Random Topps Team Set of the Week: 2009 Topps Minnesota Twins

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Team Set of the Week:

• Team: 2009 Minnesota Twins
• Record: 87-76, first place, AL Central Division.
• Manager: Ron Gardenhire
• Card on the Top: Joe Mauer

The checklist consists of the following players:

• MIN1 Joe Mauer
• MIN2 Francisco Liriano
• MIN3 Justin Morneau
• MIN4 Glen Perkins
• MIN5 Delmon Young
• MIN6 Alexi Casilla
• MIN7 Kevin Slowey
• MIN8 Michael Cuddyer
• MIN9 Joe Nathan
• MIN10 Jason Kubel
• MIN11 Nick Blackburn
• MIN12 Carlos Gomez
• MIN13 Scott Baker
• MIN14 Denard Span
• MIN15 HHH Metrodome

The cards in order from the set (the checklist at the end was cut from the back of the package. What, you don't do that?):

Key differences between the team set and 2009 Topps eponymous set:

• You got an up-close and personal shot of Joe Mauer in the retail set, here is his base card, which was used as a reprint in the 2011 Topps 60 Years of Topps insert set:
  
  

• Here is Delmon Young following through on his swing in the base set:
  
  

• Alexi Casilla shows he can swing too in his eponymous Topps card:
  
  

• And Michael Cuddyer shows his base running skills on his Topps card:
  
  

• Joe Nathan in a similar pose, just a different picture:
  
  

• Nick Blackburn, up close on his base card:
  
  

• Carlos Gomez...didn't we discuss this before???:
  
  

• Another shot of Scott Baker, up close though in the base set:
  
  

So of the 14 players included in this set, eight feature pictures of players that you will only find in the retail set.  The 2009 retail sets contained a lot of variations between the eponymous base and traded sets and the retail ones, which is great if you're a fan of team sets and want a bit more variation to your regular cards.

Next week's featured set will be the 2012 Oakland Athletics. Hope you'll be here when we compare the cards from the retail set to their counterparts found in Topps and Topps Update Series.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama