Random Cards From My Collection #33

What's up for this installment?

Card #17570
2008 Topps Update #124 Alex Rodriguez and Evan Longoria

Topps ran with these Classic Combo cards for a few years. I believe everyone of them was photoshopped.

Card #28907
1998 Skybox Dugout Axcess Double Header #12 Mo Vaughn

I wonder how many packs of this crappy set you had to buy to get enough of these to actually play a game?

Card #21894
2002 Upper Deck Vintage #238 Bobby Abreu

One of several attempts by Upper Deck to produce a retro set based on old Topps designs.

Card #6178
1985 Fleer #253 Von Hayes

Card #13459
2009 SP Authentic #9 Hunter Pence

The last year of SP Authentic.

Card #11068
1983 Topps #300 Mike Schmidt

The 1983 Wheeze Kids went to the World Series but got beat in 5 games by the Orioles. Michael Jack hit a miserable .050 in the Series.

Card #35332
1982 Fleer #485 Bill Madlock

1982 Fleer was not known for it's great action photography. Doe Mad Dog look a bit embarrassed in this uniform?

Card #19959
2010 Topps 206 Bronze #119 Matt Garza

A disappointing set, not necessarily made better by these thick as a brick parallel cards.

Card #21010
1994 Topps #142 Curt Schilling

In my opinion, one of Topps better efforts in the 1990s.

Card #18165
2010 Topps Allen & Ginter Mini Lords of Olympus Relics Poseidon

I was absolutely flabergasted when I pulled this from a hobby box of 2010 Allen and Ginter. A piece of Poseidon's trident! Where did they ever find such a thing!?

2001 Topps Update trade success

Last week I posted that I had all by 16 of the cards from this set. Three trades later and I'm down to only needing three. A link to what I need is on the right sidebar. I've still got plenty of duplicates. Or make me an offer and I'll see what I can do.

So thanks to Greg (the Night Owl), Rich (dawgbones), and Ryan G. my unplanned set collection of 2011 Topps Update is nearly complete. Here's what I got. See if you notice something unusual.

Very cliche pose. Only sluggers are allowed to use it. Fielder qualifies.

I always like a card which features another player in a back-up roll. That's Willie Bloomquist of the D-Backs.

The missing card I was most coveting. My only Pence as a Phillie card.

Got one out in the NLDS, gave up 4 runs.

Not the AL Rookie of the Year.

I never really understood the deal with this guy when he was a Cub. Still don't.

Matt with two of his buddies.

He looks like he forgot to put in his dentures.

Did you notice that 9 of the 11 cards are horizontally oriented? I don't know what the percentage of cards in the set are horizontal but I sure it's nowhere near 82%.

Cards from Padrographs

I've been writing this blog now for almost 4 years. There have been two unexpected pleasures from doing this. One is the opportunity to make trades with other collectors. Really, that hadn't occurred to me when I started. Since card shops are near to non-existent here in the Houston area, I never meet other collectors. The other is that sometimes, someone will just send me some cards in the mail. I got a package from Rod at Padrographs the other day. He's in the midst of a Card Givaway. You should check it out. Rod didn't take part in my 2011 Summer Clearance Trade (my way of clearing out cards I don't want) so I've got a pile of Padres cards to send him. Here are my favorites from what he sent.


2010 Topps Turkey Red #23 Mike Schmidt

I love the Turkey Red cards and I long for all cards Schmidt so this was particularly nice to get. If Beckett.com is to be believed, there were 222 Mike Schmidt cards issued in 2010. Way to many to keep track of. Now I've got 10 of them.

2003 Donruss Estrellas #37 Jeff Bagwell

Jeff Bagwell is another one of my vary favorite players. I had 3 Phillies cards from this set but no Astros. Back in 2003, we still had Donruss, Fleer, Topps and Upper Deck making cards. Although there was a bewildering amount of choice, on retrospect, it was better than today when there is no choice. It's Topps or the highway. There were 634 Bagwell cards in 2003, but I've got 23 of them.

2011 Bowman Chrome Futures #12 Jonathan Singleton

2011 Bowman Chrome Refractor #77 Hunter Pence

Hunter is, of course, now a Phillie. One of the players that the Phillies gave to the Astros in return was Singleton.

2011 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini #47 Jimmy Rollins

Gypsy Queen was one of my favorite releases in 2011. I only had one other Phillie Gypsy Mini and I don't have the regular sized Rollins, so this card is perfect.

2011 Topps Diamond Anniversary HTA #16 Mike Schmidt

Another Schmidt card! I'm doing slightly better on Schmidt cards this year. There are only 161 of them and I've got 13. Still a long way to go.

2011 National League Division Championship

It's a Phillies fan's favorite time of the year. Here are the match-ups for the NLDS series against the Cardinals.

The Phillies have got their starting pitching just where they want it. Roy was 19-6 with a 2.35 ERA in 2011.

Both of these guys shine in the postseason. Yadier has a postseason BA of .315 in 32 games while Carlos is .280 in 41 games.

 Ryan has 7 home runs and 27 RBIs in postseason while Albert (does anyone call him Al) has 12 ans 36.

Chase has a lot of postseason experience and hit 5 home runs in the 2009 World Series. Skip has only 2 postseason games under his belt.

Jimmy only has a combined .226 BA in 41 postseason games, but has 15 RBIs. Ryan has much less postseason experience.

Placido has a combined .273 postseason average with 13 RBI. I'm guessing that the right handed David will get the start against Halladay. He has no post season experience at all. He finished the 2011 season with a .297 average however.

Raul had a down season, sometimes being super hot and sometimes being super cold. Matt hit .296 for the season with 22 home runs.

Shane has scored 23 runs in 41 postseason games. Jon has no postseason experience but batted .297 this season.

Hunter came to the Phillies from the woe-begone Astros in late July and had an immediate impact. He drove in the winning run in the Phillies franchise setting 102nd win. This will be his first postseason series. Berkman, another former Astro, may be the comeback player of the year. He hit .301 for the Cards with 31 home runs. He is also a .320 hitter in postseason play with 32 RBIs.

2011 Summer Clearance Trade with the Quarry

I was not familiar with with Johnny R's Cards from the Quarry before he contacted me asking for the Rockies cards in trade. As the trade was winding down, he was running a multiple set box break and I bought in for the Phillies. Nobody picked the Astros. Since he didn't want them, he threw them into the trade.

1996 Studio #49 Jeff Bagwell4 Astros cards came out of the box break but the only one I needed was Bagwell.

1998 Aurora
Another set from the box break This was a set produced by Pacific. In 1998, Pacific had somehow lost their license from Major League Baseball but not with the player's union. The cards clearly show MLB logos, but actual team names are not mentioned. On the back of the cards it says "Pacific baseball player cards are not manufactured, sponsored, or authorized by any team or league".

2004 Topps Chrome
Just a few of the 2004 Topps Chrome cards from the break. I only had one Astro from this set. This was a pretty nice set. They look nice and even after 7 years the cards only have a slight warp.

2008 Upper Deck Documentary #1925 Hunter PenceI've gotten a few of these in these trades. Johnny sent me 8. There are 324 combines Phillies and Astros cards in this set and I'm not where near having them all. Not sure I want them all either.

2009 O-Pee-Chee BlackCoste started the 2009 season with the Phillies and ended it with the Astros. I don't have any 2009 cards with Coste as an Astro.
Hunter Pence cards are always welcome.

2009 Upper Deck Goudey

As nice as the Upper Deck O-Pee-Chee cards were in 2009, Upper Deck managed to also produce this set in the same year. Pretty creepy looking player paintings.

2011 Topps Ticket to Toppstown #25 Ryan HowardRyan Howard cards are always welcome, even Toppstown.