Saturday, March 16, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection - 54-46

54. 2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces Ozzie Smith #19 - I like cards that depict the unique, timeless moments, like the all time great shortstop doing a backflip.

53. 1987 Classic Update Yellow Travel Edition Joe Niekro #120 - I like this card because it's rare a player is shown caught up in an incriminating moment on the field.

I looked up a clip of this incident where Niekro ends up being thrown out of the game for scuffing balls - this actually happened in against the Angels, but this card is firmly entrenched as a Top 100 card and not a card for my stadium collection.

52. 2010 Topps Turkey Red Yogi Berra #TR83 - it almost looks like Berra is balancing his catcher's mask on his forehead just like this blog says, but taking a closer look, maybe he is just flipping his mask off.

Maybe the distinction doesn't matter where I turn a random $0.50 find of an all-time great - into something part of my Top 100 collection.

51. 1992 Topps Stadium Club Ruben Sierra #387 - looking like he's the man, presumably in a photo op back in Puerto Rico.

50. 2001 Fleer Ultra Jason Giambi #21 - there might be a couple of other 'fun' Giambi cards [2000 Topps Gallery #99 and 2002 Fleer Ultra Baseball #188] I really want, but this one stands out for the wild hair.

49. 2020 Topps Update Sean Murphy #U-216 - pie in the face cards are fun.

48. 1989 Upper Deck Gary Pettis #117 - the card within a card illusion elevated this common into something odd.

47. 1976 Topps Kurt Bevacqua #564 - a true trading card relic of the 1970s.

46. 1972 Topps Billy Martin #147 - the infamous giving the bird card.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection - 63-55

The idea for a Top 100 project collection was probably four years in the making, but it never got anywhere - only within the early months of this past year where I was really motivated to put something together

Past the pandemic, I had noticed the build up of the different bulk cards I'd rummaged at card shows - while that was great for my assorted mini-collections, I kind of lost my way listing out cards in a spreadsheet and putting cards away for some closure.

I got tired of the idea aimlessly collecting mini-collection cards where I needed to see if I can dig from the piles - so maybe I needed to scrutinize what I found, to see if there was Top 100 fuel outright.

I wanted to curate a Top 100 set where I had something to build on - but I also didn't want to think too much about it, where I needed that first all-time collection to get off the ground.

63. 1996 Best Tucson Toros Dave Hajek #10 - thinking about the random cards that end up in my Top 100, this one is definitely on fire.

62. 1992 Upper Deck Tom Selleck #SP4 - I liked Mr. Baseball, but had to look the part up on YouTube, where Frank Thomas makes an appearance.

In the movie's universe, Thomas is Ricky Davis, the young hot shot pushing the longtime veteran star [played by Selleck] off the New York Yankees - which explains why The Big Hurt was in Yankees colors as shown on the card.

61. 2001 Multi-Ad West Michigan Whitecaps Brian Saltzgaber #28 - the subject blowing a bubble makes a random, no-context minor league card of a coach infinitely more fun to look at.

60. 1998 Skybox Premium Dwayne Rudd #29 - I love the viking horned helmet worn by a player who plays for the [Minnesota] Vikings.

59. 1990 Hoops Sam Vincent #223 - one of my early inspirations for a Top 100 set was this NBA card, though I did not realize there were two versions and I'd gotten the corrected version showing only Vincent and without the Chicago Bulls player wearing #12 on this card.

58. 1998 Upper Deck Choice Dino Ciccarelli #93 - one of my early inspirations for my Top 100 set was this hockey card, featuring a photo op where the player is feeding a rhino at the zoo.

57. 2013 Topps Jurickson Profar #286 - I figured this pie in the face card wasn't a bad find for a little over a dollar, where it's a fun variation of a one time uber prospect, turned into a disappointing, but perfectly average rank-and-file player.

56. 2021 Topps Stadium Club Ronald Acuña Jr. #56 - it was part of a recent purchase, so I figured it would be 'easy' to sneak in a card of a 'here and now' baseball star, teasing his wild hair [as of 2020 or whenever the image was taken].

55. 1994 Topps Stadium Club Orel Hershiser #400 - I don't know what is going on in this card, I thought he was cleaning up after a cow milking competition at the ballpark, but this story from MLB.com gives more context about sod.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection - 72-64

I am going to be a little preoccupied through March and probably through April - I've been trying to draft posts where I have images and something to say for individual cards listed that covers the rest of my all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection.

I hope my Top 100 stuff covers things as far as blog material goes through the rest of the month - where I schedule to drop the posts every three or four days.

If the Top 100 posts suddenly stop before running its course - I might have decided to hold things back and resume things in May.

If the Top 100 posts does continue to completion, it would probably be last things posted - until through at least some time in May.

72. 2021 Panini Donruss The Famous San Diego Chicken #261 - I like this reinvented version of the Donruss SD Chicken cards from the early 1980s, where the foil finish gives it a modern, shiny vibe.

71. 1984 Fleer Roy Lee Jackson #158 - has there ever been a baseball card other than this, picturing an athlete singing the national anthem? I think the opposing team's catcher and home plate umpire adds something extra to what is a pleasantly goofy card.

70. 1967 Topps Claude Raymond #364 - one of the rather infamous Raymond zipper undone cards from the late 1960s, the other [1966 Topps #586] is a high number, so it might cost a little more to get.

69. 2007 Upper Deck Gary Matthews Jr. #225 - this was the catch that probably earned the outfielder a big free agent deal with the Angels after the 2006 season.

I had to take a closer look, but this card is an Angels card rather than as a Texas Ranger - Matthews Jr. would have a second Angels card within the 2007 Upper Deck set with an updated, if pedestrian spring training batting picture.

68. 1985 Topps Rusty Kuntz #73 - I had to have at least one cult favorite type in my Top 100, if primarily by how funny their name might be read at first glance, what is a Rusty Kuntz anyway?

67. 1993 Milkbone Will Clark #7 - it's odd seeing a mustache or facial on notable players who haven't been pictured with them, on seemingly just about all of their cards.

66. 1998 Topps Stadium Club Brad Ausmus #257 - besides a clunky 'prop' laptop used for a photo op 26 years ago, who would have thought that technology would be utilized in dugouts the way it has in the been just the past 10-15 years.

Short of 2017 Houston Astros like shenanigans, players, coaches and team personnel - have tablets or other means of trying to get an edge during a MLB game.

65. 2019 Topps Big League Christian Yelich #375 - I figure I'd go do a thing and pair up the two random 2019 Topps Big League award winner subset cards that both tease a Hank Aaron [R.I.P.] appearance.

64. 2019 Topps Big League J.D. Martinez #374 - A nice photo op with both Aaron and Martinez.

Friday, March 08, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection - 81-73

81. 1996 Upper Deck Roger Clemens #VJ13 - he had that unhinged personality on the mound that was unsavory as it was fascinating when he was at his peak powers.

80. 2001 Topps Stadium Club Adrian Beltre #87 - this might have just been another awesome action collection card of the 2024 Hall of Fame inductee, but it sneaks into my Top 100, because it's a great image of Beltre going all out in foul territory, trying to catch a ball.

79. 2021 Topps Allen and Ginter Andrew McCutchen #207 - the plan was to have a pair of Uncle Larry themed cards in my Top 100, but maybe one was enough for now.

78. 1978 Topps Reggie Jackson #413 - a playing era subset card of the legend that would be known as Mr. October, I snuck it into my Top 100 as an acknowledgement of greatness.

77. 1987 Topps Kevin Mitchell #653 - I wasn't thinking much about this card, but with the awesome play at the plate action, is this the greatest actions shot pictured on a Topps card in the 1980s?

76. 1973 O-Pee-Chee Pat Corrales #542 - the granddaddy of all play at the plate cards, I picked up the Canadian version because I wanted something different. Now I might be looking for the original Topps version.

75. 1991 Score The Griffeys #841 - this single subset card from a junk wax era set gives off a classy black and white vibe, picturing a big league father-son duo that would end up teammates, playing in the same game and hitting back-to-back home runs.

74. 1999 Fleer SI Greats of the Game Ed Kranepool #55 - because I like seafood, this card is more interesting where Kranepool is shelling a lobster and enjoying a meal on table prepared for him right at second base.

73. 1992 Donruss Triple Play The Famous Chicken #138 - I like how the GOAT of mascots is shown faking to make a baseball play.

Monday, March 04, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection - 90-82

I ended up buying a binder of cards for about $6 at a card shop - I was probably looking to remove the cards and throw away the sheets and the binder, but it might be easier to leave things intact where I do not want more loose cards to worry about.

As is, even though the sheets are probably 25-30 years old and kind of a flimsy, non-Ultra Pro brand - on first glance, they still seem fairly clean and have held up.

Maybe part of the problem of putting a home brewed card project together was not having a vision to put things together to see how things would look displayed in pages - what I did for my all-time Top 100 cheap-azz keepers, was set aside enough of 'used' pages to have something to display a collection in.

I used a fresh penny sleeve for every card going into my Top 100 and put them in the appopriate pocket from #1 through #100 - there is a sense of accomplisment seeing the cards come together in pages as opposed to merely another pile, another brick destined to be squirreled away in a box somewhere.

90. 1996 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice Dante Bichette #135 - to sneak one more card to my all-time Top 100, I may consider pairing this with the parallel listed at #91.

I am not a collector who tries to worry about having the base card with a parallel - but when a card falls into my lap, it's nice having the base card to complement the more special card [even if there are more than one parallel type].

90. 1988 Fleer Exciting Stars Orel Hershiser #20 - taking the place of the Bichette is a card showing an unconventional image, where the seemingly easy going Hershiser is just chilling out, waiting for his turn to take BP.

89. 1995 Topps Stadium Club Jeff Montgomery #286 - closers were called firemen because they stopped rallies and helped put fires out in ballgames.

88. 1999 Multi-Ad Sports Tampa Yankees Dennis Twombley #25 - looks like he has choice of all the fresh fruit.

87. 2019 Topps Update Cole Tucker #US197 - too bad has hasn't been a better big leaguer, but married to actress Vanessa Hudgens, he has been blessed regardless.

86. 1994 Upper Deck Curtis Pride #250 - Pride was a good human interest story for my beyond the glory collection as a deaf player who was great athlete and played professional baseball.

I figured the one time Angel needed some Top 100 love - where I can tease his rookie card.

85. 1991 Donruss Studio Steve Lake #216 - a junk wax era common from what a baseball set trying to be a little classier, I was looking for a copy of this card in recent years and grabbed a couple of copies for $0.50 each.

84. 1992-93 Fleer Ultra Harold Miner #293 - Fleer manages to immortalize the one-time NBA player from the 1990s, dubbed Baby Jordan facing up against the man himself.

For my Top 100, I will include the occasional cards from other sports besides baseball, where there might be a cap of 10-15 at the most - though I expect to create a Top 100 for NBA, NFL, hockey and other sports, where future Top 100s will end up with less non-baseball subjects.

83. 2000 Bowman Jim Morris #164- I don't know where it ended up, but I do remember getting to sign something like an index card, when he made it all the way to the Major Leagues in 1999.

82. 1988 Fleer Sammy Stewart #616 - this was not a card I had intentions of adding to my Top 100, but it's a quirky card of a guy giving thumbs up with a dumb smirk on his face, R.I.P.

Saturday, March 02, 2024

My all-time Top 100 cheap azz keepers collection

Maybe a home brewed card project like this was a long time coming, but basically not something I've thought much about - as I've picked up all sorts of cards through the past five years, I was inspired by posts on Twitter / X and through other card blogs to finally put together a Top 100 that ends up a teasing a collection of cult favorite cards, some cult favorite subjects and unique mini-collection cards.

I wanted cards that fell reflected sentimental favorites [cards and players] and personal touches - but also cards that was sheer randomness.

Following a curated set blueprint of sorts, there will be cards within my all-time and future versions of my Top 100 cheap-azz keepers - that are a reflection of what I like and have tried to collect.

As far as rules go, I think I'll end up spelling them out as I go along - but want to get things started, where I have these posts made up as part of a routine.

100. 2010 Topps Update More Tales of the Game Joel Youngblood #MTOG-1 - it’s not the greatest feat in baseball history, but the logistics of Youngblood playing for two MLB teams in one day fascinates me.

99. 2022 Topps X Lauren Taylor Wave 2 Lauren Taylor Aaron Judge #33 - I was not familiar with the card at first, but with the number 99 prominent, I thought it would be cutesy to have it as my 99th card within this Top 100.

98. 1963 Topps Jim O’Toole #70 - I learned about the art on the back of this card, where it looks like the player depicted has something going on as he kissing his wife.

Vintage cards [pre-1973] might be teased in future Top 100s, but since collecting them has never been a big emphasis - it's harder to round up any number of cards to start choosing from, other than the occasional wrinkle.

97. 1986 Donruss Scott Bradley #396 - this card is literally worth a penny, where it's not even in 'minty' condition, but I like the picture where the player poses with multiple gloves to say he can player several positions.

96. 2022 Topps Stadium Club Nolan Ryan #23 - a nice shot Ryan in cowboy attire posing with his dog, this seemed like a familiar image as maybe seen on the next card.

95. 1992 Donruss Coca Cola Nolan Ryan Career Series Nolan Ryan #26 of 26 - presumably moments within the same shoot as the previous card, so I decided to pair them up.

As far as player duplication goes, there might be subjects with three or four cards within my Top 100, though I've tried to keep it between one or two - sometimes it's nice to pair up cards, but at other times, I'm good with spreading them out.

94. 1994 Score Kevin Brown #99 - Brown never seemed to be a warm and fuzzy guy as a player, but he is having fun wearing a faux throwback uniform and goes all out with 'painted' facial hair.

93. 1991 Classic Update Blue Travel Edition Todd Van Poppel #177 - I was thumbing through some miscellaneous pick ups and figured I'll add this card to my all-time Top 100 as a nod to the junk wax era.

Headlined by Van Poppel, I could imagine Classic thinking they were doing a thing here putting four pitching prospects / draft picks on one card - where you might have the rotation for a World Series contender for the mid 1990s or even through the early 2000s.

Doing some quick research, it looks like it was Baseball America who first printed the picture and started the hype - this story on The Athletic goes all out, looking back at that infamous pitching foursome that never really made it happen.

93. 1991 Classic Update Blue Travel Edition Kirk Dressendorfer #177

93. 1991 Classic Update Blue Travel Edition Don Peters #177

93. 1991 Classic Update Blue Travel Edition Dave Zancanaro #177

92. 1992 Upper Deck Mark Gubicza #459 - added this one [also signed TTM] because the subject of Gubicza's hockey hair [think Jaromir Jagr] might be occasionally brought up on Angels broadcasts and this is the card referenced.

91. 1996 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice Silver Signature Dante Bichette #135 - I like this because it's such an in your face, punny card.

Monday, February 26, 2024

When it comes to Reggie Jackson cards

This might be the odd $0.50-$1.00 retro card from 20 years ago, but the ones showing him with his powerful righthanded swing are the best if not the rarest - so I figured it was worth taking a flyer on, maybe to squirrel away on a Jackson page somewhere or as part of a future Top 100 collection of cheap zz keepers.