2021 trade package #1: Topps Cards That Never Were

After being the source of one of my final 2020 trade packages, Jeremy from Topps Cards That Never Were is back at it again with my first envelope of '21! It's a three-card PWE that expertly pinpoints multiple collections and it makes me glad that I made sure to include him in my 2020 Christmas cards.

The cardboard trio was protected nicely in a toploader with a note on top. Recent pulls are definitely good fodder for trade packages folks send my way considering I don't really bust packs/boxes anymore, much less newer stuff, so I can always use stuff like that. As a matter of fact I did need all three cards here:

First we'll look at the Barry Larkin card on the left: a Green version of Topps' 2020 Decades' Best insert. The back, which you'll see at the end of this post, does a solid job of explaining Barry's inclusion in the set, and so do his stats and accolades from the 90s. His team opened the decade with its most recent World Series title, he won the '95 NL MVP, and he was an All-Star for eight of those ten seasons. Larkin put up a .303/.388/.466 line while walking more than he struck out (remember when guys used to do that?) and was credited with an outstanding 52.6 bWAR, a number better than career marks for several HOFers at the position. While this Wolverine doesn't approve of the color used for this parallel, I'm glad to add the card to Barry's PC, which is nearing 800 items!

The other cards star pitchers I love to collect, though I couldn't immediately identify them since I'm so out of the loop when it comes to Topps parallels. It didn't take me too long to label them as Rainbow Foil cards from 2020 Topps and Update. Hill's is from the flagship product, though he does make an appearance in Update too for some reason. JV's from Update on an active leaders card as he's tops in strikeouts (which you'll get to see below). Rich is a free agent after the Twins took a flyer on him and saw him pitch limited innings over eight games, so we'll see what the future holds for the 40-year-old. Verlander's 2021 debut, if there is one, will be delayed since he underwent Tommy John surgery. Hopefully he returns to being at least close to the dominant force he was before a rare injury sidelined him.

Here's the backs as promised. Barry's card does a good job of spelling out his ranks in hitting stats for the decade. It's fun getting to see Hill's entire, well-travelled career on one card. And I laughed at seeing corpulent "free agent" P Bartolo Colon sneak his way into the bloated Update set.

Jeremy, thanks again for thinking of me two months in a row! I appreciate you being well aware of who and what I collect and treating me to new cards I needed that I wouldn't have picked up myself anytime soon. Hopefully you liked the stuff I finally sent your way after this second PWE from you arrived, and eventually I'll try to build up more stuff for another trade.

Next time we'll be sticking with trade cards, but instead of the southeast we'll be heading way out west with another of my favorite guys to deal with!