MLB Players Weekend is nearly upon us and it's a chance for MLB to loosen things up on the uniform front with new colorful looks for its teams complete with nicknames on players' jerseys just for fun (and marketing/merchandising, of course).

The spectacle of this one also will have cardboard and the first to come will be 2017 Topps Now MLB Players Weekend team sets that will focus on five players per squad from the games. There also will be performance bonuses that potentially translate into extra cards.

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"The Game" and "The Billion-dollar Princess" are signing for Topps -- and a donation from the company also will help benefit Connor's Cure, a charity that helps pediatric cancer research.

Topps revealed on Thursday that Triple H and Stephanie McMahon autographs will be on the way in future WWE products and that a Topps Now card featuring them next week also will raise money for the charity.

“We are excited to work with WWE to benefit Connor’s Cure in a unique way through our exclusive trading card offerings,” said Topps WWE Brand Manager Colin Walton. “WWE fans will get the opportunity to learn more about Connor’s Cure and make a direct impact while owning a collectible for years to come.”

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Colorado Rockies pitcher Chad Bettis' comeback from cancer on Monday night didn't net a victory in the record books -- but the cardboard just might help do that.

Topps' newest batch of Topps Now cards includes autographs from the right-hander and the proceeds from the sales of his cards will go to Stand Up to Cancer.

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If you've noticed those colorful socks used recently in MLB, well, now they have a new home.

Topps Now Relic cards.

Aaron Judge and his All-Star Home Run Derby title captured all the attention Monday night in Miami and today there's the cardboard to show it.

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The MLB All-Star Game is tomorrow night in Miami but all eyes will be on the showdown that is the Home Run Derby tonight (8 p.m., ESPN) where two rookie heavyweights, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, could have a showdown -- and it won't even be for the crown.

They're on the same side of the bracket for the power showcase along with Charlie Blackmon and Justin Bour, while the other side of the bracket includes defending champ Giancarlo Stanton, Gary Sanchez, Mike Moustakas and Miguel Sano. 

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We're a week or so away from the MLB All-Star Game and Topps will have plenty of cardboard for baseball fans to chase that commemorates The Midsummer Classic.

Topps Now will be unleashing All-Star cardboard today -- team sets for the squads with autographs potentially in the mix -- and it will have cards for fans in Miami for the game and the All-Star FanFest, which begins on Thursday.

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One of the hottest rookies in baseball -- the King of the West Coast to counter Aaron Judge's Big Apple dominance -- wrote his way into the record books on Monday night.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger hit two more home runs -- that's 21 in just 51 career games -- and that's the fastest pace in MLB history to start a career and good enough for the National League lead, trailing only Judge for the overall mark.

What makes this feat extra-enticing for collectors? The fact that Bellinger has a relatively minuscule amount of cardboard overall and a small number of certified autographs -- and that means more competition for what he does have as the home runs go flying.

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Your next big-name New York Yankees rookie to arrive in The Big Apple will face big expectations -- but he doesn't have nearly as much cardboard as those who arrived before him.

Unlike the arrivals of Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge -- guys who had plenty of baseball cards and plenty of certified autographs when they hit The Show -- shortstop Gleyber Torres doesn't.

And that could bode very well for collectors who own them.

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The Captain didn't top Ichiro Suzuki's single-card Topps Now sales record, but an array of cards for the New York Yankees' retirement of Derek Jeter's uniform number did sell more total cards than any other player in a single day.

More than 17,000 Jeter cards were sold by Topps on Monday, including a number of autographed Relics and Relics along with his two standard cards -- one for his Monument Park plaque and one for his retired number.

The record for the most copies of a single card is still Suzuki's 11,550, which came after his 3,000th career hit last season.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Aaron Judge's hot start, pondering retro Topps Now cards, big pulls & even some Daisy Ridley ink.

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As a "way of saying thank you for being such a loyal customer of Topps" a selected number of Topps Now purchasers have received invitations to a Topps Now Loyalty Program.

As part of the membership perks, those invited at the Platinum level will receive a nine-card autographed set of cards apparently limited to only 25 copies per card showcasing notable players from last year.

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Topps Now was a game-changer last season for baseball cards and it's been a big enough hit that "Fred" and friends now have an intern.

You might know him.

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Ok, it's not the weekend, but this further proves that Buzz's fantasy baseball draft just took waayyyy too long yesterday. (Hear that, commish?) Here are several stories worth a look if you missed out. Check 'em out & subscribe at right if you want email updates.

This Week's Big Hit?
We're less than a week away from WrestleMania 33 in Orlando and Topps dropped the biggest mic of them all ("pipebomb" in WWE-Punk parlance) for collectors with the arrival of autographs from Undertaker for the first time in Topps packs -- and just the third time in hobby history. Get all of the details on which brands get his legendary ink here.

Keep reading for more ...

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The World Baseball Classic may be over but the Topps Now baseball cards are not.

A total of 10 new cards were revealed on the real-time cardboard platform on Friday, focusing on the members of the All-WBC Team and a trio of young stars on one squad who signed on for the newest autographs from the event.

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USA Baseball clinched its first World Baseball Classic championship late Wednesday night and now the new baseball cards are here.

How? Via Topps Now -- Topps' online platform for real-time baseball cards that capture moments as soon as possible on cardboard.

A dozen cards were revealed on Thursday with USA's star pitcher Marcus Stroman the subject of two types of Relic cards -- with and without ink.

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The first 2017 World Baseball Classic Relics are here.

Puerto Rico's win that advanced it to the final of the international event last night can be found on new Topps Now cardboard for the next 24 hours only -- and there are a pair of Relics among today's offerings.

One is a signed base card from team star Carlos Correa and the other is a first for the Now program -- a game-used baseball Relic.

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It was a busy one on The Buzz this past week. Here are 10 stories worth a look if you missed out. Check 'em out & hit the subscribe button at right if you want email updates.

Big-ink Potential 
Upcoming release from Topps puts emphasis -- and ink -- on key cards of today's stars. Get the details >> First Buzz: 2017 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition

Keep reading for more ...

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The next piece in Topps' World Baseball Classic cardboard puzzle is here.

With two teams already advancing to the semi-final round of this year's international showcase, the 2017 Topps Now World Baseball Classic team sets are now here.

That means even more stars from the WBC squads get cardboard -- and collectors get bonuses if the teams win it all.

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Ok, it's not the weekend, but this was slated to be sent last night -- further proving that it was a busy one on The Buzz this past week. Here are 10 stories worth a look if you missed out. Check 'em out & hit the subscribe button at right if you want email updates.

This Week's Big Hit?
It seems that 2017 Donruss' arrival has collectors talking and there's fun to be found inside its packs. Click here to start with variations and find links to checklists & more. After that, check out a Buzz Break of a hobby box right here.

Keep reading for more ...

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Topps Now is headed to Orlando for WrestleMania 33 -- but we don't have to wait until April 2 for the cardboard.

A pair of Countdown sets for the events of WrestleMania weekend arrived today from Topps.

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Topps Now is the answer to the question of how the World Baseball Classic will be covered when it comes to baseball cards.

The real-time baseball card platform launched its 2017 Topps Now WBC set on Monday with cards from the Team Israel victory over Korea.

“We’re excited for the progression of the Topps Now program and bringing these cards to a wider audience of baseball fans,” said David Leiner, Topps' GM and VP of North American Sports and Entertainment. “This program has been a lot of fun since its inception to see what great moments and milestones we can capture on cards. The World Baseball Classic is a natural fit because it offers great plays from international stars, and there are also players whose cards you might not be able to get anywhere else.”

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Topps isn't limiting Topps Now to spring training team sets this season.

The real-time baseball card platform launched its 2017 Topps Now Spring Training MLB set on Monday with a single card of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who racked up six strikeouts in two innings on Sunday.

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Day 1 of 2017 Topps Now is here -- and it launches with 450 base cards.

And autographed cards atop that ... and incentive bonus cards possible, too.

How? Team sets documenting spring training -- 42 in all -- that launch now and are on sale until April 4.

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Real cards in real time -- or at least the next day. It was a simple idea that became Topps Now that has helped in some ways transform collecting beginning on April 3, 2016.

Need proof?

There are 1,184 different Now cards now for MLB alone -- some with autographs and game-used memorabilia from the games that are depicted on the card. There are also Topps Now cards for last year's election and presidential debates, Now cards for WWE and for UFC and even real-time cardboard releases from AMC's Preacher and the Garbage Pail Kids taking on real-time scandals and viral curiosities. Oh, and there are other companies in on the real-time card business now for the other leagues, too.

Let's take a quick look at some of the highlights from last year's MLB releases before the 2017 Topps Now cards -- with a new look and numbering -- start soon and some basic info on every single one of the 2016 releases.

How do we knew there's a new look? Buzz checked the mailbox and found something inside. Keep reading for a first look at 2017 Topps Now.

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Inauguration Day has come and gone but there are a number of new trading cards from Topps that reflect the new presidency of Donald Trump. 

One is a 19-sticker Garbage Pail Kids 2017 Presidential Inaug-hurl Ceremony set and the other is a five-card Topps Now 2017 Presidential Inauguration set with traditional photography from Friday.

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