The Best of the Rest: Challenges of Building a Frankenset

When I first learned about the concept of a Frankenset, I was excited. I had been setting aside unique cards for quite some time, and now I had a way to meaningfully organize them. Hunting for cards to fit the holes in your set is a fun pursuit, too. It's like hunting for cards in a regular set, but there's an added dimension because you have to find a card to fit the slot first. 

That's the stage I'm at with my Frankenset. I'm still hoping to fill 792 slots, and not surprisingly, most of the cards I need are in the 700s. But I'm getting there, slowly but surely I suppose. I figure I can make some custom checklist cards to fill 6 or 7 slots eventually if I can't find anything that fits some of those higher numbers. Lately, I've been scouring Trading Card Database and looking at sets that go above 660 in the hopes of filling some of those numbers. I'm about 50 to 75 cards short right now, but honing in on a wish list to get me closer. I'll post that soon when I have it organized, so if you can help, I'd be glad to swing a trade or two.

But this post is going to take a different angle on my Frankenset. For every card with #738 you find, there might be 2 or 3 or 4 cards with #135 that you'd like to put in your set.

But you can only pick one. That leads to some tough decisions. And cards that are more than worthy of finding their way into the set are suddenly on the outside looking in. This post is dedicated to some of those cards. 

The following pairs are cards with the same number. The card on the right made it into the Frankenset, and the card on the left was relegated to the "Best of the Rest" section at the back of the binder. I picked some of my favorite second place finishers to display, so hope you enjoy them. 

#219: 1983 Topps Mike Armstrong vs. 1994 Collector's Choice Jose Offerman

The Mike Armstrong card is an all-timer. Serial killer look paired with serial killer glasses. But I like the Offerman card. Apparently, the runner tried to break up a double play not by sliding, but by running straight into Offerman while the second baseman decided to get uncomfortably close to the play for some reason. Plus, it's the Silver Signature version!

#157: 1992 Donruss Triple Play Greg Harris vs. 1983 Donruss Goose Gossage

The glove on the head makes me want to choose Harris. The glasses make me want to go with Gossage (though Harris's are fantastic, too). The tiebreaker here is star power. I'm going with the Hall of Famer.

#274: 1995 Score Darren Lewis vs. 1982 Fleer Jack Morris

Darren Lewis appears to be trying to break up a double play here. But picture him for a moment on a waterslide... Works, doesn't it? 

There's just too much to like with the Jack Morris card, though. The odd shadow or possibly UFO surrounding his hat. The chain link fence. And of course, the off-center photo cutting off Black Jack's entire right arm. 1982 Fleer delivers again.

#586: 1993 Donruss Joe Oliver vs. 1975 Topps Tim McCarverI might be willing to change my mind on this one. I really like Oliver biting the dust (Is he mid-air?), but McCarver just doesn't look right with the Red Sox. He only played 22 games with them. So, for now at least, I'm going with Joe Buck's old sidekick in the booth.

#36: 1992 Topps Scott Ruffcorn vs. 1985 Topps Fred Breining

Here we have what I can only assume is a senior picture vs. Fred Breining, who as I pointed out in a previous post, looks like Jerry Seinfeld when he wore those big glasses in an episode of Seinfeld. Going with Jer--- I mean Fred, on this one.

#4: 1992 Classic Best Scott Sharts vs. 1997 Score Rockies Team Edition Ellis Burks

The juvenile humor is so tempting here (I assume you know what a "shart" is), but I decided to be an adult and pick the fun Ellis Burks glove-on-head card.

#128: 1991 Pacific Senior League Baseball Razor Shines vs. 1969 Topps Tommie Aaron

An all-time great name vs. an all-time great "lesser known." I like the Aaron card better, so going with Tommie.

 

#387) 1992 Stadium Club Ruben Sierra vs. 2002 Upper Deck Al Leiter 

A top vs. bottom matchup this time. The Sierra is such a unique card, but I love the angle on the Al-Leiter card a lot. And bonus points because the ball is still in the frame, too. Going with Mr. Leiter here.

Well there you have it. Let me know your thoughts. Favorite card of the bunch? Want to make a case for one of the second place finishers? Put your comments below!