Top 5 Cards: Rod Carew

Throughout the 70's when you thought of some of the best hitters in baseball Rod Carew came to mind. He may not have had the power nor the fielding ability of some players, but the 18-time All-Star had the ability to hit that most players will never be able to match

Since I began collecting him a few years back I have amassed 57 cards of Carew. Here are my top 5.

#5 1980 Topps

No matter the Topps set it always seems like an All-Star symbol is included with most cards of Rod Carew and this one is no exception. The card is mainly made up of 3 colors. Purple (the border for the All-Star text), blue (the dark jersey and the team name flag), and pink (the position flag and actual All-Star Text.) These colors aren't usually used on baseball cards as they are very unconventional and that's the reason this card made the list.

#4 1977 Topps

Another All-Star symbol card, this one featuring Carew in an action shot at 1st base in one of the most underrated Topps sets ever made. The big colorful team name looks nice on each card and the All-Star symbol uses a great choice of colors that truly scream All-Star. The photo itself is pretty blurry, but that's the 70's for you. And if you can look past that the card is definitely a standout. 

#3 2014 Gypsy Queen

Believe me, after how much I've raved about this set I wouldn't have put this card on the list unless I thought it was truly something else, and it is. This action shot of Carew is very different from the 1977 Topps one as it features Rod tossing a ball into the air. His bright Angels uniform suits his stylish hair and helps create one of the best cards from the 2014 Gypsy Queen set. However, the next card beat this one, not because of the picture, but the borders.

#2 1985 Donruss Highlights

1985 Donruss is the perfect example of a set that I wish I had a lot more of. The black borders are something that worked well in 1971 Topps and Donruss took note of that. The borders just make the cards seem cooler and slicker than most other cards. It gives the card and the entire set a whole different feel than if it was just boring white borders. This set stands out and therefore this card stands out which is why it made the #2 spot. 

#1 2015 Gypsy Queen

In my opinion, this card is truly symbolic of who Rod Carew is. The big smile on his face, holding the bat in the card, and the powdered Twins uniform are all things I associate with Carew. The brown borders allow the card itself and the stunning colors it uses to standout not just in the set, but out of all sorts of Rod Carew cards. This card is Rod Carew, and Rod Carew is this card. That's why it got the #1 spot.