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Save WAPO Sports

Word this week that The Washington Post could be shuttering its sports section hit me with sadness and the reality of the changing newspaper business. From losing money to the internet hitting the industry real hard, it is a reality in the future that newspapers won't exist. Several years ago, the New York Times made the decision to shut its sports section, leaving the writing and reporting to The Athletic. I wrote at length about the correspondence that I had with Ira Berkow, Sports of the Times columnist. I wrote: The New York Times decision to shutter its sports department brought back the fond memories of my correspondence with Ira Berkow. As a young, struggling baseball writer, I would read the Times' Sports section daily, especially the Sports of the Times column anchored by some of the best writers—Ira Berkow, Dave Anderson, Red Smith, George Vecsey, Harvey Araton, William Rhoden, Robert Lipsyte, etc. A power lineup of writers. This is the same for The Washington Post, w...
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The Show 26

MLB The Show 26 has a new cover athlete and his name is Aaron Judge. With the announcement of The Show 26 available for purchase, Topps has also designed a Topps Now card of Aaron Judge.  Here's the wording from the back of The How 26 Topps Now card: Make your mark. Become a Legend. Own The Show™. Step up to the plate for  the most authentic MLB® The Show™ experience yet. Live your Baseball dreams through an expanded Road To The Show, deeper Franchise mode, and a Diamond Dynasty evolution years in the making. According to Topps Now website, the card Ships in 7-10 business days after expiry date and  is available from Jan 27, 2026  and expires on Jan 30, 2026 Look for: Open-Edition Base Card Foil Parallels Numbered to /50 and lower Parallels: /50 Gold Foil /25 Orange Foil /10 Black Foil /5 Red Foil /1 FoilFractor *Parallels or other non-base card hits will replace the base card in your order. Odds of hitting a non-base card are based on total cards orde...
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The Snow Show

Just when we thought the snow has ended for the year in New York, here we go again. With the NFL Playoffs underway and Spring Training in a couple of weeks, old man winter is at it again. In as many years, this is the first significant snow fall in New York City and cold temperatures that are more likely in Buffalo. With snow coming down just enough to cause a headache, we dream more than ever about baseball and pray for spring. Spring Training here we come. Or as they say Viva (Las Vegas) Florida. Until then, see ya at Spring Training! — Joe Boesch 
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Hot Stove Hotness

Coming off the free agent block one-by-one, the last man standing is Cody Bellinger who is being wooed by the Yankees but still remains unsigned. The Dodgers, Blue Jays, Mets, Phillies and Cubs still are making the moves while some teams are still in the rear view mirror. One signing by the Blue Jays of Kazuma Okamoto only solidifies the seriousness of the Jays wanting to make the postseason again. Here's a synopsis of Okamoto from his Topps Now card: Kazuma Okamoto is taking his slugging prowess to "The 6," inking a four-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Japanese star enjoyed a six-year stretch (2018-23) in which he mashed 30 or more homers, including a career-high 41(2023) with the Yomiuri Giants. Okamoto heads to MLB with 248 dingers, a .277 batting average, and a .521 slugging percentage in 11 NPB seasons. Until then, see you at the park! — Joe Boesch 
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2026 Topps Baseball Release

That time of year has come again, Topps Baseball Series 1 new release. Here's a synopsis from the Topps website: 2026 Topps Baseball Series 1 kicks off a year-long celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Topps Baseball, honoring the most iconic name in trading cards. For 75 years, Topps Baseball has defined the Hobby by capturing the game's greatest players and moments, generation after generation. Built on the new 2026 design, Series 1 delivers a 350-card Base Set featuring today's biggest MLB stars, top rookies, Future Stars, League Leaders, and team cards. Celebrate the legacy of Topps Baseball with anniversary-themed inserts and parallels that honor the brand's rich history, including Cover Athletes, 75 Years of Topps Die-Cut Autographs, and 75 Years of Topps Baseball Autographs. Series 1 delivers depth across every tier of the rainbow with a wide range of numbered color parallels and a robust insert lineup. Fan-favorite designs such as All Aces, Heavy Lumber, and Ho...
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Still Available

The  Hot Stove Season  is still alive and well. There's still a list of players looking for a team and the cash. Here's some of the top  free agents  available: — Alex Bregman — Kyle Tucker — Bo Bichette — Cody Bellinger — J.T. Realmuto Where do they sign? The rumors are alive and well, but only time will tell. Until then, see ya! — Joe Boesch 
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Topps Now Rookie Cup Set

First off, Happy New Year! As we are now into 2026, many can't wait for the new baseball season to start — pretty much it can't come quick enough. To keep the baseball juices flowing, Topps Now has the 2025 MLB Topps NOW® Rookie Cup Team Set. Here's a synopsis from Topps: Each set features 12 base cards and one guaranteed parallel – plus look for redemptions for the following autographs numbered to /10 or less! Here's a look at the players in the set: C – Drake Baldwin – Atlanta Braves *Autograph Subject 1B – Nick Kurtz – Athletics *Autograph Subject 2B – Luke Keaschall – Minnesota Twins *Autograph Subject 3B – Matt Shaw – Chicago Cubs *Autograph Subject SS – Jacob Wilson – Athletics *Autograph Subject OF – Isaac Collins – Kansas City Royals OF – Roman Anthony – Boston Red Sox *Autograph Subject OF – Jakob Marsee – Miami Marlins DH – Agustín Ramírez – Miami Marlins *Autograph Subject RHP – Cade Horton – Chicago Cubs *Autograph Subject LHP – Noah Cameron – Kansas City Ro...
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