““Albert the Great” might soon have to be redubbed “Albert the Greatest.”  Pujols got off to such a dynamic start in 2006, he missed 15 games in June and, when he returned, he still led the NL in home runs.  And he was so feared by pitchers that in the 73 times he came up with runners in scoring position and first base open, he was walked 31 times!”

2007 Topps Series 2:

1. #654 Ivan Rodriguez/Fernando Rodney (Classic Combo)
2. #642 Sean Henn (Rookie Card)
3. #462 Edgar Gonzalez
4. #411 Jason Bay
5. Gold #393 Milton Bradley (Serial#0667/2007)
6. Stars #TS6 Albert Pujols
7. Red Back #351 Mark DeRosa
8. Red Back #493 Greg Norton
9. #407 Nick Johnson
10. #516 Bartolo Colon

I find it odd that Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Topps Update Season Highlights card is classified by Beckett as a true rookie card.  He already had a regular base card released earlier in the year by Topps that is also considered a true rookie card.  Does that mean the 2010 Topps Update “Rookie Debut” cards are also considered true rookie cards?

“Matsuzaka was solid his first seven MLB starts, but the Red Sox knew he was the real deal when they witnessed his mastery of the defending AL champs in his first complete game.  The rookie threw nearly 70% of his pitches for strikes in the six-hit gem.”

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH8 Trot Nixon
2. #UH50 Jason Smith
3. #UH326 Milton Bradley
4. #UH327 Justin Upton (Rookie Card)
5. #UH210 Daisuke Matsuzaka (Season Highlights) (Rookie)
6. Red Back #UH128 Brad Thompson
7. Red Back #UH69 Claudio Vargas
8. Barry Bonds Home Run History #748 Barry Bonds
9. #UH312 Joba Chamberlain (Rookie Card)
10. #UH244 Brad Penny (All-Star)

It’s a gimmick, but this card is notorious because it got so much media attention in 2007.  Mickey Mantle watches from the dugout as George W. Bush waves from the stands.  It’ll be a nice addition to my display case.

2007 Topps Series 1:

1. #287 Jose Garcia (Rookie Card)
2. #195 James Loney
3. #192 Matt Capps
4. #230 Barry Zito
5. Distinguished Service #DS4 Bobby Doerr
6. Red Back #40a Derek Jeter (Mantle-Bush Variation)
7. Red Back #50 Miguel Cabrera
8. #87 Alexis Gomez
9. #138 Adrian Gonzalez
10. #2 Nick Swisher

A-Rod’s 400th homer came on June 8, 2005 in Miller Park against Jorge de la Rosa of the Milwaukee Brewers.  It was a solo homer in the 8th inning.

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH22 Jeff Salazar
2. #UH189 Lee Gronkiewicz (Rookie Card)
3. #UH194 Guillermo Rodriguez (Rookie Card)
4. #UH124 Lenny DiNardo
5. #UH322 David Murphy (Rookie Card)
6. Red Back #UH325 Jason Kendall
7. Red Back #UH124 Lenny DiNardo
8. Alex Rodriguez Road to 500 #ARHR400 Alex Rodriguez
9. #UH213 Trevor Hoffman (Season Highlights)
10. #UH238 Francisco Cordero (All-Star)

Mickey Mantle hit home run number 240 on August 12, 1958 off of Ken Lehman of the Baltimore Orioles in Yankee Stadium.

2007 Topps Series 1:

1. #294 Mike Rabelo (Rookie Card)
2. #309 Mark Teixeira (Gold Glove)
3. #238 Philadelphia Phillies (Team Card)
4. #39 Jim Edmonds
5. #312 Carlos Beltran (Gold Glove)
6. Mantle Home Run History #MHR240 Mickey Mantle
7. Red Back #210 Kazuo Matsui
8. Red Back #263 Kevin Kouzmanoff (Rookie Card)
9. #19 Alfredo Amezaga
10. #270 Alfonso Soriano

“Carlos not only swatted .320 in 2006, but he shone defensively at shortstop calmed pitchers at the mound.  In the postseason, he blasted .362 and filled in at 1B.  He was named Tiger of the Year.”

That’s one bad-ass looking autograph he has there!

2007 Topps Series 2:

1. #359 Jon Garland
2. #645 Angel Sanchez (Rookie Card)
3. #478 Octavio Dotel
4. #344 Kenji Johjima
5. #518 Esteban Loaiza
6. Gold #568 Carlos Guillen (Serial#0510/2007)
7. Red Back #567 Chris Stewart (Rookie Card)
8. Red Back #535 Jon Lieber
9. #579 Taylor Tankersley
10. #335 Brian McCann

Here’s five hobby packs of 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

PACK 1

1. #UH141 Cameron Maybin (Rookie Card)
2. #UH192 Terry Evans (Rookie Card)
3. #UH117 Jeremy Accardo
4. #UH320 Troy Percival
5. #UH51 Zack Greinke
6. Red Back #UH307 Kyle Davies
7. Red Back #UH183 Travis Metcalf (Rookie Card)
8. Barry Bonds Home Run History #738 Barry Bonds
9. #UH280 Carl Crawford/Carlos Guillen (Classic Combo)
10. #UH245 Takashi Saito (All-Star)

PACK 2

1. #UH3 Jason Marquis
2. #UH199 Yoel Hernandez (Rookie Card)
3. #UH169 Micah Owings (Rookie Card)
4. #UH62 Mike Fontenot
5. #UH63 Cesar Izturis
6. Red Back #UH233 J.J. Putz (All-Star)
7. Red Back #UH179 Jesus Flores (Rookie Card)
8. Mantle Home Run History #MHR470 Mickey Mantle
9. #UH275 Mike Fontenot/Khalil Greene (Classic Combo)
10. #UH226 Jose Reyes (All-Star)

PACK 3

1. #UH109 Jason Wood
2. #UH301 Bob Howry
3. #UH307 Kyle Davies
4. #UH103 Antonio Alfonseca
5. #UH156 Matt DeSalvo (Rookie Card)
6. Red Back #UH194 Guillermo Rodriguez (Rookie Card)
7. Red Back #UH253 Derrek Lee (All-Star)
8. Gold #UH135 Jose Molina (Serial#0767/2007)
9. #UH162 Phil Hughes (Rookie Card)
10. #UH218 Derek Jeter (All-Star)

PACK 4

1. #UH69 Claudio Vargas
2. #UH94 Al Reyes
3. #UH82 Rafael Betancourt
4. #UH52 Armando Benitez
5. #UH28 Olmedo Saenz
6. #UH207 Prince Fielder (Season Highlights)
7. Red Back #UH260 Matt Holliday (All-Star)
8. Red Back #UH43 Ubaldo Jimenez (Rookie Card)
9. #UH211 Randy Johnson (Season Highlights)
10. #UH221 Magglio Ordonez (All-Star)

PACK 5

1. #UH56 Jamie Burke
2. #UH186 Kyle Kendrick (Rookie Card)
3. #UH174 Curtis Thigpen (Rookie Card)
4. #UH27 Yusmeiro Petit
5. #UH32 Russ Ortiz
6. Red Back #UH22 Jeff Salazar
7. Red Back #UH266 Justin Morneau (All-Star)
8. Mickey Mantle Story #MMS32 Mickey Mantle
9. #UH271 Dan Haren (All-Star)
10. #UH232 Jonathan Papelbon (All-Star)

“After less than a year in the Minors, Tim broke in as a Giants force in 2007.  The ’06 first-rounder fanned 10 or more twice before the 2007 All-Star Game, including a 12-strikeout, no-walk shutout of Arizona on July 1.  He yielded just three hits in that win.  ”He’s not in awe of anything,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy says of the poised right-hander.”

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH158 Tim Lincecum (Rookie Card)
2. #UH79 Adam Wainwright
3. #UH139 Casey Kotchman
4. #UH66 Aaron Miles
5. #UH26 Kameron Loe
6. Red Back #UH247 Hideki Okajima (All-Star)
7. Red Back #UH1 Tony Armas Jr.
8. Gold #UH297 J.P. Howell (Serial#0714/2007)
9. #UH247 Hideki Okajima (All-Star)
10. #UH228 Carlos Beltran (All-Star)