2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH33 Daniel Bard (Rookie)
2. #UH37 Adam Kennedy
3. #UH58 Omar Quintanilla
4. #UH87 Jake Peavy
5. #UH98 Hanley Ramirez (All-Star)
6. Propaganda #PP15 Andrew Bailey
7. Topps Town #TTT70 Hunter Pence
8. #UH50 Gary Sheffield
9. #UH270 David Ortiz/Alex Rodriguez (Classic Combos)
10. #UH122 Kevin Youkilis/David Wright/Derek Jeter/Shane Victorino (Classic Combos)

Topps is really milking this Yankees/Red Sox rivalry thing.  They seem to be trying their best to catch Yankees mingling with Red Sox lately.

2009 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH21 Matt Diaz
2. #UH84 Gerardo Parra (Rookie)
3. #UH172 Tyler Greene (Rookie)
4. #UH131 Derek Jeter (All-Star)
5. #UH314 Brad Hawpe (All-Star)
6. #UH136 Raul Ibanez (All-Star)
7. Ring of Honor #RH95 Steve Garvey
8. Topps Town #TTT75 Alexei Ramirez
9. #UH279 Ross Detwiler
10. #UH99 Kevin Gregg

“By collecting more than 4.8 million fan ballots for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game, Jeter led the AL in voting for the first time in his career.  The event is nothing new to the Yankees captain, who’s a .429 lifetime hitter int he Midsummer Classic.  He scored two of the four American League runs in ‘09.”

And one of the Nationals’ top pitching prospects, who went 1-6 last season:

2006 Topps Series 2:

1. #496 Jose Capellan (Rookie)
2. #473 Jason Lane
3. #500 Derek Jeter
4. #380 Marcus Giles
5. #509 Freddy Sanchez
6. Mantle Home Run History #MHR61 Mickey Mantle
7. #447 Jacque Jones
8. #424 Tony Womack
9. #382 Steve Trachsel
10. #612 Los Angeles Dodgers (Team Card)

“Assuming Derek starts on Opening Day, he will be just one such assignment shy of Phil Rizzuto’s record of 11 for most by a shortstop in Yankees history.“

2008 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH61 Randy Wolf
2. #UH217 Willy Aybar
3. #UH7 Josh Anderson
4. #UH127 Michael Young/Derek Jeter (Classic Combos)
5. #UH202 Josh Hamilton (Home Run Derby)
6. #UH118 Justin Morneau/David Ortiz (Classic Combos)
7. #UH97 Sean Gallagher
8. #UH66 Robinson Cancel
9. #UH234 Carl Pavano
10. Year in Review #YR169 Matt Holliday

Here are two players who are actually very similar.  Both are .300+ hitters who average about 15 home runs per year and have Gold Glove-quality fielding skills.  Both have become fixtures of the All-Star Game, both having been selected 6 times in their first 10 seasons in the big leagues.

The biggest difference?  Derek Jeter plays for the New York Freakin’ Yankees and is touted as a baseball Messiah, while Michael Young plays for the lowly Texas Rangers who have never made it into the playoffs in this decade.

2006 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH118 Ambiorix Burgos
2. #UH90 Sal Fasano
3. #UH110 Milton Bradley
4. #UH98 Ryan Shealy
5. #UH82 Matt Stairs
6. #UH162 Franklin Gutierrez (Rookie)
7. #UH246 Johan Santana (All-Star)
8. Mantle Home Run History #MHR139 Mickey Mantle
9. #UH321 Derek Jeter/Robinson Cano (Classic Duos)
10. #UH307 Alex Rodriguez/Chien-Ming Wang (Team Leaders)
11. #UH217 Trevor Hoffman/Billy Wagner/Joe Borowski (League Leaders)
12. #UH274 Brian Fuentes (All-Star)

“In 2005, Cano became the 19th second baseman to start alongside Jeter for the Yankees.  One year later, he joined his double play partner in being selected for the All-Star Game, an honor Derek attained for the seventh time in his career.  An injury prevented Robinson from competing, but has not kept this duo from setting a high middle-infield standard.“

2000 Topps Series 1:

1. #104 Rickey Henderson
2. #159 Hideo Nomo
3. #198 Tony Fernandez
4. #191 Henry Rodriguez
5. #144 Robin Ventura
6. #15 Derek Jeter
7. #122 Edgardo Alfonzo
8. #121 Todd Zeile
9. #43 Dean Palmer
10. #41 Mike Lansing
11. #227 Bernie Williams (League Championship Highlight)

…and Checklist 1 of 2

““Defense wins, man,” says Derek.  “When you play shortstop, it has to be your number one priority.”  Kinda makes one wonder how good a hitter he would be if offense were a priority.  Last season, again brilliant with the glove, Jeter also became an explosive weapon at the plate.  His streak of reaching base by a hit or walk in the first 53 games was a team record — by a whopping 24, besting Dave Winfield’s 1988 start.“

2007 Topps Wal-Mart archives, to be integrated into my collection:

2007 Topps Wal-Mart #WM17 Derek Jeter

1. #WM1 Frank Thomas
2. #WM4 David Ortiz
3. #WM17 Derek Jeter

2004 Topps #337 Bill Mueller/Manny Ramirez/Derek Jeter (League Leaders)

2004 Topps series 1:

1. #285 Art Howe (Manager)
2. #34 Ramon Hernandez
3. #267 Juan Castro
4. #272 Dusty Baker (Manager)
5. #331 Bobby Jenks/Casey Kotchman (Future Stars)
6. #303 David Murphy (First Year) (Rookie)
7. #337 Bill Mueller/Manny Ramirez/Derek Jeter (League Leaders)
8. #221 Mike Mussina
9. #286 Joe Torre (Manager)
10. #45 John Smoltz

The card notes that this was Mueller’s first batting crown