After deciding on a new favorite player, I started feeling excited about collecting again. As such, I sought out some cards at my local stores. I was actually able to find some stuff, including a Mega Box of 2025 Donruss and a blaster of 2025 Topps Series 2. I pulled exactly zero Red Sox cards in the Topps blaster. That was really annoying. The Donruss box made up for it though.
Up first though is a random card I bought off of Ebay because I really wanted it.
This is the Aqua Speckle Refractor of Danny Jansen's 2025 Topps Heritage Record Breaker card. This is referring to the fact that Jansen appeared in the same game for both teams. I discussed this in an earlier Topps Now card post, so I won't get into it again. But it's an interesting curiosity, so I wanted to grab another card about it.
Up next is the Donruss box. Now, Donruss these days is a mix of prospects and retired players. Unfortunately they stopped doing the Diamond Kings subset.
1. David Ortiz. Ortiz is currently the third-largest player in my Red Sox collection. He should probably be second because he played so much longer than Nomar Garciaparra. I think the reason he is not is because it was early in the 2000's that we lost a bunch of companies making cards. Still, I think he will take over at some point. He has about 150 cards to go.
2. Terry Francona. This is a Liberty parallel. Francona will go into the Hall of Fame some day, but he is still actively managing the Reds right now. The question will be which cap he will wear. I think he is most known for his time in Boston, winning two World Series, including their first since 1918. But, he managed longer for Cleveland and had quite a bit of success there.
3. Pedro Martinez. Martinez is currently the fourth-largest player in my Red Sox collection, but his status is in jeopardy as he has only about a 75-card lead over Connor Wong. If Wong sticks around in Boston, and he has been playing better lately, my collection could continue.
4. Franklin Arias. After the promotions of Kristian Campbell, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, Arias is now Boston's top prospect, and a top ten prospect overall. His name was thrown around a lot in trade rumors. I could still see him getting traded in the offseason.
5. Roman Anthony. I am thrilled Anthony signed an extension. His power has yet to show in the Majors, but he has been great in the Majors thus far.
6. Jim Rice. I would like to see Donruss think outside the box a bit more. Let's see Rick Burleson or Rico Petrocelli or someone like that in the set. We see a lot of Jim Rice, which is fine, he is a Hall of Famer after all, but let's see some other guys.
7. Terry Francona.
8. Pedro Martinez.
9. Dustin Pedroia. I was pleasantly surprised with Pedroia's showing in the Hall of Fame vote this year. Maybe there is a chance for him to build up into possible election.
10. Marcelo Mayer. Mayer is unfortunately injured. He was doing well, especially defensively before the injury. Hopefully he will be healthy next season.
11. Dustin Pedroia.
12. Roman Anthony. This is my favorite card from the break, the Elite Series insert. Anthony is likely going to skyrocket in my collection next year.
It's really, really weird that they made a card of Francona as Boston manager when he's the current manager of a different team. I'd like to see Donruss make cards of all the current managers, or at least as many as they can get the rights to, given that Topps doesn't make them anymore.
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