Frankenset Page #63

A lot has happened since I posted my last frankenset page on August 30th, almost 2 whole weeks ago.

I attended the Baseball card show on Labor Day and was met with a crowd that restricted my ability to move, nevermind search through piles and boxes of cards. I also opened a hobby box of 2019 Panini Chronicles which, despite the lackluster hits, will rank as one of my favorite sets of the year.

As far as MLB is concerned, the Red Sox fired President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski after 4 seasons with the club. Boston fans, myself included, will forever be grateful for the outstanding team that he put together in 2018.

The fact is, however, their farm system is depleted and Dombrowski knowingly entered the 2019 season without a closer, causing the Red Sox to have the most blown saves in Baseball. Things did not go as planned this year, not even close, and ultimately, Dombrowski had to take the fall.

With the Red Sox practically out of playoff contention entirely, I'll be turning my attention to the Cubs as well as the other tight races throughout MLB. Once the playoffs come around, however, I have no clue who I'll be rooting for.

Back to the frankenset page, this is the 63rd post in the series of 74 and features cards #543-551. 4 separate decades are represented here; let's begin.

#543 2010 Topps Nick Markakis

Nick Markakis has always been a consistent hitter as far as batting average is concerned, but I don't think many people expected the 3-time Gold Glove award winner to be an All-Star starter for the Atlanta Braves last season.

A career .288 hitter with over 2,300 hits, Markakis drove in 93 runs in his 2018 campaign, the most since 2009 for the 35-year old. Injuries have limited him to just 366 at-bats this season, but he's still hitting .284 with 55 RBI.

#544 1987 Topps Glenn Davis

Speaking of the Astros, I read an article earlier today detailing why Houston's 3rd baseman Alex Bregman should take home the 2019 AL MVP award over the expected winner, Mike Trout.

Though I appreciate the argument, Trout is leading the American League in home runs, walks, OBP, SLG, and OPS, all while hitting .291 with 104 RBI. Nonetheless, Bregman should make the top 3 along with Xander Bogaerts who has a higher BA than both Bregman and Trout.

#545 1992 Fleer Ultra Gary Varsho

Looking at cards #544 and #545 side by side, it's interesting how similar the photos are apart from the fact that Davis is fielding while Varsho is on-base. Aside from this comparison, I don't have much else to say about this card or '92 Fleer Ultra.

#546 1984 Topps Manny Castillo

I've mentioned before that, in regards to my next frankenset, I'll do my best to avoid becoming repetitive as far as the selection of sets is concerned. Products like '92 Ultra, '73 Topps, '83 Topps, and '84 Topps appear routinely throughout my set along with the Conlon Collection cards and '87 Flagship.

I have a frankenset in the works for when I complete this 74-page series, but I'll be sure to revise it so that we don't see the same design on almost every page.

#547 1973 Topps Larry Haney

With all that being said, repetition isn't always a bad thing, for the surplus of '73 and '74 Topps cards across the 666-card set give me a deeper knowledge of those two vintage products. Furthermore, the intriguing photography makes it so I'm rarely tired of either of these 70s designs.

#548 1991 Topps Dante Bichette

With so much talk nowadays about his up and coming son, Bo, people are forgetting how talented of a player Dante Bichette was across his 14-year carer. He made the All-Star team 4 times, all with the Colorado Rockies, and finished 2nd to Barry Larkin in the '95 NL MVP race.

It's not just his years with the Rockies that speak to how renowned Bichette was. He's a career .299 hitter with over 1,100 RBI, nearly 2,000 hits, and even 152 stolen bases, making him an extremely well-rounded player as well.

#549 1976 Topps Tug McGraw

Everything about this card, from the photo to the colorful banners, signifies why 1976 Topps is one of the most incredible and underrated sets in the history of this hobby.

Because it followed directly after the iconic '75 design, this set didn't get much love, which has made it easier for me as I attempt to piece it together. With just 39 cards left on my want list, I'm looking to complete it before the end of the year.

#550 1983 Topps Manny Sarmiento

In addition to a bland 1992 Fleer Ultra card and a simple yet captivating Conlon Collection photo, I feel like there's a 1983 Topps Pittsburgh Pirates card on almost every page of my frankenset.

Given the stunning uniform and iconic set design, however, I'm not sure if that's entirely a bad thing.

#551 2015 Topps Brennan Boesch

Even after making significant progress with vintage sets at The National, my want list is still a little long for my liking. There are a lot of sets and projects that I've started without seeing through to the end, so I'm trying to cut back on that in the future.

One of the many sets on my list is the vibrant 2015 Topps Flagship set. I still have my fair share of cards to acquire, but who knows how much further back I'd be if not for the generosity of Night Owl Cards.