I big jumbo pack of 2012 Topps Series 1:

1. #63 Nate Schierholtz
2. #76 Ian Kennedy
3. #293 Eric Thames
4. #305 Chipper Jones
5. #46 Peter Bourjos
6. #102 Chase d’Arnaud
7. #142 Travis Wood
8. #21 Chris Iannetta
9. #72 Rex Brothers
10. #330 Matt Kemp
11. #280 Ryan Howard
12. #6 Nick Hagadone
13. #28 Placido Polanco
14. #4 Jeremy Guthrie
15. #177 Josh Thole
16. #53 St. Louis Cardinals (World Series)
17. #91 Alex Rodriguez/Jim Thome/Jason Giambi (Active Leaders)
18. #29 Livan Hernandez/Roy Oswalt/Randy Wolf (Active Leaders)
19. #90 Adron Chambers (Rookie Card)
20. #292 Ben Revere (Topps All-Star Rookie)
21. #308 Mike Leake
22. #238 Emilio Bonifacio
23. #60 Hanley Ramirez
24. Gold Sparkle #212 Tim Wakefield/CC Sabathia/Mark Buehrle (Active Leaders)
25. Classic Walk-offs #CW-5 Jay Bruce
26. Golden Moments #GM-50 Roy Halladay
27. Golden Greats #GG-14 Willie Mays
28. Gold Standard #GS-23 Tom Seaver
29. Gold Futures #GF-1 Michael Pineda
30. 1987 Topps Minis #TM-48 Paul Konerko
31. Golden Giveaway #GGC-2 Troy Tulowitzki
32. Timeless Talents #TT-23 Edgar Martinez/David Ortiz
33. #163 Justin Turner
34. #307 Vance Worley
35. #203 Jeff Niemann
36. #140 Troy Tulowitzki
37. #316 Nick Blackburn
38. #100 Jose Bautista
39. #9 Jesus Montero (Rookie Card)
40. #150 Roy Halladay
41. #169 Brett Myers
42. #71 Jeff Karstens
43. #193 Kelly Shoppach
44. #158 Josh Reddick
45. #82 Rick Porcello
46. #198 Matt Dominguez (Rookie Card)
47. #81 Liam Hendriks (Rookie Card)
48. #252 Dellin Betances (Rookie Card)
49. #219 Jordan Pacheco (Rookie Card)
50. #41 Devin Mesoraco (Rookie Card)

Here’s what I got in the Golden Giveaway:

Ichiro:  .350

Giambi: .342

Alomar: .336

2002 Topps Series 1:

1. #155 Omar Daal
2. #301 Charlie Manuel (Manager)
3. #324 Nic Jackson (Prospects)
4. #159 Deivi Cruz
5. #329 Gabe Gross (Draft Picks)
6. #337 Ichiro/Jason Giambi/Roberto Alomar (League Leaders)
7. #188 Craig Biggio
8. #131 Jose Macias
9. #112 Dan Wilson
10. #93 Esteban Loaiza
11. #77 Kevin Appier

“In 1991 Jason led the Big West Conference with .394 Batting Average.  An All-Big West First Team selection, he led Long Beach State in Batting and Bases on Balls.  Jason collected 3-or-more Hits in a game 10 times during the campaign.  He led the 49ers to a berth in the College World Series at Omaha.”

1991 Topps Traded:

1. #25T Danny Cox
2. #79T Hal McRae
3. #55T Glenallen Hill
4. #44T Gary Gaetti
5. #33T Brian Downing
6. #45T Jason Giambi (Team USA) (Rookie)
7. #92T Doug Piatt (Rookie)

This Sunday of 2011, we’re opening up 5 packs of 2008 Topps Series 2:

PACK 1:

1. #506 Jay Gibbons
2. #574 Scott Baker
3. #630 Chris Carpenter
4. #551 Erick Threets (Rookie Card)
5. #502 Alex Cora
6. 50th Anniversary All Rookie Team#AR73 Carlos Ruiz
7. Stars #TS13 Manny Ramirez
8. #530 Ryan Zimmerman
9. #640 Carlos Pena
10. #369 Luis Castillo

PACK 2:

1. #408 Edinson Volquez
2. #486 Javier Vazquez
3. #394 Mark Ellis
4. Commemorative Patch Relics #CPR-JG Jason Giambi (Serial#071/100) (Manufactured Patch)
5. 50th Anniversary All Rookie Team #AR84 Adam LaRoche
6. #602 Lyle Overbay/Vernon Wells (Classic Combos)
7. Historical Campaign Match-Ups #HCM-1880 James Garfield/Winfield Scott Hancock
8. #380 Grady Sizemore
9. #642 Mark Kotsay

PACK 3:

1. #624 Joe Torre (Manager)
2. #405 Travis Hafner
3. #459 Mike Sweeney
4. #545 Chris Young (Topps All-Star Rookie)
5. #445 Hideki Matsui
6. #476 Johnny Cueto (Rookie Card)
7. Stars #TS25 Matt Holliday
8. #452 Kevin Slowey
9. #646 Rajai Davis
10. #600 Tom Glavine

PACK 4:

1. #393 Michael Cuddyer
2. #504 Conor Jackson
3. #503 Jeremy Bonderman
4. #603 Blake DeWitt (Rookie Card)
5. #539 Clete Thomas (Rookie Card)
6. #417 Brian Bass (Rookie Card)
7. Year in Review #YR103 Ryan Garko
8. #439 Josh Hamilton
9. #464 Rocco Baldelli
10. #559 Jonny Gomes

PACK 5:

1. #568 Jose Guillen
2. #578 Ricky Nolasco
3. #381 Jeff Francoeur
4. #501 Elliot Johnson (Rookie Card)
5. #346 Adam Everett
6. #609 Ted Lilly
7. Gold Foil #348 Craig Monroe
8. #535 Francisco Rodriguez
9. #610 Carlos Beltran
10. #427 Carlos Guillen

“Jason, whose grandfather was a bull rider, made pitchers see red in 1998 — including some no-hit aspirants in particular.  Twice in a month he broke up no-no bids: once for a combination of White Sox pitchers in the eighth inning, and once in the seventh as New York’s David Wells strove for his season’s second perfect game.  The efficient Giambi reached base via a hit or walk in 39 consecutive games from August 12 to September 25.”

Giambi had limited playing time in 2010 with the Colorado Rockies, batting .244 with 6 home runs in 176 at-bats.  He is 39 years old.

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #312 Marty Cordova
2. #391 Bobby Smith (Topps All-Star Rookie)
3. #271 Jeff Abbott
4. #436 Roosevelt Brown/Dernell Stenson/Vernon Wells (Prospects)
5. #268 Matt Franco
6. #371 Wilson Alvarez
7. #376 Jay Buhner
8. #324 Jason Giambi
9. #422 Orlando Hernandez
10. #392 Derrick Gibson
11. #402 Sean Casey

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:

2001 Topps #395 Barry Bonds/Jason Giambi (League Leaders)

2001 Topps series 1:

1. #395 Barry Bonds/Jason Giambi (League Leaders)
2. #369 J.R. House/Ramon Castro/Ben Davis (Prospects)
3. #64 Carlos Lee
4. #136 David Ortiz
5. #12 Mike Stanton
6. #68 Rick Helling
7. #98 Pat Rapp
8. #36 Steve Cox
9. #45 Ellis Burks
10. #276 Terry Mulholland

In 2000, Barry Bonds led the National League in Walks with 117.  Jason Giambi led the American League with 134.  Both were steroid users.  Bonds continues to deny steroid use, while Giambi admitted it.  Bonds is no longer playing baseball, although he wants to play.  Giambi is still playing and recently hit his 400th homer.

I think the lesson here is that in sports, PR and character is just as important as playing ability.  Players who are well-liked will be in a lot more All-Star games, will get a lot more second chances, and are a whole lot more likely to get in the Hall of Fame.