A Master Set Completed (Almost): 1995 Fleer Team Leaders Card Gallery

Since I'm in the mood for sharing cards lately instead of general pontification about random cards and lamenting the fate of the erstwhile team of my fandom, here's a neat little gallery of an insert set I've recently completed after years of searching.  This set is the 1995 Fleer Team Leaders set.

They, of course, look nothing like the infamous 6 design wackiness of the 1995 Fleer base set.  They are shiny; they are black; they are foily; they are sublime.   Each card represents one team (back in the days of 28 teams) with a hitting leader on one side and a pitching leader on the other side.  I randomly chose which ones to show for each card.

As for the master set  part of this, I somehow now have the whole base set plus all the insert sets except for one trailer. That would be the 1995 Rookie Sensations set.  These were only inserted in jumbo packs or magazine packs or whatever they were called in 1995.  Anyone have any of these?  Anyone care to get rid of them?    In all seriousness, this brings me so much closer to my first master set (at least I think there are, unless there's some stealth parallel I haven't heard about).  The plans are to use it to wallpaper the pathway to the whirling vortex of animated perspectives.  Then, 1995 Fleer can finally fulfill its ultimate destiny.

A Fantastic Catch of Cards

Notice I joined the world of pun titles, and started with a bad one.
Sometime in the hazy sunlit past, I made a deal with Fantastic Catch (who's holding a cool group break by the way with sign-ups open right now and deserves the patronage of your support).  He was able to touch on quite a few parts of my wantlist with precision and credulity and gets a Jim Edmonds level catch rating in my book.

2010 Topps Update Ivan Rodriguez: Pudge V2.0 has crossed off into the sunset at the conclusion of last year, and here marks one of his first versions of cards with his last team. Surprisingly, not all cards I need are Phillies as you can see.  For some reason, I;m still building the 2010 Update set.  It might be because I love to see players in their new uniforms for the first time.  I always expect these to be glossier like the Topps Traded sets pre-1993.

2011 Topps Purple Diamond Ryan Howard: These were only inserted in Toys R Us packs, and I've ran out of reasons to go there at my age.  This card I never would've received in a pack, so that was righteous.

2011 Topps Opening Day Carlos Ruiz: Chooch knows no other holiday except opening day.  I'm still voting for him for the all-star game.

2010 Topps Update More Tales of the Game Roy Halladay:  When the Phillies played a home game in Toronto because of one those world leader summits that are held ever so often. If Halladay was moderator of the G20 summitt, maybe they would finally comprehend the correlation between hard work and success and stop false negotiating.  "I threw a perfect game...what did you do?" would be the perfect retort to those leaders.

2010 Upper Deck Supreme Chase Utley and 2010 Upper Deck Kyle Kendrick: Remember when Upper Deck tried to produce a set without logos?  I think they forgot to airbrush something on the Utley insert.  Kendrick demonstrates the perfect pose for such a set: profilin' with style.  Supposedly, these Supreme cards were rare, but they're not serial numbered.  There could be 100 or a bajillion.  Any card with Utley with sunglasses is a good card for me.

And with that, I thank you for perusing some of the haul from Fantastic Catch (and thanking him too).

The Phillies Cards of the 1970s: They have been Binderized

Sometimes one reaches a milestone in the collection that is definable and jubbily all at the same time. I have completed my 1970s Phillies binder. I now have all Topps cards (and the SSPC team set) from the 1970s, completing all major issues from 1970-1979.

The last cards to track down were, of course, from the high number series of 1972 Topps. I don't know how people are trying to collect that set, just getting the 6 or so that I needed for the Phillies team set at a reasonable rate was challenge enough.

What were the cards of significance that filled in those last pages of the binder and closed that wantlist forever (or until Kellogg's and O-Pee-Chee cards are added)?

1972 Topps Rookie Stars Tom Hutton (and two non-Phillies): This marks Tom Hutton's 3rd appearance on a rookie stars card, having previously appeared in 1967 Topps and 1969 Topps as a Dodger.  By 1972, he still qualified as a rookie since he had not yet reached the rookie eligibility benchmark (having only made 58 plate appearances in two previous seasons).

The 1972 season would be his first full season in the majors, in which he played 1st base and outfield with .260 AVG, 4 HR, and 38 RBIs and a good batting eye with 56 BB vs. 24 K. He would stay as  a Phillie until 1977.

Have you noticed that this title of this card is sort of non-descript? Rookie Stars AL-NL is as generic as it can get.  This is strange because all the other 1972 Topps Rookie Star cards are set up by team with either two or three players per card.  Check out Carlton Fisk's rookie card for the most famous example.  It might as well say "rookie stars who fit into a category (position), but we didn't put positions on any pf the other rookie stars so we couldn't put that in the title."

1972 Topps Willie Montanez: Willie Montanez is here featured in a rookie cup card back when it was the striking giant trophy on the front.  He finished 2nd in the ROY voting in 1971, leading the league in sacrifice flies with 13.  Ok, that's probably not the reason why he finished 2nd in the voting, though he was one of only two rookies to receive votes in the NL (besides the winner Earl Williams). 

Montanez hit .255/.327/.471 with an impressive 30 HR and 99 RBI, finishing 2nd on the team in OPS and overall power production (behind Deron Johnson).  He never was able to replicate that production as a Phillie and was traded to the Giants for Garry Maddox.

And with the completion of the 1972 Topps set, so ends the quest to fill in the 1970s binder.  It's only time before more space is made for other reasons to accommodate variations and other sets besides Topps.  The work of a collector is never done, and conversely, neither is the enjoyment.

Cards from JABO's Garage

Sometimes you get cards in the mail from unexpected sources, for me it was from Kyle of JABO
He was holding a clearance sale of sorts and I claimed the Phillies for a very reduced price to augment the paucity of cards that are presently lacking from the junk wax era and beyond (since most of them are in PA, while I'm in CA, and I have no idea which ones I had in the first place, except for 1990 Topps, I had all those little buggers).

Here are some of the favorites for various reasons. 

1991 Stadium Club Pat Combs: I love 1991 Stadium Club, I'm not going to lie.  He sent over almost the whole team set of this wondrous set, which outshines all others from the topsy-turvy year of yore.  Pat Combs was the first prospect of significance I remember. He went 4-0 in September....as a rookie....with 30 K and 6 BB in 38 innings.  Somehow, 1990 was his only full season.

1982 Topps Traded Mike Krukow: 1982 Topps Traded will be one of the last sets I acquire for my small box sets collection of the 80s and 90s.  That is all because of one card, the Ripken.  This is Krukow's debut as a Phillie, which was a quick passthrough on the way to San Fran, where he resides to this day (at least announces the games).

1980 Topps Pete Rose: Here is Rose's first mainstream card as a Phillie (with the 1979 Burger King preceding it). 1979 was notable because it was his 10th season with 200 or more hits, which has only been matched since by Ichiro.

2007 Upper Deck Jayson Werth: Continuing the theme of 1st year Phillies cards, here's Jayson Werth, pre-beard. These look like spring training uniforms, but are actually batting practice uniforms only wore from 2007-2009.  I think Werth and the Phillies miss each other as they were, going to Washington hasn't worked for either of them.

2010 Topps Peak Performance Raul Ibanez: Ibanez made the all-star team in 2009 replacing Pat Burrell in left field with career highs in HR, SLG, and OPS+.  Check out his stats through May 31: .332/.394/.684 with 17 HR and 46 RBIs.

1993 Upper Deck Diamond Gallery Dave Hollins: I liked Dave Hollins a lot when he was on his first stint as a Phillie.  He was super intense on the field and got hit by a lot of pitches, just like me.  I had not actually heard of this set before receiving this card, so that was a nice surprise.

1991 Topps Archives Richie Ashburn: This is what happens when reproductions are done by ghost printers.

2000 Topps Chrome Chad Ogea: Chad Ogea is what happened to teams struggling fill to fill a rotation in 1999.  That was not a good pitching team with a team ERA of 4.92.

I do love to fill up my Phillies boxes, so thanks for the cards, Kyle.

3rd call of the week for the group break: these boxes are feeling neglected

There will now be 7 guaranteed hits per slot.  I am adding a wild card round after the box breaks are done.  $60 for the first slot, $55 for second.




Here are the final details for the group break here. Only 4 slots left!

1. me

2. Brad's Blog

3. Arno

4. FieldLevelView

5. Brad's Blog

6. Tim (to be confirmed)

7.

8.

9.

10. 

1. 1 box of 2011 Leaf Ink- 4 slabbed buyback autos plus a 1/1 cut auto per box
2. 2 boxes of 2011 Leaf Valiant- 10 prospect autos per box
3. 2 boxes of 2010 Panini Century Collection-5 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box (multi-sport and celebrity cards included)
4. 1 box of 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars-4 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box plus an off-chance at a Bryce Harper USA card.

5. 2 boxes of 2007 Tristar Prospects Plus- 10 prospect autos per box

How I envision this is there will be 10 people needed to sign up.   Each slot you sign up for will be for a total of guaranteed SIX auto or memorabilia cards plus other cards from the Signature Stars and Tristar Prospects Plus box AT A MINIMUM.  Also, please choose up to two teams for the base cards from the Signature Stars/Prospects Plus box.  (Notice that the number of hits adds up to 59, there is also a wild card slot that you can choose something from my collection of which there will be two categories to choose from).

Once you get your numbers, (1-10), then they will be randomized for the first round.  After that, a snake-style draft will result with at least six rounds.

 Then, the first person will choose a box and a number.  For example, the first person will choose something like 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #1....this means that they will get the first choice from that box.  The next person can then choose 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #2 (which means the 2nd choice from that box) or the 1st choice from any other box such as 2011 Leaf Ink #1.

NOTE: For your choice, you do not have to choose a hit.  For example, there are Team USA cards in Signature Stars, these can count.

Cost for participation is a little pricey, but think of it this way....would you rather get some guaranteed autos/relics from mid-high end products or buy more blasters of Heritage or Archives.

Sign Up for the Mid-End Group Break of the Year! (disclaimer:no official voting actually done)

There will now be 7 guaranteed hits per slot.  I am adding a wild card round after the box breaks are done.  $60 for the first slot, $55 for second.




Here are the final details for the group break here. Only 4 slots left!

1. me

2. Brad's Blog

3. Arno

4. FieldLevelView

5. Brad's Blog

6. Tim (to be confirmed)

7.

8.

9.

10. 

1. 1 box of 2011 Leaf Ink- 4 slabbed buyback autos plus a 1/1 cut auto per box
2. 2 boxes of 2011 Leaf Valiant- 10 prospect autos per box
3. 2 boxes of 2010 Panini Century Collection-5 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box (multi-sport and celebrity cards included)
4. 1 box of 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars-4 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box plus an off-chance at a Bryce Harper USA card.

5. 2 boxes of 2007 Tristar Prospects Plus- 10 prospect autos per box

How I envision this is there will be 10 people needed to sign up.   Each slot you sign up for will be for a total of guaranteed SIX auto or memorabilia cards plus other cards from the Signature Stars and Tristar Prospects Plus box AT A MINIMUM.  Also, please choose up to two teams for the base cards from the Signature Stars/Prospects Plus box.  (Notice that the number of hits adds up to 59, there is also a wild card slot that you can choose something from my collection of which there will be two categories to choose from).

Once you get your numbers, (1-10), then they will be randomized for the first round.  After that, a snake-style draft will result with at least six rounds.

 Then, the first person will choose a box and a number.  For example, the first person will choose something like 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #1....this means that they will get the first choice from that box.  The next person can then choose 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #2 (which means the 2nd choice from that box) or the 1st choice from any other box such as 2011 Leaf Ink #1.

NOTE: For your choice, you do not have to choose a hit.  For example, there are Team USA cards in Signature Stars, these can count.

Cost for participation is a little pricey, but think of it this way....would you rather get some guaranteed autos/relics from mid-high end products or buy more blasters of Heritage or Archives.

Card Spotlight: 1956 Topps Del Ennis

Why is Del Ennis smiling?  It could be

1. because he's on an awesome and artistic 1956 Topps card.
2. because he knows exactly how many home runs to hit in 1956 to pass Chuck Klein for 1st on the Phillies all-time home run list.
3. because he started an all-star game in 1955 for the 2nd time in his career (though Stan Musial pinch hit for him after only 1 at-bat)
4.  because Andy Seminick came back to the Phillies.
5. because there's no better feeling in the world than jumping in the air to catch a fly ball.

Have a great weekend!

Group Break Signups Continue-Even More Added Content

There will now be 7 guaranteed hits per slot.  I am adding a wild card round after the box breaks are done.  $60 for the first slot, $55 for second.




Here are the final details for the group break here. Only 4 slots left!

1. me

2. Brad's Blog

3. Arno

4. FieldLevelView

5. Brad's Blog

6. Tim (to be confirmed)

7.

8.

9.

10. 

1. 1 box of 2011 Leaf Ink- 4 slabbed buyback autos plus a 1/1 cut auto per box
2. 2 boxes of 2011 Leaf Valiant- 10 prospect autos per box
3. 2 boxes of 2010 Panini Century Collection-5 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box (multi-sport and celebrity cards included)
4. 1 box of 2009 Upper Deck Signature Stars-4 total autograph/memorabilia cards per box plus an off-chance at a Bryce Harper USA card.

5. 2 boxes of 2007 Tristar Prospects Plus- 10 prospect autos per box

How I envision this is there will be 10 people needed to sign up.   Each slot you sign up for will be for a total of guaranteed SIX auto or memorabilia cards plus other cards from the Signature Stars and Tristar Prospects Plus box AT A MINIMUM.  Also, please choose up to two teams for the base cards from the Signature Stars/Prospects Plus box.  (Notice that the number of hits adds up to 59, there is also a wild card slot that you can choose something from my collection of which there will be two categories to choose from).

Once you get your numbers, (1-10), then they will be randomized for the first round.  After that, a snake-style draft will result with at least six rounds.

 Then, the first person will choose a box and a number.  For example, the first person will choose something like 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #1....this means that they will get the first choice from that box.  The next person can then choose 2010 Panini Century Collection box 1 #2 (which means the 2nd choice from that box) or the 1st choice from any other box such as 2011 Leaf Ink #1.

NOTE: For your choice, you do not have to choose a hit.  For example, there are Team USA cards in Signature Stars, these can count.

Cost for participation is a little pricey, but think of it this way....would you rather get some guaranteed autos/relics from mid-high end products or buy more blasters of Heritage or Archives.

Top 9 Activities for the Day Where There is No Sports

Today was the most boring day of the year for a baseball fan (or really most sports fans).  There was no live action at all.  After the bewildering spectacle of the all-star game exhibition that counts with every player wearing a different hat, what is there to do with oneself?

Some of us are collectors and have turned towards the majesty of the Ginter to light the way, but not all of us are so lucky to have new packs and boxes to rip just on the day of its annointed arrival into the world.

Here are some alternative activities that may or may not have occurred on this night for me.

1. Reenacted the last scene of  "The Natural" with various cards and bobblehead dolls.
2.Cleaned the dishes by hand, and after every dish was completed, kissed my fingers and pointed them to the sky a la Sammy Sosa.
3. Practiced headlocks on unsuspecting neighbors that were running at me.
4. Watched the ESPYs while wearing a tuxedo.
5. Wrote letters to friends using hieroglyphs of MLB team logos.
6. Canvassed the neighborhood with petitions to put a baseball on the ballot as a candidate for the state senate.
7. Timed out the 7th inning stretch from a 7:05 start time in each time zone and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" each time.
8. Drank as many sodas as possible to make a chair in the shape of a baseball glove out of the empty cans.
9.  Held a home run derby in the living room with broomsticks and ping pong balls.

As you can see, there are many ways to keep busy while there isn't baseball or Ginter around to occupy your time in these hazy summer months.  Thankfully, this is the only day like this during the season.  Feel free to use any of these ideas for next year if you must.

Sparkly Card Gallery: 2011 Fanfest Cards

Here are 5 of the 7 Fanfest cards that were able to be redeemed at the Topps booth for the 2011 Fanfest cards this year (I seem to have misplaced the other two cards' scans: not pictured are Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard).  It seems that the checklist went the route of perennial all-stars/big mashers + the worthy hometown team addition of Justin Upton last year.

 As with most years, it was fairly simple, to redeem these cards, you needed to buy packs of any Topps product on the floor of the Fanfest.  Every 3 wrappers got you one of these cards.  The only caveat was that there was a timed limit for how many cards you could get at a time or something...Luckily, our little group of 4 was able to get around that with planning and an employee who wanted to get rid of the cards and didn't fully count the wrappers and gave us 3 full sets between the 4 of us.

The motif certainly fit last year's diamond anniversary edition of Topps.  They are sparkly beyond all sparkly (and fairly rare and inexpensive, apparently only 250 of each card was distributed on each day of the fanfest...which gives a total of (drumroll) 1250 copies per card).

I love Fanfest cards and am willing to take any in trade (especially the Pinnacle ones from the 30 card set distributed at the 1996 fanfest; 16 years later and i'm still missing half the set).

Anyone know the details of this year's redemption program in Kansas City?

Not an all-star in 2012.

Not an all-star in 2012.

Not an all-star in 2012.

Not an all-star in 2012.

Finally, a repeat all-star. I guess not everyone can be an all-star every year.

 Random question: Which league do you support in the all-star game and why? I have always supported the National League, not just because of the Phillies' players presence on the team, but also because I've generally liked the players more...I mean, there are no Yankees on the NL squad ever.

All-Time Phillies First Baseman List: 2010 Topps Ryan Howard Commemorative Patch Representing

This is one of two commemorative patches worth getting for me from the last few years of blaster box patches; the other one of course is one featuring the 1980 World Series. That would be a bias for winning years. The Phillies are not in the midst of a winning year. There's an obvious statement...discuss the implications. But with every dark cloud of a season, there are sparkles in the darkness (or silver linings). Last night, Ryan Howard returned to burnish the desire of every Phillies fan to scream out, "Well, let's see what would have happened if everyone was healthy." This is the rallying cry of many doomed teams. Of course, they are 1-8 since Utley's return, so there are no guarantees. Howard has had a starburst type of career in that it has been short, productive, and hard to predict where the next light will fall. His best year was his MVP year of 2006 when he had 58 HR, 149 RBI, and other career highs in AVG (.313), OBP (.425), SLG (.659), OPS+ (167), total bases (383),and BB (108). He had great seasons in 2007 and 2009 with 2008 being a great power season. 2010 and 2011 were merely good seasons in the scheme of things. His on base and power production both dropped significantly from that peak, and if not for the injury has looked into settling into a 125 OPS+ player with 30 HR, 100 RBI, and .350 OBP. Productive, but not worth $25 million per year (but that's a discussion for another day. Historically, first base has not been a strong position for the Phillies over the years. There have been some outstanding seasons and few outstanding players over the years that have played there for multiple seasons. Howard easily ranks first in Phillies history. Here's a cursory look at the rankings based on nothing more than statistical glances, longevity, and arbitrary bonuses for the postseason. 1. Ryan Howard (2005-present) 2. John Kruk (1989-1993) 3. Pete Rose (1979-1983) 4. Dolph Camilli (1934-1937) 5. Jim Thome (2003-2005) 6. Fred Luderus (1910-1920) 7. Don Hurst (1928-1934) 8. Willie Montanez (1971-1975) 9. Eddie Waitkus (1949-1953) 10. Von Hayes (1986-1988) 11. Frank McCormick (1946-1947) 12. Deron Johnson (1969-1973) 13. Rico Brogna (1997-2000) 300. Travis Lee (2000-2002) 500. John Mabry (2002 for 21 games)

74. Junior High Countdown: 1994 Leaf Limited

The Stats
1994 Leaf Limited was a 160 card set distributed in 5 card packs with 20 packs per box.  The SRP was probably $3.99 per pack.

The Design
The front was pure silver foil with the newly developed Leaf Limited logo, sunrays on the side, and team logo in holographic form.  The player portrait was superimposed on the silver foil.  The back was gray in color with a quote, small portrait box of the player, and career stats.


The Rookies
The only rookie was Brian Anderson.


The Inserts
There was insert set, 1994 Leaf Limited Gold All-Stars.  The starters of the previous year's all-star game was the checklist, with each featured on a gold version of their base cards, numbered to 10000.


The Impact
Leaf Limited was the first foray into the expensive side of collecting (high-end for 1994 was $4.00 per pack and up) for Donruss.  It's entry and design was essentially the forefather of the Limited and Elite lines which continue to this day (though not always in baseball).

The Summary
1994 Leaf Limited was the introduction to a new superpremium line by the Donruss/Leaf Inc.  What does superpremium mean in the 'mid 90s?  It means more foil per, less cards per pack, and higher pack prices.   It wasn't SuperLeaf or Donruss Excellent, that's for sure.  It's selling point was that it was limited, only 3000 20 box cases were produced, but at the same time, there were no real parallels or high value inserts or rookies to chase. 

The best cards you could get at the time were the Griffey, Thomas, or Ripken Gold All-Stars.  They were not distinguishable or more desirable than the Donruss Elite series, and in a way, were easier to pull because there were less packs to pull them from with the same numbering.  

I also would like to point out that the cards were easily scratchable and any mark stayed forever.  Limited and condition sensitive aren't the worst characteristics to have in a product, but when there are few other redeeming factors, there's no reason to chase this set now except to have the original version.