Topps 2012 Baseball Preview Card- Game Changer...Really?

Topps released a single image of a Ryan Braun card from the 2012 Topps Baseball set today.

At the National Clay Luraschi claimed that the 2012 Topps release would be a "Game Changer", I am guessing that he actually meant that the base set is going to be the same old shit that Topps produce every year.

  Now of course he could have meant that the plethora of inserts and parallels that will be included in every single pack, along with gimmick cards and manufactured patches would actually be the game changer but as you can see, the base cards are not anything special.

Does anyone else feel let down by Luraschi's build-up?

Come on Topps, give us something really special that truly can be called a game changer.

Random Question- Topps Quality Control

Does Topps even care about quality control or do they just deal with reactionary QC?

Topps, the point is that the missing and damaged cards should be dealt with before the packs get out in to the hands of the collectors especially when your company is known for poor quality control. You are tossing a bandage on the wound after the fact and still making the collectors jump through hoops to get the cards that should have been in their boxes originally.

To get this straight, to replace missing hits or damaged cards:

Scan: Scan in the pack wrapper, UPC and receipt. I guess someone who buys a pack with damaged cards is S.O.L. because they do not have a box UPC to scan or how about those shops that do not give receipts or give hand written receipts.

Email: Send those scans to support@Topps.com

Send: Then you need to package up your damaged card, original receipt, pack wrapper and UPC and send them to Topps Customer Service at your own expense.

Wait: Then wait patiently...days, weeks or months to get the card in your hand that should have been in your box.

Being the pushy a-hole that I am I wrote Clay Luraschi of Topps regarding their poor quality control. For those that remember, I wrote My Luraschi back in July about them sending loaded boxes to Beckett and never received a response. Again I do not expect a response but I felt it necessary to at least put in the effort.

Clay Luraschi, I am Still Waiting

It has now been 2 weeks since I sent an email to Mr Luraschi asking about loaded boxes, as Chris Olds suggested we do, and I still wait...

Even a cookie cutter response would have been nice but I guess I expected to much.

Topps, I Am Still Waiting... And Waiting... And Waiting...

I continue to await Mr Luraschi’s response. I was going to hold up posting until I actually got a response but like Beardy said, I shouldn’t hold my breath.

A Question To Topps

The last couple of days there has been a bit of a firestorm in the hobby, beginning with Steven Judd tweeting about loaded boxes being used as a marketing strategy and following up with Chris Olds posting what appears to be an ill-timed, poorly-veiled claim of innocence… or ignorance depending on how you look at it, on the Beckett Blog.

If you read through the many comments posted in response to Chris Olds’ blog posting you will come across a post by Olds himself where he seems to deflect the blame on to Topps and even states “if you’d like to accuse Topps of sending loaded boxes more directly, you can contact Clay Luraschi at Topps directly cluraschi@topps.com”. I decided to take his advice and I sent an email to Clay Luraschi straight up asking if they send loaded boxes to Beckett.

As a graphic designer I understand the importance of a proper marketing strategy. I am currently working on a buzz marketing strategy for a small beverage company. So, guerrilla marketing is nothing new to me, but there are certain ethical and to a point even legal ramifications involved with this type of action.

I currently await Mr Luraschi’s response.