First Pitch: An Early Glimpse Inside Panini America's First Two MLBPA Products

[The Question]

Panini America and the Major League Baseball Players Association commanded the collecting world’s attention*last Thursday*with the industry-rattling announcement that the two sides have agreed on a multi-year trading card agreement.

Today, Panini America*officials*keep the*buzz going by revealing some*preliminary details surrounding their*first two MLBPA-licensed products: 2011 Donruss*Elite*Extra Edition Baseball and 2011 Playoff Contenders Baseball.



Elite Extra Edition is a name that’s widely embraced by America’s most passionate prospectors and the 2011 version, due out December 21, will only strengthen the product’s proud reputation.

Some preliminary highlights include . . .

• 50 on-card autograph signers, including more than 30*first-round picks, featuring*first-overall pick Gerrit Cole, 2011 Golden Spikes winner Trevor Bauer,*Danny Hultzen, Dylan Bundy, Bubba Starling, Anthony Rendon, Archie*Bradley, Matthew Purke, Jackie Bradley Jr., Kyle Parker, Leonys Martin and*Josh Bell.
• In all, there will be more than 150 prospects signing for the set.
• The first Panini America appearance of MLBPA stars such as Josh*Hamilton, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Michael Pineda, Eric Hosmer*and Jordan Walden among others.

“The compilation of EEE will be familiar to collectors,*but there are some tweaks to the program, including more on-card*autographs than ever before,” says Panini America Brand Manager Mike Payne. “EEE still is the most comprehensive baseball*draft product on the market and stretches beyond just the obvious names in*the first round or a few that spill into the second round – names we do*have, by the way.

“By going beyond the first round, EEE has introduced the first autographs of Austin Jackson (8th round, 2005), Domonic Brown (20th round, 2006), Brandon Belt (5th round, 2009),*Matt Moore (8th round, 2007) and Paul Goldschmidt (8th round, 2009) among others. That’s part of EEE’s identity.”

2011 Playoff Contenders is*tentatively slated to arrive January 11 and is highlighted by . . .

• The first Panini America autographs of 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton.
• 150 prospects signing for the set, including 50 players*signing on-card.
• More than 20 players making their Panini America autograph*debut.
• Museum Collection parallels feature Nufex*technology*for each card in the Season Tickets and Rookie Tickets sets (200 players).
• Rookie Tickets Artist’s Proofs numbered to 49 and*Rookie Tickets*First Day Printer’s Proofs numbered to just 10.

You can get the*exclusive first looks at some of the cards below. Stay*tuned to The Knight’s Lance for additional details as they become available.




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