Sunday, January 25, 2009

2003 Topps Series 2 Contest - Pack 7

This is the seventh and final pack in the contest. The total through the first six is 246 points. We've seen A-Rod, Helton (twice), Slammin Sammy, Tejada, Larry Walker, Vlad the Impaler, Larry Wayne MickeyFickey Jones, Old Blood Sock, and an amalgam of riff-raff and detritus. Here comes pack #7, hoping to end with a bang.


Gabe Kapler = 0 points
After a decade of meh, had a decent 229AB (117 OPS+) for the Brewers last year. That might have been his swan song.

Scott Rolen = 8 points
As good as he's been, he's only cracked the MVP top-ten once, in '04. He'd better have a long and gradual decline phase if he wants to make the HOF.


Corky Miller = 0 points
Has logged all of 335 big league ABs, including 60 last year for the Braves.

Drew Meyer - Draft Pick = 0 points
I'd like to assign negative points for a 1st round pick that has logged all of 14 AB in the bigs.


Eric Owens = 0 points
Once again Topps uses the same photo for the inset and the main image. I understand it's a lot of work to put together a base set of this size, but that is what we're paying you for. Stop cutting corners on the base set, Topps. That's right, folks, I'm ranting at Topps about a five-year-old set, because they haven't changed.

Randy Johnson - Award Winner - 2002 NL Cy Young = 37 points
Well that's three points right there on the card. Add in the Unit's 10 All-Star teams and his other either top-three Cy finishes, including FOUR. STRAIGHT. AWARDS. from '99 to '02, and we've got a lot of points.


Rondell White = 1 point
Made an All-Star team for the Padres in '03. Hard to say why, exactly.

Cliff Politte = 0 points
"Politte" is so close to "Petitte", yet so very, very far.


Philadelphia Philles
Without looking it up, I'm going to assume that these guys actually outscore Vladdy.

Reggie Taylor = 0 points
Who? Had 287 AB for the Reds in '02, and only 507 total for his career. Last seen in the bigs in '05.

The Unit puts this pack on his shoulders. A total of 46 points brings the contest total to 292. Remarkably, there were two guesses within one point. Aaron had 293, but ladydoth came in a day earlier at 291. I'll give Aaron some bonus points to be applied to the next contest. ladydoth, check your email and let me know where to send the cards to.

Thanks everyone for playing along. I'll be running another contest next week.

2 comments:

Grand Cards said...

That Eric Owens card actually has a different little picture--notice no bat behind the head and facing in a slightly different direction. The question is, why? Those pictures are so similar that what's the point of making them different?

Aaron said...

TIM! Thanks... I got my "consolation prize" today. I was glad to cut this wantlist down to just 11 cards, knocking 3 draft picks and Bonds off the short list. Thanks also for the gold foil parallel.
Aaron