2016 Topps Chrome

Yesterday's Optic pack may have left a few of you with a bad taste in your mouth, so let's take a look at a pack of The Real Thing, aka Topps Chrome.

112 - Sean Doolittle - I'm not at all a fan of the 2016 Topps base design, but the shiny Chrome works its magic where it can and produces something that doesn't look all that sorry in one's collection. Doolittle is still trapped in a weird cloud, or maybe an abstract painting.

189 - Wade Davis Prism Refractor - Wade Davis figured prominently at the back of the Royals bullpen before the Lovable Losers Evil Empire scooped him up this past offseason. This is a "Prism" refractor, not to be confused with Panini's trademarked Prizm. To confuse things further, these do not have the usual word "REFRACTOR" printed on the back. I guess Topps figures you for a dummy if you don't recognize that this card isn't your ordinary average base card.

181 - Blake Snell - Chrome has its share of rookies and rookie autos, although I usually end up with the base versions like this Snell here.

60 - Carlos Martinez - Tsunami finishes off the short pack. Martinez is the theoretical Cardinals ace, but he has some things he needs to work on. Don't we all, though?