2024 Topps Black & White highlights

I haven't kept up with any of Topps' online releases in the past five years, but I pounced on some 2024 Topps Black & White singles sold online for $0.50 or $1.00 - where the cards add some instant fuel to my themed curated sets or to my specific player decade / binder stars collections.

I've never formally collected Parker where I've sought out his loose cards with any intent - but being a committee Hall of Fame inductee has me on the look out for the Cobra's cards in a 'catch all' sort of way, unlike ever before.

Maybe like Parker, I've considered Valenzuela an 'out of sight, out of mind' guy for the longest time - though he isn't in or currently bound for the Hall of Fame, his passing gave me some pause, where I give his loose cards a second look.

I've been on the receiving end on these fan service interactions with Pedro - so I like cards that show a player like him signing autographs in-person.

Maybe Andruw has been an 'out of sight, out of mind' guy for me but there might be scattered Hall of Fame campaigns - where he might be an eventual hall of famer or will have his case discussed as just about the best defensive center fielder in MLB history.

Mattingly is a retired non-HOF player I collect in a 'catch all' sort of way - where cheap but unique cards end up instant keepers.

McGriff is a retired HoF player I collect in a 'catch all' sort of way - where cheap but unique cards end up instant keepers.

Trout is my team's franchise icon and I feel obligated to still collect him one way or the other - go figure it might be closer to the end and these upcoming years might be Trout's last big league run, where playing for so long as taken a real toll.

Witt Jr. maybe the next great hope realized as far as a baseball superstar goes - I like this 'game face' on deck shot where he might be studying the pitcher and getting ready to go up to bat.

Henderson is another young MLB player that looks to star through his prime years - is this considered a unique majestic / panoramic shot?

Maybe this ends up being a boring card, of a player idle in the dugout - but he's blowing a bubble, so I was obligated to stake my claim to it.

TTM autographs received: Dave Parker

Parker signed my two cards in blue Sharpie in about a couple of weeks - one was a 2001 Upper Deck Minor League Centennial set card that I might have started in the mid 2000s and may still be working on in perpetuity, while the other is an Angels card that I chose to send because it was going to my all-time Angels autograph collection.

I saw there were Parker successes and I jotted out a letter to ‘The Cobra’ and put together a request along with $20 - he might have hooked up with an autograph middleman for a while, so in addition to a 'promoter tax,' you couldn’t just send to him outright.

Dave Parker game-used material card

I've got some Parker cards in hand though not one picturing him in his prime with the Pittsburgh Pirates, a team he won the National League MVP with in 1978 - to fill a hole in my award winners collection, I picked up a Parker 2012 Panini Golden Age Museum Age Authentic Collection material card for $2.

I was really looking for an autograph card but couldn't decide on the cards available - the color of the material caught my eye and I'd like to make believe the swatch was taken from something Parker wore in a game when he was a Pirate.

Considering the Hall candidates - Dave Parker

Dave Parker

Pro - 'The Cobra' had some fine seasons and was arguably the dominant player in the National League from 1975-1979, when he won three Gold Gloves [1977-1979] in right field and was the 1978 NL MVP.

Parker was among the Top 10 leaders in slugging seven times - he led the National League with a .545 mark in 1975 and a .585 mark in 1978.

Parker's .339 on-base percentage was a little better than Andre Dawson's .323 - Parker didn't rack up 90-100 walks a season, but due to high batting averages, had three seasons where he had .397 on-base percentage [1977], .394 on-base percentage [1978] and .380 on-base percentage [1979].

Parker finished his career with a .290 batting average, 339 home runs, 1493 RBIs and 2712 hits.

Con - Parker was caught up with a drug scandal in 1980s and his numbers were dinged by a combination of a strike, injuries and age. 

Yes/No - I'd lean towards 'no.'

A seven time all-star and the 1979 All-Star MVP, Parker was a great player in his prime and a case can be made that he is a borderline Hall of Famer - if Parker he'd reached 3,000 hits, he'd be in the Hall of Fame. As impressive as his accomplishments are, his final numbers doesn't quite vault him from Hall of Very Good status.