ITG 2011 Prospects & Heores Baseball Series 1

Schedule Release Date: February 24, 2011
Box Configuration: 5 cards per box
SRP: $95/box

Box Break:
5 Auto or Memorabilia cards

My Thoughts:
Just yesterday I was pointing out that card manufacturers seem to be giving no love to set collectors and here we go a day later and ITG is releasing a set made of only hits.

When I wrote about this release back in August I brought up the point that I am not a fan of joining superstars with prospects, my view has not changed since then. I don’t like that they are using sticker either, you would think with prospects ITG would be able to get on-card autographs. Stealing Upper Deck’s Sweet Spot Signature design for the “Between The Seams” design is just plain low.


Pros:
Big time hits including: Johnny Bench, Tommy Lasorda, Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, Don Mattingly and Harmon Killebrew

Every 5 card box contains 5 hits, autos or memorabilia

Cons:
Loooooooots of prospects who may never make it more than filler for a roster

Sticker autographs

Uninspired designs


Rating:
Since I am not a fan of an all hits release not to mention that I think joining HOF players with prospects is a bad move I will reserve judgment and not rate this set,

In The Game Heroes & Prospects Baseball

In The Game Trading Cards, a company that has been known solely for hockey since they came in to the market in 1998, has recently announced their plans for a baseball release expected to be shipping in November. ITG, who will be working without a MLB license, will be releasing a set of retired/HOF players and prospects.

Each box will contain 4 cards with each an average of 3.5 autographs per box (their words not mine) and every other box will contain a Heroes Cut Signature or Heroes Memorabilia card.

For an unlicensed set the autograph cards look pretty decent but I am not a fan of mixing HOF players with prospects. Pulling a cut signature of Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams along with a sticker autograph of Tim Beckham really puts a damper on the whole experience for me. It does not help that team logos can be seen plus they are using the UD Sweet Spot Signature design, calling it “Between The Seams”, you wonder what ITG was thinking.