“There was no adjustment period for Miguel, who went directly from Double-A to renown for a world championship team in 2003, then was named an All-Star in ’04.  Teammate Brad Penny was in awe.  ”He’s going to be a superstar,” predicted the pitcher.  ”I’m going to be watching TV one day and say, ‘I played with that guy.’””

2005 Topps Series 1:

1. #240 Miguel Cabrera
2. #206 Gil Meche
3. #87 Chris Reitsma
4. #286 Joe Torre (Manager)
5. #199 So Taguchi
6. #174 Paul Konerko
7. #342 Johan Santana/Pedro Martinez/Curt Schilling (League Leaders)
8. #320 Matt Rogelstad (First Year)
9. #235 Joe Crede
10. #112 Brian Lawrence

Game 2:

“The Yankees, authors of so many improbable comebacks, pulled another in Game 2 of the ALDS against Minnesota.  On the ropes after dropping the opener, New York was on the verge of a second loss, down 6-5 in the 12th.  However, the big guns were locked and loaded.  Alex Rodriguez doubled in the tying run with one out, and Hideki Matsui followed with the game-winning sacrifice fly to score Derek Jeter.”

Game 4:

“Trailing 5-1 in the eighth inning of Game 4, the Yankees staged a mighty rally that clinched the 2004 ALDS.  In the top of the eight at the Metrodome, Ruben Sierra belted a three-run homer to tie the score.  In the 11th, Alex Rodriguez doubled, stole third and raced home on a wild pitch.  Reliever Mariano Rivera held on and notched the win, sending New York to the ALCS for the seventh time in nine years.”

2005 Topps Series 1:

1. #183 Cliff Lee
2. #32 Joe Randa
3. #195 Jason Kendall
4. #193 Mark Mulder
5. #108 Paul Wilson
6. #232 Jose Valverde
7. #349 Alex Rodriguez/Ruben Sierra (Postseason Highlights)
8. #43 Miguel Batista
9. #228 Jason Marquis
10. #229 Scott Spiezio

The question now is whether or not we can label him “organic”.

2005 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH313 Ryan Braun (Draft Pick) (First Year)
2. #UH102 Carlos Quentin (Prospect)
3. #UH252 Ben Harrison (First Year)
4. #UH110 Felix Hernandez (Prospect)
5. #UH88 Willie Randolph (Manager)
6. #UH57 Livan Hernandez
7. Washington Nationals Inaugural Lineup #NI-CG Cristian Guzman
8. #UH14 Anthony Reyes
9. #UH131 Joe Crede/Bobby Jenks (Postseason Highlights)
10. #UH162 Ken Griffey Jr. (Sporting News All-Stars)

“Scarcely more than three years after taking swings against college pitchers, Mark carted off a Silver Slugger Award as the AL’s best-hitting first baseman of 2004.  It was a remarkable achievement against such stiff, veteran competition as Rafael Palmeiro, Paul Konerko and Carlos Delgado.  In July, Teixeira tied a club record with home runs in five straight games, and in August, he hit for the cycle.”

2005 Topps Series 2:

1. #461 Alexis Rios
2. #634 Mark Teixeira
3. #603 Edwin Jackson
4. #425 Jose Reyes
5. #536 Jake Westbrook
6. #699 Eric Chavez (Gold Glove)
7. #722 Scott Rolen (Sporting News All-Stars)
8. #724 Jim Edmonds (Sporting News All-Stars)
9. #723 J.D. Drew (Sporting News All-Stars)
10. #692 Chad Billingsley/Joel Guzman (Prospects)

After the 2004 season, Juan Gonzalez was 7th among active players in career home runs with 434, behind Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro, Griffey, Bagwell, and Thomas.  Unfortunately for him, he began his 2005 season with a career-ending injury on his first plate appearance.

2005 Topps Series 2:

1. #647 Colorado Rockies (Team Card)
2. #661 San Diego Padres (Team Card)
3. #650 Houston Astros (Team Card)
4. #669 Wes Swackhamer (Draft Pick)
5. #718 Jason Bay (Rookie of the Year)
6. Hit Parade #HR7 Juan Gonzalez
7. #502 Wily Mo Pena
8. #380 Juan Pierre
9. #488 Reed Johnson
10. #568 Rafael Betancourt

PACK 1

1. #UH289 Darwinson Salazar (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #UH257 Tony Arnerich (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #UH228 Brian Miller (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #UH94 Thomas Diamond (Prospect)
5. #UH248 Hayden Penn (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #UH309 Matt Brown (First Year) (Rookie)
7. Gold #UH300 Jason Motte (Serial#1110/2005) (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #UH213 B.J. Upton (Futures Game All-Star)
9. #UH190 Aramis Ramirez (All-Star)
10. #UH122 Paul Konerko (Postseason Highlights)

PACK 2

1. #UH33 Placido Polanco
2. #UH55 Marlon Byrd
3. #UH243 Daniel Haigwood (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #UH290 George Kottaras (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #UH259 Ricky Barrett (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #UH321 Chris Volstad (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #UH24 Jody Gerut
8. #UH171 Bartolo Colon (Sporting News All-Stars)
9. #UH130 Roy Oswalt (Postseason Highlights)
10. #UH166 Ken Griffey Jr. (Sporting News All-Stars)

PACK 3

1. #UH238 Brian Bannister (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #UH263 Steve Nelson (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #UH99 Philip Hughes (Prospect)
4. #UH326 Beau Jones (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #UH229 Chris Vines (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #UH324 C.J. Henry (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
7. Gold #UH256 Kevin Collins (Serial#1108/2005) (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #UH194 Chris Carpenter (All-Star)
9. #UH120 Garrett Anderson (Postseason Highlights)
10. #UH156 Joe Nathan (Sporting News All-Stars)

PACK 4

1. #UH256 Kevin Collins (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #UH240 Thomas Oldham (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #UH233 Baltazar Lopez (First Year) (Rookie)
4. #UH21 Byung-Hyun Kim
5. #UH231 Chuck Tiffany (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #UH293 Brandon Moorhead (First Year) (Rookie)
7. Barry Bonds Home Run History #BB391 Barry Bonds
8. #UH219 Chris Young (Futures Game All-Star)
9. #UH58 Chris Young
10. #UH125 Freddy Garcia/Jose Contreras (Postseason Highlights)

Note 1:  The 2 Chris Young cards are of different people

Note 2: “Baltazar” is an awesome name

PACK 5

1. #UH262 Jerry Owens (First Year) (Rookie)
2. #UH312 Jered Weaver (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
3. #UH79 Jose Guillen
4. #UH249 Heath Totten (First Year) (Rookie)
5. #UH30 Jason Kendall
6. #UH311 Stephen Drew (Draft Pick) (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #UH301 Chuck James (First Year) (Rookie)
8. #UH214 Conor Jackson (Futures Game All-Star)
9. #UH138 Bartolo Colon/Cliff Lee/Jon Garland (League Leaders)
10. #UH159 Felipe Lopez (Sporting News All-Stars)

“Ivan went 43-for-86 in 6/04, becoming the first player in four years to hit .500 in a month.”

As his career winds to a close, the future Hall of Famer is batting only .154 while preparing young Nationals catchers to succeed him.

2005 Topps Series 1:

1. #52 Danny Graves
2. #77 Barry Zito
3. #30 Ivan Rodriguez
4. #68 Francisco Cordero
5. #226 Josh Fogg
6. #60 Jose Vidro
7. #344 Juan Pierre/Mark Loretta/Jack Wilson (League Leaders)
8. #281 Jim Tracy (Manager)
9. #51 Chone Figgins
10. #255 Braden Looper

“Sizzling with the bat, Montero already had clubbed 24 home runs and collected a Minors-leading 218 total bases in a breakout season for Lancaster (A) when he made his appearance in the 2005 Futures Game.  The Venezuelan backstop garnered a walk in the contest at Detroit’s Comerica Park, and shortly thereafter earned a promotion to Huntsville (AA).”

2005 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH177 David Ortiz (All-Star)
2. #UH67 Brad Thompson
3. #UH185 Bobby Abreu (All-Star)
4. #UH61 Phil Nevin
5. #UH264 Brandon McCarthy (First Year) (Rookie)
6. #UH4 Michael Tucker
7. Gold #UH208 Miguel Montero (Serial#1383/2005) (Futures  Game All-Star) (Rookie)
8. #UH198 David Ortiz (Home Run Derby)
9. #UH193 David Eckstein (All-Star)
10. #UH117 Reggie Sanders (Postseason Highlights)