dodger stadium is missing from what i had hoped would be a dodger stadium card

i was looking forward to seeing the dodgers' card in the opening day insert set from 2018 topps opening day. i had pulled the cards of the astros and cardinals, both of which featured nice photos of their respective stadiums on opening day 2017 (you can see the astros' card over at once a cubs' blog dedicated to this year's opening day release).  i hoped there would be a similar wide shot of chavez ravine with the pavilion roofs on display, and maybe even the san gabriel mountains in the background with tommy lasorda and wally moon throwing out the first pitches.

but no. that was not the case.

that is a pretty generic image - it really could be just about any stadium with the standard infield and enormously sized flag (whose display happens to be in violation of the flag code, and may well be a case of 'paid patriotism' to boot).  perhaps the only saving grace is that the color guard gets center billing on the card.

old friend eric stephen used a very similar looking image (if not the same one shot by sean m. haffey/getty images) in his post from last fall previewing the dodgers' 2018 schedule at truebluela.  had topps cropped things a bit differently, there could have at least been a sliver of the left field wall in the upper left. or, topps could have used a photo that haffey took moments later that was much more like what i was hoping for.

not all of the cards in this 20-card insert set (why some teams were left out is a head-scratcher, as all 30 teams have an opening day at home) depict panoramic stadium scenes, but of the 13 or so that do feature a scene similar to the one used on the card above, only the dodger card fails to feature any of the stadium architecture.

i guess i'll just have to get back to the stadium in person to see up close what i was hoping to see on cardboard.

ps - night owl, you'll be pleased to know that the brewers' card features the batting cage still in place and people just milling about!