If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Carlos Gomez

This edition of "What Card is This?" can also be combined with our famous "Cards That Make You Go...What??!" segment. Think of this as a combo platter, a two-for-one deal if you may. Our subject this week is Minnesota Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez, not because of the year he's having with the Twins (.238, 3 HR's, 26 RBI's as of August 15, 2009), but because of the recent discovery I made when putting my 15-card team sets in plastic sheets.

As you probably know, many of the cards in the 15-card team sets utilize different pictures than found in the eponymous base set. To wit, here is Carlos Gomez' 2009 Topps card, found in packs of 2009 Topps, and should be in every factory set you open (or not, that's your call).


Now, if that is his Topps card, then what card is this???


Well, the answer is simple. This is what Gomez' card from the 15-card team set looks like. Looks nice. The letters behind him appear blurry upon close inspection due to all the light bulbs used on the scoreboard (which, based on the 2008 schedule that shows the Mariners at Yankees and Royals at Blue Jays, leads us to conclude that the Twins were in Detroit when this shot was taken, circa May 23-25, 2008).

Now comes the problem.

On the back of the cardboard backing that holds the team set is a checklist. Carlos Gomez' card number, according to the checklist, is #MIN12. Take a look at the card number on the back of this card.


Is it just me, or is the number on the top right corner #144??! Yes, that's what it looks like. I think I've been duped. I think somebody slipped in his regular card instead of the team card. But wait...isn't the first card of Gomez (the one of him running) card #144 also?


No, that card number is #602. So if Gomez' regular 2009 Topps card is #602, who has card #144?


Oh, Matt Tuiasosopo (whose last name my daughter finds very hard to pronounce. "Is it "too-ya-so-so-po?" she asks. "Like our last name is any more difficult to pronounce," I respond. Back to the point please?) has card #144 in the 2009 Topps set.

So where did this card come from??? He's not even on the 2009 Topps Chrome Checklist.

I guess we can chalk this up as an uncorrected, but extremely bizarre, error. I just hope that I don't get disqualified for not having a complete set of Twins cards here. Every other player has the MIN and the number except for this. And for this, I can promptly, and justifiably ask Topps...

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama