2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH226 Kevin Hart
2. #UH217 Craig Stammen (Rookie)
3. #UH170 Jason Giambi
4. #UH266 Jonathan Broxton (All-Star)
5. #UH315 Jerry Hairston Jr.
6. Ring of Honor #RH81 Jermaine Dye
7. Topps Town #TTT67 Carl Crawford
8. #UH77 Jeremy Reed
9. #UH304 Nick Swisher/Johnny Damon (Classic Combos)
10. #UH36 Paul Konerko/Jermaine Dye (Season Highlights)

“As the White Sox swept the Astros in 2005 for their first World Series crown in 88 years, Dye claimed MVP honors.  His .438 AVG included a hit to drive in the only run of the clinching victory.”

And one of the rookie starting pitchers on the Nats last season.  He did a decent job for a rookie, going 4-7 in 19 games started.

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH54 Vin Mazzaro (Rookie)
2. #UH160 Edgar Renteria
3. #UH164 Brett Tomko
4. #UH300 Albert Pujols (Home Run Derby)
5. #UH95 Ryan Freel
6. #UH301 Ryan Zimmerman (All-Star)
7. Turkey Red #TR116 Rick Porcello
8. Topps Town #TTT52 Torii Hunter
9. #UH46 Clayton Richard
10. #UH165 Maicer Izturis

“One of the most highly touted pitching prospects of recent years, Rick was drafted in the first round by Detroit in 2007, led the Flordia State League with a 2.66 ERA in ‘08, and made the rare jump from Single-A to the Motor City the next year.  The youngest player in the Majors when he debuted at just 20, Porcello made it known quickly that he is mature beyond his years.  He gave up just one run over seven innings in his second start (April 19 at Seattle) to earn his first Major League victory.  The right-hander captured all five of his starts in May — a first for a Tigers pitcher that youthful.”

And my newest player collection:

And another Nat for my team collection:

2009 Topps Series 2:

1. #526 Bruce Bochy (Manager)
2. #564 Jesus Flores
3. #417 Jason Marquis
4. Ring of Honor #RH64 Yadier Molina
5. Topps Town #TTT43 Curtis Granderson
6. #378 Mark Hendrickson
7. #374 Kevin Kouzmanoff
8. #467 Chris Volstad
9. #514 Nick Hundley
10. #567 Willy Aybar

“He may best be known for his defense, but Molina busted out the lumber to help the Cardinals to their most recent title.  His 2006 postseason AVG of .358 included the game-winning homer in Game 7 of the NLCS.”

And the guy Ivan Rodriguez will have to work with this season:

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH1 Ivan Rodriguez
2. #UH8 Lance Broadway
3. #UH194 Ty Wigginton
4. #UH221 Adrian Gonzalez (Home Run Derby)
5. #UH117 Alex Rios
6. Gold Border #UH319 Ramon Castro (Serial#1000/2009)
7. Legends of the Game #LGU24 Paul Molitor
8. Topps Town Gold #FCTTT62 Russell Martin
9. #UH73 Sean West (Rookie)
10. #UH115 Jeff Weaver

The Ramon Castro gold card is #1000 out of 2009!

And a Legends of the Game card celebrating Paul Molitor’s 225-hit season in 1996:

“Moving back home to the Twin Cities, Molitor put together one last brilliant season for Minnesota in 1996.  He stroked 225 hits — his career high and the third-most in franchise history.  At age 40, Paul also became the oldest player ever to achieve a 200-hit season.  His 211th of the year — a triple against the Kansas City Royals on September 16 — was No. 3,000 for his career.”

And Pudge about to body-slam someone in the crotch with a baseball.  ouch!

2009 Topps Series 2:

1. #347 Jason Bartlett
2. #501 Jeff Suppan
3. #404 Matt Capps
4. #473 Jered Weaver
5. #540 Russell Martin
6. #660 Jacoby Ellsbury
7. #543 Travis Ishikawa
8. #367 Bobby Abreu
9. Legends of the Game Career Best #LGCB-MM Mickey Mantle
10. Legends of the Game #LG-CJ Chipper Jones
11. Topps Town #TTT45 Alex Rios
12. #579 Rocco Baldelli
13. #534 Skip Schumaker
14. #470 Lance Berkman

Topps really packed it into this pack!  14 cards in a 10-card pack!  I guess that makes up for all those 9-card packs I got in this box.

A few selected Mickey Mantle career bests:

Highest AVG in a season: .365

Most Hits in a season: 188

Most HRs in a season: 54

Most RBI in a season: 130

Most SBs in a season: 21

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH207 Garrett Jones
2. #UH261 Aaron Bates (Rookie)
3. #UH265 Justin Morneau (All-Star)
4. #UH281 Kevin Youkilis (All-Star)
5. #UH316 Hunter Pence/Ryan Braun (Classic Combos)
6. Gold Border #UH142 Jorge Posada (Season Highlights) (Serial#1260/2009)
7. Topps Town Gold #FCTTT65 Raul Ibanez
8. #UH154 Gerardo Parra (Season Highlights)
9. #UH78 LaTroy Hawkins
10. #UH104 Geoff Blum

“It was historic justice that the first home run ever hit at the new Yankee Stadium in 2009 landed in Monument Park behind center field — deposited by Posada on April 16, 2009.  The long-standing catcher tagged it off defending AL Cy YOung Award winner Cliff Lee.”

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH228 Jason LaRue
2. #UH61 Jamie Hoffman (Rookie)
3. #UH102 Brett Hayes (Rookie)
4. #UH192 Prince Fielder (Home Run Derby)
5. #UH82 David Wright (All-Star)
6. Gold Border #UH124 Delwyn Young (Serial#0583/2009)
7. Legends of the Game #LGU19 Nolan Ryan
8. #UH100 CC Sabathia
9. #UH299 Ryan Langerhans

Hey!  Where’s my Topps Town card???

Oh well, at least they gave me my childhood hero.

“Ryan struck out Minor League hitters at a prodigious rate in 1966 — including 21 and a 9 1/3-inning appearance for Williamsport of the Eastern League.  That prompted the Mets to give the 19-year-old the ball for the first time on September 11.  In two innings of relief against the Braves, he fanned three.  The only run and hit off the future immortal was a solo homer by Joe Torre.”

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH195 P.J. Walters (Rookie)
2. #UH210 Jason Vargas
3. #UH249 Brian McCann (All-Star)
4. #UH240 Jason Marquis (All-Star)
5. #UH2 Felipe Lopez
6. Gold Border #UH92 Edwin Encarnacion (Serial#0698/2009)
7. Turkey Red #TR124 Justin Verlander
8. Topps Town Gold #FCTTT67 Carl Crawford
9. #UH267 Miguel Cairo
10. #UH285 Ryan Franklin

“P.J., the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year honoree in 2007, has always shown remarkable control.  As a senior in high school, he walked only four batters all season.  Walters brought his four-pitch repertoire and superior command to the Major Leagues for the first time on April 17, 2009, fanning seven over four innings against the Cubs.”