1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #242 Checklist (Checklist)
2. #219 Adam Brown/Choo Freeman (Draft Picks) (Rookie Card)
3. #200 David Wells (Season Highlights)
4. #85 Derek Jeter
5. #75 Tony Gwynn
6. #225 Sammy Sosa (League Leaders)
7. #177 Francisco Cordova
8. #44 Justin Thompson
9. #58 Garret Anderson
10. #20 Kerry Wood (Topps All-Star Rookie)
11. #189 Eddie Taubensee

“Nolan became 4th greatest strikeout hurler in modern baseball, 1972.  Only Sandy Koufax (382 in 1965), Rube Wadell (349 in 1904) & Bob Feller (348 in 1946) have exceeded Nolan’s 329 K’s last season.”

Since 1972, Nolan Ryan exceeded 329 K’s 3 times, while Randy Johnson did it 5 times.

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #248 Roberto Alomar
2. #364 Bobby Howry (Rookie Card)
3. #323 Bernard Gilkey
4. #448 Randy Johnson (Strikeout Kings)
5. #359 Alan Benes
6. Ryan #6 Nolan Ryan (Reprint)
7. #382 Calvin Pickering
8. #357 Henry Rodriguez
9. #325 Craig Biggio
10. #333 Tim Wakefield
11. #326 Troy Glaus

“Sosa moves within one homer of Mark McGwire after belting a first inning big fly.  Sammy’s 53rd clout is the 13th most in history.  Rockies fans boo when their team intentionally walks Sosa in his last at-bat.”

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #346 Fernando Tatis
2. #455 Barry Bonds/Manny Ramirez/Larry Walker (All-Topps Outfielders)
3. #319 Tom Candiotti
4. #305 Alex Gonzalez
5. #253 Steve Finley
6. #461-53 Sammy Sosa (HR Parade)
7. #382 Calvin Pickering
8. #366 Ugueth Urbina
9. #322 Reggie Jefferson
10. #399 Ivan Rodriguez
11. #252 Richie Sexson

“Chris, just 23, looked like a budding star on the pitching scene by late last season.  He won six of his final seven decisions, and allowed more than four earned runs only once in his last 13 starts.  Master of a hard sinker, he finished 10th in the AL in SOs per 9 IP (6.99).”

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #328 Fernando Vina
2. #363 Chris Carpenter
3. #451 John Olerud/Jim Thome/Tino Martinez (All-Topps First Basemen)
4. #281 Randy Winn
5. #259 Matt Stairs
6. #338 Mike Hampton
7. #309 Juan Guzman
8. #374 Dave Mlicki
9. #343 Jamie Moyer
10. #415 Dante Bichette
11. #419 Jesus Sanchez (Topps All-Star Rookie)

“McGwire smacks his first home run of the year into Big Mac Land, an area in the upper deck of Busch Stadium’s left field.  The 47,549 fans in attendance go wild, as ticket stubs now earn them a free burger.”

1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #238 Scott Brosius (World Series Highlights)
2. #204 Kerry Wood (Season Highlights)
3. #1 Roger Clemens
4. #105 Trevor Hoffman
5. #2 Andres Galarraga
6. #220-21 Mark McGwire (HR Record)
7. #173 Mike Cameron
8. #49 Darren Dreifort
9. #8 Jose Vizcaino
10. #6 Ray Durham
11. #74 Andy Pettitte

“Jason, whose grandfather was a bull rider, made pitchers see red in 1998 — including some no-hit aspirants in particular.  Twice in a month he broke up no-no bids: once for a combination of White Sox pitchers in the eighth inning, and once in the seventh as New York’s David Wells strove for his season’s second perfect game.  The efficient Giambi reached base via a hit or walk in 39 consecutive games from August 12 to September 25.”

Giambi had limited playing time in 2010 with the Colorado Rockies, batting .244 with 6 home runs in 176 at-bats.  He is 39 years old.

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #312 Marty Cordova
2. #391 Bobby Smith (Topps All-Star Rookie)
3. #271 Jeff Abbott
4. #436 Roosevelt Brown/Dernell Stenson/Vernon Wells (Prospects)
5. #268 Matt Franco
6. #371 Wilson Alvarez
7. #376 Jay Buhner
8. #324 Jason Giambi
9. #422 Orlando Hernandez
10. #392 Derrick Gibson
11. #402 Sean Casey

“On both a personal and professional level, Game 4 of the 1998 World Series marked Andy Pettitte’s finest hour.  The New York left-hander, whose father Tom — recovering from heart surgery — was released from the hospital earlier in the day, blanked the Padres over 7 1/3 innings to clinch the series sweep.  In doing so, Pettitte not only delivered a 3-0 victory and a 24th championship to the Yankees, but ran his personal World Series scoreless streak to 15 2/3 innings.”

12 years later, Pettitte is still pitching for the Yankees, but will not be pitching in the World Series this season.  He pitched 7 innings against the Rangers in the League Championship Series, allowing only 5 hits and 2 earned runs, but was still saddled with the loss.

1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #229 Sammy Sosa (League Leaders)
2. #29 Quilvio Veras
3. #46 Armando Benitez
4. #191 Jason Kendall
5. #37 Jason Dickson
6. #239 Andy Pettitte (World Series Highlights)
7. #87 Jose Lima
8. #93 Albert Belle
9. #21 Matt Anderson
10. #60 Steve Woodard
11. #146 Terry Steinbach

It’s like an All-Star team in a pack!

“In 1998, Rodriguez became the first AL shortstop to reach 30 homers and 30 steals — and he needed just two-thirds of a season to do it.  ”Junior Jr.” ranks with Ken Griffey Jr. as the best player in the AL, historically known as — what else? — the “Junior” League.”

1999 Topps Series 1:

1. #209 Pat Cline/Ramon Hernandez/Jayson Werth (Prospects)
2. #217 Mamon Tucker/Rick Elder (Draft Picks) (Rookie)
3. #15 Manny Ramirez
4. #96 Greg Vaughn
5. #100 Ken Griffey Jr.
6. Lords of the Diamond #LD7 Alex Rodriguez
7. #155 Magglio Ordonez
8. #63 Eric Karros
9. #163 Gary DiSarcina
10. #43 Jorge Posada
11. #90 Jose Hernandez