2008 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH44 Ryan Sweeney
2. #UH128 LaTroy Hawkins
3. #UH1 Kosuke Fukudome (Rookie)
4. #UH153 Armando Galarraga (Rookie)
5. #UH267 Gregorio Petit (Rookie)
6. #UH246 Kelvin Jimenez
7. #UH36 Xavier Nady
8. #UH252 Tony Clark
9. Gold Border #UH252 Tony Clark (Serial#0215/2008)
10. Ring of Honor 1986 New York Mets #MRH-DG Dwight Gooden

That’s interesting… I got a Tony Clark, and then a Tony Clark Gold Border as the next card…

Tony Clark was released by the Diamondbacks at the end of last season and has since gotten a job as an MLB Network studio analyst.

2008 Topps Series 2:

1. #419 Bengie Molina
2. #462 Freddy Sanchez
3. #612 Kelly Johnson
4. #404 Cecil Cooper (Manager)
5. #591 Rico Washington (Rookie)
6. #653 Endy Chavez
7. Stars #TS5 David Wright
8. #384 Carlos Quentin
9. #557 John McDonald
10. #648 Ryan Freel

“Wright’s third full season as the Mets third baseman was his greatest as he was honored with both the 2007 Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards while finishing fourth in NL MVP balloting.  A complete player who also gets high marks for his demeanor, David set a Mets record with a 26-game hitting streak that spanned ‘06 and ‘07.”

The most interesting card in this pack was actually the Home Run Derby Contest game card.  I don’t know why, but it’s actually serial numbered 846/999.  It’s even lower numbered than Topps Gold cards!  The contest ended back in December 2008, but I couldn’t have won anyways.  Ryan Howard didn’t even participate in the 2008 Home Run Derby!

2008 Topps Series 1:

1. #304 Jose Vidro
2. #178 Dustin Pedroia (Rookie of the Year)
3. #276 Brad Ausmus
4. #106 Josh Bard
5. #149 Luke Hochevar (Rookie)
6. Year in Review #YR15 Marco Scutaro
7. Gold Foil #138 Dan Wheeler
8. #9 Randy Wolf
9. #150 Alfonso Soriano
10. #263 Nook Logan

“Though fewer than 200 innings into his professional career, Luke is a candidate for the 2008 Royals rotation — and a candidate for stardom.  Since signing the first Major League contract the team has given to a draft pick since Bo Jackson, he’s zipped through every level of the system, including a four-game cup of coffee (2.13 ERA) in K.C. last September.”

Luke Hochevar was the 2006 first overall draft pick.  While he did make the 2008 and 2009 Royals rotations, he went 13-25 with a 6.06 ERA for those past two seasons.

and on deck we have former Nats outfielder Nook Logan:

Nook was named in the Mitchell report at the end of 2007 as having taken Human Growth Horomone.  The Nationals did not renew their contract with him and no Major League team would take him.  He played independent ball in 2008 and then retired from professional baseball.

2008 Topps Series 2:

1. #541 Adam Jones
2. #475 Adrian Gonzalez
3. #490 Albert Pujols
4. #441 Miguel Olivo
5. #532 Tim Lahey (Rookie)
6. #651 Martin Prado
7. Historical Campaign Match-Ups #HCM-1912 Woodrow Wilson/Theodore Roosevelt
8. #530 Ryan Zimmerman
9. #640 Carlos Pena
10. #369 Luis Castillo

“William Taft had failed to maintain the momentum his mentor, Roosevelt, had brought to the White House, so Roosevelt returned from an African safari to run again.  By this time, the Democrats had gained strength.  Their candidate, New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson (aka “The Professor”) was well-respected for his intellect.  Roosevelt, who was shot while campaigning in Milwaukee, lost by a wide margin.”

And the Zimmer-Man for my Nats collection:

2008 Topps Series 1:

1. #275 C.C. Sabathia (Cy Young Award)
2. #76 Ivan Rodriguez
3. #264 Byung-hyun Kim
4. #195 Todd Helton
5. #198 Shannon Stewart
6. #167 Jason Hirsh
7. Campaign 2008 #C08-BR Bill Richardson
8. #111 Ubaldo Jimenez
9. #95 John Lackey
10. #290 Edgar Renteria

Here’s Democrat Bill Richardson, trying to look as creepy and intimidating as possible.

“Nominated four times for the Nobel Peace Prize, appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by President Clinton in 1997, and a man with a long resume in the area of international diplomacy, Gov. Richardson appeals to a wide range of citizens.  He was born to immigrant parents in California (his mother is of Mexican descent), and he served as a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Secretary of Energy before winning election as the popular governor of New Mexico.”

And we got some Pudge:

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH222 Dave Borkowski
2. #UH306 Casey Kotchman
3. #UH96 Vladimir Nunez
4. #UH204 Franquelis Osoria
5. #UH12 Trot Nixon
6. #UH318 Kyle Farnsworth
7. #UH276 Corey Hart (All-Star)
8. Highlights Autographs #HA-JR Jo-Jo Reyes (Autograph)
9. Gold Foil #UH199 Lance Cormier

Wow, this is the third autograph I’ve pulled from a pack, but I think the first sticker autograph I’ve ever pulled.  I love the shiny sticker and the overall look of the card, but I can see why people hate sticker autographs.  They kind of take away the mistique of the autograph because it’s quite possible that the player never actually touched the sticker while signing it.  When you have an on-card autograph, you know that the player himself has actually handled the card, looked at the picture of himself, considered where on the card would be the most appropriate place to sign, and put his mark on it.  You don’t get that with a sticker.

My rant about sticker autographs aside, it’s a nice looking card and I’m just thankful I got an autograph instead of an event-used jersey relic of a washed-up player with no more potential.

Jo-Jo Reyes still has some potential, but chances are slim given his numbers and age that he will ever rise to stardom as a baseball player.  His numbers and situation are very similar to that of Elizardo Ramirez, whose autograph I pulled a few months back.  Elizardo is now 27 years old and spent the entirety of last season racking up a losing record playing triple-A ball.  Are there any Braves fans out there who can give me some hope for Jo-jo?

“Called up from the Minors to replace the injured John Smoltz against the Reds, Jo-Jo made his 2008 debut a memorable one.  He retired the first six Reds he faced, allowing one batter above the minimum through four innings, en route to a 9-1 victory.  The left-hander yielded just one run on four hits through 5 1/3 innings while striking out five.”

2008 Topps Series 2:

1. #624 Joe Torre (Manager)
2. #405 Travis Hafner
3. #459 Mike Sweeney
4. #572 Adam Eaton
5. #613 Melvin Mora
6. #587 Chris Snyder
7. Historical Campaign Match-Ups #HCM-1884 Grover Cleveland/James G. Blaine
8. #588 Tony Gwynn Jr.
9. #392 Joey Gathright
10. #472 Shaun Marcum

“Looking for their first trip to the White House since the Civil War, the Democrats nominated New York Governor Cleveland, a man known for his honesty and integrity.  Blaine, as Secretary of State under James Garfield and Chester Arthur, was a champion of American rights on foreign soil.  Cleveland’s narrow victory in New York proved to be the key to a long-awaited triumph for the Democrats.”

And the winner with a 219-182 Electoral Vote Count:  Grover Cleveland!

2008 Topps Series 2:

1. #641 Marcus Thames
2. #353 Brendan Ryan
3. #509 Alex Gonzalez
4. #416 Elijah Dukes
5. #355 Brian Roberts
6. Gold Border #409 Jason Giambi (Serial#1898/2008)
7. Year in Review #YR68 Curt Schilling
8. #660 Yadier Molina
9. #473 Joe Maddon (Manager)
10. #356 Manny Corpas

39-year-old Jason Giambi will be playing with the Rockies for another season in 2010.  He has over 400 career home runs, but has admitted to taking steroids in the past.

And I found a Nat in my pack: