2023 Topps Baseball Forum

Given the base running protective glove on his left hand, he must be running home.

Awesome! Great point. Thanks so much. I just finished the last team, I didn't do all of the leader cards yet. Those photos are tiny have a lot of the surrounding context and my eyes bug out after a while.

Interesting facts, only one player in the set has a photo pre-2022 which is Tatis, and only one player has a photoshopped uniform. Anyone know who it is?

Oh it's Atlanta. Can't tell as well in the scan of the card and what Topps does to the colors in them that the Geico boarding on the dugout in the background is actually blue. I thought it was green. I need to take notes on stuff like this.

Ok we've got one more left to finalize every picture in the base set. 

#289 - AL Average Leaders - Aaron Judge - https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/299305/cid/20720279/2023-Topps-289-AL-AVG-Leaders-(Luis-Arraez-/-Aaron-Judge-/-Xander-Bogaerts)?PageIndex=3

Judge and Ohtani were the two hardest to find all of their pcitures because there are SOOOO many 2022 pictures and especially for Judge they are all really similar, so matching the exact crowd in the background and facial expression on a tiny pic with the surroundings cropped.

=========================

The trivia answer for the only team-changing airbrush (they airbrushed out an umpire on one card, and cleaned one player's grass stain for some reason) is #264 Steele Walker. He was given a Giants card even though he only played 5 games with the Rangers last season:

https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/299305/cid/20720254/2023-Topps-264-Steele-Walker?PageIndex=3 

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/steele-walker-of-the-texas-rangers-bats-in-the-game-against-news-photo/1401358600

This almost feels like an exact match, with his facial expression and sleeve [1]. However, something feels off, like another photographer could have taken it from a different angle, slightly more right. Another potential match, but his sleeve does not match, as in covering his elbow pads [2]. Interesting to note that both of these photos are from the same photographer and from the same game, June 05, 2022.

[1] https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/aaron-judge-of-the-new-york-yankees-at-bat-during-the-news-photo/1404256908

"NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees at bat during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 05, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)"

[2] https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/aaron-judge-of-the-new-york-yankees-at-bat-during-the-third-news-photo/1404258040

"NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 05: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees at bat during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 05, 2022 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)"

Yeah I think you're right about the date. I've had a few that weren't exact but looked close enough even a season ticket holder in the background looking similar, but there's not enough context in this tiny pic to eliminate it. I think we're close enough to throw in a (probably) on the comment, and celebrate finishing the set!

Thanks! I'll start on SSPs eventually, it's just another sort of challenge because scans aren't uploaded. But on the flipside, the pics are way easier identified for most.

Wow, this is really neat! I clicked on a few to see what you found, and that's really nice work!

Thanks I wasn't sure whether it'd be annoying to have that comment on every card, but also we're the types of folks to want a comment like that on every card :-)

Be ready to help again...