The Dirty Dozen: 1998 Circa Thunder

The twelfth pack of twelve is of 1998 Circa Thunder. Let's rip!

One cool thing about Circa -- well, other than the tripped out designs -- are the backs. On the back of each card is a quote from either the player, or about the player.

Base:
Denny Neagle

"I'm the type of guy who gets so worked up for a game, I like to take myself away from it. I don't want to think about it all day."

-- Denny Neagle on his pregame ritual of going to the movies. Associated Press, 7/29/97

John C-3POlerud

"I didn't know what to expect [playing in New York]. But I just had a great experience. The reception I got from the fans was great."

-- John C-3POlerud, AP, 11/25/97

Edgardo Alfonso

"The way he moves and his throw remind me of Brooks Robinson. The ball goes in his glove, he collects himself and makes the throw."

-- Mets Manager Bobby Valentine, mlb.com/special/mwb14.sml

Reggie Sanders

"He's been working so hard, and he's got a great attitude as far as what he's trying to do."

-- Reds Coach Dennis Menke, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/22/97

Chipper Jones

"My only goal... is just to be one-ninth of the equation that hopefully gets us back to the World Series."

-- Chipper Jones, atlantabraves.com/web/clubhouse/interviews/jones.html

Brian Johnson

"I'm going up aggressively anyway because sometimes aggression breaks a pitchers' concentration."

-- Brian Johnson, San Francisco Examiner, 9/25/97

David Wells

"I love pressure situations , and I can handle it with the best of them."

-- David Wells, AP, 10/15/97

Alan Benes

"He's the type of guy who can go out and throw a no-hitter every five days because he throws the ball so hard and because of his breaking pitches."

-- Former Cardinals pitcher Andy Benes, AP, 5/18/97

Well, there you have it. 12 packs, five different C-3POleruds, and a grand total of eleven cards that I actually needed for my sets.

So we return to the beginning. Did this make me "better feeling?" Ripping wax always makes me feel better -- and this exercise was no exception. But I was a little disappointed in the final results. Maybe I should have ripped mid-90s wax? (foreshadowing)

The Dirty Dozen: 1997 Score Series Two Hobby Reserve

Two more packs to go in the Dirty Dozen, and the penultimate pack is one of my favorites: 1997 Score Series Two Hobby Reserve.

For an explanation of what "Hobby Reserve" is, and why it differs from regular ol' '97 Score, check out this pack I ripped from the 20-for-$40.

Base:
Ken Griffey, Jr. (Checklist)
Erik Hanson
Tim Salmon (Goin' Yard)
John C3PO-lerud

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kevin Mitchell
Benji Gil
Brant Brown (Rookie)
Jeff King
Bruce Ruffin
Bernie Williams (GY)
Rick Helling
Darren Lewis
Gary DiSarcina
Gerald Williams

Parallels:
Showcase Series (1:5) NOE-MAH!!!! (RC)

The Dirty Dozen: 1999 Fleer Tradition

Two straight packs without an Olerud. Should I press my luck and make it three-in-a-row?

Today's pack is 1999 Fleer Tradition Hobby. Ten cards, all UV-coated and dripping in gold foil, for only a buck. '99 FleerTrad has a 600-card base set and each ten-card pack has a Vintage '61 insert. Like the Vintage '63 inserts in '98FleerTrad, these are a pseudo-parallel of the first fifty base set cards, but done in the style of the 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats set.

In addition there are some other cool inserts including a ten-card, 1:96, "Diamond Magic." These cards had a kaleidoscopic wheel embedded into the card. You know that optical illusion disc you bought at the gift shop on your eighth grade field trip to the Smithsonian? It's like that.



I give you a sec for your rods-n-cones to recover.

Ok?

Base:
Aaron Ledsma
Tim Salmon
Adrian Brown
Bob Wickman
Jason Kendall
Mark Brownson
Andruw Jones
A-Rod (Checklist)

Inserts:
Vintage '61 (1:1) Andres Galarraga
Stan Musial Monumental Moments (1:36) "The 1948 Season"

The Dirty Dozen: 1999 Skybox Metal Universe

Here's another pack that I also busted in the 20-for-$40. I'm hoping I pull a subset card or an insert, just so I can post all those ridiculously written card-backs.

Base Set:
Carlos Guillen (Building Blocks)
YES!!! First card in the pack, first subset card for me to ridicule!

"Yo, `G!' You're a player. Missed some games in '96 but still named to the All-Star team. This kid's got game! The M's traded the Big Unit for you and your phat skills, and you stroked .333 in Seattle in '98. We can see why they want you in the family. Show Seattle what'cha got, 'Los. Word!"

Travis Lee (MLPD)
OMG!!!! Another subset card!!!!

"Mr. Lee, we believe da hype. Mr. Lee, you knew we'd be watching. `Mr. Lumber Machine,' takin' your place in the middle of the brand-new Diamondbacks' order as a rook, no doubt. We believe, 'cause we know you're a former U.S. Olympian who hit better than .330 last year in the minors. What did you do?? Go 3-for-4 in your MLB debut while clubbing Arizona's first-ever DING-er. History, Baby!"

Troy Glaus (BB)
Holy Shit! Three-for-three on the subsets!!!

IT'S BAD SUBSET MOJO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"So much for easin' your way in. You dipped your toes in `The Show' and had a shark of a pennant race pull you into the deep end. (ed. note: WTF does that supposed to mean?) Wow, you scorched training camp pitching to the tune of .423 in '98. That's large, like you. Maybe those Ripken comparisons aren't so wack after all."

Mickey Morandini
Out first actual player card -- and of a 1993 Phillie, no less. Unfortunately, he's pictured as a Cub. (I forgot that the Phightin's traded him to Chicago for Doug Glanville.)

Barry Bonds (Caught on the Fly)
Another awful '99 Skybox Metal Universe subset card! That's, like, four in one pack! My God, this has got to be the greatest pack of baseball cards ever!

BARRY-MOJO!!!!!!!!!

"If/when B-squared doesn't dail long distance ("Hello, operator, gimmie Jack City"), then he takes his bases on at a time. The oppositions thinks of him as a man of steal, and why not? You-n-Fly know he's super, man. In fact, when he looks at his career `I' chart, his vision comes up a perfect 400/400."

Chili Davis

Is the all-time leader in homers and RBI by a player from Jamaica. Then again, there have only been three Major Leaguers from Jamaica.

Andy Pettitte
Have we forgiven him? You know, for the whole Mitchell Report/Kirk Radomski thing?

Gregg Olson
This is Gregg-with-two-G's, closer and 1989 AL ROY; as opposed to Greg-with-one-G, former Atlanta Brave catcher. Both Olsen's made the 1990 All-Star team. (I wonder what that conversation must have been like!)

Four hilariously funny subset cards and zero Oleruds. Great pack!

The Dirty Dozen: 1999 Bowman Series One

I had a nightmare last night involving a dungeon, water-based lubricant, and John Olerud in a C-3PO costume. Right now, seven packs into this 12-pack experiment, I am not "better feeling."

I need a break from all these bad waxpacks. 1999 Bowman Series One has never let me down. I ripped a pack of this stuff three months ago during the 20-for-$40, and it didn't suck (that much). This might be what I need.

Base
Scott Schoenweis
"Overcame Tommy John surgery and a bout with cancer while at Duke."

Jeff Yoder
"Won 71% of his decisions in 1996 for a team that won only 49% of its other games."

Jason Conti
"Pronounced Cont-eye ... Given name is Stanley -- named for Stan Musial."

Clayton Andrews
"Has not committed an error in his three professional seasons."

Raul Mondesi
"Weight-room workouts helped him to nearly double his HRs (16 in 1994 to 30 in 1997 and '98) ... Has growing rep for championship-style leadership."

Jason Rakers
"Attended University of Pittsburgh before transferring to New Mexico State."

Jorge Posada
"Long blessed with excellent hitting skills, Posada blossomed in 1998, smashing .357 against lefties and becoming the top catcher on one of history's greatest teams."

Rusty Greer
"Known as a contact hitter early on, Greer gradually improved his power, culminating with 26 HRs and a move to the third spot in the order in 1997."

Fernando Seguignol
"Acquired from Yankees in straight-up deal for relief whiz John Wetteland in 1994."

Parallel
International (one-per-pack): Trevor Hoffman
"Hoffman suffered from mechanical problems early in 1997, but he has since been unhittable, converting 80 of his last 82 save opportunities."

No John Olerud's! That's a relief.

The Dirty Dozen: 1999 Ultra

God I miss Ultra. And not that Ultra "SE" crap, but Fleer Fuckin' Ultra. So I was pleased to have found a pack of the 1999 edition in the TemDee dollar box.

Unfortunately, the design of 1999 Ultra looks a lot like '97 Ultra. And 2004 Ultra. And 2005 Ultra. And 2006 Ultra. And 2007 Ultra.....

Ok, Ok. So, design was never Ultra's main selling point. (How many ways can you possibly design a full-bleed card?), but something more important was: brand consistency. Year in and year out (2007 Ultra SE, notwithstanding), you knew what you were getting with Ultra: A 250-300 card base set (with 30-50 SPs), a one-per-pack Gold Medallion parallel, and collectible inserts.

Something interesting on the back of each card is a feature called "DARE TO COMPARE." Wedged between the player's stats and a Did You Know? snippet, D2C paired that player's stats with a retired star at the same point in both of their careers.

Listed besides each player is the legend Fleer "Dared to Compare" stats with.

Base:

Fatolo Colon
DARE TO COMPARE: Ralph Terry

Craig Counsell
DARE TO COMPARE: Davey Lopes

Mike Piazza
DARE TO COMPARE: Yogi Berra

Henry Rodriguez
DARE TO COMPARE: Bo Jackson

Rondell White
DARE TO COMPARE: Gary Matthews

Andy Benes
One of the few cards without a D2C.

Mike Lansing
DARE TO COMPARE: Davey Johnson

Frank Thomas (Checklist)

Parallels
Gold Medallion (one-per-pack): Royce Clayton
Another one without a D2C

Insert
The Book On... (1:6): Andruw Jones

100th POST SPECIAL!!!!! The Dirty Dozen: 1999 Sports Illustrated

Yah-Hoo!!! It's my 100th APAD post!



To celebrate, here's a pack of 1999 Sports Illustrated.

One thing I miss about Fleer, is the intense shine their cards had. 1999 Sports Illustrated had so much gloss on them, I swear, you need a pair of sunglasses just to view them. They're also very slippery, for some reason.

1999 was the third and final year for the SI brand, and it followed the same formula as before: 150-200 cards, heavy on the subsets. The backs have full career stats, but no other copy. And despite a 30-card "Team 2000" subset, there are no prominent rookies.

Base:
A-Rod (Season Highlights)
This card commerates A-Rod's 40-40 1998 season.

Ken Griffey, Jr.
Junior had back-to-back 56 HR seasons in '97 and '98.

Jose Canseco
The world's worst celebrity boxer is shown in a Toronto uniform, but listed as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray.

Dante Bichette
Nice horizontal shot of Bichette attempting to backhand a line drive down the left field line.

Greg Vaughn
I completely forgot that this guy hit 50 HRs in 1998.

Darin Erstad
I am exactly two days older than Darin Erstad.

The Dirty Dozen: 1998 Fleer Tradition Series One

In 1998, Fleer renamed their flagship brand "Fleer Tradition." But despite the name change, '98 FleerTrad is your standard issue late-90s base level product.

The first series was 350 cards with the last 50 (all of the subsets) short-printed -- the first time Fleer SPed the base set. Fleer also went back to a standard UV-coating after two years of giving their cards a matte finish.

Each pack came with three different one-per-pack inserts. The first (and most valuable) was Vintage '63; a Hobby only pesudo-partial parallel done in the style of the 1963 Fleer set. The second one-per-pack insert was a "Million Dollar Moment." These were part of a contest where, if you collected a full set of 50 MDM's, congratulations, you won $1,000,000! The catch being, the last five cards in the set were all extremely short-printed, and Fleer only made one copy of Joel Youngblood's card. MDM's were randomly inserted into packs of various Fleer baseball products in 1997 and '98.

The last insert is a Diamond Ink Point card. Diamond Ink was a redemption program where collectors who accumulated 500 point cards of a particular player could then redeem them and receive a genuine autographed baseball of that player. Point cards were seeded at the rate of one-per-pack in just about every 1998 Fleer product and ten different players signed for the program. It was a pretty neat idea, and I'm a but surprised that somebody else hasn't tried to replicate it.

The only thing that sucks about 1998 FleerTrad -- other than the unnecessary short-prints -- is the lack of any copy on the backs of the base cards. Just stats and a photo.

Base:
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (1997 MLB Debut)
Andres Galarraga (Free Agent Signed)
Wally Joyner
David Justice
John C-3POlerud
Kevin Orie ('97 Debut)
Deivi Cruz ('97 Debut)
Joey Cora

Inserts:
Vintage '63 (1:1) Larry Walker
The front notates his 1997 NL MVP.

Rookie Sensations (1:18) Todd Helton
In the early 90s, the Rookie Sensations were the shit. By '98, they had become just another insert. (And a rather unremarkable one if that.)

Million Dollar Moments (1:1) Frank Robinson
Diamond Ink (1:1) Tony Womack 1 Diamond Point

The Dirty Dozen: 1997 Finest Series Two

Not only did I choose one, I chose a dozen different junk waxpacks. All of them from 1997-99, and all of them for only $1/each.

But will they make me "better feeling?" That is the question.

First pack is 1997 Finest Series Two. This was the second (and thankfully) last year Finest was configured in it's multi-fractured, multi-subset format. The 175-card base set was divided into 100 "Commons" (or "Bronze" as they more commonly known), 50 "Uncommons" (Silver), and 25 "Rares" (Gold). The Silvers and Golds were short-printed and seeded into packs at the rate of 1:4 and 1:24 respectively, with refractors inserted at the rate of 1:12, 1:48 and 1:288.

The set is divided further into five different subsets, each with their own distinct design: Acquisitions (players who had changed teams), Masters (superstar players), Blue Chips (rookies), Power (power pitchers and power hitters), and Competitors (who compete, or something).

Like I did in the 20-for-$40 pack bust, in lieu of commentary, I'm just going to re-print the copy on the back of each card.

Base:
(All are Bronze)

Dean Palmer
COMPETITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS "At the plate: An already-productive hitter, Palmer outdid himself in1996 with a career-best 38 HR's and 107 RBI. In the field: His reliability and range improve every year at third, where he led the American League with 135 starts in '96."

Jim Leyritz
ACQUIRING TASTES "A valued utility player for the 1996 Yankees -- and a hero of their World Series win -- Leyritz offers the Angels a dangers bat and skills at catcher, first base, thrid base and left field. He hits for power against righties and lefties."

David Justice
ACQUIRING TASTES "After a 40-game 1996 season (thanks to shoulder surgery) in Atlanta, Justice arrives in Cleveland healthy and eager to join its revamped outfield corps. In a lineup looking for a lefty bat, he is penciled in for 20+ homers and 100+ RBI."

Ismael Valdez
POWER POINTS "Whiffed six or more batters 18 times, and seven or more 15 times, in 33 starts of 1996 ... Reached the seventh inning in 82% of his appearances ... Owns career high of 11 SO's (8/16/95) ... Had '96 season high of 10 on 4/24 versus Houston."

Walt Weiss
COMPETITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS "At the plate: Weiss is a bat control artist, selective hitter and tough out. In the field: He has committed more tham 19 errors at SS only once in a decade. On the basepaths: Maximizing average speed, he was 27-for-32 in SB's, 1995-96."

Jeff Cirillo
COMPETITVE CONTRIBUTIONS "At the plate: Cirillo, once lightly regarded, is now an XBH machine and reigns as club's single-season record holder for RBI (83) by a third baseman. In the field: He has outstanding range and one of the better hot corner arms in the game."

Did this pack make me better feeling? Not yet.

I should bust some more, shouldn't I?