Yes, new BBM sets

OK, BBM posted information to their website yesterday regarding the three sets that I had seen listed on Target's Japanese website.

- The Tokyo Big Six Spring Version set has indeed dropped in size from 60 cards to 36 (plus an insert) this season. So for each team, instead of the previous two sets which had nine players per team (plus a team card), there will only be five players per team (plus the team card). The insert card is one of twelve "leading players" - two from each University. I don't know if the players featured in the insert set also appear in the regular set. The set will be out in early April, just in time for the Tokyo Big Six season.

- The Giants "Real Beginning" box set also contains 36 cards plus an insert card. There will be 18 "regular" cards, 6 cards for the 2009 Champs (don't know if they are player or highlight cards), 3 cards for 2010 newcomers, and a 9 card "Zoom In" subset. The insert card is a die-cut parallel of one of the 18 "regular" cards. The set will be out in mid-April.

- The Orix Buffaloes team set is the third team set announced for this year, following the Swallows and Eagles. It's a 99 card pack based set - there are 67 "regular" cards for the manager and players, a 5 card rookie subset, a 9 card puzzle, a 5 card "Something New" subset, a 4 card "New Force" subset, a 2 card "Countdown to 2000" subset, 1 checklist card and six cards for the BBM 20th Anniversary "Cross Stream" cross-set subset. I'm guessing that the "Countdown to 2000" is for Naoyuki Ohmura closing in on 2000 hits. There's a 9 card "Leading Players" insert set and the usual memorabilia and autograph insert cards. The set will be out in late April.