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2010 Topps Opening Day.

What is it really? Is it a low end value set geared towards younger collectors? Is it kind of a 'greatest hits' compilation of the 2010 issue? Or is it just another set to make them some more cash while we wait for the next set to drop? I'd like to think its all three. While Topps does recycle many of the images from the main flagship set, Opening Day does have its quirks. As you can see above, our friend Hanley Ramirez is in the post hitting pose, while his Series 2 card looks like this:

So there are a few differences in some of the players pictures. Many airbrushings are abound in this set, but its nice to see a player in their current uniform. I wasn't sure that I wanted to collect this set at first but then decided that I would like to collect each set that has this format. I really like the 2010 layout and to have every set (Series 1, Series 2, Update, Opening Day and Chrome) with this layout would be totally rad in my eyes (I think I'll skip Pro Debut though). I love the blue border parallels of this set. I picked up a blaster the other night and tore through the 10 packs and when opening the 8th pack I discovered this (not the blue border):

Now Daniel McCutchen isn't even listed on the checklist as an auto, but here he is. What a glaring oversight. the checklist lists ten autos in the set, he is not one of them. The stated odds on the back of the pack for an auto is a ridiculous 1:746 (I'm not kidding), making this the rarest pull I've ever pulled from a pack, even beating out the 1 of 1 (of 4) Chicle printing plate (1:300 odds). Very odd. Maybe because its so over-produced that pulling an auto is impossibly hard. I haven't even seen many on eBay, but maybe because they aren't that desirable. I'm all for it though, any auto is a good auto in my book.