2020 Topps Series 1 Pack Breaks

I am not keeping track of team totals from my pack breaks this year.  I was going to, but then I fell way behind due to work and everything got mixed up.  I still know which Red Sox cards came from packs, and I will keep track of that number.  I am not doing great this year.  I will get to that in a future post.  Topps Series 1 went okay.  I think I opened two blasters and a hanger pack.  Here are the results.

1.  Andrew Cashner.  Cashner was a trade deadline deal for the Red Sox in 2019 that did not work out terribly well.  He was 2-5 with a 6.20 ERA.  He was a little better in the bullpen.  I was surprised Cashner made it into this set.  I was pretty sure his only Red Sox card was going to be the Topps Total card from last year.

2.  Decade's Best Insert.  I did pull a couple of inserts, including this one celebrating the 2018 team as one of the decade's best.  Currently that is being tainted by the ongoing investigation into whether they were involved in a sign-stealing scheme similar to the 2017 Astros.  We have been waiting a LONG time for those results, which are supposedly done, but they have not been releasing it.  It's annoying.

3.  Michael Chavis.  I really have no idea what to think of Chavis.  He did well early after his promotion, but he struggled afterwards.  He also really does not have a set position.  Boston has Mitch Moreland at first, Jose Peraza at second, and Rafael Devers at third.  He could be a super-sub, but we will see.  His numbers last year were decent, .254/.322/.444, with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs.

4.  David Price.  Price was traded as part of the Mookie Betts deal to the Dodgers.  By and large, his stint with Boston was a disappointment, but his 2018 postseason run was terrific and he will be one of the things I most remember from that team.

5.  Brock Holt.  Holt signed with the Brewers as a free agent and I saw some fans upset about that as much as they were about Betts being traded.  It's not the same thing at all, but Holt was a lot of fun to watch.  Yeah, I would have liked him to stay in Boston for his career, but he's not exactly irreplaceable.  Not like Mookie.

6.  J.D. Martinez Home Run Challenge.  This is part of a contest where you can win prizes.  I was never good about doing it last year, and it looks like the contest will be closed this year.  Still, it's a nice insert.

7.  Matt Barnes.  Barnes has been an underrated and reliable member of the team's bullpen since 2015.  Last year, he was 5-4 with a 3.78 ERA and struck out a crazy 110 batters in only 64.1 innings.

8.  Christian Vazquez.  One of my favorite players right now is Boston's catcher, because of course I always like catchers.  He had a very good year last year, blowing away his previous best home run mark by hitting 23.  His previous best was five.  We will see if that is sustainable.