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

August 4, 1955, Yankee Stadium.  Mickey Mantle’s 108th home run came as a solo shot in the ninth inning off of Cleveland Indians pitcher Ray Narleski.

2006 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH106 Chris Woodward
2. #UH94 Damon Hollins
3. #UH114 Josh Paul
4. #UH86 Bengie Molina
5. #UH142 Anibal Sanchez (Rookie Card)
6. #UH166 Kendry Morales (Rookie Card)
7. #UH248 Magglio Ordonez (All-Star)
8. Mantle Home Run History #MHR108 Mickey Mantle
9. #UH190 Tom Glavine (Postseason Highlights)
10. #UH318 Jered Weaver/Vladimir Guerrero (Team Leaders)
11. #UH202 David Ortiz/Jermaine Dye/Travis Hafner (League Leaders)
12. #UH328 Johan Santana/Francisco Liriano (Classic Duos)

“Cecil has hit more HR’s than any player in the 1990s (258), a total that includes a trio of three-HR games.”

1997 Topps Series 2:

1. #411 Cecil Fielder
2. #444 Cliff Floyd
3. #374 Bobby Bonilla
4. #339 Jay Powell
5. #427 Bob Wolcott
6. #474 Neifi Perez
7. #353 Charlie O’Brien
8. #486 Jeff Reed
9. #438 Jeffrey Hammonds
10. #300 Ken Griffey Jr.
11. #359 Devon White

“The 1970 season saw Bob Gibson’s 274 strikeouts (in only 294 IP) eclipse his own record that he set in 1965, when he sat down 270 batters.  Known as the best pitcher in Cardinals history, Gibson also won his second Cy Young award that year, the first season in which they played on AstroTurf at Busch Stadium.”

2003 Topps Series 1:

1. #163 Carl Everett
2. #132 Brian Daubach
3. #99 Jose Rijo
4. #16 Kerry Wood
5. Record Breakers #RB-BG Bob Gibson
6. #364 Derek Lowe (All-Star)
7. #248 Shawn Chacon
8. #228 Juan Cruz
9. #126 Juan Uribe
10. #253 Mark Grudzielanek

One advantage of living practically next door to Blowout Cards is that I get my cards today, and not tomorrow.

I opened up one pack to have a peek and here are my first impressions:

1. The packaging is so refreshing looking.
2. I’m liking the simple, clean design, though it feels like the design is missing something.  Perhaps just one more streak of color, another thin border, or one more speck of foil stamped into the card would have made the design look more complete for me.
3. With the design of the card so crisp, I wish the photo quality was improved a notch.
4. The inserts don’t feel like Topps inserts.  They remind me of Upper Deck or Leaf inserts.  I dunno.  Something about the style just doesn’t seem like something Topps would put out.  Maybe it’s the serif font?
5. Don’t care for the golden parallel cards.  They look dirty and busy.
6. Nothing “game changing” to see here.

Overall, I like what I see.  Can’t wait to open the rest of the packs and see what the “hits” look like.

“In perhaps the greatest of all World Series championship performances, Mathewson shut out the Athletics in all three of his starts (over a period of just six days!) in 1905.  He fired two four-hitters and a six-hitter.”

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH183 Guillermo Quiroz
2. #UH1 Ivan Rodriguez
3. #UH8 Lance Broadway
4. #UH256 Tim Wakefield (All-Star)
5. #UH260 Ryan Howard (All-Star)
6. Ring of Honor #RH79 Christy Mathewson
7. Topps Town #TTT75 Alexei Ramirez
8. #UH132 Joe Thurston
9. #UH105 Luis Valbuena
10. #UH97 Juan Castro

Travis Foley spent 7 seasons working his way all the way up to the AAA level as a relief pitcher, before hitting a wall in 2007.  He never made it to the Major Leagues.

2002 Topps Traded and Rookies:

1. #T148 Cristian Guerrero (Prospects)
2. #T147 Brandon Claussen (Prospects)
3. #T143 Chance Caple (Prospects)
4. #T140 Wily Mo Pena (Prospects)
5. #T139 Eddie Rogers (Prospects)
6. #T135 Angel Berroa (Prospects)
7. Gold #T186 Travis Foley (Serial#1684/2002) (Prospects)
8. Chrome Traded #T244 Tony Fontana (Prospects)
9. Chrome Traded #T87 Cliff Floyd
10. #T102 Todd Van Poppel

1. #US45 Peter Moylan
2. #US34 David Ross
3. #US208 Javier Lopez
4. #US158 Darren Oliver
5. #US224 Bill Hall
6. #US107 Brandon McCarthy
7. #US168 Bruce Chen
8. #US171 Matt Lindstrom
9. #US231 Charlie Blackmon (Rookie Card)
10. #US100 Cliff Lee
11. #US288 Eric Thames (Rookie Card)
12. #US328 Kevin Gregg
13. #US39 Eduardo Sanchez (Rookie Card)
14. #US30 Dustin Ackley (Rookie Card)
15. #US55 Anthony Rizzo (Rookie Card)
16. #US276 Yuniesky Betancourt
17. #US94 Ryan Vogelsong
18. #US2 Ty Wigginton
19. #US57 Tony Campana (Rookie Card)
20. Cognac Diamond Anniversary #US132 Jose Altuve (Rookie Card)
21. 60 #T60-114 Nolan Ryan
22. Diamond Giveaway #TDG-29 Jose Bautista
23. Gold #US92 Hunter Pence (Serial#0043/2011)
24. Diamond Anniversary #US227 Kosuke Fukudome
25. Topps Town #TTU-4 Carlos Beltran
26. Kimball Champions #KC-126 Danny Duffy
27. Cognac Diamond Anniversary #385 Ichiro (Checklist)
28. Cognac Diamond Anniversary #563 Josh Rodriguez (Rookie Card)
29. Cognac Diamond Anniversary #639 Pedro Beato (Rookie Card)
30. Glove Manufactured Leather Nameplates #MGL-JD Joe DiMaggio (Serial#69/99) (Manufactured Relic)
31. #US97 Cody Eppley (Rookie Card)
32. #US1 Adrian Gonzalez
33. #US13 Koyie Hill
34. #US326 Trevor Bell
35. #US189 Wilson Valdez
36. #US244 Francisco Rodriguez
37. #US63 Doug Fister
38. #US132 Jose Altuve (Rookie Card)
39. #US14 Alex Avila (All-Star)
40. #US173 Charlie Furbush (Rookie Card)
41. #US141 Mike Cameron
42. #US278 Jacoby Ellsbury (All-Star)
43. #US3 Blake Beavan (Rookie Debut)
44. #US52 Lance Berkman (All-Star)
45. #US109 Jair Jurrjens (All-Star)
46. #US38 Josh Hamilton (All-Star)
47. #US193 Lonnie Chisenhall (Rookie Debut)

And my Diamond Giveaway lotto card yields:

1983 Topps #510 Tug McGraw