustache? No? Hmph.
Well then, I have no choice but to choose the Fujikawa card then!

Updated Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 10

Round 14:

Alright, this card is weird. It's supposed to be a "touch the game" card with a relic embedded in it, right? But, the relic is just printed on the card. The back has a batter and a picture of a bat relic. Odd.
What were the Padres thinking when they signed Hosmer? $144 million over eight years? $21 million alone in 2018 for what Topps lists on the back as a -0.1 WAR. So a replacement level player could make major league minimum and do what Hosmer did? Ouch. Ouch times 8, because you know Hosmer isn't exercising that his opt-out clause in three years. Not with this free agent market.

Final Score:
2019 Topps Series 1 = 3
Zippy Zappy Packs = 11

There were two more cards in the second Zippy Zappy pack, but I'm all out of 2019 Topps.

I like the looks of 2019 Topps, but it wasn't really a fair fight putting it against a Zippy Zappy re-pack.

Stay tuned for more Pack Wars, as I have four more Zippy Zappy re-packs packs to go. (Well, maybe just three... one of them has a scantily clad lady on the front... this is a PG-13 blog after all.)

Thanks for the cards, ZZ!