The Frankenset Recap (Page 38: Cards 335-343)

Welcome to another installment of a series covering my completed Frankenset. I thought it would be fun to share the set page by page on this blog, and also provide some random commentary with each page. More information on the Frankenset as well as links to the pages that have been revealed can be found here.

Today we'll look at page 38 of the set, which includes cards #335 to 343. 

1994 Topps #335, Kevin Mitchell

Kevin Mitchell signing autos, likely at Riverfront Stadium. Mitchell actually played parts of three seasons in Cincinnati, clubbing 30 homeruns in just 95 games in 1994. 

1992 Topps #336, Greg Anthony

If 1992 was a shirt, this would be it. 

1999 Topps #337, John Burkett

The follow through on this swing really looks like an AL pitcher, doesn't it? 

 

1992 Bowman # 338, Hensley Meulens

Meulens never lived up to expectations as a highly-touted Yankees prospect. His autograph can be had for a few dollars on eBay. 

1993 Upper Deck #339, Duane Ward

Was it magic gum? Ward posted a 1.95 ERA in 79 relief appearances in 1992. 

1990 Fleer #340, Robin Yount

Modern analytics wouldn't approve of bunting with a guy like Yount, the 1989 NL MVP. 

 

1992 Upper Deck #341, Glenn Braggs

Something's about to go down here, and it might get ugly. 

2001 Bowman #342, Grady Sizemore

Sizemore began his career with the Expos organization before being traded in 2002 along with Cliff Lee, Brandon Phillips, and Lee Stevens. In exchange, Cleveland sent Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew (J.D.'s brother) to Montreal. The Indians definitely got the better end of the deal. 

1990 Upper Deck #343, Ellis Burks

Keep your eye on the ball, Ellis. 

Do you have a favorite from this page? There's not a definite standout for me, but I'd say Sizemore with the Expos would be my pick. I also enjoy the Greg Anthony shirt and Robin Yount bunting.

Thanks for reading!

When Cards Don't Make Sense

What constitutes an illogical baseball card? I would say the simple definition would be when the picture doesn't match the text. The most commonly cited example of this phenomenon is when a player is misidentified on a card. There have been lists and posts covering that topic, so I won't address it here. Instead, I will show you four cards with the same theme. Try to figure out what they have in common.

1983 Fleer #331, Mike Ivie

1991 Donruss #576 Jack Daugherty

1992 Topps #531, Larry Walker

1990 CMC #9 Greg Booker

The final example probably provides the best clue. The first two are players identified as designated hitters playing the field. The third is a player identified (on the back of the card) as an outfielder, but shown playing first base. The final example is a pitcher wearing catchers gear for some reason. The common theme is the player's position on the card doesn't match the photo. Here's a breakdown of each:

1983 Fleer Mike Ivie

Ivie appeared in 79 games for the Tigers the previous season, all of them as a DH, so the photo on the card is likely from the 1981 season or prior. He would play 12 games at first base in 1983 before retiring. He also played first base in 1980 and 1981, so a logical fix would have been to show him as DH/1B.

1991 Donruss Jack Daugherty

In 1990, Daugherty's position breakdown was as follows:
Left Field: 39 games
First Base: 30 games
Designated Hitter: 21 games
Right Field: 12 games

Donruss just needed to add OF and 1B to the card, but the problem might have been the fact they didn't use abbreviations for player positions on the 1991 cards, at least based what I found in my research. So the right call would have been to put Outfield in my opinion.

1992 Topps Larry Walker

In 1991, Larry Walker played in 100 games in right field and 39 at first base. A simple addition of 1B to the back of the card would have sufficed, and unlike 1991 Donruss, would have fit into the existing design.

1992 Topps #531, Larry Walker (Back)

1992 Topps #506, Todd Benzinger (Back)

Todd Benzinger (96 games at first base and 15 in the outfield in 1991) has the designation that would seem more appropriate for Walker, whereas 1B-OF would fit better for Todd. This made me think... maybe Benzinger's expression on the front of this card was his reaction to Topps's choice for his position designation:

1992 Topps #506, Todd Benzinger

Actually, that look appears to be a version of his "game face."

Exhibit B: from 1989:

What was I talking about again? Oh, that's right. So Walker's position in the photo doesn't match his position on the card.

1990 CMC Greg Booker

This card makes no sense and cannot be salvaged in any way. I'm not saying it isn't an interesting and entertaining card, but in a 10 year career across the minor and major leagues, Booker never once played catcher.

I'm not sure how many more examples exist of this phenomenon. They are harder to spot when looking through a stack of cards than, let's say, a pitcher hitting or a player with a team you never knew he played for. If you have other examples, leave a comment below.

Things I Like (That you probably don't)

I have tossed around the idea of starting a baseball card blog for a couple of months now. I have really enjoyed reading some of the other card blogs out there over the past year and felt like I had something to offer with my perspective. And that's what's been fun about reading the various card blogs out there: unique perspectives. I have visited Nick's Dime Boxes and Night Owl Cards most often, but have enjoyed many others along the way. The inspiration for my inaugural post is something Night Owl recently wrote about, adapting a "things I don't like" theme and turning it positive. I liked the idea and thought it would give you a good introduction to me as a collector. So here are ten things about baseball cards that I like and that you probably don't.

10) Topps Opening Day

Pretty simple reasoning here. I am of the belief that cards should be affordable, especially for young kids. I feel one way to get more kids into the hobby would be to make more inexpensive products available. Topps Opening Day packs are usually only a dollar or two, and as such, are the only new product I typically buy. It's either because I'm cheap, stubborn, or both that I can't pony up more than that for a pack.

9) Any brand of plastic pages (except those old, hard, brittle ones of course)

They can be the far superior Ultra Pro pages or flimsier pages probably meant for photos or something (but still the standard size). I'm good either way.

8) Miscut Cards

I know some people actually do like these. But I'll go out of my way to buy a 1977 miscut of a random guy out of a dime box. It's kind of a shame these cards have gone extinct (unless there are still miscuts today of which I am unaware).

7) Commons

I love looking through a big box of cards, even if I know most will be commons. Why? Because of my Frankenset/many mini-collections (more on those at a later date). It's fun to be able to find a "hit" that most people would pass by without a thought. This Frankenset card sums up how I view a box of commons:

6) Manager Cards

Especially when they are of a player from my youth (mid-nineties). And more especially if they have managerial stats on the back.

Love the 1992 Topps. So many stats on the back. Here we are treated to the lengthy and successful managerial career of George Anderson.

5) Duplicates

I'm not sure why I enjoy having a dozen or twenty or thirty of the same card, but I do. It might stem from my younger days when I had far fewer cards and thus, had a better grasp and appreciation for my inventory. Filling a page with nine of this card was an early thrill for me.

Am I or was I ever a Mark Langston fan? No, but it didn't matter!

4) and 3) Jumbos AND Minis

They're hard to store and display, but other than that, I think they are really neat. I like minis more, but my aging eyes prefer jumbos.

2) 1988 and 1989 Donruss

The designs aren't great. Neither are the photos. But they are the cards of my youth. And I'm partial to a team logo on the front, so there's that.

1) "Junk" Wax Rookies

These were the gems of my youth. The most exciting of them all was the 1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. I didn't grow up with a lot of money to spend on cards and rarely got them as gifts because I just don't think they were on people's radar. So when I did get my hands on some packs in the mid-nineties, it was often the reviled "overproduction era" cards. Junk wax as they are so unfairly called. So I say, give me your 1988 Alomars, Graces, and Glavines yearning to breathe free. Your 1989 Griffeys, Biggios, Schillings, Smoltzes, and Sheffields. Even your 1990 Thomases, Sosas, Gonzalezes, and Oleruds. After all, these were the guys I grew up watching. Why not add a few more to the dozens I already have? No one else wants them anyway, right?