Frankenset Page 7

Before I get to the 7th page of my frankenset, I'd like to talk a bit about Robinson Cano, even if it's quite unrelated to my blog post today.

Yesterday afternoon, the news spread quickly throughout the sports world that superstar 2nd baseman Robinson Cano tested positive for a banned substance. To be clear, he was not tested positive for a PED or any steroids. However, the substance he used is called Furosemide and it can be used to cover up traces of performing enhancing drugs in ways that I don't want to get too into.

This suspension is very different from, say, Starling Marte's suspension a year ago. It's not a steroid, but did Cano use it to cover up steroid use? I don't believe we'll ever know.

Until yesterday, Cano seemed like a future Hall of Famer. He's been closing in on 3,000 hits and 600 doubles and despite the suspension, I expect him to reach both of those milestones within the next few seasons. However, this suspension is certainly a major blow to his Hall of Fame case. I must say I'm very unsure about whether he'll make it to Cooperstown after this situation, though I'm sure you all have thoughts that I'd definitely be interested in hearing.

Now, with all the Cano talk over (for now), I present the 7th page of my frankenset.

#55 2006 Topps Allen & Ginter Hiedki Matsui

I've always thought the early years of Allen & Ginter were the best, by far. While the set has become repetitive in recent years, the original designs were something new for 2000's baseball cards. Who would've thought that a light blue color splotch on a white background with a baseball player in front would look so magnificent? Apparently, Topps did.

#56 2017 Topps Danny Salazar Negative Parallel

This negative parallel of Danny Salazar remains the only negative card I've ever pulled. It came out of a hobby jumbo pack of 2017 Topps Series 1 and went immediately into the frankenset. If I was selling cards back then, I would've tried to sell it since Salazar was coming off an exceptional season for the Indians in which he made the All-Star game.

#57 2002 Fleer Ultra Homer Bush

I always find shots of players sliding into bases make some of the best baseball cards. In this case, Blue Jays infielder Homer Bush appears to be either sliding or stealing 2nd base, which was captured on cardboard for the 2002 Fleer Ultra set.

#58 2007 Topps Turkey Red Carl Crawford

Despite his signing with the Red Sox being an epic failure for both sides, Crawford still had some pretty nice cards from before he joined Boston and was one of baseball's best defensive players. He's probably one of the only players that can make those ugly Devil Rays uniforms look actually decent. Probably because you can barely see them on this Turkey Red card.

#59 1989 Swell Baseball Greats Minnie Minoso

My dad told me a story a couple years ago about how his mom met Minnie Minoso at a restaurant in Chicago back in the 60's or 70's, I'm not sure which. Being a Cubs fan, I don't believe she asked him for an autograph, but it's still cool, nevertheless. I don't think I've ever met a baseball player in real life before, though I may or may not have seen Jason Varitek while visiting relatives a couple years ago, also at a restaurant close to Chicago. He had to go pretty soon after I got there, and by the time I noticed him, he was practically out the door.

#60 2005 Playoff Prestige Ryan Wagner

The main reason I chose this card for the frankenset was the uniform. I really like the striped jersey with the colored sleeves that the Reds wore in the 2000's. I know there were other teams that had this style jersey like the Diamondbacks, who wore the uniforms during their 2001 World Championship season.

#61 2009 Topps Heritage Jorge De La Rosa

One of my biggest regrets out of all the years I've been collecting baseball cards was that I never bought any cards from the 2009 Topps Heritage set when it came out. The 1960 Topps design is in the top 3 of my favorite sets ever made, and while it was part of the 2017 Archives set, it isn't the same as getting the full attention that a set gets in Topps Heritage.

#62 2016 Topps Bunt Starlin Castro

I remember this being one of the first cards I got of Castro since his trade from the Cubs to the Yankees in late 2015. Needless to say, it felt quite strange seeing Castro, the best player on the Cubs for many years, in Yankee pinstripes. Just as the Cubs were getting good, they bailed on him, and the same thing happened with the Yankees when the shipped him to Miami. Poor, poor, Starlin Castro. The dude can't seem to catch a break, and now he's stuck on the Marlins.

#63 2004 Bowman Prospects Andre Randolph

I just realized that this frankenset page is 1/3 Yankees cards. That's too much. That's far, far too much. Even if this card of a former Yankees prospect in a dugout is incredibly cool. 3 Yankees cards are way too many.