Why would a ML'er not have any cards?

[Cjfrankum]

There is a RP on the Boston Red Sox, brennan bernardino, who does not have any cards. Anyone know why this would be?

[atk825]

There is a RP on the Boston Red Sox, brennan bernardino, who does not have any cards. Anyone know why this would be?

A lot of non prospects never get a bowman card. It's getting less common now just with how much Bowman gets produced now. But there's also players like Justin Steele who don't their rookie card until their third season.

[awz50]

Very common, especially for relief pitchers. Will probably get a card in series 1 this year and series 2 at latest

[JMStang]

Interesting, a handful of appearances in 22, then a good amount in 23 & 24. Only 6 total cards, all minor league.

https://www.tcdb.com/Person.cfm/pid/80984/col/1/yea/0/Brennan-Bernardino?sTeam=&sCardNum=&sNote=&sSetName=&sBrand=


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[towerymt]

Justin Topa finally got one. Seems to happen to RPs

https://www.startribune.com/twins-justin-topa-a-lifelong-card-collector-chases-his-own-baseball-card/601230225

[mudder35]

My oldest son got his first MLB ball from Edgar Santana of the Braves. I looked everywhere for a card of him to make a display but there were none to be found. My second oldest son got his first ball from Jake Brentz of the Royals and he never got a base card from Topps (had some autos in different products) but did get some Panini Prizm cards.

Another one I stumbled upon is Jason Adam who has pitched 269 innings in relief with a 2.87 career ERA. He didn't get his first MLB card until 2024 update. Ironically, it came in a Rays uniform after he'd already been traded to the Padres.

Basically, if you're a pitcher and don't get a rookie card, you better stick in the league for 7-8 years if you want them to finally pity you in series 2 or Update.

[mudder35]

Another quick story. I have 4 young boys (3, 7, 8, 11) and go to a handful of games every year. Ever since the Santana ball, my kids like to go early to games to get autographs. Because many of the RP's don't have any cards, we bring those team cards topps puts out every year to have something to sign. At a game 2 years ago, many of the pitchers were on the field and coming over to sign autographs and a young relief pitcher who didn't have a card refused to sign the team card. My then 6 year old son handed it to him, he looked at it and said "I'm not in that card" handed it back to him, and walked away. My son was confused and asked me what happened. I chuckled and repeated what he said and then told him that he actually wasn't in any cards yet. Not mad at the guy, but to each their own, I suppose.

[rms13]

It is odd. He's pitched 55 and 57 games the last two years. Topps has given RC to multiple Red Sox players over the last 2 years who have less then 5 games in MLB

[SaveMeTheGum]

They have to sign contracts with a card company to have cards.

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Zac Gallen and Eury Perez do not have any 1st Bowmans.

[rms13]

They have to sign contracts with a card company to have cards.

I thought that was covered under the MLBPA contract with Fanatics? I don't think every individual player is signing a contract

[rms13]

Zac Gallen and Eury Perez do not have any 1st Bowmans.

Bernadino is a guy that's pitched 2 full seasons with the Red Sox and doesn't have any cards. But he's also a lefty specialist reliever and he was 30 when he debuted in MLB

[corockies]

Zac Gallen and Eury Perez do not have any 1st Bowmans.

Neither does German Marquez. In fact, he's never had a Bowman or Bowman Chrome card ever.

[boxbuster7]

cuz topps is incompetent

how is this a thread?

[WizardofOz1982]

Couldn't put 15 cards of Ohtani in every set if they gave cards to everyone else.

[mudder35]

Couldn't put 15 cards of Ohtani in every set if they gave cards to everyone else.

I'll only speak for myself, but I could definitely do without 3 cards a year of Ohtani, Trout, and Judge high fiving teammates, former teammates, or other random MLB players.

[89Giants]

Topps would rather put cards of old hof guys or retired fan favorites in every set than make cards of players who are on current rosters.

[Handsome Wes]

There's a story I remember reading many years ago, back in the ESPN Page Two era. Someone complained to a Topps rep that he didn't have a card. The rep responded "Dude, you play for the Royals."

[OhioLawyerF5]

There were 949 players on the opening day rosters in MLB last season. That doesn't include the multitudes of other players who made an appearance during the season due to injuries and call ups.

People can complain about incompetence, oversight, etc... But the fact of the matter is, sets aren't that big. The full flagship run is usually around 1000 cards, but that includes lots of all-star, subsets, team cards, etc.. The real total number of base player cards is more like 6-700. Lots of players don't get cards. And relief pitchers are some of the first cuts. It is what it is.

[Cjfrankum]

Thank you for all the insight. He helps coach one of my kids baseball teams and my son wanted one of Brennan's cards. I don't know why I assumed everyone got cards.

[f2tornado]

There were 949 players on the opening day rosters in MLB last season. That doesn't include the multitudes of other players who made an appearance during the season due to injuries and call ups.

People can complain about incompetence, oversight, etc... But the fact of the matter is, sets aren't that big. The full flagship run is usually around 1000 cards, but that includes lots of all-star, subsets, team cards, etc.. The real total number of base player cards is more like 6-700. Lots of players don't get cards. And relief pitchers are some of the first cuts. It is what it is.

This is the answer. Upper Deck attempted to cover ever possible NFLer in the 2002 XL set. Topps did similar with the Total sets for a couple years. Then Panini Unparalleled for a few years. Some of those rookies go for good money since it's the only one. But for the most part, those products were not very popular and why they didn't last long.

Topps could probably do some on-demand adds for those players but not sure if the demand would justify the expense of doing so.

[Raleigh504]

I never understood why Bowman Draft would include guys who already have 1st cards in other products. To me the name DRAFT means that they were just drafted, basically the whole checklist should be all 1st cards. They should look at MLB Pipeline Top 30 of each team (maybe even another site too for more guys) and say:

- Who doesn't have a 1st card?
- Will this player be in Bowman or Bowman Chrome instead with their 1st?
- If no to either then but their 1st in Draft and keep going down the line or down the current draft class until a Draft Checklist is complete.


Steven Kwan was another guy who didn't have a Bowman 1st too.

[bigdog2003]

I’ve been waiting on my cousin’s husband to get in a Topps release. Hopefully series 2. All he has is minor league cards too. He also on the Sox.

[Centauri3]

Steven Kwan had nothing when he made the team out of spring training his rookie year. Was very strange

[Retired hobbist]

I know in the old days many journeymen never got cards as sets were much smaller then.

In football this was much worse considering rosters were larger and players are more in and out due to the brutal nature of the sport.