This years Topps issue again features excellent photography, combined with a clean simple design. I'm not a big fan of foil and feel Topps could use a little less on the base product. This example is a nice action shot of Mark Reynolds. Mark is having a nice season offensively. After a slow start to the season, maybe caused by a adjustment to American League pitching, Mark's power numbers are steadily climbing. He is producing exactly the way the Orioles hoped when they traded for him, adding a power threat that the Orioles lineup has sorelyy missed the last few years. Going into the last series before the All-Star break, Mark has 20 home runs, 49 RBI and a OPS of .849. He has even cut back on his strikeouts and is hitting around the .220 mark.
On the defensive side, Mark is on pace to have the most errors in his career. He currently leads the American League with twenty. His season has been highlighted by great plays featured on highlight reels to simple routine plays he has botched. His inconsistent defense has dove tailed with the Orioles inconsistent play and the Orioles are currently mired in a terrible slump mostly caused by a starting rotation that is in disarray and giving up ten runs or more the last three games. The All-Star game cannot come soon enough and hopefully Buck Showalter can right the ship for the second half.
I wish they would lose all the foil, as well as the glossy backs. From '57 to '91 they didn't change a thing. Then they started messing with the program the hobby went in the toilet.
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