87. 1996 Topps John Smoltz #189 - pitcher on deck makes for an interesting card, as well as the signage in the background for an old-time TV Network in the mid 1990s.
86. 1997 Bowman Chrome Jose Cruz Jr. - what was even the big deal with this guy? Late 1990s collectors probably though he was the next to fall in line behind Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in the Seattle Mariners superstar hierarchy, but that idea was short lived, where he traded off the same year his rookies were hot commodities in 1997.
85.1998 Skybox Metal Universe Diamond Heroes Jose Cruz Jr. #5DH - two Cruz Jr. cards on my all-time keepers, one kept for lingering sentiment over hot rookie cards that ended up busts, this one for my appreciation for something that looks different, where it has comic book, fantasy themed graphics.
84. 1992 Leaf Studio Jose Lind #86 - a junk wax era classic, Lind posing with a Katana knife cameo makes for an all-time card.
83. 2000 Upper Deck SP Authentic Future Watch Xavier Nady #140 - Serial #’d 0420/1700 - there was a time I thought Nady was going to be a star hitter after being drafted by the San Diego Padres and was obsessed about getting his rookies; I don’t think I was able to get one rookie card where he was included in 2000 sets.
I guess this takes me back and while Nady had a decent career with some moments - but never turned into perennial all-star type.
82. 2013 Bowman Chrome David Wright #173 - a micro-mini 'Los Mets' tribute to the MLB career of a star third baseman, where it’s kind of fascinating how fleeting a big league career can be.
81. 1997 Skybox Metal Universe Fred McGriff #34 - I don’t know what this card is all about, but for a little bit through the late 1990s, the Metal universe cards were silly fun.
80. 2011 Topps Heritage Minor League Edition Blue Tint Nick Castellanos #80 - was sort of a fan favorite where I thought it was something to add a pre-rookie parallel, but he wore out his welcome in the Philadelphia and probably known as much in baseball as part of an unfortunate meme.
79. 2019 Panini Leather and Lumber Die Cut Carlos Carrasco #20 - maybe not entirely a micro-mini tribute to the MLB career of a solid starting pitcher, but I want the means to tease the ‘card tech’ used that attempt to be different, where this one is thick, die cut and has a ridged surface.
78. 2023 Topps Big League 8-Bit Ballers Derek Jeter #8B-19 - maybe this was a cheap insert off the bat, but also a tribute to the video games of the mid through late 1980s.
77. 1997 Bowman Chrome Jayson Werth #293 - I like the dated rookie cards of notable MLB players when they looked markedly different, presumably at the beginning of their pro careers.
76. 2023 Panini Prizm Future Supers Jackson Merrill #FS5 - maybe there was a time when putting my all-time set together, where Merrill was just cracking the big league scene and any card of his was worth taking a flyer on.
75. 1996 Upper Deck Roberto Alomar #275 - I was going for a bloodlines angle where I put to use some of the mini-collections cards I've compiled, to tease cards of family in pro ball.
74. 1995 Topps Sandy Alomar Jr. #308 - I was going for a bloodlines angle where I tease cards of family in pro ball, Sandy has been a longtime coach with the Cleveland Indians to this day.
73. 1970 Topps Sandy Alomar #29 - I was going for a bloodlines angle where I tease cards of family in pro ball, the patriarch of the Alomar baseball family.
72. 1992 Bowman Kevin Young RC #155 - even it ends up a common after four decades, it's still pretty cool seeing cards with a little personality, where you have a player posing with a giant bat.
71. 2003 Fleer Ultra Matt Morris #16 - I like silly cards where Morris looks like he is having fun with a medicine ball of sorts.
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