Frankenset Page #71

It's crazy to think that by the end of this month, my 74-page frankenset series will likely draw to a close. I seem to be averaging one of these pages every week or so, so it stands to reason that the series will officially be wrapped up towards the end of the month.

Today's page is #71 in the series, featuring cards #631-639 that span 5 consecutive decades (the 1970s-2010s).  Let's get started.

#631 1983 Fleer Pride of Venezuela

This combo card may be the first of the page, but I'm already declaring it my favorite just like the Big Red Machine from the previous frankenset post. Both Trillo and Concepcion were entertaining players to watch in the late 70s and early 80s, especially when the former was a member of the Chicago Cubs.

Plus, there's something harmonious about the 2 red uniforms and the basic silver-bordered '83 Fleer design. There's just, to put it simply, a lot to like about this card.

#632 2016 Topps Ramon Cabrera

I could get into my issues regarding the 2016 Topps set yet again on the blog, but I'll refrain from that and instead focus on the fact that Topps did a nice job with this card.

Look, the card isn't groundbreaking or extraordinary, but I always love the way a catcher's action card looks as he prepares to throw the ball in an attempt to prevent a runner from stealing. If nothing else, the mediocre to put it kindly nature of the 2016 Flagship set didn't stain this card.

#633 2006 Topps Josh Barfield

I don't know if Topps was attempting a combination of modern and retro with the 2006 Topps design. All I know is that the color pairing did not work out very well as far as the San Diego Padres' cards are concerned.

Orange and brown may have looked great together back in the 1970s when Topps could make virtually any color combination work, but the same can't be said when a silver foil design is added to the mix.

#634 2013 Topps Drew Smyly

Over the last few years of Topps Flagship, particularly 2019, I've noticed a resurgence in retro uniforms making appearances on base cards. The inclusion of these throwback jerseys is something that I'm quite happy about, for they weren't always as common as they are now.

To be quite honest, I don't recognize the jersey that Drew Smyly is wearing in the card above.

#635 1978 Topps Joe Rudi

Joe Rudi remains one of my favorite members of the Swingin' Oakland A's teams from the early/mid-1970s, but by '78, Rudi was no longer playing in the Bay Area. He joined the California Angels after the 1976 season and remained there until '81 when he played for the Boston Red Sox for a year.

After a down season in Boston, Rudi spent 1982, the final year of his career, back with the Oakland A's. Interestingly enough, he hit a home run in his final MLB at-bat.

#636 1992 The Sporting News Conlon Collection

Don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly fond of the breathtaking 1992 Sporting News Conlon Collection set. However, I don't want the cards to be featured too frequently and, thus, become repetitive.

With that being said, the photography, no matter how many cards I look at, never fails to impress me. The fact that hundreds of Conlon's photographs were compiled into one cohesive set is nothing short of extraordinary.

#637 2010 Topps Prestigious Pinstripe Power

The 2010 Topps set, even as far as this decade's Flagship products are concerned, does very little to impress me. The overly-large font used for team names is about the only thing that sets this design apart from others, and that's not necessarily a positive attribute.

It seems to me that this set is forgotten amongst all the others that have been produced this decade, and in my eyes, Topps should be thankful for that.

#638 2015 Topps Jimmy Rollins

Seriously, all you have to do is look at 2010 Topps next to a card from the 2015 Flagship set to understand what I'm saying. Topps has produced 20 base sets this century and as far as I'm concerned, none of them have come close to rivaling the colorful and vibrant 2015 design.

#639 1987 Topps Gerald Perry

 Last up, a card from 1987 Topps, a set that we haven't seen featured on one of the frankenset pages in a little bit. As a result, I have slightly more positive feelings towards the wood-bordered set, because I haven't seen any of its cards in quite some time.