2003 Topps Series 2:

1. #456 Robin Ventura
2. #591 Cory Lidle
3. #615 Tyler Houston
4. #558 Tim Hudson
5. #531 Placido Polanco
6. #700 Andruw Jones (Gold Glove)
7. #486 Adam Eaton
8. #680 Joe Mauer/Justin Morneau (Prospects)
9. #640 Detroit Tigers (Team Card)
10. #679 Joe Borchard/Corwin Malone (Prospects)

Both Mauer and Morneau are 4-time All-Stars, both have won the league MVP award, and both have been with the Minnesota Twins for their entire career.

Today I’m going to bust a bunch of my 2003 Topps Series 1 hobby packs:

PACK 1

1. #262 Mike Scioscia (Manager)
2. #317 Doug Waechter (First Year Card) (Rookie)
3. #301 Matthew Peterson (First Year Card) (Rookie)
4. #314 Mike McNutt (First Year Card) (Rookie)
5. #292 Chris Duncan (First Year Card) (Rookie)
6. #338 Alfonso Soriano/Alex Rodriguez/Derek Jeter (League Leaders)
7. #96 Alex Gonzalez
8. #63 Andy Ashby
9. #89 Mike Matheny
10. #233 Derrek Lee

I don’t know why Beckett still lists Chris Duncan’s Topps rookie card as being “worth” $3.  Outdated information?  He’s almost 30 and has been hitting under .200 at the AAA level for the past 3 years.  And playing in the Washington Nationals organization doesn’t help.

PACK 2

1. #119 Randall Simon
2. #145 Michael Tucker
3. #44 Jeff Conine
4. #174 Jon Lieber
5. Hobby Masters #HM3 Derek Jeter
6. #360 Torii Hunter (Sporting News All-Stars)
7. #76 Randy Wolf
8. #170 Vladimir Guerrero
9. #152 Steve Trachsel
10. #161 Kerry Robinson

PACK 3

1. #283 Larry Bowa (Manager)
2. #45 Carlos Baerga
3. #280 John Halama
4. #282 Art Howe (Manager)
5. Record Breakers #RB-JB Jeff Bagwell
6. #344 Sammy Sosa/Albert Pujols/Shawn Green (League Leaders)
7. #179 Wendell Magee
8. #199 Scott Sullivan
9. #31 Brian Giles
10. #48 Aaron Boone

PACK 4

1. #326 Orlando Hudson/Josh Phelps (Future Stars)
2. #330 Juan Rivera/Marcus Thames (Future Stars)
3. #331 Brandon Puffer/Jung Bong (Future Stars)
4. #323 Chris Snelling/Shin-Soo Choo (Future Stars)
5. #327 Jack Cust/Rene Reyes (Future Stars)
6. #351 Angels/Giants (Postseason Highlights)
7. #2 Dan Wilson
8. #255 Michael Barrett
9. #64 Mike Williams
10. #116 Mark Mulder

The infamous Puffer/Bong card!  While Jung Bong is still playing pro baseball in Korea, Brandon Puffer is serving a 5-year prison sentence for breaking into a home and trying to rape a woman back in 2008.

PACK 5

1. #21 Denny Neagle
2. #166 Troy Percival
3. #59 Brad Wilkerson (Topps All-Star Rookie)
4. #144 Mark Quinn
5. #41 Kevin Appier
6. #366 Manny Ramirez (Sporting News All-Stars)
7. #37 Brandon Duckworth
8. #156 Jason Kendall
9. #180 Barry Zito
10. #3 Jimmy Rollins

2003 Topps Traded and Rookies:

1. #T254 Matthew Peterson (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #T230 Mike Gallo (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #T246 Travis Ishikawa (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #T258 Carlos Guzman (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #T115 Robin Ventura
6. #T235 Michel Hernandez (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #T273 Branden Florence (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #T241 J.D. Durbin (First Year) (Rookie)
9. Topps Chrome #T80 Damion Easley
10. Topps Chrome #T264 Mike Adams (First Year) (Rookie)

“Mike was a rare American find out of the non-drafted roles to play his way into prospect status.  After completing his college career at Texas A&M, he was signed by the Brewers, from whom he has pitched brilliantly in relief, striking out well over a batter per inning in his Minor League career to date.  Over the course of 2002, Adams was promoted twice.  He began ’03 as the closer for Huntsville (AA).”

Mike’s been doing a decent job as a Major League relief pitcher since he was called up in 2004.  He had some trouble in 2006 and was passed around among 4 organizations before getting released and missing the entire 2007 season.

In 2008, the San Diego Padres took him back and he has been doing an excellent job in the relief role, pitching over 132 innings and compiling a 1.97 ERA.

2003 Topps Series 1:

1. #154 David Justice
2. #254 Glendon Rusch
3. #10 Mark Prior
4. #212 Robert Fick
5. Own the Game #OG13 Magglio Ordonez
6. #345 Sammy Sosa/Lance Berkman/Shawn Green (League Leaders)
7. #203 Kip Wells
8. #192 Adam Kennedy
9. #173 Johnny Damon
10. #171 Byung-Hyun Kim

Magglio Ordonez doubled 47 times in 2002.

However, he hit 54 doubles in 2007, which was the most in a season since George Kell hit 56 in 1950.

2003 Topps Traded and Rookies:

1. #T197 Sean Smith (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #T220 Dusty Gomon (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #T186 Jeremy Bonderman (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #T209 Brian McCann (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #T195 Stephen Randolph (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #T206 Beau Kemp (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #T175 Elizardo Ramirez (First Year) (Rookie)
8. Topps Chrome Traded Refractors #T99 Fred McGriff
9. Topps Chrome Traded #T140 Boof Bonser (Prospect)
10. Topps Chrome Traded #T243 Rajai Davis (First Year)

“In a system otherwise nearly void of catching prospects, McCann is a legitimate one.  After making his professional debut in 2002 and not hitting a whole lot, he showed outstanding power potential in ’03.  Big, strong and left-handed, he is the son of former Marshall University head coach Howard McCann — a pedigree that accounts for his airtight fundamentals at a young age.”

Currently in his sixth season in the Major Leagues, McCann has shown himself to be a consistent 20+ homer guy.  The fans also love him because he has been voted into the All-Star game for the past 4 seasons.

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.“