Random Topps Team Set of the Week: 2006 Topps Oakland Athletics

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

• Team: 2006 Oakland Athletics
• Record: 93-69, first place, AL West Division.
• Manager: Ken Macha
• Card on the Top: Eric Chavez

The checklist consists of the following players:

• OAK1 Eric Chavez
• OAK2 Bobby Crosby
• OAK3 Mark Kotsay
• OAK4 Jay Payton
• OAK5 Rich Harden
• OAK6 Barry Zito
• OAK7 Huston Street
• OAK8 Joe Blanton
• OAK9 Jason Kendall
• OAK10 Mark Ellis
• OAK11 Nick Swisher
• OAK12 Dan Johnson
• OAK13 Esteban Loaiza
• OAK14 Dan Haren

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

Key differences between the team set and 2006 Topps eponymous set:

• Catcher Jason Kendall was traded to the Athletics from the Pirates in 2004. He spent the 2005 season with the Athletics, appearing in 150 games, hitting for a .271 average with 53 rbi's and 8 stolen bases. He appeared in 143 games for the A's, hitting .295, one home run, and 50 rbi's. He even stole 11 bases, not bad for a catcher. But he does not have a 2006 regular Topps card, nor does he appear in the Updates and Highlights set. So if you want a 2006 card of the A's regular catcher that season? You'll only find it in the retail set.

• Yes, the retail card of Huston Street is the same as the base card, but while the retail card has the All-Star Rookie Team trophy on the left, look where it appears on the base card:
  
  

• Joe Blanton has a different picture used on his base card:
  
  

So of the 14 players included in this set, there is one card that features a different picture in the retail set that was used in 2006 Topps set, and one the same picture from the base set, but technically is different thanks to the trophy placement, and one card of a player that is unique only to this retail set.

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

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2012 Topps #657 Dave Sappelt

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, April 3, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2012 Topps #657.
• Player Name, position, team: Dave Sappelt, outfielder, Chicago Cubs.
• Major League Debut: August 7, 2011.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2011 stats (Reds): 38 G, 107 AB, 14 R, 26 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 7 BB, 17 SO, .318 SLG, .607 OPS, .243 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Reds #9th, June 2008. Traded by the Reds to the Cubs 12/23/2011. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Dave's .564 AVG in Spring Training and .313 mark in Triple-A earned him the call when the 2011 Reds needed an extra flychaser in August. He was the Topps 2010 Topps Southern League Player of the Year."
• Commentary: Care to bet that the original picture used for Dave Sappelt's 2012 Topps card shows him in a Reds jersey? Why? Because Dave Sappelt did not make his 2012 debut until the September call-up season, long after the Cubs fell out of contention in the NL Central. Sappelt joined the Cubs after he was traded by the Reds with Travis Wood in exchange for Sean Marshall. While Sean (who I will admit was a favorite player of mine and my hope to take over the closer role in the event that Marmol imploded) has done very well for himself in Cincy, Sappelt spent most of his time in Triple-A Iowa. When he did make it to Chicago, Sappelt appeared in 26 September games. He made 78 plate appearances, went 6-69 (for a .275 average) with two home runs and eight rbi's. He was more successful as a pinch hitter, as in eight appearances, he went three for 6 with a walk and an rbi (was also hit by a pitch). In spring training for 2013, Sappelt hit .193 with three home runs and 9 rbi's. Sappelt made the 2013 Cubs Opening Day Roster, securing a spot on the bench as a pinch hitter/backup outfielder. Now he only has 1 Topps card, and 20 total (thanks to parallels and the like...mini cards included). Why doesn't he have the RC logo on this card??? Wouldn't this count as a RC, complete with logo?
• Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 1 card.

Tomorrow's card will be 1979 Topps #533. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1976 Topps #321 Jose Cruz

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, April 2, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1976 Topps #321.
• Player Name, position, team: Jose Cruz, outfielder, Houston Astros.
• Major League Debut: September 19, 1970.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1975 stats (Astros): 120 G, 315 AB, 44 R, 81 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 49 RBI, .257 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Cardinals as a Free Agent 10/27/1966. Contract purchased by the Astros 10/24/1974. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 17. This is his fifth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: n/a.
• Commentary: The Topps Card Randomizer picked Jose Cruz, Jr. a couple of months ago. Today, it's dad's turn to be featured. I know that the Astros' uniforms in the 70's and 80's had some wild colors, but was pink one of them? Maybe it's the era of design, but I would have preferred it if Topps incorporated the team colors for the design than random colors. Just my opinion, of course, I'm no expert. Jose Cruz played for the Astros for thirteen full seasons. It is the team he is mostly connected to, long after his playing days ended (and after one really quiet season with the Yankees). Starting in 1976, Jose Cruz would reach triple digits in hits for the first time in his career, beginning a streak of 11 straight years reaching the century mark in hits (he would lead the NL in Hits in 1983 with 189). He would go on to hit .303 with 4 home runs, and 61 rbi's. He would also go on and steal 28 bases and draw 53 walks, contributing to an OBP of .377 and an OPS of .777. Defensively, Cruz would play all three positions equally well, only committing 8 errors in 283 chances (.972 fielding percentage). During his stay in Houston, Cruz would become a two-time All-Star (in 1980 and 1985), a two-time Silver Slugger (in 1983 and 1984), and MVP candidate (reaching as high as 3rd in the running in 1980). Until Craig Biggio passed him in 2001, Cruz also had played in more games in an Astros uniform than any other player (1870 appearances). In his time with Houston, Cruz would hit 138 home runs, drive in 942 rbi's, steal 288 bases, and hit for a .292 average (.789 OPS). After his one season with the Yankees, Cruz called it a career, giving him time to focus on his family and see his son, Jose Cruz, Jr, live his dream of playing in the majors as well. In 1992, the Astros organization retired his uniform number #25, and in 1999, he was one of three outfielders selected onto the All-Astrodome team (to celebrate the team's run before moving to Enron Field-Minute Maid Park).After managing in both the independent Texas-Louisiana League and the Puerto Rican Winter League, he joined the Astros as a first base coach. He is now a special assistant to the GM with the Astros. Although Jose Cruz was slighted by the BBWAA for induction into Cooperstown (two votes to earn .4% of the total count), he is a Hall of Famer. He was inducted into the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.60-$1.50.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 19.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2012 Topps #657. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2012 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Welcome to the Majors, Joe Ortiz.

As the official 2013 MLB Season has been underway for the last two days, I thought it would be a nice gesture (since I have run MLB Debut posts at the end of the year for the last four years now) to recognize the first player to make his MLB debut for this championship season. That honor was bestowed to Joe Ortiz of the Texas Rangers.

• Full Name:  Joseph (Blanco) Ortiz
• Position: Pitcher
• Bats: Left, Throws: Left
• Height: 5' 7", Weight: 175 lb.
• Major League Debut: March 31, 2013 vs. Houston Astros

Ortiz was summoned to pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning of the game in which the Astros were leading 7-2 and had their 4-5-6 hitters come to the plate.  He struck out Carlos Peña on five pitches, but then gave up a triple to Justin Maxwell. After inducing Jason Castro to ground out to Ian Kinsler (4-3), Matt Dominguez hit a single up the middle, scoring Maxwell. Ortiz then proceeded to strikeout Rick Ankiel.

His official game line:  1.0 IP, 15 NP (12 S, 3 B), 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 9.00 ERA

Welcome to the Majors, Joe Ortiz.

Now I am not going to be doing these posts for EVERY player who makes his MLB debut (no way do I have time to make cards for every debutante), but I thought it would be nice to feature the guy who made the first debut of the 2013 campaign. I am looking forward to seeing how he, and the rest of the debuting players, do during the season.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2001 Topps #108 Lee Stevens

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, April 1, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2001 Topps #108.
• Player Name, position, team: Lee Stevens, first baseman-outfielder, Montréal Expos.
• Major League Debut: July 16, 1990.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2000 stats (Expos): 123 G, 449 AB, 60 R, 119 H, 27 2B, 2 3B, 22 HR, 75 RBI, 0 SB, .481 SLG, 48 BB, 105 SO, .265 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Angels #1st, June 1986. Traded by the Rangers to the Expos 03/16/2000. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 11. This is his eighth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "The first thing the Expos noticed when they acquired Lee from the Rangers late last spring was his defense - a significant upgrade from recent seasons. Suddenly, their entire infield jelled, with many potential errors saved by the big Texan's marvelous hands. Offensively, Stevens continued to hit home runs, just as he always has since coming back from a two-year stint in japan in 1996."
• Commentary: After six years of sets that featured as few as 440 cards, Topps went all out for it's "Golden Anniversary" product in 2001 by returning to a 790-card set. Manager cards, team cards returned to the base set. Topps Gold Cards, something not seen since 1994, became a staple throughout the decade and beyond. And at 790 cards, that left plenty of room for players who would otherwise would not be getting any cardboard appreciation. So I wonder, "If this was the Golden Anniversary set, with insert themes around the gold concept, why did Topps bring this back in 2012?" One person who wasn't worried about that would be DeWain Lee Stevens. When he was called up to the Angels from 1990-91, he showed flashes of power and could hit. He made the team out of Spring Training in 1992, but in 106 games only hit for a .221 average to go with 7 home runs and 37 rbi's. Not what the Halos were hoping for from a guy that they picked in the first round of the June draft and the heir apparent to Wally Joyner. So they traded him off to Montréal on January 15, 1993. However, the Expos released him before the 1993 season even began. He signed with the Blue Jays about a week later, and spent the season with the franchise's AAA team in Syracuse. After a season with the Chiefs, one that saw him 14 home runs and drive in 66 rbi's, the Angels took a chance on Stevens and signed him after the season ended. It wouldn't be long though before the Angels sold Stevens' contract to the Kintetsu Buffaloes of the Japanese Pacific League. But something happened to Stevens while he was in the Orient: he found his hitting stroke, and more importantly, some power. He returned to the US and signed with his home state team, the Texas Rangers. In four seasons with Texas, Stevens hit 68 home runs, drove in 226 rbi's., hit for a .281 average, and an OPS of .832. Defensively, as a first baseman, he would only commit 13 errors in 2179 chances (.994 fielding percentage). In 2000, Stevens was included in a three-player, three-team deal that sent him off to Montréal. He didn't miss a beat as the team's first baseman. In 2001, he reached career highs in home runs and rbi's (25 and 95 respectively) while hitting for .245 and a .790 OPS. On June 27, 2002, as the Expos were began the process of dismantling their roster, Stevens, along with future stars Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Grady Sizemore were traded off to Cleveland for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew. After finishing the 2002 season with the Tribe, Stevens signed as a minor league free agent with the Brewers. But after 18 games with the Indianapolis Indians, Stevens retired as an active player.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 13 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1976 Topps #321. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Singles Cassette of the Day: Reach by Gloria Estefan

It has occurred to me that the Hobby of Sports Card Collecting is officially DEAD. Why? Exclusive licenses, limited products, and too much product that is catered only to "adults" have made this Hobby no longer fun for kids. Without kids who will pick up the slack, the Hobby as we know it is on life support until the last "collector" goes to that great card show in the sky.

So at this point, why bother with writing about cards anymore? It seems that nobody cares anymore about them. Heck, my readership is way down, another sign that nobody reads the stuff I write anymore.

It is because of these reasons that I will stop writing about Topps Baseball Cards and begin writing about a passion that I enjoyed before getting married. That's right...I'm going back to my collecting roots and will from this day forward write about a Hobby that I really enjoy and would like to rediscover: Music Cassette Singles.

It seems that many of these bloggers write about the Hobby after "rediscovering" their passion for it. So why don't I give it a try. I have all these cassettes containing one or two songs, the popular songs of the day and they have been sitting inside a cd rack (one of those that opens up for more storage space) and I realized that nowadays, with everybody playing with iPods and music downloads, the thrill of putting a cassette into a tape player is long gone. Heck, they don't make them anymore, which is another reason why I stopped buying them (that and the fact that my then two-year-old daughter would get her fingers into the tape and just pull away...I think she's destroyed about two or three of my tapes).

I have overhauled the existing Topps Card Randomizer. What was done is that I have taken every cassette that I have, listed them onto a spreadsheet, and now the randomizer will pick a random number (from 1 to 5000...I have that many songs) and everyday I will have a random "single" to talk about. So without further ado, beginning tomorrow the Random Topps Cards of the Day will cease. And in their place will be something like this:

Thanks to the Singles Cassette Randomizer, introducing the Random Singles Cassette Song for Monday, April 1, 2013:

• Song: Reach.
• Artist: Gloria Estefan.
• Album, Studio: Rhythm of the Games, LeFace Records. Will also be included in the upcoming album Destiny from Epic.
• Written by: Gloria Estefan & Diane Warren.
• Produced by: Emilio Estefan, Jr. & Lawrence Dermer.
• Any special information the tape: Side 1: Album Version (3:50). Side 2: Gold Medal Single Edit (4:43).
• Commentary: This was one of two songs chosen as the theme for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Atlanta, GA. The theme of the song is dreams and goals that if reached will be remembered in the fabric of time. It was the goal of every athlete to do their best, to "reach higher," "put their spirit to the test," "be stronger," so that they reach the ultimate goal, victory in whatever sport they trained so hard for just to get to this point in their lives. A Spanish version of this song was performed by Estefan featuring Julio Iglesias, Plácido Domingo, Jon Secada, Alejandro Fernández, Roberto Carlos, Ricky Martin, José Luis Rodríguez, Patricia Sosa and Carlos Vives on vocals as well. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1997.

Lyrics (for those who can't see the video or are Deaf or Hard of Hearing):

Some dreams live on in time, forever
Those dreams, you want with all your heart
And I'll do whatever it takes
Follow through with the promise I made
Put it all on the line
What I hoped for at last would be mine

If I could reach, higher
Just for one moment touch the sky
From that one moment in my life
I'm gonna be stronger
Know that I've tried my very best
Put my spirit to the test
If I could reach

Some days are meant to be remembered
Those days we rise above the stars
So I'll go the distance this time
Seeing more the higher I climb
That the more I believe
All the more that this dream will be mine

If I could reach, higher
Just for one moment touch the sky
From that one moment in my life
I'm gonna be stronger
Know that I've tried my very best
I'd put my spirit to the test
If I could reach

If I could reach, higher
Just for one moment touch the sky
From that one moment in my life
I'm gonna be stronger
I'm gonna be so much stronger yes I am
I've tried my very best
I'd put my spirit to the test

If I could reach
If I could, If I could
If I could reach
Reach, I'd reach, I'd reach
I'd reach', I'd reach so much higher
Be stronger, higher, higher

Tomorrow's single will be: When We Dance by Sting. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

I just wanted to get the post in before 1:00 this afternoon. I will be making all the necessary changes to the blog to reflect the new theme tomorrow. For all of you (whoever is left) who still want to read about sports cards, I have left control of the Sports Card Blogroll over to Night Owl as he seems to have his fingers on the pulse of the Hobby and is able to find a lot of these blogs faster than mine. I have also surrendered all my posts over to The Topps Company as they have kept records of my activity since I started this blog back in May and they just want to make sure that I did not say anything incriminating about them that could get me into any legal trouble.

I am looking forward to this new venture, and hope to pick up a lot of new followers. I am also hoping to get a lot more music that I can write about after I am done with the 5000 tapes that I have in my collection. Maybe writing about music will get me more followers than writing about Topps Baseball Cards.

Before I go, I just want to say that I am eternally grateful for all Hobby Blogging Community that has supported me over the years. I have made a lot of new friends that shared my passion about collecting cards. I enjoyed reading your blogs, and I hope that you enjoyed mine. If you want to stick around as I dive into this new journey, please do. I have a lot to say about the music and my collection of singles. But if this is going to be the last time you come onto this humble, little blog, to read about baseball cards, I will just leave one last image for you...a token of my appreciation for all the support you've given to me over the years:


Happy April Fools' Day everybody!!!

Keep the pranks to a minimum, will you?

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Pro Debut Card of the Week: 2010 Topps Pro Debut #143 Seth Loman

It's Minor League Monday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Pro Debut Card of the Week:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2010 Topps Pro Debut #143.
• Player Name, position, team: Seth Loman, first baseman, Winston-Salem Dash.
• Level-League, Team Affiliation: A-Carolina League, Chicago White Sox.
  
• Minor League Stats (stats with team depicted only): 81 G, 286, 42 R, 75 H, 18 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 53 RBI, 0 SB, 17 BB, 85 SO, .483 SLG, .818 OPS, .262 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Angels #47th, June 2005. Signed with the White Sox as a minor league Free Agent 01/23/2009. Bats: left. Throws: right.
• Major League Debut: n/a.
• Baseball America Organizational Ranking After Season with Team: n/a.
• Blurb on the back: "Seth slugged four homers in a brief stint with the Arizona Angels in 2006, giving him an even 20 when combined with the 16 he smashed as a Lamar Community College sophomore. Loman latched on with the White Sox after a big '08 season in the Golden Baseball League, delivering 23 clouts in 2009."
• Official Topps Rookie Card: n/a.
• Commentary: Even though he was drafted by the Angels in 2006 and averaged a home run every 16 at bats during two seasons of rookie ball, for some unexplainable reason, Seth Loman was released by the team. Determined not to give up his dream, Loman signed with the St. George Roadrunners of the independent Golden Baseball League. After tearing up the league in 2008, which included being named GBL Player of the Week twice, the White Sox saw potential in the slugging first baseman and signed him to a minor league contract before the 2009 campaign. He has steadily moved up the ladder, spending time in and slugging it out in Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, Birmingham, and brief cup of coffee with the AAA team in Birmingham. His career numbers in the minor leagues include a .285 batting average, 115 home runs, 405 runs driven in, an .893 OPS, and a .987 fielding percentage. Hitting .318 during spring training, Loman was recently sent to the White Sox' minor league camp, and will most likely break camp with the Charlotte Knights. It is said that with his power potential, and the fact that he is only 27 years old, that he could one day replace Paul Konerko at first once the long time Sox slugger decides to call it a career.

Next week's featured card will be: 2011 Topps Pro Debut #185. Post will arrive at 9:00 AM CST. Hope you enjoyed this week's installment of Minor League Monday.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama