I am not a fan of Prizm, for two main reasons. First, I think it is a cheap knockoff of Topps Chrome that doesnt deserve the attention it gets. Second, I think the design for every Prizm set has been so far below par, that I cant even fathom why anyone wants to buy it. Im actually surprised they are doing it again in Baseball considering how poorly it performed, but I guess we have basketball to blame for that as well.

Here are some of the big hits up already:

2013 Prizm Mike Trout USA Auto Refractor /25 – GIANT box behind the sticker. Yuck.

2013 Prizm Mariano Rivera Auto

2013 Prizm Yasiel Puig RC Refractor

I think the designs are sleep inducing for the base cards, as the lack of logos on the uniforms and constricted photos create a boring presentation. Where Topps Chrome has succeeded at using designs that highlight the player and surrounding area in the photograph, these cards fall victim to their lack of a license in many different situations. The inserts are even worse, linking lame and unimaginative names with even more awful looking designs.

This lack of true creativity has been a situation with Prizm in basketball and football, but in both of the other situations, the logos add a lot to give identity to the players on the front. I think the design work is still awful in both examples, but the logos make a difference to me. Here, the generic player presence combined with a dumb idea for set filler is a complete detriment.

However, the inserts arent even the worst part.

The autographs continue to shock me as to how horrible they look. Instead of keeping the base design, and using photoshop to blur or fade out the area where the sticker is going, they just slapped a huge box there that obscures the whole area completely. As a result, the player is sliced off mid leg, and the card looks even worse than it already does. This is common practice for this brand, and it frustrates me to no end.

The biggest draw for Prizm has always been the gold refractors, and they are back again for baseball's second go around. I dont really see the appeal, as there are a ton of cards numbered to 10 that are much more attractive than the Golds. I understand that there is a perception of value on these cards because of the popularity in a Chrome starved sport like Basketball, but that should not be the case in a sport dominated by Chrome like Baseball. That’s a baffling situation to me. Then again, this is a hobby that bought the crap out of some of the ugliest cards in history.

Prizm will have to do something fantastic to beat the perception I have of it. For me, its still that cheap pair of “foakleys” to the real thing in Topps Chrome or Bowman Chrome. Prizm has a place if it took the medium to a point it hasnt been, but I fail to see why it is made if it cant measure up.