How I learned to hate rainbows

Spring has sprung … eh, not really.

Even though Spring Training is in the air with pitchers and catchers reporting, spring is nowhere in sight especially in the northeast. We’re expected another several inches of snow coming our way to go on top of piles and piles of slush we have right now.

But there are signs that spring is getting closer since The Weather Channel looks to be running out of names for its winter storms.

Topps Series 1 Baseball hit the shelves last week and I received my first order of Derek Jeter cards.

No one will ever accuse me of being a set collector, so I don’t tend to look at those elements when chasing cards. Therefore I have no opinion – at this time – of 2014 Topps Series 1 as a set.

I do, however, have new Derek Jeter cards to add to my collection.

This mail day added seven new Jeters to the ever-growing collection, and the first 2014 cards.

The Class of ’96 card was interesting. Topps has jumped from manu-patches to creating manu-relics in recent years. This card included what is considered a “class ring.” Pssh, my high school ring looked better than that – and, sadly, was around the same time. However, I do like the card and adds an interesting aspect to my collection.

The “Before They Were Great” card is a neat looking card. I got the gold version numbered to 99 in my lot of Jeter cards, but don’t have the regular one. It’s nothing special. I’m indifferent toward the card, and it reminds me of one of the inserts from last year.

Another insert included with “50 Years of the Draft.” Clearly, there is a theme here with Topps as it seems to be getting nostalgic with this year’s set.

I also received the Topps All-Rookie Cup Team (which I didn’t care for the design), the base, Gold and Red Foil parallels.

That’s seven cards … and here is the problem.

Not counting 1-of-1s from 2014 Topps Series 1 Baseball, there are 33 different Jeter cards from the set. Parallels include: Gold, Camo, Black, Pink, Red Foil, Clear, Wal-Mart Blue, Green, Yellow, Target Red Border and Toys R Us Purple Border.

Eleven parallels.

I’m going to collect as many Jeter cards as I can, but the parallel explosion is usually why I make just one order of Jeter cards when the set first comes out and don’t go crazy chasing down the rainbow. If I happen to come across the cards I don’t have a card show, I might buy them for the right price, but 11 parallels is way, way too many in my opinion.

Were Green and Yellow really necessary?