2007 Topps Series 1:

1. #63 Scott Proctor
2. #186 Grady Sizemore
3. #65 Dan Uggla (Topps All-Star Rookie)
4. Own the Game #OTG1 Ryan Howard
5. Generation Now #GN26 Ryan Howard
6. Red Back #112 Jeff Conine
7. Red Back #31 Jay Payton
8. #307 Torii Hunter (Gold Glove)
9. #143 Vicente Padilla
10. #86 Shannon Stewart

In 2006, Ryan Howard led the National League with 58 home runs.

This season, he’s leading the National League with 81 RBI’s.  However, he might be headed to the Disabled List soon for hurting his ankle on Sunday while running the basepaths.

I don’t have any Jumbo packs of 2007 Topps series 2, so I’ll be ripping 5 hobby packs of it.  Let’s see what treasures lie within:

Pack 1

1. #502 Brian Roberts
2. #448 Fernando Rodney
3. #446 Jaret Wright
4. #464 Omar Vizquel
5. Mantle Home Run History #MHR386 Mickey Mantle
6. Generation Now #GN268 Delmon Young
7. Red Back #617 Ned Yost (Manager)
8. Red Back #425 Tomo Ohka
9. #428 So Taguchi
10. #429 Carlos Zambrano

Pack 2

1. #649 Brian Barden (Rookie Card)
2. #599 Kansas City Royals (Team Card)
3. #476 Aaron Harang
4. #342 Bengie Molina
5. Trading Places #TP15 Aubrey Huff
6. DiMaggio Streak Before the Streak #JDSF8 Joe DiMaggio
7. Red Back #457 Mike Hampton
8. Red Back #383 Jon Lester
9. #391 Kelvim Escobar
10. #485 Tadahito Iguchi

Pack 3

1. #468 Kerry Wood
2. #539 Eric Milton
3. #341 Akinori Iwamura (Rookie Card)
4. #396 Chris Capuano
5. #399 James Shields
6. Hit Parade #HP3 Frank Thomas
7. Red Back #647 Juan Morillo (Rookie Card)
8. Red Back #616 Fredi Gonzalez (Manager)
9. #550 Trevor Hoffman
10. #483 Kris Benson

Pack 4

1. #392 Craig Wilson
2. #594 Angels (Team Card)
3. #610 Jim Leyland (Manager)
4. #473 Xavier Nady
5. Gold #532 Jose Vidro (Serial#0671/2007)
6. 1st Edition #577 Jason LaRue
7. Red Back #418 Boof Bonser
8. Red Back #559 Doug Mientkiewicz
9. #500 Pedro Martinez
10. #398 Jacque Jones

Pack 5

1. #552 Chris Woodward
2. #484 John Maine
3. #355 Oliver Perez
4. #586 Willy Aybar
5. #426 Jeff Francoeur
6. Red Back #625 Josh Hamilton (Rookie Card)
7. Red Back #634 Alex Gordon (Rookie Card)
8. #409 Khalil Greene
9. #350 Chase Utley
10. #459 Jeff Suppan

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH81 Kelly Schoppach
2. #UH112 Henry Owens
3. #UH34 Paul McAnulty
4. #UH159 Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Rookie Card)
5. #UH107 Damion Easley
6. Red Back #UH171 Andy Sonnanstine (Rookie Card)
7. Red Back #UH222 Ichiro (All-Star)
8. Barry Bonds 756 #HRK Barry Bonds
9. #UH188 Ryan Rowland-Smith (Rookie Card)
10. #UH239 Mike Lowell (All-Star)

“Bonds’ epic pursuit of the all-time career home run mark was realized in a sea of cheers from San Francisco fans on August 7, 2007.  No. 756 – a long blast against Washington – gave him possession of one of the most hallowed records in all of sport.”

Booooooooo

2007 Topps Series 2:

1. #535 Jon Lieber
2. #595 Cleveland Indians (Team Card)
3. #651 Jason Michaels/Travis Hafner (Classic Combo)
4. #578 Dustin Pedroia
5. #540 Chad Billingsley
6. Red Back #582 Scott Thorman
7. Red Back #623 Alejandro De Aza (Rookie Card)
8. #338 Juan Pierre
9. #339 Jonny Gomes
10. #538 Wily Mo Pena

“Dustin, says manager Terry Francona, “does everything he’s supposed to.  He understands situations on the field.  You don’t have to explain to him three times.”“

2007 Topps Series 2:

1. #623 Alejandro de Aza (Rookie)
2. #630 Daisuke Matsuzaka (Rookie)
3. #441 Pat Burrell
4. #401 Matt Kemp
5. #411b Jason Bay (No Signature)
6. Generation Now #GN312 Hanley Ramirez
7. Red Back #433 Brandon Morrow (Rookie)
8. Red Back #626 Doug Slaten (Rookie)
9. #534 Terrmel Sledge
10. #492 Michael Barrett

I pulled a Jason Bay no signature “error” card.

“Jason experienced thrills in 2006 that, a few years back, he could never have imagined.  In March, he played in the inaugural World Baseball Classic and went 5-for-11 for Canada.  In July, he started in the All-Star Game, which was staged at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.  Among NL outfielders, only Albert Pujols had garnered more votes in fan balloting.”

It looks like Jason Bay might have missed the cut in All-Star balloting this year.  We’ll know for sure when the teams are unveiled in a few days.

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH324 Dan Wheeler
2. #UH113 Willie Harris
3. #UH54 Mark Teixeira
4. #UH36 Justin Germano
5. #UH59 Ryan Doumit
6. Red Back #UH19 Russell Branyan
7. Red Back #UH189 Lee Gronkiewicz (Rookie)
8. Generation Now #GN397 Prince Fielder
9. #UH18 Adam Jones
10. #UH217 Placido Polanco (All-Star)

On April 8, 2006, Prince Fielder hit the first of 28 home runs for the season.  It was a solo shot off of Brandon Webb of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Prince hit a league-leading 50 homers the following season.  He has 9 so far this season.

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH175 Masumi Kuwata (Rookie)
2. #UH147 Eric Patterson (Rookie)
3. #UH308 Gabe Gross
4. #UH151 Tony Abreu (Rookie)
5. #UH168 Rick Vandenhurk (Rookie)
6. Red Back #UH237 Justin Verlander (All-Star)
7. Red Back #UH155 Carlos Gomez (Rookie)
8. Mickey Mantle Story #MMS38 Mickey Mantle
9. #UH96 Jason Bergmann
10. #UH243 Jake Peavy (All-Star)

“Masumi, a veteran of 20 seasons and 118 complete games with Japan’s famed Yomiuri Giants, fulfilled his lifelong dream of pitching in the Major Leagues on June 10, 2007, when he threw two innings of relief at Yankee Stadium.  At 39, the right-hander became the oldest man to debut in the Majors since 41-year-old Diomedes Olivo pitched 47 years earlier.”

Masumi appeared in 19 games for the Pirates in 2006, pitching relief with mediocre results.  But it’s always nice to see dreams being fulfilled on the baseball field.  It’s not always about winning ya know.

And another Nat that I needed, Jay Bergmann:

He’s currently pitching for the AAA Syracuse Chiefs in the Nationals organization.  The Blue Jays are reportedly interested in acquiring him.

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH89 Doug Mirabelli
2. #UH119 Matt Stairs
3. #UH65 Angel Pagan
4. #UH132 Scot Shields
5. #UH318 Scott Proctor
6. Red Back #UH251 Chris Young (All-Star)
7. Red Back #UH103 Antonio Alfonseca
8. Generation Now #GN528 Curtis Granderson
9. #UH282 Jonathan Papelbon/Jorge Posada (Classic Combo)
10. #UH235 C.C. Sabathia (All-Star)

Curtis Granderson hit 31 doubles in 2006.  He hit his 9th double on May 23, 2006 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri against Elmer Dessens of the Kansas City Royals.  It was the 8th inning and he drove in 2 runs with his double.

Perhaps even more significant is what he did the following season in 2007.  Curtis Granderson hit 23 Triples in 2007, which is the most since Dale Mitchell hit 23 in 1949.  The only players in history to hit more than 23 Triples in a season were Shoeless Joe Jackson, Sam Crawford, and Ty Cobb — all before 1920.