Lee Stevens = 0 points
Had a decent career. 1012 games, 3332 AB as an average hitter with no speed. Played on three division-winning Rangers teams that lost to the Yankees in the first round each time.
Ray Durham = 2 points
All-Star selection in '98 and '00. He seems to be telling the photographer that he is not amused.
Geoff Blum = 0 points
Rare card: a good action shot in base Topps.
Joe Girardi = 1 point
That's more like it, Topps. Joe is in the swinging-bat pose on a practice field. He made an All-Star team in 2000 for some unknown reason.
Sammy Sosa - Sporting News All-Stars = 28 points
Slammin' Sammy. Seven-time All-Star. Seven-time MVP top ten, including winning it all in '98 (.308/66/158/18).
Miguel Tejada - Red Back = 10 points
Miggy takes a pitch for a ball in the Red Back game. Did anyone play this? Miggy has made four All-Star teams and has two top-ten MVP finishes, including winning it all in '02 (.308/34/131/7 in 162 games as a SS).
Jason Tyner = 0 points
More of a AAAA player than a MLB regular. Has only played 100 or more games twice, and has never had a season with a league average OPS.
Toby Hall = 0 points
Another career-long MLB scrub, though he did play 384 games in a three-year stretch for the Devil Rays from '03 to '05. Still, backup catcher beats my day job.
Ryan Drese = 0 points
The Dud Parade continues. Drese's only good season was '04, with 207IP of 4.20 ERA, for a 14-10 record. It looks like this photo may have been taken during a spring training rain delay.
Nick Johnson - Topps All-Star Rookie = 0 points
Nick the Stick has been swinging a decent one for the Nats for a few years now, though Dmitri Young has taken over the 1B job.
That's Sosa, Miggy, and a bunch of not much else for a total of 41 points. After three packs, we have 127 points. Get those guesses in to me before the final pack is posted Sunday.
Man, I really need to get some 2003 Topps cards. I also don't think I have any Girardi cards for my Cardinals collection.
ReplyDeleteI really like the design. The blue border works well, and the second smaller photo on the front is a nice element. You've got an easy-to-read name, a position, a team logo, and an overall design that is not too busy but certainly is not generic. In my crazier moments I think about trying to put together a gold set.
ReplyDeleteRay Durham has quietly compiled a very solid career -- 2,000 hits, 275 stolen bases, 6-straight 100-run seasons (and 1200+ for his career). He's one of those guys who always got 150 hits a season that you never heard much of.
ReplyDeleteHe really has. I've never been impressed with him, but when I look at how long he's been able to swing a slightly-above-average bat, I'm surprised. I saw him in Birmingham in '93, and remember thinking he wasn't anything special. No power, lots of strikeouts, had speed but still got caught stealing a lot. He's one of those guys that came on late. He found enough power in his late 20's to be valuable, and his been able to sustain it for a lot longer than most can.
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