New Release: 2017 BBM Buffaloes

BBM's team set for the Orix Buffaloes came out in mid-June. As with every team set this year, 20-pack boxes are priced at 8000 yen, with 6-card packs retailing for 400 yen. The standard 81 card base set, 18 regular insert cards, the Phantom cross-set insert, and usual autographs can be found inside.

 Regular base cards are #Bs1-Bs68, with that last card picturing the team's mascots. The design is very simple but attractive and leaves a lot of space for the photo. Generally, I like BBM's card designs. I just wish I didn't have to always look at pitchers pitching and batters batting.

 #Bs69 and #Bs70 are Newcomer cards, featuring players who came from other teams. Again, BBM did things right here by including the player's full prior experience. (Mariners fans: do you wonder what happened to Stefen Romero? Now you know.)

 Honor of Bs (#Bs71-81) features the starters.

 Moving on to the inserts, there's a four-card Awesome Ones set.

 Break Down is four cards.

 Indomitable is three cards.

 Hard Hitters is three cards.

Finally, Record Maker is three cards.

All of the above insert sets come in parallels of 75 (gold) and 50 (gold with hologram) copies. The names of the insert sets really don't mean anything, except perhaps Record Maker. That is also the only insert set with any kind of details on the back showing why the player is in the set.

The Buffaloes have six cards in the cross-brand Phantom set, numbered PBs1 - PBs6. As with the other Phantom sets, these are all serial-numbered to 25 copies each.

The entire roster has autographed cards, numbered to 60 or less. One player combo autograph is numbered to 5, while a dual-mascot autograph is numbered to 60 copies. Silver signature autographs (9 cards) return, numbered to 10, with a 1/1 gold parallel. And finally, nine Rookie autographs are also numbered to 10 copies each.