Fantasy Baseball: Introducing the 2026 Coca-Cola Kids B-Team

We are three weeks into the baseball season, and the Coca-Cola Kids B-Team is deep in it! The Kids B-Team plays in the UPCBaseball League, which is a high-maintenance league, as the roster may be changed daily. That is a lot of days to change rosters in a baseball season. I am excited for the Kids this year as they had a nice draft and feel good about the season for these players.

In ten weeks, the first week of June, I will create a new post to give my thoughts on the team as we enter the summer months. Until then, I will update this post with weekly match-up results and any roster changes that I make.

Week 1: Coca-Cola Kids vs. Anyone but the Cubs 9-5 “Kids Off to a Nice Start in 2026” (4th in League)

Week 2: Coca-Cola Kids (9-5-4) vs. Acuna Matada (7-7-4) 12-5 “Kids Pitching is Dominant in Win” (2nd in League)

Week 3: Coca-Cola Kids (21-10-5) vs. Bregging Rights (16-14-6) Match-up of the Week  10-4  "Kids Balanced Attack Takes Bregging Rights in Week 3"  

Week 4: Coca-Cola Kids (31-14-9) vs. Release the Kimbrel (33-16-5) Match-up of the Week 

Introducing the 2026 Coca-Cola Kids B-Team:

Position Players:

C: Hunter Goodman, Colorado Rockies

1B: Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants

2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

3B: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres

SS: Zach Neto, Los Angeles Angels

OF: Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF: Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves

OF: Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves

Util: Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers

Bench:

1B/3B: Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox

C: Moises Ballesteros, Chicago Cubs

IL: Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs

Pitchers:

SP: Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

SP: Freddie Peralta, New York Mets

SP: Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles

RP: Dennis Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates

RP: Robert Suarez, Atlanta Braves

P: Carlos Estevez, Kansas City Royals

P: Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins

P: Kris Bubic, Kansas City Royals

Bench:

SP: Shane Baz, Baltimore Orioles

SP: Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees

SP: Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers

IL: Spencer Schwellenbach, Atlanta Braves

Fantasy Baseball is Back: Introducing the 2026 Coca-Cola Kids A-Team

I always look forward to the baseball season to watch my Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers make a run for the World Series. I’ve been a fan of the Cubs since I was a tiny little child, and I have been a fan of the Tigers since 1984.

In 1988, I found a new reason to love the game, Fantasy Baseball. I have played on

some iteration of fantasy baseball every year since the paper and pencil years, checking statistics in the USA Today every Tuesday to score, to my first online baseball league on Sandbox? or something like that. Now I play in two leagues, hence the A-team and B-team, and this is the 25th year I have had the Coca-Cola Kids A-Team in the League of the Gorgeous Rogues. In ten weeks, the first week of June, I will create a new post to give my thoughts on the team as we enter the summer months. Until then, I will update this post with weekly match-up results and any roster changes that I make. 

Week 1: Coca-Cola Kids vs. Brutes FBC 2-15 “Kids off to a Bad Start…Horrible, Actually” (4th Division, 9th League)

Week 2: Coca-Cola Kids (2-15-3) vs. BrownTown (3-15-2) 5-11 “Things Couldn’t Be Much Worse for the Kids: Looking for a Turnaround” (5th Division, 10th League)

Week 3: Coca-Cola Kids (7-26-7) vs. Pacaya Chiltepes (17-17-6) 5-9  "Chiltepes Offence Too Much for the Kids" (5th Division, 10th League)

Week 4: Coca-Cola Kids (12-35-13) vs. Affianced Buddhas (30-24-6) 

Hope springs eternal at this point of the season, so here are the members of the Coca-Cola Kids A-Team.

Position Players:

C: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners (Keeper)

1B: Rafael Devers, San Francisco Giants

2B: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (Keeper)

3B: Eugenio Suarez, Cincinnati Reds

SS: Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays

OF: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (Keeper)

OF: Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies

OF: Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners

Utility: Taylor Ward, Baltimore Orioles

Bench:

OF: Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays

C: Moises Ballesteros, Chicago Cubs

C: Carlos Narvaez, Boston Red Sox

1B/2B: Lenyn Sosa, Chicago White Sox

Pitchers:

SP: Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

SP: Freddie Peralta, New York Mets

SP: Jesus Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies

SP: Robbie Ray, San Francisco Giants

RP: Robert Suarez, Atlanta Braves

RP: Carlos Estevez, Kansas City Royals

P: Will Vest, Detroit Tigers

P: Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox

Bench:

RP: Pete Fairbanks, Miami Marlins

RP: Seranthony Dominguez, Chicago White Sox

Free Comic Book Day is Coming: Four Books I'm Looking forward to Picking Up and Reading

Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) is just ahead on May 2, 2026. This annual event, which takes place the
first Saturday of May is a gateway of sorts. First, it feels like the first “holiday” of summer for me. It always seems to be a warm day, brimming with hope and fun. Second, FCBD is a gateway to what’s ahead from the minds of the industry’s best authors and artists.

Before I get to four books that I am looking forward to this FCBD, let’s remember that FCBD is more than just free comics. Be sure to support those who supply these books and who open their doors not just on May 2, but all year long. Grab your free comics and get the preview of the upcoming year, but also take a look around your local comic shop. Find something special to buy yourself to support your local comic shop. These men and women who own these stores are a part of your community; support them!

Now on to the fun!

Conan the Barbarian: Tides of the Tyrant King #0 by Jim Zub Art by Jesus Merino Cover art by Rob De La Torre Titan Comics

I am excited for this title every May. Conan is a staple, and his stories, gory as they may be, he is a barbarian, are always filled with action, some barbarian romance, and some really bad dudes. My friend and author Jim Zub has a way to take this deep lore and make it accessible to new audiences and old. If you are in for great battles, adventure, and magical artifacts, you really should check out this book in 2026.

Inanna: The Name She Lost by Tim Seeley with Inanna Sarkis art by Ademir Leal Vault Comics

This beautiful cover just caught my eye. The gold base with the stark blue coming through in the border, title, and costume of a princess warrior standing in the ancient ruins of…San Francisco? You know the song, “One of these things isn’t like the others…” Like I said, this cover caught my eye as much as the story summary. From the Free Comic Day website:

Once the home of the love and peace movement, San Francisco is now a city at war with itself. Mayor and presidential hopeful Tim Teller promises to fix the problems, but he has a new issue. On a brisk September evening, Inanna emerges from the Bay, wearing nothing but a lapis necklace. She remembers little save her name…and that she’s pissed. Possessed of immense strength and unwavering charisma, Inanna becomes a champion of the people. But her immortal life as a goddess of love and war is coming back to haunt her. Ancient enemies and modern monsters collide as love and war clash in a battle for the soul of humanity—and Inanna herself.

This isn't a FCBD issue we want to miss.

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman Art by Tevagah and Actus Laurel Pursuit Studios

Dungeon Crawler Carl novels are the rage. This graphic novel is a must-read if you love silly, if not a little, Teen+ content and crazy content. How about this two-sentence summary offered by the FCBD website, “You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Getting stuck on a sadistic alien game show with her cat.”

Energon Universe FCBD 2026 Special Image Comics

I didn’t rank this list, but I did save this one for last because I am pumped on Image Comics stories. I have truly enjoyed the cross-title world-building that Image has done over the past several years. The Unnamed universe ties together the Titles Geiger, Junkyard Joe, Ghost Machine, and Red Coat in a time-altering, dystopian story. The Energon Universe brings some titles that you may already know, like The Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Void Rivals.

This FCBD Image special Energon Universe book introduces four all-new stories from G.I. Joe, Transformers, Void Rivals, and more.

When you flip that April calendar to May, you know it is time for Free Comic Book Day. Go support your local comic shop, and check out these four titles along with many, many more free books for some early summer reading!  

Writer's Block, So Here Is What I'm Reading

The writer’s block is heavy these days. I don’t know if it is work or a sports lull. Maybe it’s the anticipation of warmer weather. Who knows? I don’t have anything to focus on, so I will share what I’m reading. I don’t plan to go too deep; I’m just going to share what I like or don’t like.

The Fallbacks: Bound for Ruin by Jaleigh Johnson

Yeah, this is pure brain candy fun. It is part of the new Dungeons and Dragons novels that I have completely enjoyed. I really like the adventuring crew that Johnson has created for us. Like most D&D games, it is a collection of eclectic characters trying to make their way along the Sword Coast. They visit Baldur’s Gate, Candlekeep, and Waterdeep, where they go to the Yawning Portal to dive deep into the Undermountain. Oh, all the while being chased by a lich. This has been a complete indulgence of the mind.

Duke Volume 1 and The Transformers Volume 1 in The Energon Universe

Yep, that is Duke of G.I. Joe, and yep, that is the Transformers, as in the robots that turn into cars, trucks, jets, etc. These two volumes are collections of the first six issues of these story runs by Image Comics. Wondering why I mention them together? These stories tie in together as part of the Energon Universe, which also includes the title Void Rivals. This series is a ton of fun!

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The characters are a range of interesting to compelling, the story is good with some nice twists, but the world-building is amazing! The story primarily takes place in one area of the world, but the characters are from all over the world, and those areas and backgrounds are well-developed. This world is fleshed out in the series Shadow and Bone and continues in the duology Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. I have to lean on my students' recommendations, as they say the duology is the best, and Shadow and Bone is not quite as good as Six of Crows. This is actually a non-Star Wars and non-Forgotten Realms series which I may actually read.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Really brief here, but I have been enjoying this story where Peter Parker is swept (or punched as it may be) into intergalactic adventures to learn how to defeat Hellscape. Norman Osborne takes on the Spider-Man mantle while he rediscovers who he is. The Spider-Team (Miles, Gwen, Spider-Boy, Silk, and others) try to hold down the fort in New York City. 

The World Baseball Classic Gets It Right

As I sit here watching the championship game of the World Baseball Classic between Team USA and Team Venezuela from Miami, Florida, USA, I couldn’t help getting drawn in by the opening ceremony.

In the US, these ceremonies are filled with celebrity performances of national anthems, seventh-inning stretches, and pregame performances. It is all fine, but to me, it distracts from what we are there to watch, a baseball game. This is where the World Baseball Classic (WBC) got it right.

The producers of the WBC had three clear goals. First, they wanted to celebrate baseball and the tournament. They did this with music, dance, and highlights of how we got to this evening’s game. For television viewers, we got graphics and video of each WBC host location, each highlighted with key game moments, accompanied by music fitting to each location. A country music intro for Houston, a Latin drum introduction for Puerto Rico, an Okedo-daiko (drum) with Bachi (wooden sticks) intro for Tokyo, and, of course, a party DJ introduction for Miami. This entire intro celebrated the game, the tournament, and put the “world” in World Baseball Classic.

Goal number two, the WBC celebrated the players as each team marched out from the outfield foul lines, with the team captains each carrying the flag of their country. Aaron Judge led Team USA as Salvador Perez led Team Venezuela. It was a slow march to home plate for each team as the players had their moment celebrating their achievement. Then, each starting lineup was introduced to the delight of the crowd, especially the Venezuelan fans, who American fans could learn a thing or two about baseball passion, myself included.

Finally, after team introductions, goal number three was met. Each national anthem was played to celebrate each country. No celebrity performances, they left that to the fans. It was a spectacular celebration of country pride on both sides.

It was a perfect set-up for what ended up being a great baseball game with Venezuela winning 3-2. I hope more classic sports games, such as the MLB All-Star Game, World Series, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and others, use this as an inspirational model for celebrating their respective sports. Congratulations to Team Venezuela and the fans and people of Venezuela. They celebrated national pride through the game of baseball.  

Topps Bunt Top 5 of 25

This post finishes up the series of Top 5s of three Topps Digital platforms. The Topps Bunt sets are massive compared to Marvel Collect and Star Wars Card Trader. I found that it is much more challenging to pick a top 5 in Bunt than on the other platforms. Generally, I flip through my sets and add to the favorites that I already marked throughout the year. With Marvel and Star Wars, I usually end up with 8-9 favorites that I need to weed down to the top 5. With Topps Bunt, I had over 20 cards in the favorites that needed to whittle down to a top 5. I left a lot on the cutting room floor, but I hope you agree this is good top 5 list and as a bonus I always include my lowest card count card of the year. So, here we go with my top 5 Topps Bunt of 25.

5. Rickey Henderson, Topps Chrome 25, Series 1 - Ultraviolet All-Stars, Super Rare, Card Count 2515

This groovy card stands out! There isn’t a single player style that I don’t like, but Rickey Henderson is a classic. When a baseball card looks like the next baseball card, this one brings it. I love the classic action shot of Henderson with the circle cut-out with a face image, and his name shooting out of the top of the wavey checkerboard is his name Rickey Henderson.

4. Pete Crow Armstrong, Creature Feature 25, Series 1 - Moonlight, Rare, Card Count 11,355

Holiday cards are a ton of fun, and this creepy motion shot with the broken screen, static view, vampire castle in the background of this PCA card is great. What more is needed for some Halloween spooks?

4. Riley Greene, 12 Days of Topps 25, Special Event - Relic, Super Rare, Card Count 1,419

Seems like I made a mistake and have a tie. I mean, I did say it was hard to narrow down to the top 5. It is fitting however, because they are both special event, holiday cards. Like the Halloween card, this card is a motion with snow falling and every now and then Santa flies by on his sleigh pulled by reindeer. It even comes with a little present uniform patch in the card.

3. Tarik Skubal, Postseason Match-ups 25, Wild Card Round - Gold, Super Rare, Card Count 909

There is so much cool stuff happening on this card. First the text, making it feel like the playoffs with “The Matchups,” “Tigers Vs. Guardians,” and the Wildcard Logo. Yes! This is a playoff card! The feature player, Tarik Skubal, prominently displayed on the front and in the back a Guardians opponent waiting for the pitch. This design does exactly what it is supposed to do, build anticipation in the playoffs.

2. Greg Maddux, Icons of the MLB 25, Series 2 - Bronze, Uncommon, Card Count 25,780

Yes, clearly this top 5 is heavily dominated by Tigers and Cubs (don’t worry, #1 isn’t either). But, it really is more about the design of the card than the subject…until this card. This is all about the subject. I love this entire set that celebrates some of the best from the past like Carlos Delgado, Trevor Hoffman, Larry Walker, and Frank Thomas. I chose the Greg Maddux card because he is one of my top 3 pitchers of all time. I really like the late 1980s uniform and his high kick delivery. This card is also a motion card where the boarders slide in to frame the Icon of the past.

1. Squirrel, Topps Now 25, August - August 22, Uncommon, Card Count 24,041

I promised that the number one card of 2025 would not be a Tiger or Cub, so here you go, it is the cute squirrel that snuck into Yankee Stadium on August 22. I don’t recall if they caught him or he got away, but this Topps photographer caught the whole thing. This has to be one of the most unique cards celebrating the human or natural side of the game. It is my #1 Topps Bunt card of 2025.

Bonus Entry: Lowest Card Count of 2025

Jason Varitek, 1990 Topps Baseball 25, Series One - Gold Signature, Legendary (Super Premium Pack Exclusive), Limited Edition Count 50

Marvel Collect: Top 5 Cards of '25

This is part two of a three-part post highlighting the top insert cards on Topps Digital platforms from 2025. Last week, I took a look at the top cards from Star Wars Card Trader. This week, I look at Marvel Collect.

5. Magik, Gold Label 25, Series 1 - Golden Stars - White, Uncommon, Card Count 25465

This is a really sparkly card for the Queen of Limbo. The action pose Magik keeps is pretty awesome, with the sharp edge of the sword taking center stage. The gold sparkle and lettering on this card really bring it to life.

4. Thor vs. Hercules, Fight of the Week ‘25, Series 1 - Green, Uncommon, Card Count 48,971

I always like the weekly sets, but this card really stood out. Yes, the “Fight of the Week” theme of this card is cool. Yes, the art of these two muscle-bound heroes is awesome. But the win of this card is that it brings back the classic childhood arguments of the “who is tougher” or “who would win if…” conversations with friends on the walk to school or on the bus.

3. Symbiote Spider-Man, Web of Heroes - ‘25 Season 1, Series 1 Base - Free Pass, Card Count 25,273

There are three things I love about this card. 1. The perspective looking down from above on Spidey, with the lines of the buildings and street below giving us a sense of danger that he faces every day. 2. The color theme highlights the colors of Spider-Man but it seems off and misplaced in some way with the symbiote suit. 3. This card highlights Spider-Man.

2. Galactus, Midnight ‘25, Seres 1 - Horizon, Base - Uncommon, Card Count 33,736

I don’t have much to say about this card because it speaks for itself. Galactus, power, cosmic, goliath. The coloring with what appears to be a star shining on him as he sizes up a planet that is likely to be the next victim of his insatiable hunger really pops on this card.

1. Warlock, Convention Collection, NYCC ‘25, Series 1 - Black, Uncommon, Card Count 28,807

This is a special card. I love the look of this convention set with the star field border. The subject of Warlock is pretty rare. I only have 4 other Warlock cards other than this one. Warlock is such a unique character and creates a very dramatic image in this card making it my favorite Marvel Collect card of 2025.

Bonus Entry: Lowest Card Count of the Year

Spider-Man #12, Spider-Man: Beyond Amazing! Series 1 - Homage - Red, Epic, Card Count 265