2005 Topps Series 2:

1. #620 Scott Rolen
2. #560 Octavio Dotel
3. #460 Alfonso Soriano
4. #414 Kevin Appier
5. #717 Bobby Crosby (Rookie of the Year)
6. Gold #555 Larry Walker (Serial#0285/2005)
7. #721 Edgar Renteria (Sporting News All-Stars)
8. #679 Alexander Smit (Draft Pick) (Rookie)
9. #730 Bobby Cox (Sporting News All-Stars) (Manager)
10. #580 Wade Miller

Larry Walker announced his retirement in 2005 immediately after the Cardinals were knocked out of the NLCS by the Astros.

Walker, a Canadian citizen, worked as the hitting coach for the Canadian team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

2005 Topps Series 1:

1. #76 Jimmy Rollins
2. #31 Craig Biggio
3. #135 Casey Blake
4. #267 Mike Scioscia (Manager)
5. #151 Alex Cintron
6. #132 Kyle Farnsworth
7. #363 Ivan Rodriguez (Sporting News All-Stars)
8. #246 Stephen Randolph
9. #125 Vernon Wells
10. #238 Eric Gagne

“Playing for the Tigers, Rodriguez moved back to the American League in 2004 while again setting the standard for catching excellence.  Even as his veteran savvy helped mentor an improving Detroit pitching staff, he led all backstops with a torrid .334 batting average.  He also was the only catcher to rank in the top four at the position in RBI, runs, hits, doubles, home runs and stolen bases.”

Fast-forward 6 years and we have pretty much the same thing happening again…

Playing for the Nationals, Rodriguez moved back to the National League in 2010 while again setting the standard for catching excellence.  Even as his veteran savvy helped mentor an improving Washington pitching staff, he led all backstops with a torrid .334 batting average…

Well, maybe he doesn’t quite have a .334 batting average anymore since he’s fallen into a slump recently, but Pudge was hot at the beginning of the season and I’m glad he decided to come to DC.  Our treasured Stephen Strasburg is in good hands.

2005 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH25 Adrian Beltre
2. #UH13 Brad Wilkerson
3. #UH260 Hernan Iribarren (First Year)
4. #UH297 Ismael Ramirez (First Year)
5. All-Star Stitches #ASR-CCO Chad Cordero (Jersey Relic)
6. #UH172 Bobby Cox (Sporting News All-Stars)
7. #UH195 Bobby Abreu (Home Run Derby)
8. #UH146 Jake Peavy/Chris Carpenter/Pedro Martinez

Celebrating Chad Cordero’s first and only All-Star appearance in 2005.

2005 Topps Series 1:

1. #264 Toby Hall
2. #123 Raul Ibanez
3. #164 Wes Helms
4. #291 Felipe Alou (Manager)
5. #211 Jarrod Washburn
6. #88 Zach Day
7. #334 Ichiro Suzuki (Season Highlights)
8. #37 Eric Byrnes
9. #163 Juan Encarnacion
10. #61 Al Leiter

“As he had so many times before, Ichiro made the sweet science look simple.  With an unremarkable single up the middle off the Rangers Ryan Drese, the Mariners outfielder was credited with his 258th hit of the 2004 season, revising the record book entry where George Sisler’s name had been written for the past 84 years.  Safeco Field erupted in cheers and fireworks and, while the game was paused, Ichiro walked to the stands to shake the hand of Sisler’s 84-year-old daughter.”

At age 36, Ichiro shows no sign of slowing down.  He’s on track to get over 200 hits for the 10th consecutive season and also make his 10th consecutive All-Star appearance.

2005 Topps Series 2:

1. #638 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Team Card)
2. #654 Minnesota Twins (Team Card)
3. #729 Jason Bay (Sporting News All-Stars)
4. World Champions Red Sox Relics #RSR-PR Pokey Reese (Bat Relic)
5. #449 Brian Schneider
6. #685 Yorman Bazardo (First Year) (Draft Pick) (Rookie)
7. #508 Derek Lowe
8. #612 Craig Counsell

Reese Pokes Two Homers in Win Over Royals!

It was May 8, 2004 when Reese snapped a 172 at-bat homerless streak by hitting an inside-the-park home run and later blasting one over the Green Monster at Fenway Park.

2004 was the last season Reese played at the Major League level.  Since then, he signed contracts with the Seattle Mariners, Florida Marlins, and Washington Nationals, but severe injuries kept him from playing most of the time.  He officially called it quits in 2008.

2005 Topps Series 2:

1. #542 Milton Bradley
2. #427 Matt Morris
3. #431 Mark Kotsay
4. #451 Jorge Posada
5. #702 Ichiro (Gold Glove)
6. All-Stars #TAS8 Alfonso Soriano
7. #675 Erik Cordier (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #475 Jose Lima
9. #418 Terrmel Sledge (Topps All-Star Rookie)
10. #605 Moises Alou

“Soriano first achieved fame with the Yankees, but it was not until after he joined the Rangers in 2004 that he attained All-Star fame.  He justified the MLB-leading 3.47 million fan votes he received by clubbing a three-run homer in the first inning (then added a single later) to walk away with All-Star Game MVP honors.  He also started the contest and homered in ’02, and started in ’03.”

With 7 All-Star appearances under his belt, Alfonso Soriano has played in more All-Star Games than Jose Canseco.  He is just one home run shy of 300.  Maybe he’ll hit number 300 tonight?

2005 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH47 Nick Green
2. #UH103 Dan Johnson (Prospect)
3. #UH225 Elliot Johnson (First Year)
4. #UH315 Aaron Thompson (Draft Pick) (First Year)
5. #UH283 Nick Touchstone (First Year)
6. #UH98 Anthony Whittington (Prospect)
7. Barry Bonds Home Run History #BB631 Barry Bonds
8. #UH59 Brad Eldred
9. #UH112 Greg Maddux (Season Highlights)
10. #UH169 Huston Street (Sporting News All-Stars)

…and Checklist 1 of 3.

On June 12, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, Barry Bonds hammered his 631st home run off of Bartolo Colon of the Chicago White Sox.  It was the 9th inning with one man on with no outs.

2005 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH29 Claudio Vargas
2. #UH80 Ugueth Urbina
3. #UH63 Jon Lieber
4. #UH318 Matt Garza (Draft Pick) (First Year)
5. #UH42 Mark DeRosa
6. #UH279 Willy Mota (First Year)
7. #UH107 Blake DeWitt (Prospect)
8. #UH197 Carlos Lee (Home Run Derby)
9. #UH186 Carlos Beltran (All-Star)
10. #UH139 Kevin Millwood/Johan Santana/Mark Buehrle (League Leaders)

“Despite a modest 6-5 record for Fresno State in 2005, Matt stood out as the premier pitcher in the Western Atlantic Conference.  He fanned 120 in 108 innings and earned the conference’s Pitcher of the Year Award.  Armed with a low-90s fastball, curveball and change-up, Garza was drafted 25th overall in ’05.  He finished strong for Beloit (A), fanning seven over six shutout innings on August 30.“