Frankenset Page #67

It's been almost 2 weeks since the last post in my frankenset series, for no particular reason mind you. Now that I've finished recapping Sunday's trip to the Baseball card show, I figured this was the perfect time to resume.

Picking up where I left off, page #67 ventures into the 600s by featuring cards #595-603. After this post, just 7 pages remain in the series.

I don't usually like to make the frankenset page intros very long, so let's get right into things with the first card from page #67.

#595 1974 Topps Steve Blass

1974 was the 10th and final year of Steve Blass' major league career, though he barely pitched that season at all. Despite being an integral part of the '71 World Championship team, Blass was washed up just 2 years later, posting a 9.85 ERA through 89 innings pitched in '73.

It seems he just lost his ability to command his pitches, something his Wikipedia page claims also happened to Dontrelle Willis and Daniel Bard. Nonetheless, Blass retired after pitching just 5 innings in '74.

#596 1982 Donruss Bryan Clark

The only card on this page not from a Topps Flagship set, the 1982 Donruss set remains one of my favorite base design in the brand's history along with '85. 

Though I have a few scattered singles, I've never been able to amass a large number of these cards, nor have I tracked many down for my player collections. I'm pretty fond of the design, especially when paired with the uniforms of the early 1980s.

#597 2015 Topps Matt Shoemaker

Seeing "Future Stars" spelled out in foil at the top of Matt Shoemaker's 2015 Topps card reminds me of how recent his MLB debut was, despite being 33 years old. 

Even though he made his debut while in his late 20s, Shoemaker has had a respectable career, but his 1.57 ERA through 29 innings pitched with the Blue Jays this season brought him to another level.

Unfortunately, injuries cut his potential Cy Young award-winning 2019 season drastically short, but I'd love to see him come back just as strong next year. I do not, however, know what he plans on doing.

#598 1980 Topps Fred Kendall

Among the many types of cards that I found while searching through bins at the show last Sunday was a stack of 2011 Topps Platinum Diamond Anniversary parallels of which I purchased 4. 

Among the cards which I didn't buy were a couple of San Diego Padres' parallels where the players were wearing the same jersey that Fred Kendall has on above. The combination of this retro jersey with a flashy and modern parallel was certainly odd, but I must say that I'm a fan.

#599 2011 Topps Travis Ishikawa

Truth be told, I didn't even remember that there was a 2011 Topps card on this page until after I wrote the blurb about the set's parallels above. Seriously though, this set featured memorable parallels, legend SPs, terrific photography, and Mike Trout's iconic rookie card. 

More so than any other Flagship set, 2011 was the most iconic Topps product (as in Series 1, 2, and Update) of the decade, though I stand by that 2015 was the greatest design of the century.

#600 1977 Topps Jim Palmer

Of course, all the cards in my frankenset that end with -00 or -50 usually feature superstars and Hall of Famers. The 500th card in the set, for instance, was a 2016 Topps card of Albert Pujols, one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game.

Now, for the final card ending in -00 in the entire set, we have a fabulous 1977 Topps card of Jim Palmer. Thanks to the dark background, Palmer's orange jersey illuminates more than on a typical card. This, along with the yellow font that spells out "Orioles," makes for some unique color choices.

#601 2015 Topps Wade Miley

Ever since he left Arizona, Wade Miley has been a journeyman of sorts, playing for the Red Sox, Mariners, Orioles, Brewers, and, now, the Houston Astros. He truly revived his career in Milwaukee, and it seems to have continued into 2019, for I believe he's on Houston's ALCS roster.

Miley was only in Boston for one year (2015), the transition year between 2 consecutive last-place finishes and, eventually, a streak of 3 straight division titles.

#602 1970 Topps Ted Savage

I didn't' go as crazy with Topps Heritage in 2019 as I have in years past (ahem, 2017), so I find that I'm not burned out on the 1970 Flagship design like I was for the past few releases.

Rather, I still find the original 1970 Topps cards incredibly interesting, no matter how simple they may seem by today's standards. In 2019 Topps Flagship, you wouldn't look twice at a card like the one above, but there's something about vintage Topps that can elevate almost anything.

#603 2008 Topps Blake DeWitt

Last up, another of my favorite Topps Flagship sets, especially as far as modern releases are concerned, 2008. If the 2015 design is my favorite of the century, then 2008 is right behind it with 2011 coming in at #3.

The colors used for the team names are an excellent contrast to the white borders while the photography, just like the 2011 Flagship design, is stellar. They used a range of different images, resulting in one of Topps' better efforts over the last few decades.

Top 5 Cards; Nolan Ryan

Dating back a significant number of years, Nolan Ryan has always been my largest player collection by far. I'm not certain what the deal is with all the cards I've accumulated of the 8-time All-Star, but his player collection currently sits at 451 cards, exactly 200 more than my #2 PC, Greg Maddux.

In many ways, the significant number of Nolan Ryan cards in my collection is somewhat surprising. There are a bunch of other players who I'd expect to have that title over Ryan. Sluggers, players from the over-production era, and of course, legends like Babe Ruth all seem like reasonable candidates, but Ryan is a rather unexpected choice.

Up until the very end of his career, there weren't a ton of companies producing various Baseball card sets. Instead, it was after he retired that Ryan was included in countless sets by companies like Upper Deck and Fleer. Even today, Topps and Panini produce their fair share of Nolan Ryan cards, and they always seem to end up in my collection.

Speaking of the end of Ryan's career, after being in the game for well over 2 decades, Ryan received his well-deserved respect once he announced his retirement through tribute sets by companies like Pacific and Donruss. 

Yet, even without those specialty sets, Ryan would still be my #1 player collection by a margin of roughly 100 cards. That basically sums up how often I come across Nolan Ryan cards and explains why he's my only player collection with over 300 cards.

One of my 2019 Baseball card collecting goals was to have 500 total Nolan Ryan cards in my player collection, a mission that I feel rather obligated to accomplish. I haven't finished entering all my dime box pickups online, so I'm likely hovering around the 460 card mark right now. Only 40 cards to go.

This was one of the hardest top 5 cards lists that I've ever had to make, solely because of the volume of different Nolan Ryan cards in my collection. It was somehow accomplished, but it was quite difficult to narrow down my favorite 5 from hundreds of different choices.

#5 2003 Topps 205

A perfect example of a card that's been a part of my collection for as long as I can recall, this 2003 Topps 205 card was likely in my Nolan Ryan collection back when that PC was hovering around only 50 total cards. Years have since gone by, and this elegant framed card remains one of my personal favorites.

I often get bored with Ryan being featured as a member of the Texas Rangers time and time again in Baseball card sets, especially by Topps. Even though the Astros aren't a whole less prominent, it's refreshing to see their bright team colors and something different from the common Rangers jerseys.

#4 2016 Topps Perspectives

Another Astros card to make the list, Ryan's 2016 Topps Perspectives card combines 2 incredibly unique elements into 1 card; the Astros' 80s uniforms and the revolutionary Astrodome. Digitally enhanced for modern times, this card takes a very unique perspective (get it?) with an angle that isn't utilized all too often. Nevertheless, the end result is something totally exceptional and unexpected.

#3 1993 Triad Whataburger Nolan Ryan Recollections cards

It was far too difficult to select just one of these 1993 Triad Whataburger Nolan Ryan Recollections cards for this top 5 cards list, so I simply combined all of them into 1 spot for the countdown. With a design pattern that's fairly reminiscent of the modern-day superfractor, these cards are absolutely beautiful. 

Although I don't have one of these cards in my collection that shows Ryan on the Mets, the 3 other teams that he played for are represented. Specifically, each card commemorates a certain accomplishment in his career, paired with a brief blurb on the back, supposedly written by Ryan himself.

The card backs are definitely on the simple side, but it's not a major deal given the exciting card fronts. I don't know the particulars of this promotion, but I certainly wish there were more promos like this nowadays between Topps/Panini and food companies.

#2 1973 Topps

Most of my vintage Nolan Ryan cards are part of my 1972, '75, '76, and '79 Topps sets, so I didn't have a bunch of choices when it came to 70s cards for this post. Still, the 2 I ended up with are cards that I'm proud to have in my collection. One of them, as you can see, is Ryans base card from 1973 Topps.

Although the set design isn't too thrilling, I'm a big fan of the uniform that he's wearing, from the jersey number being on the front to the halo above the "A" in Angels. Ryan spent arguably the best years of his year in California as well with 5 of his 8 All-Star game appearances coming during his time with the Angels.

#1 1970 Topps

Similar to the first card on this countdown, I've had this 1970 Topps Nolan Ryan card since I first began collecting Baseball cards. My sole original card of Ryan on the Mets, it was only recently that I opted to get it graded by Beckett. 

A grade of 3, meaning very good, isn't ideal, but I was fairly certain that the card wouldn't receive the highest grade. The primary purpose of getting this vintage card graded was to preserve the card itself, not to see how high of a grade the card obtained.

The card back shows you that this card is a high-number, #712, produced while Topps was still releasing their Flagship sets in series. That factor, along with the card being graded and a base card, helps the value of Ryan's 1970 Topps card even more. 

But besides the fact that the card has some value to it, his card from 1970 Topps is my favorite Nolan Ryan card because of how long it has been a part of my collection for. Above all else, it's the backstory behind this card that makes it so special, hence why I placed it at #1 on the list.

Top 10 Cards From 2019 Topps Heritage

Although I haven't waivered on my belief that Topps Heritage utilizes far too much blue sky in the card backgrounds, I must admit that there have been some pretty impressive cards in Topps Heritage this year, and I'm not just talking about the inserts and SPs.

The main draw to Topps Heritage is the short print and variations due to the value of those particular cards. Granted, it's awesome to pull a few SPs or get lucky with a rare variation. However, 90% of the cards you pull in Topps Heritage are base cards, an often overlooked aspect of the set.

In spite of the over-reliance on blue sky backgrounds, especially since 2017, Topps has produced some stellar base cards over the last few years with 2019 being no exception. It's part of what makes Topps Heritage a fan-favorite set year after year, for even the common base cards are well-crafted. 

As it stands now, I'm fairly certain that I've finished opening packs of Topps Heritage. This likely means that I'll soon begin piecing together the set myself, both at the Baseball card show and online. 

After all, you can only open so much Topps Heritage before the inevitable doubles begin to reveal themselves.

So, as an appreciation post of sorts for 2019 Topps Heritage, today, I'll be counting down my 10 favorite base cards from this years' set, starting with a Red Sox player at #10.

#10 Rafael Devers

At the beginning of each new card collecting season, it takes me a while to fully realize that last years' rookies are no longer first-year players. While I begin to recognize the new rookie class, it becomes engraved into my head that 2018 rookies like Rafael Devers are now in their 2nd (technically 3rd) season.

Devers' 2019 Topps Heritage card shows him doing what he typically does; smiling. While a ballpark shot would be a better option instead, the background is still an excellent fit along with the classic Red Sox uniform. 

Just seeing this card makes me excited for the 2019 MLB season, and I'm hoping that it's a bounce-back year for the 22-year old.

#9 Todd Frazier

When I first saw Todd Frazier's 2019 Topps Heritage card, I mistook it for some kind of variation, likely an action image card. However, I quickly learned that it was a base card instead and one of the better ones in the entire set.

I thoroughly appreciate Topps' efforts to use a wider variety of different images, hence why Frazier's card made the list. Instead of showcasing the same Spring Training photo that I've grown to slightly dislike, a pre-game shot of Frazier signing autographs is a drastically better choice.

#8 Josh Donaldson

After initially applauding Topps for showing Josh Donaldson on his new team, the Atlanta Braves, given how recently he signed with them, I began to appreciate various aspects of the card. As far as Spring Training cards go in Heritage, Donaldson's is definitely as good as it gets.

The background is not limited whatsoever and, instead, allows for a broad view of the ballpark. The black bat is another nice addition, and thanks to modern technology, it's very difficult to tell that Donaldson was photoshopped into the Braves' uniform at first glance.

#7 Masahiro Tanaka

Although I spotted roughly half a dozen cards similar to the one above, featuring a pitcher holding a Baseball for the camera to see, it was Tanaka's that stuck out for all the right reasons. Whether I'm fond of the team or not, the Yankee pinstripes look like they belong on this card because of how classic the jerseys and the 1970 Topps set is.

As a matter of fact, nearly everything about this card, from the team name to the cursive writing, is classic and very simplistic. And yet, this rather basic card was more than enough to make the top 10.

#6 Joe Panik

Thankfully, not every sky background is exactly the same, for some photos were taken a bit closer to sunset than others. One of those cards belongs to Giants 2nd baseman Joe Panik, whose card not only features an intriguing background, but an action shot of Panik swinging the bat as well.

Thanks to the timing of this photograph, the bat almost appears to be coming through the actual card. In addition, he's wearing my favorite Giants uniform, the classic home jersey, which adds a subtle touch to a card that I'm already fairly fond of.

#5 Daniel Mengden

Sporting a Rollie Fingers-style mustache, Oakland Athletics pitcher seems to be paying homage to the 1981 AL MVP and Cy Young award winner with this card. With the A's uniform to pair with it, this card immediately caught my eye and entered my mind as one of the greatest cards of this years' set as soon as I pulled it from a pack.

#4 Benintendi's Benediction!

I'm sure a Topps Now card was released to honor this iconic moment in which Andrew Benintendi made an insane game-winning catch against the Astros in the 2018 ALCS. However, one could argue that this 2019 Topps Heritage card, commemorating the same event, is even better.

This is because of how much Topps stays true to the original 1970 set by creating a creative title for the card while, at the same time, using the design to pay tribute to a recent event in postseason Baseball.

#3 Carlos Santana

As an idea, showing a Cleveland Indians player in the Oakland Athletics' dugout doesn't appear to be a fantastic idea. However, now that I've seen the actual card in-person, I can confidently declare that Santana's card is one of the greatest and most interesting base cards in the past few years of Topps Heritage. There's just so much going on throughout this entire card, and I love every single bit of it.

#2 Pat Neshek

I'm not quite certain on who decided to have Pat Neshek pay tribute to Lowell Palmer's 1970 Topps card in 2019 Topps Heritage, but it's an excellent idea and very well-executed as well. Because of how eye-catching the Phillies uniform and, specifically, the sunglasses are, it's difficult to get too irritated by the rather basic background.

Also, the fun fact on the back of Neshek's card states that he's probably the only player ever to wear #93.

#1 Red Sox Celebrate World Series Title Win

All the copyright restrictions in the world couldn't take away from how crazy I am about this card, especially since it's perfectly captured in a black and white photograph. Unlike the Topps Now card for when the Red Sox won the World Series, this card captures the exact moment when they won. 

It's an event that I can easily recall from my own memory; seeing David Price run towards the mound to celebrate with Vazquez and Sale. Better yet, the subset is officially back to being The Sporting News, another small detail that did not go unappreciated.

Have No Fear, Topps Heritage is Here

After anticipating its release for months on end, 2019 Topps Heritage was finally released earlier today. As you can see, I wasted no time in taking a trip to my LCS for my yearly tradition of purchasing a hobby box of the fan-favorite product.

2019 makes the first year that Topps is replicating a 70s Flagship set, marking the dawn of a new era of sorts for the Heritage brand. Over the next few years, we'll start to see Topps finest sets ever created once again, featuring modern-day stars. 

I fully intend to take my time opening my hobby box so I won't be posting a full recap until tomorrow at the earliest. As for today's post, I'm starting off with just 1 pack of the product in order to access and share my thoughts on this years' set.

There's honestly no better sight than a freshly-opened hobby box with all the packs remaining unopened, especially when the pack design is as creative as the Topps Heritage sets. I'm not certain if they're created with the intent of recreating past pack styles, but they still are eye-catching regardless.

Just like it has been for as long as I can remember, a hobby box delivers 24 packs with 9 cards per pack along with the guarantee of 1 autograph or relic card as well. Thankfully, the first pack I opened didn't house my hit, for that would've been an extremely anti-climactic moment, even if it was a super rare card.

Now, the moment that I've been waiting on for quite some time now. Here's my very first pack from 2019 Topps Heritage.

#170 Albert Almora Jr.

Just under 1 month ago, I pulled Aaron Judge's base card as my first card from 2019 Topps Series 1. This time around with 2019 Topps Heritage, my first card from this set is Chicago Cubs' outfielder, Albert Almora Jr.

As expected, Topps did a stellar job of replicating the 1970 Topps set, a feat they never fail to accomplish no matter the year. While I was originally worried about the pictures being too small after what I saw on Cardboard Connection beforehand, seeing this first card proves to me that there's nothing to worry about when it comes to the size of the photos.

#279 Rick Porcello

With my first card being a Cub and the 2nd being a Red Sox player, it'd be challenging to start off better than I did with my first pack of 2019 Topps Heritage. 

Looking back on it, 1969 Topps had a fair amount of headshots, but they weren't necessarily recreated for Heritage. Upon seeing this Porcello card, I can already tell that there will be a wider variety of different images utilized in this years' product.

#313 Michael Fulmer

The bright yellow and dark blue card backs from 1970 Topps are some of the more memorable Baseball card backs in Topps history, and I'm pleased to see the effort that Topps made to redesign them practically perfectly. Even the fun fact cartoons have returned in the top right-hand corner of the card like they have in previous years of Heritage as well.

#191 David Price

With SPs once again reserved for the top superstars of Baseball, it was somewhat surprising to find Red Sox pitcher and World Series hero David Price in the base set as card #191. While I'm obviously thrilled to wind up with 2 Red Sox cards in 1 pack, just like Series 1, I expected to see Price as a short-print this year, but I'm not upset about the decision whatsoever.

#TN-8 Then & Now Johnny Bench & Javier Baez

Almost every Topps Heritage pack delivers some sort of SP, insert, numbered card, or hit, and my first pack from the 2019 set landed me an insert card that falls at roughly 1 per hobby box; a Then & Now card. 

While the pairing of Bench and Baez isn't the greatest, the insert set has remained iconic for over a decade. However, this years' design resembles the base set a smidge too much for my taste.

#376 Toronto Blue Jays rookie stars

Even more so than the standard base design, Topps was able to nail the rookie stars cards despite the fact that I've only seen the Blue Jays version thus far. Perfectly capturing the colors as well as the font and positioning, Topps successfully replicated a critical aspect of this particular iconic set of cards.

#347 David Bote

Similar to Eric Thames, Chicago Cubs 3rd baseman David Bote will likely be recognized years from now for a mini-tear that the 25-year old went on last year. Just like the few weeks in which Eric Thames was a hot commodity, Bote's walk-off grand slam will forever be an iconic aspect of modern-day Baseball history.

#398 Teoscar Hernandez

At this point in the pack, 7 of the 8 cards I've pulled have featured a member of either the Red Sox, Cubs, or Blue Jays. Even if the final card doesn't showcase a member of one of those 3 MLB teams, over 75% of the cards in pack #1 feature players on just 3 clubs. What are the odds of that?

#153 Seth Lugo

He's not necessarily the first Mets pitcher I would like to find, but seeing another headshot to close out the pack affirms my previous theory that 2019 Topps Heritage will feature a wider range of different photographs, not just the same shots we've grown accustomed to seeing year after year.

Thank goodness, because I'm getting sick and tired of players swinging a bat with bright blue skies showing up on almost every single card.