Tigers Gallery & Review: 2010 Topps Pro Debut Series 2

Continuing on in my catch-up of 2010 galleries. This one's a cinch

I liked 2010 Topps Pro Debut a lot. I feel like it filled a niche for Minor League Baseball cards that had been pretty unsatisfying. I also liked that it tied-in the design with regular 2010 Topps, but used the minor league logos and color scheme. A good complement to Topps' normal set I thought.

Well, they continued with a second series, which is fine although by the time it came out the novelty had worn off. This seems like a once-a-year type of set to me. Maybe I just feel that way because the Tigers get so utterly disrespected. 3 base cards, 1 relic (of a player that wasn't even in the Tigers system when this card came out), and the worst card of the year:


Base Set Three cards?!?!

#270 Daniel Fields

#326 Casey Crosby

#371 Jacob Turner

Relics & Autographs Meh & HATE.

#FGR-WRA Wilkin Ramirez

#DC-JT Jacob Turner

That Jacob Turner card is the worst Tigers card that I've ever seen. I'm not kidding, I hate it so much.

But, lest you think that I'm nothing but a Negative Nancy, let me say this: despite the fact that there are only three Tigers base cards in this set, Topps did a fantastic job with player selection. Fields, Crosby and Turner are some of the best prospects in the Tigers' system, and, when you combine Series 1 and 2, are probably the three best players on the checklist. So, while it's a sad little Series 2 for the Tigers, Pro Debut overall was actually a nice set. I'm pleased that they'll be bringing it back next year too, although I recommend consolidating into one series and having a later release date to avoid an early season glut of base-level products. Neither of these recommendations will be followed, by the way.

Topps Pro Debut Series 2 Adds Infinite Sadness To Checklist

Whywhywhywhywhywhywhy

2010 Topps Pro Debut (S2) #DC-JT Jacob Turner Autograph (#/200)

Oh, and all of them are like this. This is how they chose to cut these cards. They ruined a perfectly good card and for what? Something that makes my eyes want to bleed. This card has literally zero value to me and this is the Tigers' #1 Pitching Prospect.

ARRRHARHRHGHGRHGH

Hello, Goodbye

In the game of musical chairs that is the Detroit Tigers roster these days, one is back in...

2009 Topps: Gold #UH116 Alfredo Figaro RC

and another is out...

2010 Topps Pro Debut #16 Robbie Weinhardt

Of course, none of this is significant compared to the potential roster earthquake that is currently brewing:

Heard this: Johnny Damon and Brandon Inge are currently passing through waivers. They were placed on waivers Thursday.

Which leads me to a few things:

1. Why were they just placed on Waivers yesterday? As if that Thursday afternoon loss was really the nail in the coffin that the Tigers just weren't going to cut it this year? Shouldn't this have been done weeks ago? Having waited this long the Tigers likely reduced the value of Inge, who could have gone to a St. Louis Cardinals team that sorely needed a third baseman. Unless they figured that the Reds would have blocked that move. Still, it makes you wonder.

2. I have no problem* with letting either player go for something in return. Get a prospect or two and then if you really want them back re-sign them in 2011. I'd be thrilled to have Damon back. I'd be fine with Inge back, provided his salary is in line with his ability. In fact, Trade Inge with a "wink wink, nod nod, we'll sign you in the offseason" type deal behind closed doors. Or grab Adrian Beltre. Either way.

3. *The only problem I do have is this hangs Miguel Cabrera out to dry so much that it isn't even fair. The Tigers have offense problems. Removing two important offensive pieces will make this team more of an embarrassment than they already are.

So do what you've got to do, Dave Dombrowski. If you can get a good return on Damon and Inge take it (see: NOT Kyle Farnsworth for Pudge Rodriguez). We Tigers fans will understand. Then pull out your wallet, because free agency isn't going to be cheap this year.

Tigers Gallery Checklist: 2010 Topps Pro Debut

The big-ish news in Tigers world right now is that Casper Wells is getting called up to the club to make his Major League Debut today. With that happening, I couldn't think of anything more appropriate than posting up a gallery of 2010 Topps Pro Debut which, coincidentally, features Casper Wells as the very first Tigers Card.

I love Pro Debut. Wait, let me qualify that. Pro Debut is not my favorite set nor am I going gaga over it, but I love it for what it is: a nice Minor League set. While many may complain about a "rehashed design" or a checklist that features so many totally obscure names that you don't really know what to do with, I have a completely different take. To me, this set is a supplement to Topps' 2010 flagship offering. By keeping the design consistent, the team collector can add these minor league cards right to the team set, while using the color and logo differentiation to keep things fresh. In all, the set has everything you would want. Ok, everything I would want. Nice pictures of game-action minor leaguers, multiple minor league teams, minor league logos--the works.

My only gripe is that from a Tigers standpoint, this set is barely more than a West Michigan Whitecaps team set. The degree to which the set skews towards that team (and, I would imagine, that level of minors in general) is a little bothersome. Would it have been too much to ask to get ONE Toledo Mudhen?

I also have to ask myself, what exactly is the point of this set? That's not entirely fair, as the point of the set is to be a minor league set, nothing more, nothing less. But what is the point of Bowman that everyone is going all crazy over? Aren't the Bowman Prospects and the Topps Pro Debut pretty much the same? I'm still struggling with that one, and I'm not sure how things will evolve if Topps continues producing Pro Debut in the future.

Bottom line for me: this set is cheap, fun and introduces you to one of the best things in all of professional sports, Minor League team names and logos. A little more diversity among my teams would be nice, as would including minor league cards of players while slightly more of a "Prospect" status, but in all, I'm glad that we have a legit minor league set to call our own for the first time in who knows how long.

Base Set The base set is the bread and butter of things in Pro Debut. Designed after Topps' flagship design for 2010, the "swoosh" varies with team colors and appropriate minor league logos are affixed. That is my favorite part. It's hard to say whether I would have liked Pro Debut as much with a different design that would have muted the minor league angle (e.g. 2007 Topps). Good representation among Tigers' minor league clubs although, as I already mentioned, there are a whole lot of Whitecaps goin' on. Not much in the way of star power, but could be some major leaguers in the mix. Casper Wells, after tonight's game, will be the first.

FWIW, a few nice parallel versions exist: Blue (#/249), Gold (#/50) and Red (1/1). Topps gets bonus points for limiting the number of parallels to a reasonable amount. Also some cards have a (meaningless) "Pro Debut" stamp on them, indicating that this is the first professional card of said player. With the rookie card rules being what they are, I see no point to this, but whatever.

#14 Casper Wells	#16 Robbie Weinhardt	93 Edwin Gomez
#130 Wade Gaynor	#182 Gustavo Nunez	#201 Brandon Douglas
#204 Billy Nowlin	#210 Bryan Pounds	#213 Mark Sorenson
#214 Jordan Lennerton	#217 Erik Crichton

Inserts The inserts--at least the inserts that Tigers farmhands are in--are simple: All Stars. Pro Debut highlights All Stars from all levels of the minor leagues, and the Tigers have a few including, current backup catcher and starting catcher of the future Alex Avila. Austin Jackson is featured in this insert set, but it is as a Scranton Yankee as a AAA All Star. Not a Tigers card. Simple set, perfectly fine, I probably won't collect it unless Topps' flagship All Star cards take the same design, which I would doubt because they're kind of bland.

Also, how old are these players? I'm looking at you Michael Rockett and Deik Scram.

#A-4 John Murrian	#A-27 Michael Rockett	#AA-2 Deik Scram
#AA-6 Alex Avila

Relics Not much in the way of Tiger "hits," but we do get one: Current Tigers' second baseman Scott Sizemore with a big 'ol red swatch of futures jersey. There is a base version numbered to 139 copies, and a gold bordered version numbered to 25. A relatively nice looking card of Sizemore (his first relic card, AFAIK), that could fit seamlessly in with the Tigers flagship set.

#FGR-21 Scott Sizemore Jersey (#/139)

Get Those Men A Baseball Card: Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore

The Tigers kicked off their seasons with a come from behind win over Zach Greinke and the Royals, in a matchup that lived up to its billing, until Justin Verlander kind of fell apart. Then it was just Greinke at his finest until, well, he was taken out before the 7th inning and the Tigers scored 6 runs. The lesson here is this: to beat Greinke is to not have to face him.

From a Tiger standpoint, the game was notable for two reasons. For one, it is their first Opening Day win since 2006 (HT to Bless You Boys for that one). Yes, that 2006. Second, I caught on the radio broadcast that this was the first time that the Tigers had two players that were both making their major league debut on Opening Day. Back then it was none other than the dynamic duo of...Deivi Cruz and Bubba Trammell. (Mega burn from the radio booth: "You'd like to forget about those two." Ouch.) Well today we had two more: 2B Scott Sizemore, who has worked his way up through the Tigers system and CF Austin Jackson who made his way to Detroit in the Granderson deal.

Against Greinke, it seemed like they were going to be in for one of those "learning experiences," like when you learn how to walk slowly back to the dugout, or how to unbuckle your knees or how to unfreeze yourself etc., and it certainly seemed to start out that way. But in a world where they had to face regular Major League pitching instead of the second coming of Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown (and his ilk), the kids were alright.

Scott Sizemore, for his part, took a walk in the 7th advanced to 3rd on a single (From Bless You Boys: "(What is he, a Twin? Are other teams allowed to do it, too?)" Great Quote.) before Austin Jackson ripped a double to drive his fellow debutante home. WOTS was that Jackson also threw out Jason Kendall at home, but I was driving home from work at that point and MLB.com's site is apparently in low bandwith mode or something, so I can't get any video--not like if I could embed MLB video even if I had it...grumblegrumble MLB grumble. Anyway...

It's debut performances like this that prompt me to scream from the hilltops "Get That Man A Baseball Card!" To some degree, it seems like my calls have been preemptively answered:


That sweet little number comes courtesy of 2010 Topps Pro Debut a set which, I am not ashamed to say, I like the looks of a great deal. You know, it wasn't so long ago that futures cards like this were included in regular Topps sets, and he is wearing a Tigers hat in the picture, so this is pretty darn close. Still, now that he is the present, and not the future, I'd like to see a "Big League" card for Scotty.

As for Jackson, he's got a Pro Debut card as well--an insert commemorating his appearance in the AAA All Star Game--but it shows him as a minor league Yankee. No thanks. Tigers card please. (As for 2010 Pro Debut, I should have a gallery up in the next couple days)

If I had my druthers, these would be two no-brainer inclusions in Topps Series 2, and my guess is that if Topps is in the business of making money, that they're on the same page (remember, Rick Porcello and Ryan Perry got the Series 2 treatment after making the Opening Day Roster last year).

And while we're at it, let's get a little "First Tigers to Make Their Debut On Opening Day..." combo card to commemorate this historical footnote--as long as you can promise me that in 15 years we won't be saying "Wish we could forget about those guys."