For the most part, page #4 spans 2 decades (the 2000s and the 2010s) with one card from the 1990s thrown in there. This seems to be somewhat of a regular pattern through the first hundred cards or so. After that, we get more decades mixed in.
Nonetheless, the variety of cards featured on this page is very strong, so let's get right into it with card #28.
#28 2010 Topps Vintage Legends Collection Ozzie Smith
Although the name of this insert set is unbelievably generic, the actual cards, specifically Ozzie Smith's above, are quite interesting. A prelude of sorts to what we'd see from Topps Archives just a couple of years later, the Vintage Legends Collection, in this instance, chose to feature Ozzie Smith in the 1970 Topps design.
I'm ever so slightly burned out on the '70 Flagship set following a year of seeing it in Topps Heritage, but the phenomenal jersey and unique photography greatly enhance it. Now, if only they could've come up with a more memorable and creative name.
#29 2007 Topps Co-Signers Vernon Wells
The Toronto Blue Jays had a respectable lineup for a few seasons in the late 2000s, led by guys like Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells, the latter of whom captured 3 Gold Gloves and made 3 All-Star teams throughout his 15 seasons.
Wells currently ranks 2nd in Blue Jays' history when it comes to hits, RBI, and doubles. The Silver Slugger award winner trails just Carlos Delgado, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion in home runs as well.
#30 2008 Upper Deck Masterpieces Matt Holliday
The biggest tie that I have to Matt Holliday is a flip stock card from 2018 Topps Heritage, limited to 5 copies, back when he was a member of the New York Yankees. The 7-time All-Star, however, is known more for his time with both the St. Louis Cardinals and, especially, the Colorado Rockies.
Holliday hit .340 with 36 homers and 137 RBI in 2007, finishing runner-up behind Jimmy Rollins for the NL MVP award. His 2,000+ career hits and 1,220 RBI will certainly garner a few HOF votes when he first appears on the ballot in 2023.
#31 1999 Upper Deck Ovation Mike Mussina
Speaking of the Baseball Hall of Fame, we have the 2nd appearance from a Hall of Fame player of the page. This time, it's 5-time All-Star Mike Mussina who finished just 30 wins away from joining the 300 club.
Mussina's career WAR and innings pitched prove that he gave it everything that he had for as long as possible, and his 2008 season with the New York Yankees was sensational given his age. Though a 3.68 ERA, in my eyes, is a little high for Cooperstown, his 3,500+ innings pitched explain why.
#32 2016 Leaf Babe Ruth Collection
The cards might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I actually like the 2016 Leaf Babe Ruth Collection set because of all the snapshots and details they share about the career and life of Baseball's greatest player.
This card, for example, highlights his final season as a member of the New York Yankees. While the checklist jumps around and isn't as organized as I'd like, I must say that Leaf did a pretty nice job and came up with something creative considering that they don't have the MLB license.
#33 2010 Topps National Chicle Evan Longoria
I've seen a different kind of "throwback" Tampa Bay Rays jersey, one that was powder blue and gold, but I'm not familiar with the one above. I'm not sure if it's modeled after something different, or if it was just created so that Tampa Bay could have a retro uniform of sorts.
Either way, Longoria's 2010 Topps National Chicle card conforms perfectly to the idea behind the set. The artwork, both in the foreground and the background, is creative and slightly abstract, and the artists used a wide variety of colors.
#34 2016 Panini Donruss Retro 1982 A.J. Pollock
The photo above from Pollock's 2016 Panini Donruss 1982 insert seems to be from Marlins Park which would explain the green wall serving as the background. As far as recreating the '82 Donruss design is concerned, Panini did a reasonable job, though it's weird to see the set reproduced without logos.
#35 2013 Topps Making Their Mark Aaron Hicks
Hicks may have first made his mark when he debuted with the Minnesota Twins in 2013, but it was his breakout performance in 2018 that established him as one of the Yankees' premier power hitters.
He's never been one to hit for average, but Hicks' 27 home runs in 2018 were essential to the success of his team. Injuries limited him to just over 200 at-bats last year, so it'll be interesting to see what 2020 brings for the 30-year old outfielder.
#36 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen Adam Lind
If we ignore the damage done to the edges and surface in the top righthand corner, Adam Lind's 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen card, in a good way, fits perfectly with the rest of the set. 2012 is what I consider one of the prime years for the brand, a period that lasted from its inaugural 2011 season through 2014.
I'm actually very excited to see what 2020 Gypsy Queen will bring following a strong showing in 2019. I've already seen previews on Cardboard Connection, and the design looks great. Hopefully, following a few years of uncertainty, Topps has established an identity for Gypsy Queen, and the set will return to what it once was.
That Ozzie really is great, and my favorite of the page. If I hadn't noticed the little TM I might have mistaken it for one of those old Baseball Cards Magazine inserts, which sounds like a put-down but it really isn't! It's like that, but in a good way! I didn't even know that "Vintage Legends" was a thing--it's amazing how many ways Topps finds to mine its history.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago I stumbled my way into a Vernon Wells trifecta--a relic, an auto, and a rookie card. I was at a certain show for the first time, and there was a dealer who had an amazing table where after noon everything was 50 cents. I grabbed a ton of relics, and there was a Vernon Wells, and honestly all I remembered of him was "he was on the Blue Jays, he was pretty good", which at 50 cents for a relic is more than enough! (After a quantity discount I ended up paying only about 17 cents a card...sadly when I've gone back to the show that dealer wasn't there.) A week or two later, I was going through cards at my usual show and ran into one of the dealers from that other show (not the guy with the 50 cent table, but I had bought a bunch of stuff from him, too). I was going through a box of hits as we were chatting, and when I came upon a Wells auto, he says to me, you should get that, he doesn't sign very much, it's a good deal. I ended up needing one more to make 4 for $10 or whatever the deal was anyway, so I got it. And later at that same show I found his 1999 Topps prospects card in a dime bin--according to IMDB it's not "officially" a rookie card, but by current rules it would be! He's one of only two guys who never played for the Mets that I have a trifecta of, and the other is Jim Rice who was a huge star when I was a kid, so it's very random, but I like that.
I think you're right that that Rays retro jersey is just an artist's conception to fit the retro style of the set.
2008 UD Masterpieces and 2010 Topps National Chicle are two of my favorite painted sets in the modern era. Nice to see both of them were represented on this page.
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