Sometimes I Have a Hard Time Accepting Change

I love tradition. It's safe, it's predictable, it usually stems from a good idea. Ever since I started collecting, Topps' rookie cup logo for its All-Star Rookie Team has been one of my hobby teddy bears. Traditional and easy to cuddle up with, I've always had fun seeing who pans out and who's a flash in the cliched pan.

Well, it looks like a tradition is changing, or at least evolving. If the Gordon Beckham sample Topps released today is any indication, they have changed their iconic trophy.

The faux goldish-yellow has given way for a silver cup on a wood base. There's something about it that's off-putting. Although it has more color, it looks a little too tacky for my liking. I'd rather make salad with the new one instead of putting it on display.

This isn't the first time the cup has changed. Before the last cup, it was pictured as an actual trophy that looked an awful lot like a batter standing on top of the Monopoly top hat.

In case you were curious, here's the 2009 edition of the Topps All-Star Rookie Team:

1B Travis Ishikawa, San Francisco (120 games, 9 HR, 39 RBI, .261)
2B Chris Getz, Chicago (A.L.) (107, 2, 31, .261)
3B Gordon Beckham, Chicago (A.L.) (103, 14, 63, .270)

SS Elvis Andrus, Texas (145, 6, 40, .267)
OF Chris Coghlan, Florida (128, 9, 47, .321)
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh (108, 12, 54, .286)
OF Nolan Reimold, Baltimore (104, 15, 45, .279)
C Omir Santos, New York (N.L.) (96, 7, 40, .260)
RHP Tommy Hanson, Atlanta (127.2 IP, 11-4, 2.89, 116 K, 46 BB)
LHP J.A. Happ, Philadelphia (166 IP, 12-4, 2.93, 119 K, 56 BB)

Interesting to note that American League Rookie of the Year Andrew Bailey was not named to the squad.