2003 Topps Traded and Rookies:

1. #T29 Rick White
2. #T102 Jay Bell
3. #T63 Jeromy Burnitz
4. #T10 Alex Sanchez
5. #T19 Ryan Rupe
6. #T89 Graeme Lloyd
7. #T38 Aaron Myette
8. #T97 Jim Parque
9. Chrome Traded #T8 Marlon Anderson
10. Chrome Traded #T159 Adam Wainwright (Prospect)

…and Traded and Rookies Checklist 1 of 2.

“When Greg Maddux hangs ‘em up for good, Adam may be ready to step in as the Braves’ new ace.  Rated Atlanta’s No. 1 prospect by Baseball America, Wainwright blows away hitters with his lively mid-90s fastball.  In 2001, he set a Macon (A) record with 184 strikeouts.  In ‘02, he led the Carolina League (A) in whiffs with 167.  The towering right-hander also throws a change-up and a nasty hard curve.”

Well, Greg Maddux has hung ‘em up for good, but Adam ain’t no Braves’ new ace.  He’s been the ace of the Cardinals’ rotation since 2007.

2003 Topps Series 2:

1. #613 Carl Pavano
2. #543 Terry Mulholland
3. #378 Dean Palmer
4. #661 Jeremy Guthrie (Draft Pick)
5. #466 Jason Michaels
6. #704 Randy Johnson (Award Winner)
7. #401 Eric Byrnes
8. #610 Russell Branyan
9. #387 Nick Johnson
10. #452 Julio Lugo

“Johnson’s string of Cy Young Awards is reaching historic proportions.  In 2002, he became the first to win it unanimously and the first to take a fourth straight since Greg Maddux in 1995.  His 24-5 record produced a league-leading .828 winning percentage, and his 2.32 ERA led the league by 0.30.  Randy needs one more Cy to match Roger Clemens as the only pitcher to win a half-dozen.“

2003 Topps Series 1:

1. #17 Magglio Ordonez
2. #108 Fred McGriff
3. #206 Kyle Lohse
4. #54 Orlando Merced
5. #335 Jason Giambi (Season Highlights)
6. #302 Gonzalo Lopez (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #266 Alex Gonzalez
8. #305 Jason Perry (First Year) (Rookie)
9. #316 Mark Malaska (First Year) (Rookie)
10. #268 Bob Boone (Manager)

“Drafted in the sixth round out of Georgia Tech in 2002, Jason began his pro career at Medicine Hat, where he mutilated Pioneer League (R) pitching.  In just 30 games, he walloped .425 with 10 homers and 36 RBI.  After twice earning the circuit’s batter of the week award, Perry was bumped all the way up to Dunedin (high Class A).  Jason’s sweet lefty swing reminds many scouts of Robin Ventura’s.“

With 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies, Topps stuck with the same formula as in the previous couple years.  24 packs per box, 10 cards per pack, 2 chrome cards per pack, and an autograph or relic in every box.

1. #T167 Felix Pie (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #T189 Rob Hammock (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #T202 Ben Francisco (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #T183 Dustin Moseley (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #T207 Travis Wong (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #T172 Jeremy Griffiths (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #T210 Wilton Reynolds (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #T192 Eli Whiteside (First Year) (Rookie)
9. Topps Chrome Traded #T224 Oscar Villarreal (First Year) (Rookie)
10. Topps Chrome Traded #T274 Trent Oeltjen (First Year) (Rookie)

…and an extra-thick checklist 1 of 2.

“The co-Most Valuable Player of the 2002 Arizona League in his professional debut campaign, Feliz quickly shot into the upper echelon of prospects.  He is perhaps the most athletic player in the Cubs organization, rating above average in every tool.  Pie (pronounced p-ay) led his league in triples in ‘02, and showed premier speed.  In ‘03, he was deemed ready for high-A, and started at Lansing (A).“

1991 Topps #35 Greg Maddux

1991 Topps archives, to be integrated with my new collection:

1. #2 George Brett (Record Breaker)
2. #5 Cal Ripken (Record Breaker)
3. #13 Mariano Duncan
4. #14 Dennis Lamp
5. #16 Mike Heath
6. #18 Nelson Liriano
7. #19 Jeff Robinson
8. #20 Pedro Guerrero
9. #22 Storm Davis
10. #35 Greg Maddux
11. #47 Brook Jacoby
12. #58 Mel Stottlemyre (Rookie) *x2
13. #61 Stan Javier
14. #69 Steve Wilson
15. #81 Cito Gaston (Manager)
16. #89 Darren Daulton
17. #111 Andres Thomas
18. #114 Lance Dickson (Rookie) (Future Star)
19. #119 Carl Nichols
20. #127 Joe Price


1991 Topps #138 Jamie Moyer

21. #136 Dave Schmidt
22. #138 Jamie Moyer
23. #143 John Smiley
24. #151 Tom Browning
25. #152 Mickey Hatcher
26. #153 Bryan Harvey
27. #170 Carlton Fisk
28. #187 Greg Cadaret
29. #196 Jim Vatcher (Rookie)
30. #200 Darryl Strawberry
31. #211 Brian Barnes (Rookie) (Future Star)
32. #234 Scott Erickson (Rookie)
33. #246 Kevin Wickander
34. #256 Greg Hibbard
35. #274 Ken Williams
36. #277 Scott Coolbaugh *x2
37. #285 Jim Abbott
38. #294 Mike Moore
39. #313 Ron Robinson
40. #316 Gene Nelson

2003 Topps #333 Shawn Green (Season Highlights)

2003 Topps series 1:

1. #106 Jay Gibbons
2. #222 Carlos Guillen
3. #226 Ramon Ortiz
4. #81 John Flaherty
5. #47 Mark Buehrle
6. #333 Shawn Green (Season Highlights)
7. #245 Mike Lamb
8. #129 Mike Cameron
9. #236 Eric Gagne
10. #82 Shannon Stewart

“Through May 19, 2002, Green had popped just three home runs in 42 contests.  But over the next seven games, he brought out the whoopin’ stick, as he went 17-for-32 with 10 homers and 18 RBI!  On May 23, Shawn blasted four homers, a single and a double at Milwaukee, setting a record for total bases in a game (19).  After blasting a 450-foot bomb in the ninth, Brewers fans gave the Dodgers star a standing O.  Green also enjoyed a pair of two-homer games during that week, victimizing Milwaukee and Arizona.”

A good whoopin’ stick is always a good thing to carry around with you.

On May 23, Shawn blasted four homers.  Interestingly enough, another player from this pack also blasted four homers in one game just a few weeks before.  Can anyone guess who?

2003 Topps #337 Manny Ramirez/Mike Sweeney/Bernie Williams (League Leaders)

2003 Topps series 1:

1. #41 Kevin Appier
2. #139 Brandon Inge
3. #122 Jamie Moyer
4. #8 Jose Vidro
5. #165 Jose Mesa
6. #337 Manny Ramirez/Mike Sweeney/Bernie Williams (League Leaders)
7. #158 J.T. Snow Jr.
8. #65 Ron Gant
9. #235 Chuck Knoblauch
10. #34 Jeff Nelson

…and a card promoting Topps Home Team Advantage Trade Nights.  No web address is listed on the card.  Instead, they want people to call them to find out the details.  I find it a bit surprising that Topps wasn’t taking full advantage of the Internet even in 2003!

Here we go again, another unexceptional pack of cards (A.K.A. “Pack of Commons”).  The card of the day is a 2002 American League Batting Average Leaders card featuring the top 3.

2002 American League Batting Average Leaders

1. Manny Ramirez (Red Sox) .349
2. Mike Sweeney (Royals) .340
3. Bernie Williams (Yankees) .333
4. Ichiro (Mariners) .321
5. Magglio Ordonez (White Sox) .320
6. Jason Giambi (Yankees) .314
7. Adam Kennedy (Angels) .312
8. Nomar Garciaparra (Red Sox) .310
9. Miguel Tejada (Athletics) .308
10. Garret Anderson (Angels) .306

2003 Topps #346 Lance Berkman/Albert Pujols/Pat Burrell (League Leaders)

2003 Topps series 1:

1. #113 Tomokazu Ohka
2. #55 Brian Jordan
3. #85 Kenny Rogers
4. #14 David Segui
5. #123 Andy Benes
6. #346 Lance Berkman/Albert Pujols/Pat Burrell (League Leaders)
7. #89 Mike Matheny
8. #233 Derrek Lee
9. #2 Dan Wilson
10. #255 Michael Barrett

Here are your 2002 National League Runs Batted In Leaders:

1. Lance Berkman (Astros) 128

2. Albert Pujols (Cardinals) 127

3. Pat Burrell (Phillies) 116

4. Shawn Green (Dodgers) 114

5. Vladimir Guerrero (Expos) 111

6. Barry Bonds (Giants) and Scott Rolen (Cardinals) 110

8. Todd Helton (Rockies) 109

9. Jeff Kent (Giants) and Sammy Sosa (Cubs) 108

…yeah, it’s a pretty lackluster pack today.  At least I didn’t get any doubles.