2013 Snorting Bull Awards: Best Parallel Set

2013 Topps Emerald Green Parallels 

2013 Topps Emerald Green Matt Holliday 

I know a lot of collectors who dig the parallels.  I have seen checklists about diamonds and sepia and camouflage and everything under the sun.  Yet, rarely do I feel the urge to put together any of these sets.  If you collect parallel sets and are willing to part with something decent I will put together a huge stack of these cards and send them your way.  I think part of the frustration with them is that, like the variations, there are too many of them today.  Name a color and there is a parallel.  Some of them might be serial numbered, others not.  Some are only in Hobby Packs, while others are only available at Wally World (Wal-Mart) and others at Target.  99% of the time I do not care.  

I take notice when something changes my mind.  I saw a bunch of changes to the parallels this year in Topps, and while I am not knocking camo or pink cards, I love these green cards.  They have a cool look and I just really think they are catchy.  I managed to assemble a complete set of green Cardinals cards this summer and happily have them marked off in my box of inserts and parallels from this year's base set.  In fact, the Emerald Green Cardinals parallel set gets looked at at least once a week.  Love them.  

Now, hopefully Topps will keep these cards next year and will not do anything to mess with them or change them.  Bonus Emerald Green card, Jon Jay.  They should have done something cool with the picture of Tony LaRussa on the wall behind Jay.  

2013 Topps Emerald Green Jon Jay