If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Craig Biggio

I can't believe it's been almost two years since we last played this game.  You'd think between the differences between the retail sets and the regular cards from the last 6 years, I'd actually have written these more often.  But alas, the muse had left me...

UNTIL NOW!!!

Spurned on by the Night Owl's pack breaks, one of his comments made me dig out the pair for tonight's feature.

Craig Biggio was one of the best players ever to don the jersey of the Houston Astros.  An unselfish player, he would play whatever position he was given, and excelled!  Originally a catcher, he moved to second base, then centerfield (and having to play against that hill out in center at Enro...I mean Minute Maid Park), to left field (briefly), then back to second base.  Very unselfish, he knew when to take a pitch (holds the record for most times hit by a pitcher with 285 plunks). A five-time Silver Slugger, a seven-time All-Star (as a catcher, then at second base), in his 20 seasons in Houston, Biggio (half of the Killer B's with Astros slugger Jeff Bagwell, or a third of them if you add Lance Berkman) had 3060 hits, 291 of them home runs, drove in 1175 runs, stole 414 bases, and finished with averages of .281, .433, and .796 (batting average, slugging, and OPS).  He punched his ticket to Cooperstown upon retirement, and is the only player in the history of baseball with 3000 hits, 600 doubles, 400 stolen bases, and 250 home runs.

Funny thing is that I did include him in my mock 2011 Topps Archives Project as the second subject in what was supposed to have been completed in 2009 (this project stalled as well, but I promise it will make it's comeback during HOF induction - you can pretty much guess who the subject is at that point - but I digress). 

On to the cards.

So here is card number 1:

This is his 1993 Topps card #680. Now I loved this design because of its use of very minimal design elements on the front of the card (the color banner below makes it look like it's holding he large picture that takes up most of the card...again, a play on the scrapbooking element of card collecting).  Here he is possibly turning a double play against the Cubs, who did I mention he killed constantly?  That's current Yankee's manager Joe Girardi trying to break up the impending double play (possible game 05/07/1992).

Here is card number 2:

The picture is a bit brighter here than in card #1. And the name font is different in card #2 than in card #1.

So the question is, if card #1 is his Topps card, then What Card is This (card #2)???  Leave your answer in the comments. Have fun figuring this one out.  The answer (with commentary) to come later on today.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE:  June 14, 2011.

Commenters were quick to point out that card #2 is from this year's 60 Years of Topps reprint set.

Now that we know the answer, it's time we find out the question we all want answered:

How could you guys screw up the font for the name???

Your reprint is not even close to the original, it's not even funny.  And don't try to say that you don't have the original fonts, because you've reprinted cards from this set over the years and the fonts were identical.  What happened here??!

jba

Which Ryan Braun Signed Ryan Braun's 2007 Topps Card

I received an e-mail from friend of the blog Big Daddy that read in part:

I remember reading somewhere that this card may have been corrected in the factory set. Since I know you have the factory set, can you please compare the signature on the card from the factory set vs the non-factory set card. Thanks

2007 Topps #262 Ryan Braun.

Thanks again for checking.

Let's review the 2007 Topps set. It was the infamous black bordered set with the team name with the four sets of four squares on each corner of the card (making the card itself kinda look like an enlarged strip of film). The player's name was below the picture, with the player's last name in big letters while his first name is in small letters above the last name. Each card also included a facsimile signature of said player. As many collectors know, the facsimile signature was taken from the contracts that each player signed when entering the agreement with Topps to use their likenesses in their products. Kind of why Ervin Santana's card has a signature that reads Johan Santana (his real name is Johan...can't believe I mixed them up...what do you expect...I wrote this at midnight!!!). Series 1 had five short-printed variation cards featuring five players with the infamous "Rookie Card" logo. Well, it looks like there may be a sixth.

We're all familiar with Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun, 2-time all-star outfielder and emerging young slugger. But in 2007, it was a Ryan Braun, pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, who was included in the series 1 Topps packs. For the sake of clarification, I will refer to Brewer Braun as Ryan J. Braun (J for Joseph) and Royal Braun as Ryan Z. Braun (Z for Zachary).

Anyway, both Ryan Braun's signed contracts with Topps for the 2007 season. However, Ryan Z. Braun of the Royals made it into the regular set. Not to many people could have imagined that the 2007 RZB card that they were storing in their 9 pocket pages could possibly be an error card. And unless you're an expert on signatures, it probably wouldn't have made a difference whatsoever. But put together a card from the packs and a card directly from a factory set (yes, you do have to open one to do this...), and you'll see two different facsimile autographs. Could one of them actually be the signature of Ryan J. Braun of the Brewers. Observe the two cards below.

2007 Topps Ryan Z. Braun #262. The card on the left came in packs. The card on the right is from the factory set.
Yes, the autographs are different on both cards. See the close up scans of each sig below:

Ryan Z. Braun signature from card from the pack.
The first signature is a lot bolder, like it was signed with a medium pen. The R and y and joined together, and the B in the last name is opened at the bottom (actually looks like a 1 and 3), and there is a loop that goes back behind the lower part of the letter that begins the rest of his last name.

Ryan Z. Braun signature from card from factory set.
Now take a look at the second signature. The R and y are separated, the B is more closed at the bottom, and the beginning of the rest of his last name is signed outside the b. The signature appears to have been signed with a fine pen.

So which is the correct signature? For that...let's look at Ryan J. Braun's 2007 Topps cards.

2007 Topps Ryan J. Braun. The card on the left is the holiday factory exclusive #14 of 20. The card on the right is from 2007 Updates and Highlights #UH150.
They both use the same picture, but the signature's are the same on both. Let's get a close up on that facsimile sig.

Ryan J. Braun signature from card from Updates and Highlights.
Hey, that looks familiar. Let's bring out that first signature again...


Will you look at that...they're the same sig.

That means that the signature from the packs is not from Ryan Z. Braun, but from Ryan J. Braun. And that would mean that the card from the factory set has Ryan Z. Braun's correct signature on it. Which means that there are two different, and distinct variations of Ryan Z. Braun's card #262. That means that there was a sixth variation to series 1 Topps.

And that also means that because the card was of a Kansas City Royal, not too many people noticed the error, or for that matter, cared about it enough to protest (and we all know how it is with the Royals and Topps cards).

So from one Big Daddy to another, you were absolutely correct. And because of this (and because you asked) I will send out the factory set version of the Ryan Z. Braun card to you in the mail some time next week.

Thanks for the tip once again, Big Daddy.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

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

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Greg Maddux

On this edition of What Card is This?, we honor (again) a man who in five years be inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame. Why?:

• He is a 300 game winner.
• He is a 3000 K pitcher.
• He is one of only two pitchers EVER to throw fan more than 3000 while walking less...LESS...than 1000 (he stopped right at 999...how's that for leaving a mark...).
• He won four Cy Young Awards, consecutively.
• He won a World Series.
• He is an 8-time All-Star.
• He is an 18-time Gold Glove Winner (winning it thirteen times straight before being interrupted in 2003, only to win it five straight years after that).

Need I say more about our man of the hour? He is Greg Maddux.

In the mid 1990's, there was nobody on the mound more dominant, nobody who could put fear in the hearts of batters stepping up to the plate, nobody more unhittable, and nobody more accurate than Greg Maddux. He could go for long stretches without issuing a walk. He knew exactly where to aim, and in almost every case, he hit the spot, causing hitter after hitter to look bad at the plate.

He started out his career with the Cubs, but after his first Cy Young season in 1992, signed with the Atlanta Braves. As Jeff Foxworthy once said when visiting Chicago, "Thank you very much for Greg Maddux." Alongside Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, he was part of a trio that put fear in the hearts of every team that were scheduled to meet the Braves. And you knew there had to be times that in every series, opposing teams had to face at least one or two of them (pity those who had to see these three guys in a row in a series). On an unrelated note, there is a card blog named Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz. Check it out when you can. Lots going on there because of the recent developments in the A-T-L.

But Maddux was the cerebral one. He studied hitters tendencies. He believed in studying videotape so he knew where to locate his pitches when it was his time to step on the mound. And during his later years, from his return to Chicago, to his LA to San Diego and back swing, he was somebody that EVERY other pitcher turned to for advice. Who needed a pitching coach? Then again, I'm pretty sure the pitching coaches weren't complaining.

He called it a career in 2008, leaving with a 355-227 record 3,371 K's, an ERA of 3.16 in more than 5008 innings of work.

So on to the cards. Topps decided to honor Maddux by including him in the Series 1 set:

Hey baby??! Have I told you lately that you're prettier than Greg Maddux??? Baby??! 2009 Topps Greg Maddux #287.

That should have been the end of the run of Topps Baseball cards for Greg Maddux. From 1987 Topps Traded to 2009 Topps, he appeared in more than 22 years worth of cards. And eventually, when the 2011 Topps Archives project gets back into full swing (it's coming back, I promise), we'll add the Topps Archives logo somewhere on this card. So if the above card was his Topps card,


What card is this??! Wait. He just retired. Why is there a Braves card of him in this set? And how do I have this card?

Well, thanks to frequent commenter and friend of the blog jacobmrley, I now have the SP Maddux card from series 2 Topps. Max, a package of cards is on its way to you as a thank you. Again, late, but it's in the mail.

It's only a couple of weeks since Series 2 came out, and I'm nearly a quarter of the way done with the SP set. Thank you all for your generosity. I can confidently say that if it weren't for the generosity of blogging community, this dream of collecting the SP cards would be just that...a dream.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Brandon Inge

You know what, he's got a point. I want to thank friend of the blog the drizz for setting me straight. With all the stuff that's been going on lately, whether it's with the Hobby, or the people who cover it, I've decided to back to my roots. Gellman is up and running the sixth edition of the Blog Bat Around (it's his baby, you know), and his topic made me think long and hard about my place in the blogosphere.

To that end, I am bringing back a popular segment on this blog called, "If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?" For those new to the blog and are wondering what the heck I'm talking about, basically, I present the Topps card of a certain player. Then I present a second card of the same player, with the same design, but there is a significant difference in the picture. The card could come from a traded set, it could be a bonus insert, it could be a variation, it could be from a totally different set. Whatever. It's up to you the reader to figure it out (leave comments...ego...)

This time around, we head back to 2006 (again???) and feature a player who for all intents and purposes, could be compared to Craig Biggio, if it weren't for the fact that

• A. He plays for Detroit
• B. He's a long way away from 3000 Hits
• C. Did I mention Detroit (just kidding drizz, just kidding)

Realistically, I think the only thing they both have in common is that both are willing to play any position their manager asks of him. That certainly is the case with our subject today...Brandon Inge.

Brandon Inge started his big league career as a catcher (just like Biggio). From 2001-2003, he was their go-to-guy behind the plate. Then the Tigers signed Ivan Rodriguez to catch for them. So did that mean that Inge would be out of a job? Would he be relegated to back up duty? Nope. He was asked to play third base for the team, which turned out to be no big deal (he signed on with the team as a shortstop, so making the move to third was simple). So while Pudge claimed the back stop, Inge played for three seasons (2004-2006) as their hot corner man. He has also been asked to play in the outfield a few times. Anything, just put him in the lineup has been the mindset.

So enclosed is Brandon Inge's 2006 Topps card:


Sweet looking card. Had to have been taken during a critical time in the ball game. Everyone in the Tiger's dugout is standing, possibly hoping that Inge would drive in the tying or winning run. This actually is an error card because his position is listed as Second Base, but during this time, he was the team's third baseman. The back of the card has him with the correct position. So if this is his Topps card...


Hmmm, the position is correct. But the picture is different. It shows him fielding, possibly just tossing the ball around after a strikeout. So now, here comes the all important question...

What Card is This???

Answer to come later. Post your guess in the comments section. And drizz, I looked long and hard for a Tigers player to use for this segment as a tribute to you. Thanks again.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Monday, May 25, 2009.

And again, I forget to update this a week later. That's what happens when your team is slumping (big time...8 games??!). Anyway, both packaddict and friend of the blog (who will get big props when this card he says he got will be mailed over) the drizz got it right. The second card is from the 2006 Topps Tigers 14-card team set. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Brad Wilkerson

What does the baseball card of the "face of the franchise" look like when that player gets traded at the end of the year? We're about to find out on this week's edition of "What Card is This?" Our subject was a Montréal Expo, and made the trip to Washington, D.C. in 2005. "When he goes, the team goes," one opposing GM said about him, "He's clearly the leader of that team." After five years of playing in the obscurity in Montréal, and then playing in the nation's capital, he finds himself traded to the Texas Rangers. This week's subject is Brad Wilkerson.

Brad Wilkerson gave plenty of Expos fans plenty to cheer about during the team's final seasons in Montréal. During the Expos' swansong in 2004, he hit a team leading 32 home runs, showed amazing patience at the plate by taking 106 walks to first, and stole 13 bases.

He was the first Washington National to make a plate appearance, collecting the teams first hit in that historic at-bat. He even hit for the cycle in the team's second game. As the team's leadoff hitter, he hit .248 with 11 home runs, 57 runs batted in, walked 84 times, and stole 8 bases. Not necessarily great numbers for a leadoff hitter, but then again, these were the Nationals. So why was he traded after the 2005 season to the Texas Rangers? Oh that's right, so the Nationals can get All-Star Alfonso Soriano to play for them in 2006.

His time in Texas was less than stellar. He found himself on the DL for parts of the year, and his power numbers slipped dramatically. He signed with the Mariners in 2008, only to find himself released in May. He signed on with the Blue Jays, and finished the year with a measly .220, 4, and 28. In 2009, he is looking to regain his form with the Boston Red Sox.

So in 2005, he was a National. He was traded to the Rangers in December of that year. Because of the "new" MLBP rules, Topps could not distribute their 2006 Topps Baseball cards until February of 2006. That gave them a bit of time to make a few adjustments to the cards of players traded or signed to new teams early enough to get them with their new teams. However, something was missed between editing and printing because while indeed Brad Wilkerson's 2006 Topps card does label him as a Texas Ranger (in big foil letters above the picture), he is pictured wearing the red and white of the Washington Nationals. Here is Wilkeson's 2006 Topps card #35:


Topps could have (or for that matter, should have) just left the team name alone instead of changing it. As a team collector, where would you put this card? Is he a National? Is he a Ranger? What's the call here? So if the first card was in the Topps set...


Now he's wearing the blue and white of the Rangers. But wait, it's the same photo. He's in the same stadium in both pictures, so obviously Topps altered his jersey to show the new team. So the question on everyone's mind now is...

What Card is This???

Answer to come later this week. Have fun.

UPDATE: Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

I can't believe I forgot to put the answer on here until now.

Anyway, this card is from the 2006 Topps Rangers 14 Card set. Friend of the blog tdlindgren gets credit for being the first to respond with the correct answer.

I just took out my 2006 Topps binder just to look over the cards once more, and I didn't realize that there are a number of cards that are similar to Wilkerson's in terms of being included as a member of one team but pictured in another team. What??!

jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Chipper Jones

In between the 2011 Topps Archives posts, I thought it might be a good idea to try and bring back some of the kinds of posts I haven't done in a while. No, I'm not running out of ideas, but I might be running out of variation cards to show off. The reason why I'm doing this today is that my son is sick and I'm at home for part of the day. And I'm also doing this because I want to see if I can get a certain blogger out of hiding (while he's been active, he hasn't been posting with the reckless abandon I've been accustomed to lately, so I just want to make sure he's all right).

For new readers of the blog, this is one of my favorite segments infrequently featured here called, "What Card is This???" The concept is simple, I show two cards of a player, one his actual Topps card from a particular year, the other is a card with the same design, but a noticeable difference. Now, keep in mind, both cards are real (meaning I did not alter or create another card to throw people off), but the other card is not from the regular (or traded) Topps set, so I ask "What Card is This???" looking to see if people can correctly guess what set the second card is from.

Today's subject has been appearing regularly on Topps cards since 1991, and I think it's because he was drafted by the Braves in 1990 that their fortunes changed from being the NL West doormat, to the dominant team that we all remember throughout the 1990's and 2000's. He showed the rest of the National League that the Braves had more than just a powerful pitching staff (and when you had Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux on your rotation, domination is an understatement), but had a fantastic offense that scored enough runs to win ballgames. He may not have won the NL Rookie of the year in 1995, but he has now become the face of the franchise. Today, I give you, Larry Wayne Jones.

Huh???

Oh I'm sorry. I think most everyone knows him by the name "Chipper." (chip-of-the-old-block...from his dad)

The name Chipper just screams baseball player, doesn't it? Even on his first Topps card, as a senior on the Bolles School baseball team, his card referred to him as Chipper Jones. You just knew that this "kid" had a future in the Majors. But he was drafted by the lowly Braves, a team that for most of the 80's, was not all that great. In fact, I remember visiting Atlanta and I saw a bumper sticker that read, "Go Braves...And Take the Falcons With You!!!" Ouch. You had to feel bad for him.

But then the team's fortunes turned around. They won the NL West, and pushed the Twins to the limit in the 1991 World Series. Lucky? Perhaps. But then they made it back to the WS the following year. After a two year layoff, they finally won the big one. And who was on that team? You guessed it...Chipper. The Braves won their division for fifteen consecutive seasons (1991-2005). And although they've won the whole thing once, they were always there, ready to play into the middle of October.

In fourteen full seasons with the Braves, Chipper has won an MVP (1999), a World Series title(1995), a batting title (2008 with a career high .364), two Silver Slugger awards (1999, 2000), hit 408 home runs, driven home 1374 RBI's, (both as of 2008), and has been selected to the All Star Game six times. His full body of work just screams "Hall of Famer" when all is said and done.

So enough about his career. Let's get to the cards.

Chipper was named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team in 1995, meaning that his 1996 card would have the Rookie Cup on it as well. The 1996 Topps design was a very good looking design. It is remembered for using really large pictures, the Topps logo one side, the team logo on the other side, and the only semblance of a design was a bluish rectangular box that featured the player's name and a close up of the player's head (from the large picture). And if you look hard enough, you'll see on the bottom of each of the player cards there is either a green or red shadow line by the blue name plate. Green for all National League players, red for the American Leaguers. Which makes sense. Until 2009, there was always a "Green Book" that had all the NL information, and a "Red Book" for the AL. And both colors would be more prominent in the 1997 design as all NL players were surrounded by green frames, and the AL players in red...I'm getting away from the point again aren't I???

So here is the 1996 Topps Chipper Jones card, fresh off the World Series Appearance:


Didn't I tell you that the 1996 Topps design was good looking??? Large action shot of Chipper racing around the base paths. Awesome shot. There's that Rookie Cup on Chipper's left. Great card overall.

So with that in mind, here is card number two:


Wait...he's now on the field, running towards what looks to be a ball between third and short. What's really funny about this pose is that if you look at the head shot where his name is, it does look like he's blow the foil letters off the card. But where the green shadow is now replaced with a red (did the Braves play in the AL???), and the Rookie Cup is missing.

So now it is time to ask that all important question...

What Card is This???

Leave your guesses in the comments. The correct answer will be revealed later in the week. Have fun. Now it's time to check on my son.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Monday, March 23, 2009.

Happy birthday Bam!!!

Anyway, RoofGod said it's a card from Post Cereal. Offy says it's "the Chipper from the team sets that Topps released that year." While I'm more inclined to say that Offy could be right (I don't know what set you're referring to), the card that was actually used for this edition of "What Card is This?" was a sample card that was distributed to hobby shops and media before the actual set came out. This card, #PP5, is from the 1996 Topps Preproduction set.

Thanks for playing. And, going over some of my albums, I do have a few more cards I can use for this segment after all. Hooray!!! jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Billy Butler

After a two week break, (I swear I have to be more consistent with this), we bring back everyone's favorite segment...What Card is This??? And this time, I think I have one that will stump all but my long time (ahem...eight months plus does not equal long time) readers. This week's player is one of the keys to the future of the Kansas City Royals. In their ever continuing attempt to rebuild the franchise, it seems that KC has finally found the right group of young players that can potentially compete within the mediocre AL Central division. After all, if the Tampa Bay Rays can finally overcome the Red Sox and Yankees, who's to say that the Royals can't outplay the Twins, White Sox, Indians, and Tigers? This week's subject is the current Royals First Baseman/Designated Hitter, Billy Butler.

Billy Butler made his major league debut with the Royals on May 1, 2007, and has shown himself to be one of the key players that can potentially put the Royals back on top in the AL Central. When you are surrounded by young stars like Joakim Soria, Alex Gordon, David DeJesus, Luke Hochevar, and Mark Teahan, how can you not like KC's chances? Back to the point. The Royals' 1st round draft pick in 2004, Butler made an impression on the Royals faithful by hitting 11 home runs, driving home 52, and hitting at a .295 clip in his rookie year. He was named the July AL Rookie of the Month by hitting .341 with 3 home runs and 24 rbi's in 24 games. In 2008, his average dropped, but he did hit 11 home runs and 55 rbi's on a team that didn't show a lot of power in the lineup. His second year numbers may have been down, but what do you expect, the kid's only 22 years old??? Give him a season with 162 games, and let's see what he can do.

In any event, Billy Butler initially did not have any cards in 2007 Topps baseball. In a year where the Topps Company messed up by putting the same five guys in both series I and II (Gary Sheffield, Mike Rabelo, Michael Barrett, Elizardo Ramirez, and Bengie Molina), there was no room to add his card to the set...or was there? While Butler's "Rookie Card Logo" cards were never found in packs (his actual rookie cards appeared in 2005 Topps...thank you Gerald for correcting me...shows how much attention I've been paying nowadays...), he did show up in every 2007 Topps factory set as card #636 (replacing Mike Rabelo's series 2 card). The thing is, unless you actually read the checklist, you wouldn't even know he was in there. Heck, even the Number One leading publication in the Hobby doesn't even acknowledge that this card (which can be numbered as #636b) exists. So why do I and every other person with a factory set have one?

And then to top it all off, they included a card of Butler as one of the ten Holiday Factory bonus rookie cards. The rookies chosen as exclusives for the 2007 Topps Holiday sets were some of the bigger names in the 2007 season: Ryan Braun, Joba Chamberlain, Jarrod Saltalamacchia (literally bigger names). And in amongst the two five-card packs was a card of Billy Butler.

Now the reason why I'm actually telling you what sets these cards are from is because instead of asking the usual question, I want to know if you the reader can figure out which card belongs to which set. Below is a scan of both cards. Can you figure out which card is the "regular" 2007 Topps card and which is the "bonus" card? Consider this a baseball card version of "To Tell the Truth" For your viewing pleasure, may I introduce the 2007 Topps Billy Butler cards:


"I am the 2007 Topps Billy Butler card." "I am the 2007 Topps Billy Butler card."

So the question is now...

What Cards are These???
Which one of these two cards is the base card #636? Which card is the bonus card #15 of 20? Will the real 2007 Topps Billy Butler card please stand up? The answers will come later in the week. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Sunday, February 2, 2009.

RWH's pretty sure guess was absolutely correct. Yes, the card of Butler flashing the leather on the left is part of the Holiday bonus rookie set. The card on the right is the Topps card that is included in every Topps factory set replacing Mike Rabelo. So now the question remains, why doesn't anyone over at the Number One leading publication in the Hobby adding this (and the Buck card) to their checklist database??? jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Jason Kendall

For 2009's first "What Card is This?" segment, we'll take a look back at the career of an All-Star catcher who, if he were to have played for a different team, he'd be a mega star and possibly a hall-of-famer. Alas, he spent many of his glory years in a city that lately hasn't fielded a winning baseball team since a certain B.B. left for the Bay area. He was a good player indeed, and for a catcher, had tremendous speed. I mean, how often did you have a catcher leading off for a team? Not many. Then again, there are not that many catchers out there like Jason Kendall.

Son of major leaguer Fred Kendall, Jason was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992. He made his major league debut in 1996, a year that saw him not only place third on the NL Rookie of the Year voting, but was named an All-Star as well. Along with Brian Giles, he was one of the few players that were worth watching in Pittsburgh during the late 90's early 2000's. He was the face of the franchise, and always played hard. Other than his 1999 season, cut short due to injury, he has never played less than 130 games in a year. And during his tenure as a Pittsburgh Pirate catcher, he was penciled in as the team's leadoff hitter on a number of occasions. Along the way, he picked up two more invitations to the Midsummer Classic, and was named the starting catcher that year in 2000.

After spending his first nine years with the Pirates, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics at the end of the 2004 season for what seemed to be another Pittsburgh rebuilding project. He made his playoff debut (finally) in 2006 and has since played in the postseason with two other teams (the Chicago Cubs in 2007, and the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008).

So on to the cards. Here is Jason Kendall's 2000 Topps card:


Nice action shot. He's blocking the plate, trying to receive the ball from the fielder before the runner tags home plate (the runner must have missed it the first time, because based on where the runner's leg is, it looks like he's diving back INTO Kendall). You can even see the dust flying everywhere and can only imagine that this shot could have been easily taken from the umpire's point of view. You have to admit, when Topps' photographers get an action shot, they get their action shot. And we the collectors apprecite it. Now on to card number 2:


It's the exact same picture, but upon further inspection, the border color is different, and the foil color is different too. Remember, this is 2000 Topps. There were no gold cards that year (they were brought back in 2001). This is not a photoshopped, or MS Paint job (I can't do either well enough to make it look real). It is a real card, but what set is it from...

What Card is This???

We'll see if whoever leaves comments gets it right. It should be fairly easy to answer. However, finding the actual set this card actually came from was near to impossible. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Thursday, January 8, 2009.

Ryan Cracknell chimed in with the right answer at 1:53 AM (do bloggers ever sleep???). Yes, this was one of the three Sample cards given to dealers to show what the 2000 Topps baseball cards were going to look like. Kendall's card is #PP2 (PreProduction). The other two players featured in this set were Brady Anderson and Ryan Klesko. Thanks to all who participated. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: LaMarr Hoyt

Set the WayBack Machine to 1983 boys and girls because we're going to be looking at a couple of cards from that year's Topps set. This week's What Card is This? subject was one of the key players of the "Winning Ugly" Chicago White Sox. With a record of 19-15 in 1982, and a Cy Young season the following year at 24-10, along with 11 complete games, he was the key component in getting ANY Chicago team into the postseason for the first time since 1959. He is the one, the only, LaMarr Hoyt.

In his 8-year career, LaMarr Hoyt was a dominating pitcher in the early 80's. After posting identical 9-3 records in 1980-1981 (helps that he was the key relief pitcher in 1981 with 30 games finished), Hoyt joined the starting rotation and promptly broke out the following year, leading the American League with 19 wins and striking out 124 batters. Not a bad year I'd say...but how do you improve on that? Easy. Hoyt lead the 1983 White Sox to their first division title since 1959, on the strength of his 24-10 record. He was the example of what a workhorse pitcher is in baseball. He pitched a lot of innings (a little more than 500 innings in 1982-1983 alone), and completed a staggering 25 games.

During the 1983 ALCS, he pitched a complete game, and only gave up one run. The White Sox scored twice to give him the win. Sadly, the White Sox went on to lose the next three games, getting bounced from the playoffs without giving Hoyt a chance to pitch again. The next year saw his record drop to a disastrous 13-18, even though his numbers were on par with the last two years. At the end of the season, he was traded to the San Diego Padres for four players. One of which brought a young Venezuelan shortstop named Ozzie Guillen to Chicago. It was a trade that worked out for both teams as Hoyt became an All-Star for the first time (why he was never one with the Sox is beyond me) with a 16-8 record and Guillen became the American League Rookie of the Year.

Enough with the history, let's go to the cards. Here is Hoyt's 1983 Topps card #618:


I love these 1983 cards. I noticed that a number of players in the set wore full beards and mustaches in their head shot picture, but the big picture showed an almost clean shavened player. Maybe it's just a Chicago thing as there were a couple of Cubs players who were pictured the same way (Bill Campbell, Scot Thompson). Gotta love those 80's White Sox jerseys. Shame you don't see those anymore. Well, here's card number 2:


Hey...it's the same card...or is it??? This one has some words on the top left corner reading "AL-19 Victories." Is this the precursor to the modern day gimmick card? Was this card a short printed variant card? This can't be a league leader card (those were horizontally oriented, and he shared his LL card with Steve Carlton). So the question remains...

What Card is This???

If you have the card, you'll know exactly where it came from. We'll see. The correct answer (possibly provided by someone leaving comments) announced soon. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Saturday, January 3, 2009.

Reader jacobmrley not only left a comment stating where this card came from, but even showed two eBay auctions. This card indeed is from the 1983 Topps '82 Leaders sheet. The most unique card on the sheet belongs to Reggie Jackson and Gorman Thomas, who share a card because they both led the AL in Home Runs that year (they tied with 39 HR's a piece).

I actually have one extra sheet of this. So if there is anyone out there who wants one??? jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Jose Guillen

And you thought I gave up posting for good. Did you miss me??? (Ego! That's it! Step away from the computer and don't come back until you settle down!)

I know it's been a few days since the last post, and it's been a busy time for me lately. Anyway, it's the weekend, and it's time for another stirring edition of everyone's favorite guessing game (geez, enough of the "it's" already!!!), What Card is This??? This week's subject played only one season with the Seattle Mariners as their right fielder (was one of the reasons why Ichiro was moved to center field). He is the ultimate journeyman, playing for seven teams before arriving in Seattle, and then after a year of playing at Safeco Field, left before the end of the year and joined the Royals to man the outfield at Kauffman Stadium. His name is Jose Guillen.

Jose Guillen signed with the Mariners as a Free agent before the end of 2006, and became their starting right fielder. Before you say, "Wait, wasn't that Ichiro's position???" Well, yes...yes it was. Ichiro was moved to center field to take advantage of his blazing speed and rocket arm, leaving right field open for the incoming Guillen. Now Guillen had a pretty decent year in 2007, hitting .290 with 23 home runs and 99 runs batted in. His contributions led to an 88-74 record, good enough for a second place finish in the AL West for the M's. To celebrate his arrival into the "Emerald City," Topps added his card as part of 2007 Topps series 2. Here is that card:

For many who may not be familiar with what Jose Guillen looks like, this card may not be a big deal. But for his friends and family, Jose Guillen card collectors (and there are some out there), and die hard fans of the Seattle Mariners, something was horribly wrong. This was not Jose Guillen. And they'd be correct.


The first card is an error card, ladies and gentlemen, as the picture in front belongs to Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt. How do I know??? Okay. The Guillen card is number 588 in the 2007 Topps set. Betancourt's card (the one above) is number 576, so anyone team collector, or astute set collectors would know that something immediately was amiss.

Now for those who still don't believe that this is an error card, Topps did something unique in 2007. They added a small square picture of the face of the player on the back of the card. And instead of using a new picture, they used the SAME one on the front. See below for both the backs of Betancourt and Guillen's cards:



As you can see, the back of the Guillen card has an entirely different picture than the front. This should prove that the card on the front is not Jose Guillen. With that said, here is card number 2 for comparison:


If you notice, the picture on the front matches the little picture on the back of Guillen's card. But the 2007 Topps Guillen card was never corrected. Even in the 2007 Topps Factory sets where they were able to do this, Topps didn't bother taking the time to correct the Guillen card and sneak it in.

So now, I ask that ever important question...

What Card is This???

I'm sure people will get this. Well maybe. Good luck. The answer will come either when someone gets it right, or in a couple of days, whatever comes first. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Wednesday, December 17, 2008.

Scott C, writer of the Red Sox-oriented blog Green Monster chimed in with the correct answer this week. This card is from the 2007 Topps Seattle Mariners 14-card team set sold in retail stores. I was not going to dispute jacobmrley's answer of this card coming from the 2007 Topps Pepsi set. But after reviewing the checklist, the only Guillen on the 220 card set was Carlos Guillen, not Jose Guillen. I have an idea of what to do for the next installment. The knowledge of those in the Hobby blogosphere is incredible. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Eric Hinske

I can't believe I forgot about this last weekend. Where is my head? Anyway, to make up for it, I hope that this week's What Card is This? is a bit more challenging.

This week's subject was the 2002 American League Rookie of the Year. In his four years with the Toronto Blue Jays, he was sent to different positions when upper management decided to bring in other players via free agency. Regardless of where he was assigned, he was always ready to play. And with the Blue Jays luck (or lack of it in many cases), there was always a place for him in the lineup. He can also lay claim to the fact that he reached the World Series in consecutive years with two different teams. He was part of the 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox, and also a member of the 2008 AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays. This week, our subject is Eric Hinske.

Thanks to his stellar rookie season (.279, 24 HR's, 84 RBI's), major league managers had no problem voting him in as the third baseman for the 2002 Topps All-Star Rookie team. That meant that his 2003 Topps cards, the ones with the easily chippable blue borders, would include the prestigious rookie cup. So let's get to it shall we? Here is his 2003 Topps #40 card:


This card looks really good. These solid blue borders make any player from the Blue Jays, or for that matter, any team whose primary color is blue (like the Cubs, Dodgers, Royals) a work of art. And this one is no exception. The picture is nice and clear, and shows Eric on his follow through to first, as if the ball is about to drop in front of the outfielder for a hit. Done looking yet? Here's card #2:


I know what you're thinking. "It's the same card." "What kind of trick is this?" I can assure you that this is no trick. The above card is an actual card. Now before you get the pitchforks and torches out, just take a good look at card number 2. Do you notice anything? Anything at all? Is there something amiss? Can you figure it out? I'll give you a hint. I've mentioned it throughout the post.

Wait...there IS something missing. What in the...Where did it...

What Card is This???

Just to let you know, I did not remove anything from card number two. This is a real card. But now it's up to you to figure out what set this card is from. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Saturday, December 6, 2008.

I thought that this would be a challenge. But the guy over at Stale Gum got the right answer. Yes, the second Hinske card comes from the 2005 (or is it 2006, I never could figure it out) Topps Rookie Cup set. If you are not familiar with this obscure set, it was Topps' way to cash in on all those collectors who seriously collect the players who make this team, specifically, the ones with the trophy on it. Now for a set devoted to the ASR team, I found it quite ridiculous that Topps failed to include the darn rookie cup in the reprint. And quite frankly, I didn't even know the guy (Chris) actually reads my blog.

On another note, friend of the blog tdlindgren (please check out his blogin effort...it's good reading) said that this card could be it's own What??! topic. Frankly, many cards in the 150-card reprint set could be a What??! topic. Why???

• If Ryne Sandberg made the 1982 team (as stated on his base card), why did Topps reprint his 1984 card???
• It also seems that Topps forgot what year Ozzie Smith was named to the team. He was the shortstop for the 1978 team, he had his rookie card in the 1979 Topps set, but they reprinted his 1980 card for their reprint set.
• All six 1998 reprint cards have the wrong colored borders on it (I actually think they switched the colors from the 2002 set with this one).
• On a couple of the 1994 cards, the borders are extremely thin (if not even existent).
• What happened to Willie McCovey, and why was his card not included with this set?
• How did they get six cards from the 2006 Topps set on here? I can understand including players from the 2005 Topps ASR team (as this was supposed to be a 2005 set), but the 2006 Topps cards had not come out yet? Why didn't they just put all ten guys in the set on here? Better question, what the heck are you supposed to call these cards? I mean, technically, they're reprints, but they came out before the regular cards did? I guess in the grand scheme of things, it won't matter, but...I don't know...

I love the set. I really do, and as of now, of the ten "prospects" they added (possible future ASR rookie team members), they got one right. Troy Tulowitzki was included as a short printed autograph card. And he did wind up winning the award in 2007. It remains to be seen what happens to the nine other guys (although I think Yunel Escobar has now missed his opportunity as he is no longer a rookie). jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Ryne Sandberg

If I ever decided to become a player collector, the subject of this week's What Card is This? would be the man I'd be following. He was THE star attraction for the Chicago Cubs in the mid 80's and early 90's, although he was humble enough not to show it. He hit for power long before it became cool for middle infielders to hit the long ball, but he never swung for the fences at will. He was the quiet leader on the field and in the clubhouse. He won enough gold gloves to field his own team, and hit well enough to win the silver slugger award seven times. He appeared in 10 ASG's, and was even the MVP of the National League one year. Heck, while Big Daddy Fielder was leading the AL in homers with 51 in 1990, this man quietly led the NL in the same category...with 40. He is a Hall of Famer, and one that the Phillies may have wished they never traded away. He is affectionately known as "Ryno," but the rest of the world knows him as Ryne Sandberg. (insert quiet applause here...leading to a rousing chorus of cheers and a standing ovation!!!)

Words just can't describe how much I loved Ryne Sandberg play. He played the game the way it was supposed to have been played. Even said so himself in his induction speech. With the word Aretha Franklin spelled out in big bold letters, R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!! He never said much off the field, never bragged about that great play he made, or the home run that won the ball game. He let his play do the talking. And his play spoke volumes. Please remember that before his premature "retirement" in 1994, he was the greatest second baseman of his era. And who knows how much more he could have done had he not taken time off.

Anyway, on with the show. Here is his 1990 Topps card:


Awesome picture, and I'm glad that the people putting the cards together decided to include his card with those with the light blue borders. It just looks right. It never looked right to see a Cubs player with the 1990 red, orange, or purple borders. Blue made sense, and this card is perfect. Now on to card number two:


Now this card has him in his home uniform, and I think that maybe the green borders makes the picture look a bit brighter. But Sandberg only had one base card in the 1990 Topps set (he also had an All-Star card, but that's not what this card is). So the question posed for the people who might want to answer this one (anonymously or not)...

What Card is This???

Now 1990 Topps was an extremely over-produced product. Up to this day, there are still boxes upon boxes of unopened product. There may be tons of the first card available everywhere, but you might be hard pressed to find a decent looking copy of card number two...if you knew where to look. I'll leave this open for answers. Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Friday, November 28, 2008.

Paul of Paul's Random Stuff chimed in first with the correct answer (followed by friend of the blog the drizz). Yes, this is a box bottom card found underneath boxes of 1990 Topps. This card is found in the third panel (out of four, card L), and many of these cards are prone to wear and tear. For the record, I do have the card in a full panel, I used a bit of MSPaint trickery to make it look like the card was cut and placed in a holder before scanning. That people, is as far as I go in terms of "photoshopping." jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Jason Giambi

On this week's edition of What Card is This, we look back at what could have been. Not that it didn't happen, but that the number one goal of getting this guy was to re-capture the prize. The year before, the team that acquired him snatched victory from the jaws of defeat from this guy's original team just to get to the big dance, and now their star player left them for greener (wait...take that back...more navy) pastures. This week, maybe timely in terms of player selection, we talk about Jason Giambi.

Ah yes, Jason Giambi. Prior to 2002, he was the long haired, bearded, scruffy, team leader and most visible player on the Oakland Athletics. For a team that was considered small market, the A's sure knew how to draft players and have them create an immediate impact. Think of the guys that even were on that 2001 Athletics team. I just have to say their last name, and you know how great a player he is: Dye, Damon, Tejada, Chavez, Hudson, Zito, Mulder, and not one, but two J. Giambi's. The A's had a plethora of future All-Stars on their roster in 2001, and this team could have won their division, had not the Mariners won more than 102 games in the same season. Relegated to being the Wild Card team, they had the daunting task of facing the reigning AL Champion NY Yankees. After winning the first two games at Yankee Stadium, the A's needed just one win in Oakland to move on to the AL Championship round. Sadly, they lost both games at home, and were soundly defeated in game 5. The Yankees moved on, and the A's were left to wonder what could have been.

The big offseason signing before the 2002 season was Jason Giambi to the Yankees. There was a catch though. Not only was he the man who was to help bring the Bombers back to the WS, he was going to be the man to help them win it all. But before he could put on the suit, there was a matter of grooming. You see, the Yankees at this time, had a policy of no facial hair or long hair. Which meant that Jason had to have a shave and a hair cut (which in NY, costs more than two bits). The press conference introducing the new Bronx slugger to the NY media was very memorable. For the first time in probably many years, Jason Giambi had short hair, and he was clean shaven.

Jason played for the Yankees from 2002 to 2008, and needless to say, there were lots of highs and lows in his NY career. He did help them back to the WS, only to lose to Florida in 2003. The team made it into the playoffs for the first five years of his tenure, only to lose series after series. And after the Yankees failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1996, the Yankees decided to part ways with their Jason. Maybe he'll grow hair back and bring back the beard (the moustache didn't do him any favors...really).

So here we go. His 2002 Topps card somehow featured Jason in his new uniform, getting ready to swing for the fences:

It does look awkward doesn't it? I mean, it looks like he had his hair cut, but I think there's a hint of hair on that upper lip (I can't really tell, even after doing a close up scan). Do the Yankees even wear their Spring Training unis during the regular season? Anyway, on to card #2...


Wait...he's in his A's uniform. And he looks, well, normal for 2001. Now he didn't have two cards in 2002 Topps. The first card appeared in series 2 (#620). So now the question becomes...

What Card Is This???
This could be an easy one...maybe. I'll leave this up and see what happens from here. Good luck to all who want to guess in the comments section.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Wednesday, November 19, 2008.

To the anonymous poster, who guessed "series 1" in the comments...I'm sorry, that is incorrect. I even mentioned that the first card was the only Giambi card in the entire base set. Unfortunately, he (or she) was also the only person to give it a shot.

The second card was a promo card given to card shops so they had an idea what the 2002 Topps cards were going to look like. The card above was the second of three (the other two cards were of Sammy Sosa and Curt Schilling).

Thanks for playing. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Willie Montañez

We're going back in time for this week's edition of What Card is This? Thirty years ago in fact. It's 1978 all over again!!!

Now I did a review of the 1978 Topps set a few months back. Simple design, cursive Team name on the lower left corner. Position inside a floating baseball. Nothing too fancy, but effective. Today's subject is a player who's career can be described in a similar fashion. The player in question is Willie Montañez, 14 year veteran of the majors. A first baseman who travelled all over the country practicing his craft. From the Angels to the Phillies, Giants, Braves, Mets, Rangers, Padres, Expos, Pirates, and finally back to the Phillies, Montañez was known as a "hot dog" of sorts.

In 1977, as a member of the Atlanta Braves, he was named to the NL All-Star team (his first and only appearance to the midseason classic) thanks in part to 13 home runs, 41 rbi's, and a .313 batting average. His second half was not as strong as the first, but he still had a good year with the Braves. At the end of the year, he was involved in a very complex four-team trade, that saw him and ten other players moved around. By the time the dust settled, he wound up going to the New York Mets. He lasted more than a year and a half with the Mets before being traded to the Rangers, but while there, hit 22 home runs, 143 rbi's, to go along with a .247 batting average.

Now his 1978 Topps card shows him as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Of course, this was normal. Topps sold their cards in one series at this time, and the deal to the Mets came long after the card was printed. So here is his 1978 Topps card #38:


Nice pose, in his powder blue warm up jacket. Until I started going backwards into my card collection, I didn't know that the Braves wore this shade of blue in their uniforms. Here is card number 2:

He's somehow wearing the uniform of his 1978 team, the Mets. Now, wait a minute...there was no Topps Traded set in 1978, and I'm pretty sure that there was only one Montañez card in the regular 1978 Topps set. So the question now becomes...

What Card Is This???

I'll leave this up for a day or two. It's possible that someone can get this right. We'll see though...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Wednesday, November 12, 2008.

As the night owl stated, Captain Canuck is right. This was one of five cards that Topps created for Zest Soap featuring five Latino players. Montañez' card was the only one that was a variation of his 1978 Topps card (the other four were Joaquin Andujar, Bert Campaneris, Ed Figueroa, and Manny Mota, each had the same card printed for this special set).

Night Owl, and you too Captain, I have extra Topps/Zest sets sitting at home. If you would like one, please e-mail me your address and I will send one full five-card set out to you just for responding. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Angel Pagan

After a couple of weeks off, it's time to bring this feature back into circulation. This week's subject began his year as the starting left fielder for the New York Mets. Prior to that, he was a backup outfielder for the Chicago Cubs. And even before that, he was a career minor leaguer with the New York Mets. So it took the Mets eight years, mind you two years away from the franchise, but they finally were able to get him onto the major league roster. He has one of the most unique names in the majors because of the possible religious contradiction to it. This week's subject is none other than Mets outfielder Angel Pagan.

In his two years with the Cubs, he hit 9 home runs and drove in 39 rbi's in 148 games played. The highlight of his brief Cubbie career, which was featured in the KMart exclusive 2007 Topps Generation Now Variation set (only Cub to be featured) was hitting two home runs on his birthday (07/02/2006) against the crosstown Chicago White Sox. Traded back to the Mets in January 2008, he only appeared in 31 games in April and May before being placed on the disabled list for the rest of the year.

So anyway, onto the game. Here is his 2008 Topps card, from the just out Updates and Highlights set:



Nice blue jersey, must have been from a spring training game, does not look like there was any photoshopping here. He is pictured here hitting the ball and is on his way to first.

Now here's card number 2:

This card was probably taken during the first week of the season, when the Mets took two out of three against the eventual World Series Champions some time between April 8 - April 10. In this series, he started all three games, and wound up with five hits in 11 at bats and drove in three runs.

So now it's time to ask that all important question...

What Card Is This???

I'll leave this up for a day or so for everyone to ponder. This should be an easy one (if you're a Mets fan anyway). Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Thursday, November 6, 2008.

Friend of the blog the drizz was the only person to respond this week. While I don't know what the 2008 Topps Mets exclusive cards look like, I can tell you that this card came from the 55-card 2008 Topps Mets Gift set.

Thanks for playing. We'll shoot for next week. jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Dan Haren

Either I have to find some better cards to use for this segment, or this has become way too easy. Hopefully this will be a bit more challenging.

This week's subject on our What Card is This segment is Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren. In 2007, he started the All Star Game for the American League team. And why not. With the Oakland Athletics, he was 10-3 with an ERA of 2.30 in 19 starts before the July midsummer classic. He eventually settled with a 15-9 record and an ERA of 3.07. Still good numbers on a team who somehow finds ways to win with young players.

Sadly, the Athletics went through another offseason binge that saw Haren traded to the Diamondbacks along with fellow SP Connor Robertson for SPs Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland, and Greg Smith, infielder Chris Carter, and outfielders Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez.

When 2008 came along, the Diamondbacks pitching staff looked a lot stronger with Haren behind Cy Young Winner Brandon Webb in the starting rotation. On paper, that was a one-two tandem that not too many teams wanted to face. Haren wound up going to the All-Star game again in 2008 with an 8-5 record, 112 K's, and 2.72 ERA. And as with his second half last year, he eventually settled with 16-8 record, 206 strikeouts and 3.33 ERA. Even with Webb and Haren manning the rotation, the DBacks were not able to win the NL West Division, eventually conceding the title to the surging Dodgers. But all the same, the boys will be back next year, and will look to compete again in a weak NL West division.

So onto the cares. For his 2008 Topps Series I card (#245), Haren is pictured as a member of the Athletics. Even though he was involved in his trade only nine days after the bombshell Cabrera-Willis to the Tigers trade (and they were pictured as Tigers in series I), the Topps company missed photoshopping a DBacks jersey onto Haren. At least they didn't make the mistake of listing him as a DBack while still in his A's jersey:

That's card one. Here is card #2:

Hey, he's in a Diamondbacks jersey. And as of today (October 11, 2008), the Updates and Highlights cards have not arrived (in the event that any of you thought that I was somehow able to get them earlier than the rest of the world). So the question now becomes...

What Card is This???

I'll give it some time. Please leave your guesses in the comments section. The answer will come tomorrow (with acknowledgements to the people who are able to guess correctly). Good luck.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Sunday, October 12,2008.

The results are in. First, to the anonymous poster, who thought I made the card. I'm not that good with the photoshop skills, and as I said in the first post that I made for What Card is This, all cards I use are real.

Tasteslikedirt answered that this card was from series 2. Unfortunately, that's not the case either. Dan Haren only had one card in 2008 Topps eponymous set, and that was #245 (the first card of the two).

This week's winner is the Cardboard Junkie, who correctly answered that this card was from the 2008 Topps Diamondbacks team set.

I love these 14-card team sets. Not only does are these sets a little more updated than the base set, but it could possibly feature cards of players who did not make either series (I or II). Now, these sets are normally found in your local retailer (Target or WalMart), but if you're lucky, you'll only find your local team. I've been fortunate to find websites that sell all 30 team sets, and because I try buying them all at one time, I've also received free shipping.

So there you have it. Thank you for playing What Card is This? jba

If This is His Topps Card, Then What Card is This?: Todd Helton

Okay, so last week's edition of What Card is This? was too easy. I hope our next subject will help make what is becoming my favorite posts of the blog a little bit more challenging.

This week's subject is has been the face of the Colorado Rockies for the last ten seasons. Even though he played in a little more than half of the Rockies games this year, he still is their franchise player, and since being drafted by the team in 1995, he has been the Rockies...well, Rock. The steady hand at first base. And while being out for half the year could be one of the reasons why the Rockies fell from NL champion to a third place finish in 2008, hope springs eternal for a better 2009 campaign. I'm talking about none other than Todd Helton.

From 2000-2004, Todd Helton was an NL All-Star, and an MVP candidate. In 2000, arguably his best season, he led the National League with a batting average of .372, 147 RBI's, 216 hits, 59 doubles, a slugging percentage of .692, on base percentage of .463, which also means he lead in OPS with 1.162, and on and on and on.

This week, I am including two cards with the now famous 2005 Topps design. Here is his regular card, #385:

Probably not one of the best pictures to use. He looks like he just woke up here, and underneath that cap and pair of sunglasses is a squished mullet, waiting to pop out. So now that every 2005 Topps card of Helton looks like the one above, here is card number two:

Now this actually looks a lot better. It's an action shot, and he's swinging and watching as a ball sails out of whatever ball park he's in (if this card was taken in Denver, then the ball maybe outside the stadium.

So now fellow readers, I leave you to ponder,

What Card Is This?

Answer to be given tomorrow night. Make your guesses now. I'm going to turn in early.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

UPDATE: Monday, October 6, 2008.

As Night Owl correctly answered, the second card does come from the 2006 Topps WalMart set. I do agree with him when he says that the second card does look better than the one in the eponymous set. Thanks for playing. This was apparently too easy.

jba