2018 Topps Stickers Cubs Set

Topps has been issuing sticker sets since 2011 and the format has remained the same, nine stickers for each team plus a team logo sticker.  The set seems to get lost in the shuffle, as they come out around the same time as Opening Day and Gypsy Queen.  I usually but a team set off of Ebay, but this year hardly a Cubs set was available.  Instead, I used Sportlots and was able to complete a set using just two sellers.

Kudos to Topps with their selection of the nine Cubs.  It was the entire lineup from the Opening Day game against the Marlins.

 

 

 

 

2018 Factory Cubs Team Set

I have in hand the 2018 Topps Factory Cubs Team set.  Topps has been issuing the team sets since 2006 and there have been 17 cards per set since 2010. 

The factory set features the same basic design as the base set and Opening Day.  Like Opening Day, it gives us a preview of the cards of some players that we haven't seen yet.  I'll start with those:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven of the 17 are first timers.  The Morrow card is a photoshop job.  If he is included in Series Two, I'll have to check and see if Topps uses the same picture again.

 

 

These three players were missing from Series One, but have cards in Opening Day.  The factory card uses the same picture.

 

 

 

These five have cards in Series One, Opening Day, and the Factory set, and all have the same picture.

The final two cards have some picture variations....

 

The Contreras card has a picture that is not on either the Series One or Opening Day card. That makes his the only picture variation in the Factory set.  The Quintana card is the same as Series One, though Opening Day used a different picture.

It's Opening Day 2018!

And away we go!!! Let's get the second title in three years!

The Cubs open the season on the road again this year, for the third consecutive season.  My guess is that with all the off-season renovations, the Cubs asked to have their home opener a little later to give the construction work a little more time.

To celebrate the Cubs opening day, I've got their all time opening day lineup. The lineup features a majority of the players from the '60's and later. That seems odd to me, considering the long history of the Cubs. In fact, of the entire lineup, I have seen all but three (Hartnett, Grimm and Pafko) of them play (and I'm not that old).

Pitcher: Fergie Jenkins, 7 Opening Day starts.
Jon Lester is making his third start today.

Catcher: Gabby Hartnett, 12 starts
Willson Contreras is making his second Opening Day start

 

First Base (since 1900): Charlie Grimm and Mark Grace, 12 starts
Anthony Rizzo makes his sixth opening day start.

Second Base: Ryne Sandberg, 13 starts
Javier Baez makes his second opening day start.

Shortstop: Shawon Dunston, 11 starts
Addison Russell is making his third start

Third Base: Ron Santo, 13 starts
Kris Bryant makes his third opening day start

Left Field: Billy Williams, 10 starts
Kyle Schwarber is making his third opening day start.

Center Field (since 1900): Andy Pafko, 7 starts
Ian Happ is making his opening day debut in center field

Right Field: Sammy Sosa, 12 starts
Jason Heyward makes his second opening day start in right field.

Your 2018 Chicago Cubs

The 2018 season kicks off tomorrow, so let's take a look at the two-time defending NL Central champs.

I'm feeling much better about the Cubs this year.  They seem to be hungry again, getting over the title funk they were in most of the 2017 season. I'm optimistic that they'll make the post season once again, and then... well, anything can happen once you get there.

The 25-man roster to open the season includes...

INFIELDERS

 

 

Catchers

 

Outfielders

 

Starting Pitchers

 

 

 

Bullpen