Ginter is one my favorite brands and it didn't disappoint. The checklist consists of 300 base cards and 50 shortprints. The odd thing is that Topps numbered the base 1-300 but the shortprints are 351-400. Why were 301-350 skipped?
The cards have the usual Ginter look - thick cardstock, off white borders, last names only on the front, no team or position listed. The pictures are all vertical and are posed shots. The few times that Ginter used action. In past years a few action shots were used but they looked out of place.
The biggest design change is what was used behind the player. In the past most often there was a colored cloud-like background. This year the clouds are gone. On some cards the actual background is used. On others Topps photoshopped in an old-time background.
Baez is against the actual background while Hamels has gone back in time to a wooden ballpark. I really like the old-time backgrounds. I've been asking Topps to do this in Heritage for years. I'd love to see the players dropped in against year-appropriate stadiums.
There are 14 Cubs among the 350 cards. That's a pretty decent number. It pales compared to the Yankees (a whopping 27 cards - is that really necessary). But 14 Cubs is better than the two Diamondbacks (and I'd be really ticked if I rooted for them).
Ernie, Ryno, and Sammy make up the retired Cubs. This is Sosa's first Ginter Cubs card.
The current players include Bote and Happ, guys that I would have skipped. Kyle Hendricks and Albert Almora would be my replacements.
I really like the backgrounds and the additional old timey feel they provide.
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