The set featured a lot of different designs, including designs that you don't see often in other similar Topps sets.
There are a handful of non-players in the set,
The relic cards do not feature a past year design.
Showing posts with label bob boone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bob boone. Show all posts
Monday, January 28, 2013
2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites
All-Time Fan Favorites was a set produced by Topps from 2003-2005. It featured past players on cards with designs which were contemporary with their careers. These were not, however, reprints, but featured new photographs. I had purchased a few packs of this product back in 2005 but recently went looking for some set inserts on eBay.
The set featured a lot of different designs, including designs that you don't see often in other similar Topps sets.
For example, 1991 Topps with the 40th anniversary logo. I happen to like this design.
Or 1990 Topps, which I don't much care for. I guess in another 30 years or so we'll be seeing this in Topps Heritage. I'll be over 90 years old then so I probably won't care.
There are a handful of non-players in the set,
like New York Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay.
The 1951 Topps design is another you don't see too often. As I was looking for relics and autos from the set I saw this and had to have it.
This is the 1978 Topps design. Note that the stats on the back go through 1981 after which Boone left the Phillies. Here's Boone's actual 1978 card to illustrate the different photos.
The sets always featured chrome refractors. I just bought this one on eBay.
The autographed and relic cards were pretty pricey on eBay. I was lucky to find a Phillies auto at a reasonable price.
Notice that the auto is on-card. Lonnie Smith had a pretty amazing career. He had a 17-year career and played in 5 World Series with 4 different teams. He has 3 World Series rings, including the Phillies 1980 World Series win.
The relic cards do not feature a past year design.
The relics are numbered to 200.
The set featured a lot of different designs, including designs that you don't see often in other similar Topps sets.
There are a handful of non-players in the set,
The relic cards do not feature a past year design.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Phillies Playoff Teams - Catchers
The Phillies will be going to the playoffs again this year, for the 4th year in a row. This will be the 11th time in their long history that the Phillies will go to the playoffs, the first time being in 1950. Most, except the 1950 team have been in my lifetime, and withing my adult lifetime. Lets take a look at these teams, position by position. We'll start with the catchers. I am not going to attempt to compare the players of different teams but I'll present their stats.
1950 Bowman Andy Seminick #15
I own most of the cards I'm going to present in this series, but I don't own any 1950 Phillies. The National League consisted of 8 teams in 1950 and of course the winner of the league went directly to the World Series. Yankees won the 1950 series 4-0. At 29, Andy was one of the older "Whiz Kids" in 1950. He hit .288, and was third on the team with 24 home runs. In the 4 games of the Series, he was only 2 for 11.
1976 Topps Bob Boone #311
It would be 26 years until the Phillies made it back to postseason play. By now, the National League had expanded to 12 teams, in 2 6-team Divisions. The Phillies finished 1st in the NL East with a 101-61 record, the first time a Phillies team won 100 games or more. Unfortunately the Phillies lost the 5-game NLCS to the Reds in 3 straight games. The Reds, ironically would go on to beat the Yanlees in the World Series, 4-0. Bob hit .271 in the 1976 season with only 4 homeruns. In the NLCS he got 2 hits in 7 AB. Bob was also an All-Star in 1976.
1977 Topps Bob Boone #545
Another card I don't own. The 1977 Phillies were pretty much the same team as 1976 and won 101 games again. But again the team couldn't get past the NLCS, this year losing to the Dodgers 3-1. Bob had a better year in 1977, hitting .284 with 11 home runs, but did not get selected for the All-Star Team. He went 4 for 10 in the NLCS.
1978 Topps Bob Boone #176
The 1978 team, virtually the same as the previous two years, only won 90 games, but that was good enough for 1st place again in the NL East. And the team was good enough for another 3-1 loss in the NLCS to the Dodgers. Bob had another good year in 1978, hitting .284 with 12 home runs. He only was 2 for 11 in the NLCS.
1980 Topps Bob Boone #470
The Phillies made two big changes in 1979, bringing in Pete Rose at 1st and Manny Trillo at 2nd. The team overall was a disappointment however, winning only 84 games for a 4th place finish. But in 1980, the team, under new manager Dallas Green, won 91 games and finished 1st in the East. They went on to beat the Astros 3-2 in a hard fought NLCS and then met George Brett and the Royals in the World Series. They won the 1980 World Series 4-2. All the disappointments of the past 4 years were forgotten. Bob had a sub-par year in 1980, only hitting .229 with 9 home runs. He had a pretty good World Series, hitting .412 with 4 rbis.
1983 Topps Bo Diaz #178
Although Bob Boone was gone, the 1983 team was mostly the same as the 1980 team but older. And some of the newer players made the team even older, like Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. In fact, the 1983 team was nick-named the Wheeze Kids. They won 90 games to take the East and then beat the Dodgers 3-1 in the NLCS (revenging to some extent the losses in 1977 and 1978). But the World Series was a big disappointment, losing 4-1 to the Orioles. Bo hit .236 for the regular season with 15 home runs. He hit .250 for the playoffs with no HR or RBIs.
1993 Ultra Darren Daulton #86
10 years would pass before the Phillies would make it back to the postseason. 10 years of mostly terrible teams. And 1993 was an aberration. After winning only 78 games in 1992, good for last place, the 1993 Phillies won 93 games to take the East. 1992 had been a season where many players were hurt a lot. 1993 was a season where those same players had career years. The NLCS was 7 games in 1993 and the Phillies beat the Braves (the best team of the 1990s) 4-2 games to make it to the World Series. Darren hit .257 with 24 home runs in the regular season. The Phillies faced the 1992 World Series champs, the Blue Jays and went down 4-2 games. No Phillie fan will ever forget the Series winning home run hit by Joe Carter off Mitch Williams.
2007 Upper Deck Carlos Ruiz #868
Another long drought but at least the Phillies had been a competitive team since about 2001. Finally, in 2007, they put it all together, winning 89 games and the NL East. The playoff setup had changed again, with 3 divisions in each league, and a wild-card position. The Phillies dropped the NLCS to the Rockies in 3 games. Carlos was in his second year with the Phillies. He hit .259 with 6 HR. He was 3 for 9 in the NLCS.
2008 Topps Opening Day Carlos Ruiz #124
With much the same team as 2007, the Phillies again took the East with 92 wins. They then beat the Brewers 3-1 games in the NLCS and took out the Dodgers in the NLCS, 4-1 games. They then met the Devil Rays and won the World Series 4 games to 1. 28 years since their last Championship in 1980. Ruiz had an off year in 2008, hitting only .219 in 114 games. He went on to hit .313 in the NLCS and .375 in the World Series.
2009 O-Pee-Chee Carlos Ruiz #286
With 93 wins, the Phillies went on to top the NL East again. They faced the Rockies in a rematch of the 2007 NLCS but this year won the series 3-1. Then they once again took out the Dodgers, 4-1, in the NLCS. And then a rematch of the 1950 World Series, the Phillies vs the Yankees. The Phillies went down again, 4-2. But the Phillies have shone that they are a great team, by going to the World Series, 2 years in a row. Carlos snapped back in 2009, hitting .255 with 9 HR. But he had an even better postseason, hitting a combined .341 with 9 rbis and 2 HRs.
2010 Topps 206 Carlos Ruiz #19
The Phillies are losing the last game of the season as I write this but even if they do, they will have won 97 games, the most games they've won since the 101 games in 1977. Enough wins to ensure them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carlos has had a great season, going into this game hitting .302 with 8 HR.
1950 Bowman Andy Seminick #15
I own most of the cards I'm going to present in this series, but I don't own any 1950 Phillies. The National League consisted of 8 teams in 1950 and of course the winner of the league went directly to the World Series. Yankees won the 1950 series 4-0. At 29, Andy was one of the older "Whiz Kids" in 1950. He hit .288, and was third on the team with 24 home runs. In the 4 games of the Series, he was only 2 for 11.1976 Topps Bob Boone #311
It would be 26 years until the Phillies made it back to postseason play. By now, the National League had expanded to 12 teams, in 2 6-team Divisions. The Phillies finished 1st in the NL East with a 101-61 record, the first time a Phillies team won 100 games or more. Unfortunately the Phillies lost the 5-game NLCS to the Reds in 3 straight games. The Reds, ironically would go on to beat the Yanlees in the World Series, 4-0. Bob hit .271 in the 1976 season with only 4 homeruns. In the NLCS he got 2 hits in 7 AB. Bob was also an All-Star in 1976.1977 Topps Bob Boone #545
Another card I don't own. The 1977 Phillies were pretty much the same team as 1976 and won 101 games again. But again the team couldn't get past the NLCS, this year losing to the Dodgers 3-1. Bob had a better year in 1977, hitting .284 with 11 home runs, but did not get selected for the All-Star Team. He went 4 for 10 in the NLCS.1978 Topps Bob Boone #176
The 1978 team, virtually the same as the previous two years, only won 90 games, but that was good enough for 1st place again in the NL East. And the team was good enough for another 3-1 loss in the NLCS to the Dodgers. Bob had another good year in 1978, hitting .284 with 12 home runs. He only was 2 for 11 in the NLCS.1980 Topps Bob Boone #470
The Phillies made two big changes in 1979, bringing in Pete Rose at 1st and Manny Trillo at 2nd. The team overall was a disappointment however, winning only 84 games for a 4th place finish. But in 1980, the team, under new manager Dallas Green, won 91 games and finished 1st in the East. They went on to beat the Astros 3-2 in a hard fought NLCS and then met George Brett and the Royals in the World Series. They won the 1980 World Series 4-2. All the disappointments of the past 4 years were forgotten. Bob had a sub-par year in 1980, only hitting .229 with 9 home runs. He had a pretty good World Series, hitting .412 with 4 rbis.1983 Topps Bo Diaz #178
Although Bob Boone was gone, the 1983 team was mostly the same as the 1980 team but older. And some of the newer players made the team even older, like Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. In fact, the 1983 team was nick-named the Wheeze Kids. They won 90 games to take the East and then beat the Dodgers 3-1 in the NLCS (revenging to some extent the losses in 1977 and 1978). But the World Series was a big disappointment, losing 4-1 to the Orioles. Bo hit .236 for the regular season with 15 home runs. He hit .250 for the playoffs with no HR or RBIs.1993 Ultra Darren Daulton #86
10 years would pass before the Phillies would make it back to the postseason. 10 years of mostly terrible teams. And 1993 was an aberration. After winning only 78 games in 1992, good for last place, the 1993 Phillies won 93 games to take the East. 1992 had been a season where many players were hurt a lot. 1993 was a season where those same players had career years. The NLCS was 7 games in 1993 and the Phillies beat the Braves (the best team of the 1990s) 4-2 games to make it to the World Series. Darren hit .257 with 24 home runs in the regular season. The Phillies faced the 1992 World Series champs, the Blue Jays and went down 4-2 games. No Phillie fan will ever forget the Series winning home run hit by Joe Carter off Mitch Williams.2007 Upper Deck Carlos Ruiz #868
Another long drought but at least the Phillies had been a competitive team since about 2001. Finally, in 2007, they put it all together, winning 89 games and the NL East. The playoff setup had changed again, with 3 divisions in each league, and a wild-card position. The Phillies dropped the NLCS to the Rockies in 3 games. Carlos was in his second year with the Phillies. He hit .259 with 6 HR. He was 3 for 9 in the NLCS.2008 Topps Opening Day Carlos Ruiz #124
With much the same team as 2007, the Phillies again took the East with 92 wins. They then beat the Brewers 3-1 games in the NLCS and took out the Dodgers in the NLCS, 4-1 games. They then met the Devil Rays and won the World Series 4 games to 1. 28 years since their last Championship in 1980. Ruiz had an off year in 2008, hitting only .219 in 114 games. He went on to hit .313 in the NLCS and .375 in the World Series.2009 O-Pee-Chee Carlos Ruiz #286
With 93 wins, the Phillies went on to top the NL East again. They faced the Rockies in a rematch of the 2007 NLCS but this year won the series 3-1. Then they once again took out the Dodgers, 4-1, in the NLCS. And then a rematch of the 1950 World Series, the Phillies vs the Yankees. The Phillies went down again, 4-2. But the Phillies have shone that they are a great team, by going to the World Series, 2 years in a row. Carlos snapped back in 2009, hitting .255 with 9 HR. But he had an even better postseason, hitting a combined .341 with 9 rbis and 2 HRs.2010 Topps 206 Carlos Ruiz #19
The Phillies are losing the last game of the season as I write this but even if they do, they will have won 97 games, the most games they've won since the 101 games in 1977. Enough wins to ensure them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Carlos has had a great season, going into this game hitting .302 with 8 HR.
Monday, July 21, 2008
300 All-Time Stars Baseball Cards in 1988
This is a continuation of a series of cards listed in the 300 All-Time Stars Baseball Cards published by Consumer Digest as an investment guide for baseball card collectors. See the previous post here. To recap, any text in quotations is a direct quote from the book. I give an inflation adjusted value for the 1988 price in parentheses.
Bob Boone - It's ironic that Bob Boone is next on the list since I just made a post about a 1952 Ray Boone (Bob's father) card I just acquired. Bob had a 19-year career as a player and a 6-year career as a manager. He was the starting catcher for the Phillies in the 1980 World Series. The book doesn't give any advice on Bob's cards except to say that his most valuable card is his 1973 Topps rookie card at $2.50 ($4.62). The current Beckett book value for this card is $15, making this the first card in the book to actually have a higher book value today then it did in 1988. They should have told us to buy some of his rookie cards. I'm getting the pictures of these cards from Beckett.com. Couldn't they find a better Boone card to post? Maybe its been signed by Iveie, right across his face.
George Brett - The book said that Brett probably had a few good years in him. He played until 1993 and had a 21-year career. He was a 13-time All Star and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1999. "It is a foregone conclusion that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, making all of his baseball cards hot properties". They list his 1975 Topps card at $40 ($73.99). Beckett currently lists this card at $80, so its done slightly better than inflation. 2 cards in a row which beat inflation. Although as an investment, you'd like to do better than just beat inflation.
Casey Candaele - Did you know that Casey's mother played professional baseball during World War II? Neither did I. "Despite the fact that he hit 0.272 in 1987, collectors seem to have virtually ignored his only rookie card". This card was in the 1987 Donruss set which they list at $0.30 ($0.55). This card is a common today. Its a mystery to me why they included Candaele. A 0.272 BA doesn't seem too impressive to me. He hit 0.170 in 1988. Casey was in the majors for 9 years, but only played in 754 games with a career batting average of 0.250.
Jose Canseco - Let's not get into Jose post-career antics (or for that matter, his career antics). In 1988, he was still hot. "The appearance of Canseco's rookie cards in the Fleer and Donruss packs that year (1986) marked the first time that a brand-new baseball card could be taken out of a gum pack and immediately sold for $3 or more". Ah, those innocent days of 1986 when $3.00 was a lot of money. And how much do these Consumer Digest people know about baseball cards? Fleer and Donruss didn't have gum in their packs. They list Jose's 1986 Donruss at $8.75 ($16.88). Beckett says $10 today so another poor investment. His 1986 Fleer card hasn't done any better.
Steve Carlton - Steve's career finally came to an end in 1988 after 24 years, mostly with the Phillies. He spend the last few years in the majors bouncing from team to team claiming that he could still pitch. But he finished his career with 329 wins, 4 Cy Young Awards, and two World Champion titles to his name. And 10 All Star games. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1994. "His baseball cards from the current sets are most affordable and well worth the investment as long-term mementos of an amazing career". They list his 1965 rookie card at $110 ($203.40), the highest priced card so far in the list. Beckett lists the card today at $200, so its kept pace with inflation.
That's it for now. One note about card prices. I'm using current Beckett catalog prices because it is a handy reference. The real arbiter of price these days, IMHO, is eBay. For example, you can get Carlton's rookie card, graded a PSA 7 for about $100. You'll probably be able to get a non-graded card for considerably less than that. His PSA 8 cards are currently going for closer to $300.
Bob Boone - It's ironic that Bob Boone is next on the list since I just made a post about a 1952 Ray Boone (Bob's father) card I just acquired. Bob had a 19-year career as a player and a 6-year career as a manager. He was the starting catcher for the Phillies in the 1980 World Series. The book doesn't give any advice on Bob's cards except to say that his most valuable card is his 1973 Topps rookie card at $2.50 ($4.62). The current Beckett book value for this card is $15, making this the first card in the book to actually have a higher book value today then it did in 1988. They should have told us to buy some of his rookie cards. I'm getting the pictures of these cards from Beckett.com. Couldn't they find a better Boone card to post? Maybe its been signed by Iveie, right across his face.
George Brett - The book said that Brett probably had a few good years in him. He played until 1993 and had a 21-year career. He was a 13-time All Star and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1999. "It is a foregone conclusion that he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, making all of his baseball cards hot properties". They list his 1975 Topps card at $40 ($73.99). Beckett currently lists this card at $80, so its done slightly better than inflation. 2 cards in a row which beat inflation. Although as an investment, you'd like to do better than just beat inflation.
Casey Candaele - Did you know that Casey's mother played professional baseball during World War II? Neither did I. "Despite the fact that he hit 0.272 in 1987, collectors seem to have virtually ignored his only rookie card". This card was in the 1987 Donruss set which they list at $0.30 ($0.55). This card is a common today. Its a mystery to me why they included Candaele. A 0.272 BA doesn't seem too impressive to me. He hit 0.170 in 1988. Casey was in the majors for 9 years, but only played in 754 games with a career batting average of 0.250.
Jose Canseco - Let's not get into Jose post-career antics (or for that matter, his career antics). In 1988, he was still hot. "The appearance of Canseco's rookie cards in the Fleer and Donruss packs that year (1986) marked the first time that a brand-new baseball card could be taken out of a gum pack and immediately sold for $3 or more". Ah, those innocent days of 1986 when $3.00 was a lot of money. And how much do these Consumer Digest people know about baseball cards? Fleer and Donruss didn't have gum in their packs. They list Jose's 1986 Donruss at $8.75 ($16.88). Beckett says $10 today so another poor investment. His 1986 Fleer card hasn't done any better.
Steve Carlton - Steve's career finally came to an end in 1988 after 24 years, mostly with the Phillies. He spend the last few years in the majors bouncing from team to team claiming that he could still pitch. But he finished his career with 329 wins, 4 Cy Young Awards, and two World Champion titles to his name. And 10 All Star games. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1994. "His baseball cards from the current sets are most affordable and well worth the investment as long-term mementos of an amazing career". They list his 1965 rookie card at $110 ($203.40), the highest priced card so far in the list. Beckett lists the card today at $200, so its kept pace with inflation.That's it for now. One note about card prices. I'm using current Beckett catalog prices because it is a handy reference. The real arbiter of price these days, IMHO, is eBay. For example, you can get Carlton's rookie card, graded a PSA 7 for about $100. You'll probably be able to get a non-graded card for considerably less than that. His PSA 8 cards are currently going for closer to $300.
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