Cards That Will Never See the Light of Day...EVER!!! 2002 Topps Draft Picks Bonus Cards

Last time on "Never See the Light of Day...EVER!!!" (has it been more than a month??? What??!), I talked about the ten-card sequel to the Topps Future Archives series found in 2002 Topps Hobby and Sears/JC Penney Factory sets. In 2001, there were 20 cards, but in 2002, only ten. Was Topps going to include something special in any more factory sets? Of course they were. And what better than to include cards of players taken from the 2002 MLB draft?

It was announced in 2002 that Topps was going to include cards of draft picks into the factory sets that NOBODY EVER OPENS. Probably because they knew that many people never open these things, it was more of a public service announcement more than anything.

The announcement was that a ten card set of recently drafted players was going to be included inside 2002 Topps Baseball factory sets. The first five cards were to be inserted within 2002 Topps Factory Sets sold at retailer stores like WalMart and Target:

• Scott Moore, SS, Detroit Tigers (1st Round, Cypress High School)
• Val Majewski, OF, Baltimore Orioles (3rd Round, Rutgers University)
• Brian Slocum, P, Cleveland Indians (2nd Round, Villanova Univeristy)
• Chris Gruler, P, Cincinnati Reds (1st Round, Liberty Union High School)
• Mark Schramek, 3B, Cincinnati Reds (2nd Round, University of Texas-San Antonio)

The other five were to be inserted within what was called a special edition "Holiday" set to be sold at your Home Team Advantage dealer:

• Joe Saunders, P, Anaheim Angels (2nd Round, Virginia Tech)
• Jeff Francis, P, Colorado Rockies (1st Round, University of British Columbia)
• Royce Ring, P, Chicago White Sox (1st Round, San Diego State University)
• Greg Miller, P, Los Angeles Dodgers (1st Round Supplemental, Esperanza High School)
• Brandon Weeden, P, New York Yankees (2nd Round, Santa Fe High School)

It's been six years now since these ten were drafted, let's play...

WHERE ARE THEY NOW???

Scott Moore was traded by the Tigers to the Chicago Cubs along with two other players in exchange for Kyle Farnsworth in 2005. He made his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2006. In 2007, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Steve Trachsel. He spent most of 2008 with Norfolk and as a member of the O's 40-man roster, looks to open the season with Baltimore in 2009.

Val Majewski made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2004, appearing in nine games for the O's in a twenty-day stretch at the end of August/beginning of September. A shoulder injury kept him off the field in 2005, and he's been stuck in the minors since. He signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros for the 2008 season, shuttling back and forth between the AA and AAA teams. He is currently a free agent.

Brian Slocum made his MLB debut with the Indians in 2006, appearing in eight games at the beginning of the season, and towards the end of it as a September call up. He spent all of 2007 and most of 2008 with the Indians' AAA team and was back with the Tribe in 2008 for two games. He is currently a free agent.

Chris Gruler struggled with shoulder injuries and never made it to the majors. He last played in the minors in 2006.

Mark Schramek also never made it to the majors. He last played in the minors in 2006.

Joe Saunders made his debut with the Angels in 2005, and after two decent years with the Halos, became an All-Star in 2008 with a 17-7 record and 3.41 ERA. He is looking for a repeat, if not better performance, in 2009.

Jeff Francis made his MLB debut in 2004, and earned enough votes in 2005 for sixth place in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. His 17-9 record helped lead the Rockies to their first NL championship in 2007. He is coming off a down year in 2008, and looks to rebound in the upcoming season.

Royce Ring was traded by the White Sox with a couple of players to the New York Mets for Roberto Alomar in 2003. He made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2005, and has since been traded to both the San Diego Padres (end of 2006) and Atlanta Braves (deadline deal in 2007). He is currently a free agent.

Greg Miller has been developing in the Dodgers system since 2002. Only 17 years old when drafted, the Dodgers could afford to take their time with the young left hander. He too suffered the effects of a season killing shoulder surgery in 2004, and has been used as both a starter and a reliever in the minor league system. He is on the Dodgers' 40-man roster and is looking for a spot in the LA bullpen in 2009.

Brandon Weeden was traded by the Yankees to the Dodgers for Kevin Brown. Two years later, he was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the Rule V draft. He never made it to the majors. But his story does not end here. He left baseball in 2006 and is back at school, (Oklahoma State University). He is currently on the OSU Cowboys Football team as a quarterback. He's only played in one game, but he's only a freshman. He may be starting for the Cowboys in the future.

So there you have it. Your 2002 Topps Baseball Draft Picks. There are a couple of big names, there were, sadly, a couple of busts, and we have one guy back at school playing an entirely different sport. But the one thing in common is that many of their cards are sealed forever in 2002 Topps factory sets, and may never see the light of day...EVER!!!

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

So If You were a Card Carrying Member of the BBWAA...

Who would you vote for induction into Baseball's Hall of Fame??? This year's ballot, mailed out to 10 year veterans of the BBWAA (Baseball Writer's Association of America), has only 23 names on it, the lowest number of players in quite some time. Ten are being considered for the first time, and if you've already read a couple of blogs, you'd know they were:

• Jay Bell (1988 Topps)
• David Cone (1987 Topps Traded)
• Ron Gant (1988 Topps Traded)
• Mark Grace (1988 Topps Traded)
• Rickey Henderson (1980 Topps)
• Jesse Orosco (1983 Topps)
• Dan Plesac (1986 Topps Traded)
• Greg Vaughn (1990 Topps)
• Mo Vaughn (1991 Topps Traded)
• Matt Williams (1987 Topps Traded)

And returning for another shot at baseball immortality:

• Harold Baines (1981 Topps)
• Bert Blyleven (1971 Topps)
• Andre Dawson (1977 Topps)
• Tommy John (1964 Topps)
• Don Mattingly (1984 Topps)
• Mark McGwire (1985 Topps)
• Jack Morris (1978 Topps)
• Dale Murphy (1977 Topps)
• Dave Parker (1974 Topps)
• Tim Raines (1981 Topps)
• Jim Rice (1975 Topps)
• Lee Smith (1982 Topps)
• Alan Trammell (1978 Topps)

Both Vaughn cousins become the first players nominated to have a rookie card from the 1990's (I think...I could be wrong). Of the 23 players on this list, I have 19 players' rookie or first Topps cards (all but Blyleven, John, Parker, and Rice). Tonight (I promise I'll do it), I'll post scans of each person's cards, and when the ballots are counted and new HOF's are announced, I will scan and display every Topps card from that person's playing days.

If I had a vote, my ballot would consist of Baines, Dawson, Grace, and Lee Smith (Chicago bias), Henderson (how could you NOT VOTE FOR RICKEY??!), McGwire (doesn't matter what got him there, he got there), Raines (need another Expo in the Hall), Mattingly (if for any reason than that even when the Yankees were in a WS drought, they had a superstar), Cone (Cone spelled backwards is Enoc right Harry Caray?), and Orosco (someone has to vote him in...remember when Deshaies campaigned for just one vote?). Nine guys should be good enough.

And you thought I'd never talk about baseball ever again...

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. That's why you're a friend of the blog drizz. I've just made the fix on the list on Morris to state that his rookie card was 1978. I put the cards up there so I knew what cards to look for when it was time to scan them.

Unfortunately, when Whitaker was up for election (2001), he only got 15 votes total for a paltry 2.9% of the 515 votes submitted. He is no longer even in consideration. Shame. It would have been nice in a perfect world for both Tram and Whit to get into the Hall together a la Tinkers-Evers-Chance. jba

Acquired Immune Deficieny Syndrome...Four Very Dangerous Words...Bloggers Unite!!!

(To those of you who've been reading blog after blog about World AIDS Day, blogcatalog.com's effort to unite bloggers from all walks of life to "share your thoughts and be part of the global solution to a global problem," and happened to stumble upon my little essay, I welcome you to my humble little blog. Feel free to read more about what I really write about when you get a chance. Thank you very much. jba)

Before my usual readers wonder, "He did this last month...why the heck does he want to talk about AIDS," rest assured, that while the goals of this blog is still talking about Topps baseball cards, we do have to realize that there is a lot more going on out there than we care to discuss. And like the post discussing the efforts of Refugees United last month (if you didn't read that, please take a look at it after you're done here), I will from time to time, take a break from discussing cards and the Hobby join thousands of bloggers worldwide and participate in an effort to bring attention to a very serious topic.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

Those four words together should get a lot of people's attention. And if you still do not have any idea why, you most likely know what this disease is commonly known as...AIDS.

We treat our Hobby as an escape sometimes, and rightfully so. But there are times that topics as volatile as this needs to be brought up. Maybe you, or someone you know, or a passing acquaintance has this disease or the symptoms of it. Maybe not. But know this: 25 million people in the world...THE ENTIRE PLANET!!!...has died from AIDS. And if that isn't enough of a punch in the stomach, over 40.3 million people WORLDWIDE are currently living with AIDS or HIV symptoms (read more about it here, I can't possibly be making this stuff up).

Now AIDS is the most serious stage of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection. What this does is slowly destroy our immune system, those special parts of your body that keep our body safe from germs and other bad microorganisms (think Osmosis Jones if you want the simplest description of what this is). Now because HIV's goal is to destroy the immune system, it makes it harder for the body to fight of infections. And when your immune system shuts down, even a common cold can be very dangerous.

I'm no expert, and I am very sure I'm not qualified to continue discussing how one gets it, how long it takes for symptoms to appear , or what the symptoms are (for all those answers, check here). What I can tell you is that there is currently no cure to stop it. But that doesn't mean that people are not trying to find ways to stop it. There are treatments called antiretroviral treatments that help slow down the disease, but these are not the end all cures.

Scared yet?

We live in a much more informed age. Back in 1981, when the US first recognized AIDS as a disease, there was a lot of misinformation spread about how this disease is spread. Once somebody was discovered having this disease, this person was made an outcast. Nobody would go near him or her. Even the slightest touch and then you had it, many said. We know better now. And thank goodness for that. It took many public faces, from Freddie Mercury, to Liberace, from Ryan White to Magic Johnson, before people settled down and began to listen to facts about AIDS and HIV. What we learned was shocking.

I've already reported the numbers, but didn't mention that while it is a pandemic here in the US, the numbers are worse in other parts of the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa for example (countries south of the Sahara Desert, specifically South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, et. al) 68% of those infected with the AIDS virus live here. About 78% of all AIDS related deaths happened here. And there are 11.4 million (that's right...million) "AIDS orphans" or children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS here. (source: Wikipedia, Sub Saharan Africa and AIDS)

The best way to combat this disease is education. Learn about it. There are many websites that discuss what AIDS and HIV is, how one gets it, what the symptoms are, and how to prevent it (I will put a list of sites at the end of the post). And that's why Bloggers Unite has asked that bloggers around bring attention to this disease.

Today (Monday, December 1, 2008) is World AIDS Day. This is the 20th Anniversary of the first back in 1988. The theme this year is Leadership. What does this mean? It means that many of the World Leaders now recognize the seriousness of this disease and have vowed to "do something about it." However, while many have done their somethings, there are those due to lack of financing or any other reasons who have not. This day is to be used to urge those leaders to get their programs in gear and help their homeland before it gets worse.

For more information about World AIDS Day, and all the organizations helping find a cure, please click the links below.

• http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/Key-events/World-AIDS-Day/World-AIDS-Day-2008 - World AIDS Campaign
• http://www.aids.gov/index.html - AIDS.gov - Access to US Government AIDS/HIV Information
• http://hiv.drugabuse.gov/ - Information on HIV/Drug Abuse from the National Institute on Drug Abuse
• http://www.unaids.org/en/ - The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000594.htm - Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS - Wikipedia.

While I am lucky that nobody in my family has HIV or the AIDS virus, sadly, I've known people who have died because of complications of it. And it is for them that I dedicate this post. I just hope I did them justice.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

What Am I Thankful For...Another Belated Holiday Post

After the usual turkey coma, and watching Bolt! with the family (kids loved it), I realized that I never got onto the computer to wish all 20 regular readers a Happy Thanksgiving. Now, I was going to try and put a Topps spin on the post, and when i get home tonight, if I can find it, I will put the most appropriate card I have on the topic of Thanksgiving here later.

Anyway, I can rattle on and on about how tough it is nowadays, but everyone already has an idea. For all the bad news out there (and it seems there is plenty), there is so much for me personally to be thankful for.

I am thankful that I have a wonderful family that gives me a reason to be alive. My wife and I have been together for 10 wonderful years, and I look forward to many more with her. Though we may have had our share of disagreements, the good times outweigh all the bad. We constantly talk about how it would be nice if we went to this place, or if we had this car, or whatever, but those are just dreams for the moment. I hope that one day that we get to realize those dreams. But for now, we just have to keep going with what we have. As with many who took this vow of marriage, I promised to be with her for richer or poorer, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I loved her then, and I love her more so now.

I have two beautiful children who I love with all my heart. I am truly grateful to have them in my life. I may be a little strict with them about their grades in school (oh my gosh, I've become MY OWN FATHER), but to hear them laugh, and to see them show both their mother and me how much they love us makes up for all of that. I love hearing them laugh, and seeing them smile. It is for them that I work as hard as I can. Although there are many nights that I come home and they are already in bed, I make sure to give them my full attention when I am with them in the mornings before going to school. Both their mom and I have a lot of work to do raising them, but it is something that I would never exchange.

I am thankful to have a family to lean on when times are hard. My parents, who have been my support when I have nobody to turn to when I'm having troubles and give me good advice whether I ask or not. My siblings, who keep me grounded as a person (based on whatever they're doing in their lives). Even my in-laws...who help keep my wife in check and make sure that she's doing well.

I am thankful for having a steady job. I've been working at the same place for more than ten years now. Long ago, I was told that the average person lasts two years or less in one job. I have seen many people here come and go in ten years. I am grateful that I still have a place to earn a living through these troubled times.

I am thankful for having a roof over my family's head. Yes, I have to admit it's been rough at times, both financially and physically (and by this, I mean our house is old, and there has been a lot of work that needed to be done with it), and somehow we are able to scrape through another month. A lot of sleepless nights have happened over the last few years. But somehow, we overcome and are able to continue and still have a place to call home. I hope in the future, things will get better.

I am thankful that we have food on our table. We don't eat out as often as before, and we've had to cut back on many luxury items (seafood, steak), but our kids love home-made mac and cheese and those little Vienna sausages (not necessarily together mind you, although that was dinner for them some weeks ago). I'm not saying that we've had to totally give up on good food, but as long as we have the basics (milk, bread, eggs), and we're never out of pasta, I'm happy.

The final thing I am for which I am thankful, is for all intents and purposes, is a reason I am able to keep sane through all the things going on in my life. It is something that many understand, but few will admit relating to it. Many people, no matter what their situation, have at least one. And often times, use it for the same reasons I do. For the goals this one thing accomplishes is not just to give joy to my life, but to give it an escape. An outlet if you will, to a time where I didn't have stress, or have much to worry. This one thing is the reason why I write this humble little blog. I give thanks to the Hobby. Because with everything going on in the world today, second to my family, it is the one thing that gives me comfort.

If this sounds like I'm whining at the same time that I'm being grateful, I apologize as that was not the intent of my writing. There are many people out there who are struggling and somehow surviving on less than what we have. To them I pray that things will get better. It will take some work, but it will get better.

If there is one thing I have forgotten to do above, it's to say thank you to those who have read my blog, left comments, accepted me into this crazy community, and have added to my card collection since I started this blog back in May. I will do my best to fill this blog with information that I continually promise to provide. After all, 2009 Topps Series I won't be out until February, and I don't plan on leaving this site hanging until then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Packages in the Mail!!! Big Thanks to...

I came home on Monday after hearing how well my children are doing in school to bills, catalogs, junk mail, and three brown envelopes. Guess which of these I decided to open first???

Thanks to dayf, and David Missimer and Dan Rostagno from the Topps Message Boards, I can put a huge dent in the 2008 Topps U & H WalMart and Target sets.

Dayf, the package I have for you is finished, I just need to find an envelope big enough for the cards you're getting.

Dan and Dave, please let me know when the cards I sent to you arrive.

The updated want list is on the side.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

I was thinking about mailing this one in...how much in postage is it going to cost me???

It's been one hundred years since a guy who had never even been to a ball game, looked up at an advertisement and began penning what would become one of the most commonly sung tunes in America today. Jack Norworth wrote the words (changed the name of the heroine in the song almost twenty years later), Albert Von Tilzer wrote the music to go with it, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now even non baseball fans know that at Wrigley Field, since Harry Carey passed away, the Cubs have had guest conductors lead the crowds to sing the chorus of the song. Sometimes, when there are enough fans of the opposing team, it gets really tense before the seventh inning stretch. Only because the conductors normally swing the microphone to the crowd when it's time to name the team (normally "Cubbies"), only to hear the name of the other team chiming in at the same time. It gets even more interesting when the Cubs have the opposing teams' broadcasters lead the crowd. Many will just let the crowd sing the name, a few will say the name of the team he broadcasts for anyway, just to rile up the crowd (you may never hear Marty Brennaman asked to perform this task ever again...)

Now two of the best "conductors" I've ever heard lead the crowd are broadcasters of the Cubs opponents. Vin Scully of the Dodgers sang the song so beautifully, it out rivals many of the performances done by actual singers. And he even "root, root, rooted" for the Cubbies (he didn't swing the microphone to the crowd, but he went along with the traditional Wrigley Field Lyrics.

But the all-time best guest conductor has to be Bob Uecker, long time radio voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. When the Brew Crew comes to Wrigley, many Milwaukee fans make the trip down to Wrigley, and the crowd's loyalties split 50-50. Normally, when it comes time to sing the team, both "Cubbies" and "Brewers" could be heard when the microphone is aimed towards the crowd. Mr. Baseball, however, had other ideas. He sang the song, holding the microphone the whole time, and when it came to the critical lyric, he sang,

"So I'll root, root, root, for the Brewers...You do the same for the Cubs. For it's..."

He may have his loyalties with the team he works for, and he may have sung his team's name, but at least he was respectful enough to the Cub fans singing for them too, asking that Cub fans root for their team in the same fashion he was going to root for his team. Now it has been said that the crowd may have drowned him out to a chorus of boos to the point where he may not have been heard at all at Wrigley. But you could hear him clear as day on the radio, and hearing him sing that one line, showed how classy a human being Uecker is.

Topps included a insert card honoring the 100th birthday of TMOTTB. The US Postal Service commissioned a stamp for the anniversary as well. I think this is the first time these two collectibles are seen together (at least publicly on a blog, someone can prove me wrong of course). Now I just have to find a place for them.

Sincerely

JayBee Anama

P.S. One guest conductor I'll never forget is Jeff Foxworthy. In Chicago for one reason or another, he led the crowd to sing one afternoon. Before the stretch, he was talking with Pat and Ron on WGN radio and his first words to them were, "Thank you for having me here. And thank you very much for Greg Maddux." Took me a second to remember that he's from Atlanta. Even I had to laugh at that one. 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