Now This is How You Display a Complete Set of 1999 Topps Mark McGwire #220 Cards...

Not only do I enjoy reading blogs and twitter feeds (you can follow me @bdj610), but I am on Facebook as well. I don't know how, I'm guessing probably because I am a Hobby blogger, but I've been added to a lot of sports card trading groups. I guess these trading groups have replaced the old Hobby message boards (yes, there are still a lot of them out there, but each cater to their own loyal members).

These guys are crazy serious when it comes to trading and selling. Some of the mods are sticklers to the rules and if you don't follow them to the letter, your posts get deleted and you may be banned. Now although I don't do a lot of trading (send your wantlists...seriously), I do try to answer questions about cards if I can. There was a big discussion lately about why Bip Roberts was included in 2015 Stadium Club. Apparently, not too many of these Facebook guys understand the significance of Bip in the Hobby Blogging Community.

Anyway, many of these people post pictures of cards that they have for trade or for sale. Not too many grab my attention. But this one caught my eye. It made me stop what I was doing and just stare.

Behold:

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on a complete set of 1999 Topps Mark McGwire Home Run Record #220 cards. All 70 cards are individually framed in a beautiful, hand-crafted oak and walnut display that measures in at 24 square feet (6 feet x 4 feet). Each card, in order, surrounds a centerpiece with the year the record was broken, McGwire's name and uniform number, and a large number "70," complete with a Rawlings bat.

Enjoy the rest of these pictures:

I had to ask the person who posted this for sale about the history of the piece.

The gentleman who is putting this item up for sale is Perry Chaney. While he didn't build the piece, he did give me the background story about how it was made. "A guy in Chicago built it. Took him 4 months. He spent $2300 on the cards in 09 (they were expensive back then). I don't know how long it took him to find the cards but had to have been awhile...When I bought it, I was regretting the purchase the whole 3 hour drive. When I seen it, my jaw hit the floor."

Quite frankly, so did mine. "The size and little details were unexpected," Chaney says.

No kidding.

Chaney is selling this incredible display, cards and all for $750.00. "The set alone would cost $600+ to put together," he says. Add the cost of the woodwork involved, and $750 looks to be a bargain.

For serious Mark McGwire collectors, this would be the penultimate piece for your collection. What better way to show your appreciation for the man who broke a record that was once thought to be impossible to break. Regardless of how you feel about the man and the feat, what Mark McGwire did in 1998 "saved baseball, so that was his (the gentleman who built this masterpiece) inspiration," concludes Chaney. Controversy aside, this is just an incredible piece of work, and if I had the money, I'd probably spend on it (but then I'd be insane enough to take the cards out and put them in my 1999 Topps binder).

If you have any questions about the piece, Perry Chaney can be reached via email (perry.chaney@gmail.com). More pictures can be found on Facebook, but you'd have to be a member of the closed Facebook group called Baseball Cards Rule to see it.

And before you question how much of a collector Chaney is, "I am one of only 3 people on the psa set registry with all 5 set variations in a average grade of 9.57." Now, I'm not a graded card aficionado, but that's one serious collection.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T31 Tony Torcato

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, June 16, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies #T71.
• Player Name, position, team: Tony Torcato, third baseman, San Francisco Giants.
• Major League Debut: July 26, 2002.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Salem-Keizer, Low A-Northwest): 59 G, 220 AB, 31 R, 64 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 4 SB, .418 SLG, 14 BB, 38 SO, .291 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Giants #1st, June 1998. Bats: left. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 2. This is his second and final Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Te Giants were so enamored with Torcato's offensive potential and his sweet left-handed swing, they gambled a first round pick in the 1998 draft on the 6-1, 195-pound prep star. There were concerns about Tony's surgically repaired right shoulder and move from shortstop to third base, but results to date suggest San Francisco got a bargain."
• Commentary: The 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set was the first "Update" set Topps had produced since 1995. When I first found out that there was a card shop near where I had worked, I had asked the man who ran the store when 2000 Topps was coming, he casually mentioned that he had 1999 Topps Traded in stock. What??! That was enough for me to make a beeline to his store. Anthony Dale Torcato is far from a bust as a major leaguer. There just wasn't room for him in the big club. In parts of four seasons in the majors, he appeared in a grand total of 43 games, hit for a combined .298 average, and drove in 3 rbi's. In the minors, however, Torcato was an everyday player, and a very good hitter. With the Bakersfield Blaze (A-California) in 1999, Torcato hit .291 with 4 home runs and 58 rbi's. He spent most of his minor league career in AAA-Fresno, waiting to be called up when necessary. Although his MLB career would end in 2005, his minor league career continued with the Chicago White Sox organization, and then with the Colonie Della Maremma Grosseto of the Italian Baseball League. He did return stateside in to play independent ball in 2008 with two teams from the Golden Baseball League. If you believe Wikipedia, Torcato is still an active player. Presently, Tony is an outfielder for the Pittsburg Mettle of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1977 Topps #640. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #206 Quinton McCracken

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, December 10, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #206.
• Player Name, position, team: Quinton McCracken, outfielder, Colorado Rockies.
• Major League Debut: September 17, 1995.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Rockies): 147 G, 325 AB, 69 R, 95 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 36 RBI, 28 SB, .360 SLG, 42 BB, 62 SO, .292 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Rockies #25th, June 1992. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 8. This is his third Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Projected as a utility outfielder/pinch runner when the 1997 season opened, Qiunton wound up playing about four of every five games in center field for the Rockies. Speed, intelligence, and a professional approach define the game of the former four-year starting cornerback for the Duke University football team."
• Commentary: One look at the picture, and you wonder if he made a spectacular catch or if the cameraman caught a valiant effort on the part of today's subject. This is not Quinton Antoine McCracken's only base card in the 2008 Topps set. One of the original draft picks of the Colorado Rockies (in 1992, before the team made its debut), McCracken was selected by the expansion Devil Rays as the fourth pick overall in the 1997 Expansion Draft. With the fledgling D-Rays, Quinton was the team's primary centerfielder and leadoff hitter (the first hitter in Tampa Bay history), appearing in 155 games in their inaugural season. He would go on to hit for a good .292 with what would be eventual career highs in home runs (7) and rbi's (59) while stealing 19 bases. A torn ACL towards the end of May the next year ended McCracken's season and by 2000, he was in the minors trying to recover. He would be released by the Rays, invited to Spring Training with the Cardinals, before signing a minor league deal with the Twins. He would then join the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002, hitting a career high .309 for the NL West champions. He would be traded to the Mariners, only to be released and re-signed by the D-Backs in 2004. He appeared in 134 games for Arizona in 2005, but for some reason, Topps didn't include him in their 660-card set. He would last appear in the majors in 2006 with the Reds, and after spending the second half of the season with the Twins' AAA team in Rochester, was released. After one year in the independent leagues, McCracken retired from baseball. At the end of the 2012 season, after working for two years as an Assistant Director of Player Development with the Diamondbacks, McCracken was hired by the Astros to become their Director of Player Development.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 8 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2001 Topps #164. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1991 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #24 Paul Konerko

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, November 25, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #24.
• Player Name, position, team: Paul Konerko, first baseman, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: September 8, 1997.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1999 stats (Indianapolis, AAA-International League): 39 G, 150 AB, 25 R, 49 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 39 RBI, 1 SB, .540 SLG, 19 BB, 18 SO, .327 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Dodgers #1st, June 1994. Traded by the Dodgers to the Reds 07/04/1998. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 20. This is his fifth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "On May 12, 1997, Paul hit three home runs for San Antonio. On May 12, 1998, he belted three for Albuquerque."
• Commentary: He's been with the White Sox for so long that it's easy to forget that Paul Henry Konerko was traded to the White Sox by the Reds for Mike Cameron. Now Cameron's career with the Reds lasted just that one season in 1999, where he appeared in 146 games, hit for a .256 average, 21 home runs, drove in 66 rbi's, and stole 38 bases as the team's centerfielder. But Paul Konerko would go on to play in 15 seasons and 2,187 regular season games for the Pale Hose, hit for a respectable .281 average, 427 home runs, 1,361 rbi's, six All-Star Team selections, and oh yeah, one World Series title. But at the time this card came out, there were no black pinstripes adorning Konerko's uni. The stripes were red, and after being in 75 games, in which he was a terrible .217, hit 7 homers, and drove in 29 rbi's, it was off to Indy, allowing Sean Casey full reign over first. With the first base spot already settled, the Reds kindly sent Paul to the White Sox. The rest is history. In his first full season in the majors, Paulie would hit .294, 24 homers, 81 rbi's, and achieve percentages of .352/.511/.862. With Konerko now the Pale Hose's new first baseman, it allowed their superstar, Frank Thomas to slowly transition to the DH role. The rest, as they say, is history. Yes, the White Sox got the better of Cincinnati that day. Oh, and just for kicks, I looked up what Konerko did on May 12, 1999. Why no link? Because the team was off that day.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 85 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1988 Topps Traded #92T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T28 Nate Bump

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, October 26, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T28.
• Player Name, position, team: Nate Bump, pitcher, San FRancisco Giants.
• Major League Debut: June 28, 2003.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (San Jose, A-California): 11 G, 61.2 IP, 6-1, 13 R, 12 ER, 61 SO, 24 BB, 11 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 1.75 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Giants #1st, June 1998. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 3. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "The Giants may have struck gold with this savvy righthander. San Francisco's first round pick in the 1998 draft, Bump has shown excellent command and location of his above-average fastball and a high-80s cutter that he consistently gets under left-handed hitters' fists. Further, refinement of his breaking ball is all Nate needs to keep moving up."
• Commentary: In trying to find information on Nathan Louis Bump, a pitcher who actually made it to the majors with the Florida Marlins in the mid-00's, I was channeling another famous Mr. Bump...
  
  
  
  
  That's right. Because while there have been players surnamed Strong, at least 19 men named or nicknamed Happy, and yes there have been baseball players named or nicknamed Bump, only one man can presently claim to have this unique surname. But unfortunately, Nate Bump had a lot in common with his cartoon namesake. Two shoulder surgeries and a couple of hit balls to the elbow sidelined him for portions of his playing career. Although a Giants high draft pick, he was traded to the Marlins in 1999 for playoff hero Livan Hernandez. During his brief run in the mid 2000's with the Florida Marlins, Bump would achieve a record of 6-7. an ERA of 4.68, 79 strikeouts, and one World Series ring (with the 2003 team...darn it). But even though he last saw action at the big league level in 2005 (and his last Topps card appeared in the 2006 set), he was still travelling through the minor league systems of the Tigers and Phillies from 2006 through 2011. He last saw action with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and was released after the 2011 season.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 4 cards.

Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1959 Topps #248. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

On This Day, May 6, 1998...

By the time this post comes out, it will be 15 years to the day that Kerry Wood struck out 20 hitters, leading the Cubs to a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros.

1999 Topps #204 Kerry Wood Season Highlights

Wood struck out every batter in the Astros lineup at least once, fanning the 3-4-5 hitters (Jeff Bagwell, Jack Howell, and Moises Alou) three times each. Even the lone pinch-hitter, Bill Spiers, took a seat (not after fouling off several pitches to stay alive). The only Houston player to get a hit was Ricky Gutierrez, who singled to lead off the third inning. Wood also struck out the side in the first, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings.

Not to be outdone, Shane Reynolds, who was the starting pitcher for Houston, struck out 10 Cubs batters, and matched Kerry out for out in the first inning, striking out the side (all in swinging fashion) in the first inning. He is also credited with a complete game, allowing 2 runs, one earned, in his 8 innings of work.

The 20 K's tied the MLB record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning game (set by Roger Clemens, April 29, 1986; tied by Clemens, September 18, 1996; and Randy Johnson, May 8, 2001...although he left after the ninth inning and his game went into extras), and broke the NL record (19 by David Cone, October 6, 1991) and the record for most strikeouts by a rookie (18 by Bill Gullickson, September 10, 1980).

The Cubs went on a 21-9 run after the game, which helped get them into playoffs (albeit via a play-in game) for the first time since the 1989.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #386 Jose Cruz, Jr.

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, January 18, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #386.
• Player Name, position, team: Jose Cruz, Jr., outfielder, Toronto Blue Jays.
• Major League Debut: May 31, 1997.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Syracuse, AAA-International): 40 G, 174 AB, 29 R, 42 H, 14 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 23 RBI, 8 SB, .560 SLG, 32 BB, 32 SO, .298 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Mariners #1st, June 1995. Traded by the Mariners to the Blue Jays 07/31/1997. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 11. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Batting .214 with 3 HRs on June 13, 1998, Jose recovered to hit .285 with 8 HRs after a minor league stint."
• Commentary: While the 1999 Topps design utilized gold colored borders and design elements, I am so glad that they limited the gold foil to the name of the player and the Topps logo.  The large pictures really makes the action shots pop, thus making the 1999 set one of my favorites.  Because Jose was sent to the minors, the last line of stats were from his 40 games at Syracuse.  In the majors, his stats were:  105 G, 352 AB, 55 R, 89 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 42 RBI, 11 SB, .403 SLG, 57 BB, 99 SO, .253 AVG.  The son of longtime Astros' shortstop Jose Cruz, Jose, Jr. did eventually proved he belonged as a bonafide major leaguer.  In 1999, the Blue Jays' centerfielder hit a decent .241 with 14 home runs and 45 rbi's.  In six seasons in Toronto, he hit 122 home runs and 355 rbi's to go with OBP/SLG/OPS percentages of .331/.462/.793.  He signed with the Giants in 2003 and won Gold Glove for his play in rightfield (2 errors in 360 chances, 7 double plays, 18 assists).  His journeyman career began in 2004 with stints with the Devil Rays, then followed an injury-riddled 2005 with the Diamondbacks, Red Sox (for four games in 2005), and Dodgers.  In 2007, he joined the Padres, after being designated for assignment by LA.  After 91 games, however, the team released him.  One final run with the Astros in 1998 in which he hit .122 in 38 games resulted in him DFA'd.  He hasn't played in the majors since.  He has since worked as an analyst for MLB.com.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 21.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1980 Topps #579. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T19 Paul Hoover

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, December 1, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T19.
• Player Name, position, team: Paul Hoover, catcher, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
• Major League Debut: September 8, 2001.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Hudson Valley A-NY-Penn Leauge): 73 G, 269 AB, 51 R, 76 H, 20 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 37 RBI, 26 SB, .409 SLG, 39 BB, 44 SO, .283 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Devil Rays, #23rd, June 1997.  Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 2. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Drafted out of Kent University as a shortstop in 1997, the Devil Rays decided the 6-1, 200-pound Hoover had outgrown the position, but would be an exceptionally athletic catcher.  He has since impressed the Rays with his quick conversion to the physical and mental demands of that position.  His arm strength is above average, and he shows quick feet."
• Commentary: When I found out that Topps finally brought back their Traded set after a three-year hiatus, I was ecstatic.  Finally, a product that would include players in their new uniforms that were not included in series 2, the rookies that would make an impact during the season, and draft picks.  Man I miss those, especially since I don't collect Bowman.  Anyway, the 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set, although not numerically sequenced by the player's last name, was grouped in the following fashion:  Rookies/Prospects (by last name, by team last name...Angels, Astros, Athletics, etc), ten draft picks (bookended by Devil Rays prospects Josh Hamilton and Carl Crawford), and then the veterans at the end.  Hoover was among the rookies/prospects selected to represent the Devil Rays contingent (along with pitchre Ryan Rupe).  Hoover did make his debut in 2001, but his major league career consists only of 40 games played through 2010.  His career totals include a .250 batting average, 0 home runs, 8 rbi's, an OPS of .566, and defensively, a fielding percentage of .984.  Hoover, however, is not a one-eponymous-Topps-Card-wonder.  He appears in the 2008 Topps Updates and Highlights set as a member of the Marlins (#UH149) with the mandated Rookie Card logo to boot.  At 105 career plate appearances, if he managed to get himself back to the majors as a player, he would still be considered a rookie, even though the back of his Topps card would have seven lines of statistics on it.  In 2009, he signed on with the Phillies organization, and appeared with the Phils appeared in 12 games in two seasons.  In 2012, he was hired by the Rays to be the manager of the team's rookie level Gulf Coast League Rays team.  
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.12-$0.30.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2.

Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1968 Topps #213. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #274 Brian Hunter

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, November 30, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #274.
• Player Name, position, team: Brian Hunter, outfielder, Detroit Tigers.
• Major League Debut: June 27, 1994.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Tigers): 142 G, 595 AB, 67 R, 151 H, 29 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 42 SB, .333 SLG, 36 BB, 94 SO, .254 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Astros, #2nd, June 1989. Traded by the Astros to the Tigers 12/10/1996. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his sixth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Brian has had more productive offensive seasons than in 1998, but he won games with his legs, arm and durability. He stole 20 bases without being caught to open the season (a Tigers record); once threw out runners at the plate on consecutive plays (a May 18 game versus the Angels in which he added four hits and three runs scored); and concluded a consecutive games streak of 239."
• Commentary:  Not to be confused with the former outfielder Brian Raynold Hunter, outfielder Brian Lee Hunter was a speedy center fielder who tore up the base paths in the late 90's and early 2000's with the Astros, Tigers, and Mariners (he also played for the Rockies, Reds, and Phillies before returning to the Astros to finish his career).  He stole a league high 74 bases in 1997, and as of the end of the 1998 season, had stolen 177 bases in 520 games.  Is there any wonder why he is playfully pictured holding a couple of bases while wearing a mask?  Eighteen games into the 1998 season, Hunter was traded to the Mariners for a couple of minor leaguers.  With Seattle that year, he hit the same number of home runs (4), drove in the two less rbi's (34), but made up for it with two more stolen bases (44) than in his last season with Detroit.  His batting average plummeted to the low to mid .230's though and before the 2000 season, he was released by Seattle.    
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 12.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T19. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #65 Mo Vaughn

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, October 18, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #65.
• Player Name, position, team: Mo Vaughn, first baseman, Boston Red Sox.
• Major League Debut: June 27, 1991.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Red Sox): 154 G, 609 AB, 107 R, 205 H, 31 2B, 2 3B, 40 HR, 115 RBI, 0 SB, .5961 SLG, 61 BB, 144 SO, .337 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Red Sox, #1st, June 1989. Bats: left. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 13. This is his ninth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Mo socked a record-breaking home run on 07/19/1998, in a 9-4 taming of the Tigers.  Following blasts by teammates Donnie Sadler, Darren Lewis, and Nomar Garciaparra, he made the Sox the first AL team in history to hit four two-out HR's.  The MLB mark is five by the 1939 NY Giants."  Actually, the game happened on 07/18/1998.
• Commentary: The second year in a row that Topps uses a non white border, this time using a lighter gold border.  One of the cleanest Topps designs ever with a really large photo with the only the player's name in gold foil and the team name (not in gold foil) unobtrusive to the picture.  Yes, you can clearly see dings and dents if those happen (keep in mind that the smudge on the card is from the plastic holder that I use, and is not on the card), but overall, I like the design.  The back of the card not only includes the statistics of said player, but if he won an award (Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, MVP), a star on the side will indicate as such.  In this case, the card reminds us that Mo was the AL MVP in 1995.  Mo, also known as Greg Vaughn's cousin, was a dominant player in his own right during the 1990's.  Not only did he win the MVP, but he was an annual candidate throughout his career.  He was also a three-time All-Star, and a Silver Slugger award winner.  Although his 1999 card depicts him as a Red Sox, he signed with the Anaheim Angels on December 11, 1998.  Nowadays, Topps would have found a way to photoshop the Angels jersey or worse, create an SP card variation.  (Okay, rant over).  In his first year with the Halos, he racked up less-than-stellar (for him) numbers, hitting .281 and .866 OPS with 33 home runs and 108 runs driven in.  Injuries kept him   out for the entire 2001 season, but at the end of the year, he was traded to the Mets, where he finished his playing career.   
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 32 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2008 Topps #485. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #261 Gregg Olson

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, January 24, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1994 Topps #726.
• Player Name, position, team: Gregg Olson, pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks.
• Major League Debut: September 02, 1988.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Diamondbacks): 64 G, 68.2 IP, 3-4, 25 R,23ER, 5 SO, 25 BB, 0 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 30 SV, 3.01 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Orioles #1st, June 1988. Signed with the Diamondbacks as a Free Agent 01/31/1998. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 9. This is his ninth and final Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: None. On the back of the card, the stats include a black star on the year 1989, and below the picture on the back, the black star represents that he was Rookie of the Year.
• Commentary: Funny isn't it?  Card #261, and it appears in series 2??!  Well, this was about the time when Topps was inconsistent with the number of cards for their eponymous set (463 card numbers, 462 cards with the Mantle retirement).  It had been five years since Gregg Olson appeared on a Topps card when 1999 Topps Series 2 went live.  This means that after leaving the Orioles as a Free Agent to join the Braves, he did not appear in any of Topps products.  Which means that Topps missed the journeyman middle-reliever phase of his career (not surprising as Topps stopped including these unsung players in their products).  After stopping in Atlanta in what was an injury riddled year, Olson travelled around the majors, making stops in Cleveland, Kansas City, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, and back again to KC.  Within those five lost years, the man who beat Ken Griffey, Jr. as the AL Rookie of the Year, and had saved 160 games for the O's, went 11-8, and had a grand total of 13 saves, with a high water mark of 8 with the Tigers.  Hoping to revive his career as a closer, he signed on with the expansion Diamondbacks. It was just the thing he needed.  He saved 30 games for the expansion franchise, the most he had saved since 1993.  In two years with the D'Backs, he went 12-8, finished 85 games, saved 44 of them, struck out 100 batters, and had an ERA of 3.34. Although he was longer the baby-faced youngster that we all saw on his 1989 Topps card, he had found his fountain of youth in the hot desert of Phoenix.  At the end of the 1999 season, Olson signed with the Dodgers.  I'll always remember Gregg Olson because he made his lone All-Star Team in 1990 at Wrigley Field.  While he didn't pitch in the game, it would have been phenomenal if he had the opportunity to face the Braves' lone representative that night.  His name?  Greg Olson.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 14 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1994 Topps Traded #105T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1994 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T118 Terry Mulholland

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, January 12, 2012:
 

 

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T118.
• Player Name, position, team: Terry Mulholland, pitcher, Atlanta Braves.
• Major League Debut: June 08, 1986.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Cubs): 70 G, 112 IP, 6-5, 49 R, 36 ER, 72 SO, 39 BB, 6 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 3 SV, 2.89 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Giants, #1st, June 1984. Traded by the Cubs to the Braves 07/31/1999. Bats: right. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 14. This is his twelfth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Terry won his first start as a Brave, 08/07/1999."
• Commentary: We're only 12 days into the new year and this is the second card from 1999 the Randomizer selected. Granted, it's from the traded set, but still. Terry Mulholland does not have a card depicting either of his stints with the Cubs. In fact, this was his first Topps card in more than four years (last seen in a Topps set in 1995 Topps Traded). Mulholland was a key player during the Cubs' wild card chase in 1998. Whether starting or in relief, he was one of the more dependable arms in the Cubs' pitching staff. As the Braves were going for another division crown, and the Cubs were sinking fast as usual, a deal was struck between the two franchises before the August trading deadline, sending Terry to Atlanta in exchange for two (eventually three as there was a player to be named later) young pitchers. As usual, none of the three lasted long in Chicago. So once again, the Cubs were left holding the bag on this transaction. Mulholland's time in Atlanta was very productive. In two seasons, he went 13-11 with two saves, striking out 117 batters in 217 innings of work. But Atlanta was just another stop on his long journey throughout the majors as he would eventually pitch for five more franchises before his career ended in 2006. He can lay claim to being one of the few pitchers to defeat all 30 Major League teams.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 15 cards.

 
Tomorrow's card will be: 1994 Topps #542. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.
 
Sincerely,
 
JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #267 Rick Helling

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, January 5, 2011:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #267.
• Player Name, position, team: Rick Helling, pitcher, Texas Rangers.
• Major League Debut: April 10, 1994.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Rangers): 33 G, 216.1 IP, 20-7, 109 R, 106 ER, 164 SO, 78 BB, 33 GS, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 0 SV, 4.41 ERA.
• Any special information about players: Drafted by the Rangers, #1st, June 1992. Traded by the Marlins to the Rangers, 08/12/1997. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 9. This is his fourth card.
• Blurb on the back: "Rick's 20-win season (quadrupling his previous high) in 1998 was only the third in team history, as he followed the sizable footsteps of Ferguson Jenkins and Kevin Brown. The last pitcher to nab 20 without having ever won more than five previously was David Cone in 1988."
• Commentary: Another design that focuses more on the picture than the design itself, Topps' unique gold border and unobtrusive name plate alongside a gold line that leads to the team name at the bottom, makes for a great card.  Rick Helling was part of the USA Baseball, the organization that competes for the Olympics and other international competitions, and thus had cards in both the 1991 and 1992 Topps Traded set as part of Team USA. His third card, from the 1994 Traded Set was his last card up until this one you see above.  I guess when you win 20 games, you deserve a card. Heck, he was even traded to the Marlins and didn't get a Topps card during his tenure in Florida.
  Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
  How many cards of this player do I own?: 9 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1983 Topps Traded #131T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T75 Carl Crawford

We reset the Topps Card Randomizer to come up with seven new cards to present for this week. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, October 11, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T75.
• Player Name, position, team: Carl Crawford, outfielder, Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
• Major League Debut: July 20, 2002.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1999 stats (Houston High School): Statistics Not Available.
• Any special information about players: Drafted by the Devil Rays #2nd, June 199. Bats: left, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Crawford's first regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only). Lost in the popularity of the Josh Hamilton card within the 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set is the tenth card in the draft picks segment of the set. It was the last "rookie card" before the set was taken over by the traded veterans. Yes, Carl Crawford's rookie card lies within this set as well. The autographed version books for $75.00-$150.00. But his base card is today's topic. Putting Crawford in this set was a great move by Topps. A second round draft pick, Carl was already being touted as a star "reminiscent of Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders." He was a three-sport prodigy at Houston High. He was an option quarterback and a point guard as well as an outfielder. Topps writes in his bio (one of the few I've seen that doesn't even have stats), "Carl is the stellar package of strength, speed and athletic grace. He has awesome raw power and a physique comparable to Ken Griffey Jr..." What a comparison. And what's even great about it is that he actually is living up to all the hype. He's already a four-time all-star, (even won an MVP award), a threat on the basepaths, and is at this moment, the Dean of the Rays. After years of playing out the string of last place finishes, Crawford has helped take the Rays to the promised land of first place (twice in the last three years) as well as an appearance in the 2008 World Series. But that's all in the future. A young Crawford smiles for the camera in this card in the original Devil Rays jersey, full of potential, full of promise, and a great future would await him.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $1.50-$4.00.
• How many cards of each player do I own?: 38 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2009 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH60. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. See you then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T108 Homer Bush

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, August 6, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T108.
• Player Name, position, team: Homer Bush, second baseman, Toronto Blue Jays.
• Major League Debut: August 16, 1997.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Yankees): 45 G, 71 AB, 17 R, 27 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 6 SB, .465 SLG, 5 BB, 19 SO, .380 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Padres #7th, June 1991. Traded by the Yankees to the Blue Jays 02/20/1999. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Bush's second regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only). As covered before, the 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set was Topps' first update set since 1995, and was only sold in factory set form. Each factory set included one autographed rookie card (mine was Jeff Winchester of the Rockies, but that's for another time). What I like about the 1999 Topps design was that the picture took precedence of the design, even more so than the gold borders. Even how they incorporated the player's name and team name in the picture doesn't detract from the image on the card. Homer Bush's first card was a multi-player prospects card from the 1997 Topps set which included Jed Hansen and Felipe Crispo, so this is his first solo card. Bush is mostly known for being part of the trade that sent Roger Clemens to the Yankees during spring training in 1999. It even says on the back of Bush's card that "Toronto insisted that Bush be part of the Clemens deal." Which is a wonder, considering that that Yankees were already sending David Wells for the "Rocket." But then again, why not? He was a pretty good hitter in the minors, and the Blue Jays, knowing what they were giving up, did not want to come up empty handed. Besides, they may have wanted him to live up to his first name (yes, Homer is not his nick name. His given name is Homer Giles Bush). He actually had a great season with the Jays as their second baseman. Unfortunately, injuries kept him from playing more than 78 games the following two seasons. Let go by the Jays in the middle of the 2002 season, he latched on with the Marlins a few days later, only to be released when rosters expanded. Taking a year off to recover from his injuries, he returned to the Yankees organization in 2004, playing for both the AAA and big league club. His injuries took a toll in spring training the following year, and Bush opted to retire.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 5 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1995 Topps #176. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded & Rookies #T70 Jason Jennings

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, July 7, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T70.
• Player Name, position, team: Jason Jennings, pitcher, Colorado Rockies.
• Major League Debut: August 23, 2001.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1999 stats (Baylor University): 20 G, 142.2 IP, 13-1, 43 R, 36 ER, 170 SO, 45 BB, 17 GS, 9 CG, 3 SHO, 1 SV, 2.27 ERA.
• Any special information about players: Drafted by the Rockies #1st, June 1999. Bats: left, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Jennings' first regular Topps (total includes regular and traded cards only). The 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set was the first end-of-the-year set Topps produced since 1995. The way it was formatted was that the Rookies appeared first (65, in order by team), then the first ten draft picks, then the veterans who changed teams. With the Baylor Bears in 1999, he was named Baseball America's College Player of the Year. Not only was he a great pitcher, but he also hit .386 with 17 home runs and 68 RBI's. The first round draft pick of the Rockies in 1999, Jennings would go on to become the NL Rookie of the Year in 2002, thanks in part not only because of a 16-8 record and 119 K's, but because he also hit .306 (19-62) with 11 RBI's. Topps noted on the back of his card that he "is an ultra-competitive workhorse-type who features a low-90's fastball and effective slider." And he used them with relative success during his career in the majors.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.25-$0.60.
• How many cards of each player do I own?: 15 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: Thursday: 1993 Topps Traded #37T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #3 Scott Brosius

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, May 7, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #3.
• Player Name, position, team: Scott Brosius, third baseman, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: April 7, 1991.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Yankees): 152 G, 530 AB, 86 R, 159 H, 34 2B, 0 3B, 19 HR, 98 RBI, 11 SB, .472 SLG, 52 BB, 97 SO, .300 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Athletics #20th, June 1987. Traded by the Athletics to the Yankees 11/18/1997. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Brosius' sixth regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only, not including his 1992 Topps MLB '91 card). The design for 1999 Topps set is remembered not only for its gold borders, but for the really large action pictures they contained. The player's name and team affiliation are pushed towards the edge by the borders (the team name along a curved line), making the picture the primary focus of the card (although it does admittedly make it a bit of a challenge to sort by team...if you're into that kind of thing). Brosius was traded to the Yankees at the peak of their late 90's dominance, just in time to win three World Series rings with the Bombers. With the Yankees in 1998, he became an All-Star for the first time, and, according to the blurb in the back, "was among the team's leaders in RBI's, even though he batted in the lower third of the order."
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 11 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1991 Topps Traded #102T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T58 Kit Pellow

We reset the Topps Card Randomizer to come up with seven new cards to present for this week. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, March 15, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T58.
• Player Name, position, team: Kit Pellow, third baseman, Kansas City Royals.
• Major League Debut: August 14, 2002.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2001 stats (Omaha Royals - AAA): 14 G, 54 AB, 8 R, 10 H, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB, .352 SLG, 2 BB, 19 SO, .185 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by Royals #22nd, June 1996. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Pellow's second regular Topps card (total includes both regular and traded cards). This is Pellow's only solo Topps card. His two other cards (from 1999 Topps and 2000 Topps) included other prospects (Carlos Lee and Mike Lowell in 1999, Kevin Barker and Russ Branyan in 2000). The 1999 Topps design was probably the best of the "colored borders" era of 1998-2003 with it's gold borders and large picture, with the player's name coming down either side of the card in a very unobtrusive manner. The back of the card notes that Pellow hit "29 home runs and drove in 73. Ranked second in the Texas League in longballs, third in slugging at .580, and made the All-Star Team." Pellows did make his major league debut three years later, but spent the last two years of his major league career with the Colorado Rockies.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 3 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2005 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH81. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. See you then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

bdj610's 1999 End of Year All-Star Teams Simulated Games Results

I have finally finished simulating the All-Star Games using my 1999 End of Year All-Star Teams. In this simulation, it was the power hitters of the National League vs. the power pitchers of the American League. Who would prevail? Keep on reading below.

As previously stated, I simulated seven games (six series between starters, and one series where the lineups, starting rotations changed on a daily basis), by playing each one 10,000 times.

The first six games I simulated used each starting pitcher on both sides at least once, and all position players started a minimum of two games each. Here are the results:

• Game 1: AL vs. NL, Pedro Martinez vs. Randy Johnson. The AL wins 6,255 games out of 10,000 simulations. This series featured Pedro facing a lineup including Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds. Pedro had 29 games where he struck out 20 batters OR MORE (22 three times), and pitched 17 no hitters. Most dominant pitching performance ever!!!
• Game 2: AL vs. NL, Bartolo Colon vs. Mike Hampton. The NL wins 5,988 games.
• Game 3: NL vs. AL, Mike Mussina vs. Jose Lima. The AL wins 5,010 games (using a DH). Closest series...EVER!!!
• Game 4: NL vs, AL, Greg Maddux vs. Aaron Sele. The NL wins 5,277 games (using a DH).
• Game 5: NL vs. AL, Kevin Millwood vs. Orlando Hernandez. The NL wins 5,959 games (using a DH).
• Game 6: AL vs. NL, Curt Schilling vs. David Wells. The NL wins 5,705 games.
• Game 7: AL vs. NL, anything goes. The NL wins 5,539 games.

So the NL wins the seven game series 5-2, including the ever important "anything goes" series. This seventh series seems to be a good indicator as to who wins the big one. Will this mean a win in the ASG?

For the official All-Star Game, I decided to just simulate one game and one game only. The starting pitchers were Martinez and Johnson and I let them pitch two innings (unless they struggled badly). The rest of the pitchers would get one inning each (unless they struggled badly). The position players were replaced every three innings. No pinch hitters here, (as in previous tries, the pinch hitter is taken out of the game), and double switches were performed on both sides this year (after figuring out how to do it properly!!!)

The starting lineups, first for the American League (I'm using 2000 Topps cards because these are the cards I used to imagine my All-Star teams):


Now the National League starting lineup:


Here is the result:


The 1999 NL All-Stars blank the 1999 AL All-Stars by a final score of 9-0, on the heels of four home runs.

The box score is below (Just click on the picture to take a closer look.


The scoring plays were like this:

Bottom 1: Pedro Martinez pitching. Barry Larkin singles. Larry Walker strikes out. Sammy Sosa strikes out. Mark McGwire hits a home run, Larkin scores.

Bottom 2: Pedro Martinez pitching. Matt Williams draws a walk. Jeff Kent singles, Williams advancing to third. Randy Johnson grounds into a double play (GDP 6-4-3), Williams scores, Kent out on the force play (6-4).

Bottom 3: Bartolo Colon pitching. Larry Walker strikes out. Sammy Sosa hits a home run. Mark McGwire hits a home run.

Bottom 4: Aaron Sele pitching. Craig Biggio draws a walk. Chipper Jones strikes out. Mark Grudzielanek singles, Biggio advancing to second. Tony Gwynn singles, Biggio scores, Grudzielanek advancing to third. Brian Giles singles, Grudzielanek scores.

Bottom 6: Mike Jackson pitching. Mark Grudzielanek is hit by a pitch. Tony Gwynn pops out to Damion Easely (4). Brian Giles pops out to Jason Giambi (3). Jeff Bagwell hits a home run, Grudzielanek scores.

The MVP for the 1999 All-Star Game is Mike McGwire.
If this game actually existed, the MVP would have been Mike McGwire (2-2, two home runs, 3 rbi's). Mike Hampton picks up the win, even though it should have been awarded to Randy Johnson (must be recognizing that five inning rule for a win). Pedro Martinez takes the loss, and the only players who didn't get in the game were pitchers Orlando Hernandez and Roberto Hernandez (no relation) from the AL and John Rocker and Curt Schilling from the NL. One goof on my part...I had Greg Maddux ready to pitch the fourth inning, but inadvertently removed him from the game before he could even take a pitch, leaving Kevin Millwood to pitch two innings as I didn't have any pitchers warmed up.

As of right now, the AL has a 7-6 lead in series play, but the NL has a 8-5 record in the one-game All-Star Game.

If you want to see the .DAT files that I used (I still don't know how to download these onto the blog , so please just take a look at the screen caps below). If anyone can e-mail me instructions, please do so at bdj610@hotmail.com. Below is the AL .DAT file, then the NL .DAT file:




Now that the 1999 All-Star Games are officially over, on Thursday, I will introduce the 2000 End of Year All-Star teams. Simulations for games with those rosters to come by next Sunday.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

bdj610's End of Year MLB All-Star Teams: 1999 Edition

Baseball was popular again in 1999. The Home Run Derby from a year ago brought it back into the people's conscience, and everyone was looking forward to an encore. The year saw the Yankees win (again), the Cubs and Sox go nowhere (again), and everyone was getting ready for Y2K (remember that)?

My wife and I celebrated our first anniversary with a trip to St. Louis. One of these days, we have to go back. In fact, during our weekend in St. Louis, the Cards...were in San Diego, helping Tony Gwynn to his 3,000th hit. Go figure. We were both working, happy, young, and before the kids, carefree. Then the 2000's hit...but that's another story.

I did follow baseball a lot during the summer (who couldn't???), and I learned of a card shop in the area that would become my shop of choice for a number of years (Brian Proulx, you and your shop are still missed.) In fact, after three years of not producing one, Topps finally created a Traded set for the 1999 season. But that, too, is another story. Somehow, through all the hysteria, and looking forward to a new millennium, I still had time to make up my All-Star Teams. As has been tradition, there are 10 pitchers on each team (six starters, four closers), and because the 2000 ASG would be in Atlanta (at Turner Field), there was no DH needed. So the rosters contracted to 34 players per team.

So without further ado, for the first time online, I am proud to introduce my 1999 End of Year MLB All-Star Teams (in alphabetical order by position):

(Party like it's 1999 folks...)

American League First Basemen Ron Coomer, Twins* Jason Giambi, Athletics* Jim Thome, Indians Second Basemen Roberto Alomar, Indians Damion Easely, Tigers Randy Velarde, Athletics* Third Basemen Tony Fernandez, Blue Jays Joe Randa, Royals* Cal Ripken, Orioles Shortstops Nomar Garciaparra, Red Sox Derek Jeter, Yankees Alex Rodriguez, Mariners Outfielders Garrett Anderson, Angels* Albert Belle, Orioles Juan Gonzalez, Rangers Shawn Green, Blue Jays Ken Griffey, Jr., Mariners Kenny Lofton, Indians Magglio Ordoñez, White Sox* Manny Ramirez, Indians Bernie Williams, Yankees Catchers Brad Ausmus, Tigers* Ivan Rodriguez, Rangers Jason Varitek, Red Sox* Pitchers Bartolo Colon, Indians* Orlando Hernandez, Yankees* Roberto Hernandez, Devil Rays Mike Jackson, Indians Pedro Martinez, Red Sox Mike Mussina, Orioles Mariano Rivera, Yankees Aaron Sele, Rangers John Wetteland, Rangers David Wells, Blue Jays Manager: Jimy Wiliams, Red Sox The Starters: 1B: Thome 2B: Alomar 3B: Ripken SS: Garciaparra OF: Griffey, Jr. OF: Lofton OF: Ramirez C: Rodriguez P: Martinez *First-Time All-Star

National League First Basemen Jeff Bagwell, Astros Sean Casey, Reds* Mark McGwire, Cardinals Second Basemen Jay Bell, Diamondbacks Craig Biggio, Astros Jeff Kent, Giants Third Basemen Jeff Cirillo, Brewers Chipper Jones, Braves Matt Williams, Diamondbacks Shortstops Alex Gonzalez, Marlins* Mark Grudzielanek, Dodgers Barry Larkin, Reds Outfielders Barry Bonds, Giants Brian Giles, Pirates* Doug Glanville, Phillies* Luis Gonzalez, Diamondbacks* Vladimir Guerrero, Expos Tony Gwynn, Padres Gary Sheffield, Dodgers Sammy Sosa, Cubs Larry Walker, Rockies Catchers Mike Lieberthal, Phillies* Ed Taubensee, Reds* Mike Piazza, Mets Pitchers Mike Hampton, Astros* Trevor Hoffman, Padres Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks Jose Lima, Astros* Greg Maddux, Braves Kevin Millwood, Braves* John Rocker, Braves* Curt Schilling, Phillies Ugueth Urbina, Expos* Billy Wagner, Astros* Manager: Jack McKeon, Reds The Starters: 1B: McGwire 2B: Kent 3B: Williams SS: Larkin OF: Bonds OF: Sosa OF: Walker C: Piazza P: Johnson

Twenty-three players are first-time all-stars (10 for the American League, 13 for the Nationals). One-person teams on my 1999 rosters include the Angels (Anderson), Devil Rays (RHernandez), Royals (Randa), Twins (Coomer), White Sox (Ordoñez), Brewers (Cirillo), Cardinals (McGwire), Cubs (Sosa), Marlins (AGonzalez), Mets (Piazza), Pirates (Giles), and Rockies (Walker). The Indians send six representatives to the AL, leading both leagues. The Reds send five players to the NL team. So this year's rosters have an Ohio feel to them.

As always, seven regular games (10,000 simulations each, six with the same starting pitchers, one where lineups and starting pitchers change), and one All-Star Game will be simulated during the course of the week. I hope to have the results of all the games by the end of the week.

Now it's time for me to create the .DAT files before getting the games set. Results to come on Monday (unless we party too late).

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama