Frankenset Page #56

Next up in the frankenset page series is #56 in the 74-page binder. With this page, we will reach and surpass card #500 in the set, indicating how much progress I've made with this series since I commenced it back in March of 2018.

Specifically, this page includes cards #496-504, spanning 5 total decades (1970s-2010s). Without any further adieu, let's get the 56th frankenset page started. Apologies in advance for the fact that 7/9 cards on this page are from various Topps Flagship sets.

#496 2012 Topps Heritage Josh Johnson

Before Topps Heritage added 25 more SP base cards to the checklist, cards #425-500 in the base set were short prints, reserved for the best players in Baseball. Upon seeing Josh Johnson's 2012 Topps Heritage card (#496), I remembered how dominant he was for a couple years.

Johnson was a 2-time All-Star with the then Florida Marlins and even finished 5th in NL Cy Young voting back in 2010 when he had a 2.30 ERA. Over the course of 8 years with the Marlins, he maintained a respectable 3.15 ERA with 832 strikeouts across 900 innings pitched.

However, Johnson was one of the Marlins players included in the blockbuster trade with the Blue Jays following the 2012 season, and after just 80 innings with Toronto, he never played in another MLB game.

#497 1989 Score Carmen Castillo

Much like the Baltimore Orioles' teams from the first half of the 2010s, it appears as if the Cleveland Indians' window for winning a World Series has closed. Though they've won their division each of the last 3 years, the Minnesota Twins seem destined to end that streak in 2019.

Cleveland had a legitimate shot to win the Fall Classic in both 2016 and 2017, but they blew 3-1 and 2-0 leads in the postseason. Now, 3 years after they made a World Series appearance, the Cleveland Indians are nowhere near as talented as they once were. Jose Ramirez has struggled, Francisco Lindor is rumored to be traded, and their lineup is a shadow of its former self.

#498 1974 Topps Pat Corrales

In addition to the exceptional photography throughout the 660-card set, 1974 Topps is widely-recognized for having one of the most iconic rookie cards in Baseball history of another member of the San Diego Padres, Dave Winfield.

Though I don't personally have that rookie card in my collection, I've seen plenty of reprints and originals online, and I wouldn't mind purchasing one myself, say at The National later this year.

Maybe it would be for the Dave Winfield player collection, or maybe I'd use that rookie card as motivation to begin collecting the 1974 Topps set. All I know is that the card isn't outrageously expensive, and I'd love to acquire one for myself.

#499 1991 Topps Melido Perez

More so than practically any other Baseball card set, there appear to be more cards from 1991 Topps in my frankenset. This is due, in large part, to how many cards I have from this product as well as how fabulous some of the shots are in this set.

A couple of years back, I picked up a hobby box of these cards at the Baseball card show for only $5. Inside the stacks of packs, I stumbled upon a ton of stellar cards with incredible photography, from Roger Clemens' card in front of the Green Monster to Melido Perez's simple yet effective card showcased above.

The White Sox jersey featured on the card, moreover, is one that I've never seen before. I'm starting to think that this team has had more uniforms than nearly any other club in MLB history.

#500 2016 Topps Albert Pujols

In virtually every Baseball card set, card #500 features a big-name player, usually a power hitter. While I couldn't choose a card of Hank Aaron or Harmon Killebrew for my frankenset, I'm pleased with the 2016 Topps Albert Pujols card that I selected instead.

The 2016 Topps design is certainly flawed, but the actual picture of the future Hall of Famer is quite nice. It's just a shame that he's been deteriorating ever since joining the Los Angeles Angels before the 2012 season. 

The 11 years that he spent with the St. Louis Cardinals were incredibly successful, and he was practically guaranteed a spot in the Hall of Fame before leaving for LA. However, he's only hit .258 since becoming a member of the Angels, and he's under contract through the 2021 season. 

#501 2003 Topps Cristian Guzman

It's hard for me to think of a Baseball card off the top of my head where the photograph was timed better than it was on Cristian Guzman's 2003 Topps card. The image appears to have been taken directly following a slide into a 3rd base in which the infield dirt formed a cloud and blew in the air.

I can't tell which part of the card I like more; the dirt cloud surrounding Guzman himself or the gestures that he's making with his hands. I've never been a huge fan of 2003 Topps, but I, nonetheless, appreciate this particular card.

#502 1978 Topps Pat Rockett

Similar to 2003 Topps, the 1978 Flagship design is far from my favorite due to how pale it seems in comparison with the vibrant and bold sets from the 1970s. With that being said, I chose this card of Braves shortstop Pat Rockett primarily because of the old-school uniform that he's wearing.

More so than any other jersey, I associate the uniform above with Hank Aaron, one of my top 3 favorite players in Baseball history. There are countless cards in my collection that show the true home run king wearing the Braves jersey above, and he was even wearing it when he broke Babe Ruth's all-time record.

#503 2016 Topps Luis Valbuena

I didn't even realize that this card was a part of my frankenset until now, but it's, nonetheless, a tragic card to feature. At just 33 years of age, Valbuena was killed in an ambush in Venezuela towards the end of 2018 along with former major leaguer José Castillo. 

Valbuena played for 5 teams over the course of his MLB career, and his death was one of a number of fatal accidents over a short period of time (Oscar Taveras, Jose Fernandez, and Yordano Ventura).

RIP Luis.

#504 1981 Topps Dale Murphy

Last but certainly not least, the 1981 Topps card of one of the most feared players of the 1980s; Braves slugger and back-to-back NL MVP award winner, Dale Murphy.

From 1980-1987, Murphy was one of the greatest players in all of Baseball. In addition to winning 2 NL MVP awards, he made 7 All-Star appearances and captured 5 Gold Glove awards. He truly was the epitome of a 5-tool player.

However, Murphy wasn't on the same level as his prime seasons both before and after they occurred, and he had some pretty rough years following the 1987 seasons. It's for those reasons that he wasn't able to become a member of the Baseball HOF, though he remains a Braves fan favorite.

Frankenset Page #55

The 55th page of the frankenset, truth be told, is one of my personal favorite pages from the entire 74-page binder. It incorporates virtually all of the different cards that I chose to include throughout the entire set and combines them into 1 spectacular page.

Showcasing cards #487-495, this is the final page before we reach card #500 in the frankenset. At this point, we're roughly 3/4 of the way through the frankenset. As I've mentioned before, I'm practically done with my 2nd frankenset which I'll begin posting as soon as the first one is completed.

As I mentioned, this page is one of my favorites from the entire frankenset, so I don't want to talk too much beforehand. Thus, let's begin with card #487 on frankenset page #55.

#487 1990 Upper Deck Pascual Perez

I know that I constantly rave about the Montreal Expos' powder blue uniforms, but I'm starting to believe that the red and blue jerseys above merit just as much, if not more, recognition. 

The pants are the same color as the powder blue jerseys made popular in the 80s by guys like Andre Dawson, but the redshirt is something unique to the 1990s. Although I still prefer the "traditional" jerseys from the 70s and 80s, I admire how the uniform above embodies the Expos logo, to a certain extent. 

As I've mentioned beforehand, I'm a huge fan of all things Montreal Expos, and I only wish that these fabulous jerseys were featured more often in Baseball card products.

#488 1976 SSPC Alvin Dark

Although he wasn't nearly as beloved as Oakland Athletics' manager Dick Williams, Alvin Dark led the A's to back-to-back 90+ win seasons from 1974-1975. This run included a World Series championship in 1974 despite how unpopular he was with many of the A's' players.

Nonetheless, Dark looks pretty content in the photo of him above from 1976 SSPC. However, he didn't actually manage Oakland in '76; he lost his job after the 98-win A's fell to the Boston Red Sox in the 1975 ALCS. 

He'd go onto manage the Padres for around 100 games in 1977 before getting fired by San Diego. Thus, Dark's managerial career which saw him win a World Series and 2 pennants came to an end. 

#489 1969 Topps Clete Boyer

Each of the first 3 cards on this page is either from a vintage Baseball card set or showcases colorful throwback uniforms. While Clete Boyer's 1969 Topps card doesn't feature a bright and bold jersey, it represents the 1969 Topps set very well.

There aren't that many flashy cards in the 1969 Topps set. The photographs, like the design, are quite simple, and that can turn a lot of collectors away from the set.

While I, personally, don't really care for the '69 Topps design, I understand what Topps was attempting, and I applaud them for their effort. I just believe there are way better options as far as 1960s Flagship sets are concerned. 

#490 1987 Topps Dale Murphy

Out of all the cards that I've seen from the 1987 Topps set, Dale Murphy's will definitely go down as one of my favorites, primarily because of how well the photograph compliments the wood-bordered set design. 

Unlike the minimal design that is 1969 Topps, the '87 set features wood borders, something that Topps has only done twice in regards to their Flagship set. As a result, the colorful jerseys that I typically adore aren't necessarily as effective in a set like 1987 Topps.

In the case of Dale Murphy's card, everything seems to come together naturally. The navy blue uniform works extraordinarily well with the wood borders and, as a small boost, the Montreal Expos dugout is shown in the background.

#491 2018 Topps Andrew Heaney

Even though Andrew Heaney's 2018 Topps Flagship card may not be as flashy as some of the other cards on this page, I still appreciate how it slightly departs from the traditional photo of a pitcher.

Usually, the same image of a pitcher during his windup makes it onto a Topps Flagship card; the angle is often to the side and the pitcher has either just thrown or is about to throw the ball.

Granted, Heaney's card is far from groundbreaking, but it deviates slightly from what we've grown to expect from a modern Topps Flagship card of a pitcher. For that reason, I chose this card for spot #491.

#492 1974 Topps Mike Rogodzinski

If I had to choose just 1 card to summarize 1970s Baseball, it would either be Reggie Jackson's 1975 Topps card or Mike Rogodzinski's 1974 Topps card above. Ultimately, I'd likely decide on the former, but the "busy" one above would give Jackson a run for his money.

Truth be told, it's cards like this that are motivating me to start collecting the 1974 Topps set once I complete '79. Everything about it, from the uniform to the sunglasses, screams the 1970s, and I love every single aspect of it.

#492 2007 Topps Greg Norton

In most instances, the 2007 Topps design just doesn't work; the foil text is often challenging to read, the colored squares are highly unnecessary, and the facsimile signature doesn't belong on cards from the 2000s.

I'm not exactly sure if Topps was trying to pay homage to 1971 Topps when creating the '07 design or if they wanted to try something new and create a set with black borders in the 21st century. 

All I know is that 2007 Topps is a disappointment, but it ranks high as far as products from the 2000s are concerned given how mediocre most of the Flagship designs were.

#493 1995 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Ozzie Guillen

Judging solely from Guillen's cap, I notice that the White Sox are commemorating some team with their uniforms that made an appearance in the 1995 Upper Deck Collector's Choice set. However, I can't identify the club, so if anyone could let me know, I'd greatly appreciate it.

In addition to the unfamiliar uniform, there's another element to this card of which I'm very fond of; the photographer timed this action photo incredibly well and ended up with a fabulous shot of Guillen making a play at shortstop.

In fact, it's cards like this from Collector's Choice and the Upper Deck base set that allowed them to, in some ways, create better cards than Topps did for a few years in the 1990s.

#1984 Topps Rollie Fingers

Last but not least, a beautiful card of a Hall of Fame pitcher to end what has been a sensational frankenset page. As if there weren't enough old school uniforms on this page already, here comes Rollie Fingers and his powder blue Brewers jersey to end page #55 on a high note.

I've praised the 1984 Topps design multiple times before on the blog, and Fingers' card is one of the most iconic cards from the product as well. There's, undoubtedly, some tough competition on this page, but I'd have to rank Fingers' card as one of my favorites.

His, along with Pascual Perez and, of course, Mike Rogodzinski, share the honors of the greatest card from this action-packed 55th frankenset page.

Frankenset Page #52

I've gotten into a habit of writing 1 frankenset post each and every week, usually on Thursday or Friday. Today, it's time to continue that trend with page #52 out of a set of 74. This particular sheet showcases cards #460-468, dating back as far as 1974 or as recently as 2010.

As I continue to contemplate Wednesday's post and which, if any, of the 3 recently-released Baseball card sets I'd consider purchasing, let me go over each of the 9 cards of the next frankenset page.

#460 1974 Topps Boog Powell

Boog Powell's 1974 Topps card is just another reason why I'm strongly considering collecting this set after I complete one of the vintage Topps products that I'm currently piecing together. The base design is decent, much better than 1973, but the photos, like '73 Topps, are impressive and diverse.

Additionally, the 660-card checklist is far more manageable, aided by the fact that mid and late 1970s Topps cards are significantly cheaper than 1970-1972, thanks in large part to Topps' decision to stop producing these sets in multiple series. 

#461 1991 Score Jose Lind

In the late 80s and early 90s, Score's base sets consisted of different colored borders in order to add variety to the checklists. Although I struggle to find anything noteworthy about these sets, I appreciate the effort made. 

Some of these combinations, like the dark blue border with the Pirates' home jersey, actually don't look that bad.

#462 1987 Topps Scott Fletcher

I once read in an article that Topps designed the 1987 Topps design with 1962 Topps in mind in order for kids collecting at the time to connect more with their parents who grew up collecting in the early 1960s. 

Ever since, I haven't been able to see '87 as anything more than a 2nd-rate version of the original wood border set, combined with the fact that Topps drastically overproduced the '87 insert set back in 2017.

#463 2003 Topps Chan Ho Park

Some collectors forget the fact that the Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers following the 1971 season. Therefore, I commend Topps for choosing this particular image of Chan Ho Park for the 2003 Flagship set; an image showing the pitching in a throwback Senators uniform, presumably during a road game.

#464 1992 The Sporting News Conlon Collection Clark Griffith

Speaking of the Washington Senators, the subject of the subsequent card on the 52nd frankenset page, Clark Griffith, played for that club for 3 seasons. I guess you truly do learn something new every day, for I never knew of this player until I first saw this card, nevermind the fact that he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

#465 1991 Topps Ken Griffey

At this point in their respective careers, Ken Griffey and his son, Ken Griffey Jr, found themselves as teammates on the Seattle Mariners. Though they wouldn't be on the same team for long, this father-son duo made history in 1990 when they hit back-to-back home runs. 

I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to Baseball history, but I don't recall any other father and son accomplishing this particular feat.

#466 1984 Fleer Dave Concepcion

Undoubtedly, this Dave Concepcion card from 1984 Fleer is my favorite of the 9 showcased on this page. From the 80s logo to the uniform to Concepcion's own bat, almost everything on this card is a bright and bold shade of red. 

If I'm this fond of cards like this in 1984 Fleer, I really should start collecting the 1985 Fleer set, a product that features the same colorful cards from the 1980s while pairing them with a sleek silver set design.

#467 2017 Topps Heritage Gregory Polanco

Excluding a few possible cards from Heritage High Number, this card will end up being one of the last Topps Heritage cards of the frankenset. Considering where we are in the frankenset checklist, most Topps Heritage cards would fall under the category of SPs, like the Gregory Polanco card above. 

#468 2010 Topps Delmon Young

The final card features a mid-swing shot from 2010 Topps of Delmon Young, a key contributor to a surprisingly successful Minnesota Twins team 9 years ago. Now, almost a decade later, the Twins are having yet another sensational season, led by players that include ace Jose Berrios and young outfielder Eddie Rosario.