Random Topps Team Set of the Week: 2009 Baltimore Orioles

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

• Team: 2009 Baltimore Orioles
• Record: 64-98, fifth place, AL East Division.
• Manager: Dave Trembley
• Card on the Top: Nick Markakis

The checklist consists of the following players:

• BAL1 Nick Markakis
• BAL2 Adam Jones
• BAL3 Radhames Liz
• BAL4 Aubrey Huff
• BAL5 Cesar Izturis
• BAL6 Brian Roberts
• BAL7 Lou Montanez
• BAL8 Ryan Freel
• BAL9 Melvin Mora
• BAL10 Luke Scott
• BAL11 George Sherrill
• BAL12 Jeremy Guthrie
• BAL13 Chris Ray
• BAL14 Felix Pie
• BAL15 Oriole Pack at Camden Yards

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:

• The picture variations found in the retail set begin with card number 1, as the picture on Nick Markakis' regular card shows him running out a flyball:
  
  

• Same for Adam Jones:
  
  

• A new picture in the retail set for Radhames Liz compared to his base card as well:
  
  

• Shortstop Cesar Izturis changed ornithologically-named teams as he joined the Orioles from the Cardinals. He appears in the traded set as an Oriole, but appears in 2009 Series 1 card as a Cardinal.:
  
  

• Lou Montanez (or as he is known at baseball-reference as Luis) staring off in the distance, future looking bright on his base card:
  
  

• Ryan Freel, batting, but a different picture entirely from his base card below:
  
  

• You can say the same thing about Melvin Mora's cards...he's batting in both, but the shots are different:
  
  

• I'm not saying anything here, but I think Topps should have stuck with their choice for Luke Scott's retail card for the base card:
  
  

• Chris Ray's card shows him on the mound in a horizontally-oriented shot on his base card:
  
  

• And finally, a slice of Felix Pie (sorry, had to go there...) running the bases on his base card (as compared to him at the plate in front of a near empty stadium in his retail card):
  
  

Now here is a perfect example of why you should buy these retail sets when you see them at the stores. Of the 14 players included in this set, 10 players have different pictures on the retail set compared to the base set, and none were of the same-photo-different-cropping variety.

Next week's featured set will be the 2009 Florida Marlins. Hope you'll be here when we compare the cards from the retail set to their counterparts found in Topps and Topps Updates and Highlights sets.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama