2010 Topps Series 2 Jumbo Pack:

1. #393 Jason Frasor
2. #522 Jordan Schafer
3. #582 Martin Prado
4. #368 Wade LeBlanc
5. #427 Brandon Webb
6. #567 Mike Pelfrey
7. #493 Travis Ishikawa
8. #441 Clete Thomas
9. #367 Wandy Rodriguez
10. #645 Texas Rangers (Team Card)
11. #527 Brandon Wood
12. #388 Joel Pineiro
13. #505 Andy Marte
14. #550 Freddy Garcia
15. #482 Mike McCoy (Rookie Card)
16. #442 Dan Runzler (Rookie Card)
17. #601 Blake DeWitt
18. #487 Dan Uggla
19. #474 Kyle Kendrick
20. #565 Franklin Morales
21. #454 James Loney
22. #451 Michael Saunders
23. #641 Chase Headley
24. #553 Florida Marlins (Team Card)
25. Gold #366 Hiroki Kuroda (Serial#1425/2010)
26. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT82 George Brett
27. History of the World Series #HWS11 Johnny Podres
28. Million Card Giveaway #TMC-16 Mickey Mantle
29. 2020 #T16 David Wright
30. Manufactured Hat Logo Patch #MHR-414 Dizzy Dean (Serial#25/99)
31. Vintage Legends #VLC6 Willie McCovey
32. Turkey Red #TR62 Troy Tulowitzki
33. Legendary Lineage #LL-53 Nolan Ryan/Justin Verlander
34. Peak Performance #PP-51 Luis Aparicio
35. #337 Carlos Zambrano
36. #580 Ian Snell
37. #549 Derek Jeter
38. #626 Glen Perkins
39. #465 Chien-Ming Wang
40. #378 George Sherrill
41. #490 Michael Bourn
42. #596 Brendan Ryan
43. #358 Mark Buehrle
44. #439 Emilio Bonifacio
45. #526 Carlos Guillen
46. #619 Mike Napoli
47. #611 Josh Outman
48. Attax Code Card #MK Matt Kemp

It’s no wonder Topps can put an “autograph or relic” in every box of cards now.  Whenever they need a relic, they just have to “manufacture” one.

The relic card that Topps so graciously manufactured for me is of Dizzy Dean.  He was a player who pitched a spectacular 5 seasons in the 1930′s before succumbing to injuries.

Here are some of the other neat cards I got…

Nolan Ryan, my childhood hero:

The oddly colorful 1975 George Brett:

The Japanese pitcher who always seems to get really scary injuries:

Mr. Met:

And finally what will Topps’ glorified random baseball card generator bring me today?

1983 Topps #604 Joe Morgan (Super Veteran)

1991 Topps:

1. #6 Nolan Ryan (Record Breaker)
2. #651 Alan Mills
3. #599 Greg Myers
4. #236 Frank Tanana
5. #395 Chuck Finley (All-Star)
6. #593 Mike Walker
7. #198 R.J. Reynolds
8. #730 Barry Larkin
9. #595 Bill Landrum
10. #740 Ryne Sandberg
11. #208 Willie Wilson
12. #781 Darryl Hamilton
13. #511 Steve Balboni
14. #373 Darrin Jackson
15. #250 Dennis Eckersley

“Oakland, California, June 11, 1990:  Rangers’ Nolan Ryan tonight pitched 6-0 No-Hitter.  At 43 years, 4 months and 11 days of age, he becomes the oldest pitcher to hurl gem.  The former mark was 41 years, 3 months and one day by Cy Young, 6-30-08.”

Nolan Ryan’s no-hitter in 1990 was not his last.  on May 1, 1991 he threw another one at the age of 44.

2010 Topps Series 1:

1. #3 Derrek Lee
2. #11 Orlando Cabrera
3. #131 Dustin Richardson (Rookie)
4. #232 St. Louis Cardinals (Team Card)
5. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT-31 Paul Molitor
6. Legendary Lineage #LL28 Nolan Ryan/Zack Greinke
7. Topps Town #TTT17 Todd Helton
8. #320 Brian McCann
9. #224 Rod Barajas
10. #313 Jason Kubel

“Greinke emerged as a bona fide star in 2009, going 16-8 with 242 strikeouts and an American League-topping 2.16 ERA.  Coincidentally, Zack was 25 years old — the same age Ryan was when he made his first appearance in the MLB All-Star Game.  Nolan enjoyed a similar breakthrough in 1972, punching out an AL-high 329 batters and posting nine shutouts.”

I’d be curious to see if Greinke can maintain his 2009 awesomeness through 2010 and beyond.  Can he keep going as long as Nolan Ryan did?

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.”

John H. contacted me a couple weeks ago about trading some 2009 Topps cards.  We eventually agreed to a trade of inserts, since we are both working on completing the base sets.  He sent me a bunch of cards that will fit nicely in my collection.  Thanks John!

1. 2005 Topps Update Washington Nationals Inaugural Lineup #NI-BW Brad Wilkerson (2.00)
2. 2005 Topps Update Washington Nationals Inaugural Lineup #NI-NJ Nick Johnson (2.00)
3. 2008 Topps Year in Review #YR52 Felipe Lopez (0.75)
4. 2008 Topps Update #UH266 Rob Mackowiak (0.30)
5. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG9 Rogers Hornsby (1.25)
6. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG13 Jackie Robinson (2.00)
7. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG17 Ted Williams (5.00)
8. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG22 Thurman Munson (2.00)
9. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG24 Nolan Ryan (6.00)
10. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG-FR Frank Robinson (0.75)
11. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG-JS John Smoltz (2.00)
12. 2009 Topps Legends of the Game #LG-RY Robin Yount (2.00)
13. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH11 Ivan Rodriguez (1.50)
14. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH15 Don Zimmer (1.00)
15. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH17 Gary Sheffield (1.00)
16. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH21 Johnny Podres (1.00)
17. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH23 Mariano Rivera (2.50)
18. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH25 Lou Piniella (1.00)
19. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH29 Francisco Rodriguez (1.00)
20. 2009 Topps Ring of Honor #RH33 Brad Lidge (1.00)
21. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR22 Cliff Lee (1.00)
22. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR23 Garrett Atkins (1.00)
23. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR34 Kelly Johnson (1.00)
24. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR54 Alex Gordon (2.50)
25. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR59 Mel Ott (2.50)
26. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR70 Jon Lester (1.00)
27. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR78 Matt Cain (1.00)
28. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR80 Rogers Hornsby (1.50)
29. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR88 Michael Young (1.00)
30. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR89 Todd Helton (1.00)
31. 2009 Topps Turkey Red #TR100 Honus Wagner (2.50)
32. 2009 Topps WBC Stars #BCS17 Alex Rios (1.00)
33. 2009 Topps WBC Stars #BCS18 Luke Hughes (1.00)

2009 Topps Update & Highlights:

1. #UH52 Kyle Blanks (Rookie)
2. #UH12 Edwin Maysonet
3. #UH325 Torii Hunter (All-Star)
4. #UH253 Prince Fielder (All-Star)
5. #UH198 Roy Halladay (All-Star)
6. #UH232b Nolan Ryan (Angels)
7. Topps Town #TTT60 Dan Uggla
8. #UH284 Mark Melancon (Rookie)
9. #UH132 Joe Thurston
10. #UH250 Mark Teixeira

The short prints in 2009 Topps Updates & Highlights come about one per box and I could not have asked for a better one.  Nolan Ryan was my childhood hero.

This card commemorates the infamous 1971 trade that sent Nolan Ryan, Don Rose, and Leroy Stanton to Anaheim for Jim Fregosi.  It didn’t seem like a bad trade at the time because Jim Fregosi was a 6-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner at the time, while Nolan Ryan had a losing record and struggled with control.

1994 Collector’s Choice, to be integrated into my collection:

1. #146 John Jaha
2. #160 Jimmy Key
3. #163 Jeff King
4. #166 Chuck Knoblauch
5. #170 Mike Lansing
6. #172 Manuel Lee
7. #183 Greg Maddux
8. #186 Kirt Manwaring
9. #188 Pedro A. Martinez
10. #192 Don Mattingly
11. #193 Derrick May
12. #197 Fred McGriff
13. #200 Jeff McNeely
14. #201 Brian McRae
15. #204 Orlando Merced
16. #206 Blas Minor
17. #211 Mickey Morandini
18. #221 Greg Olson
19. #239 Jose Rijo
20. #248 Ken Ryan
21. #249 Nolan Ryan
22. #251 Tim Salmon
23. #262 Paul Sorrento
24. #268 Kevin Stocker
25. #295 Darrell Whitmore
26. #300 Woody Williams

1992 Upper Deck, to be integrated into my collection:

1. #77 Carlos Rodriguez (Top Prospect)
2. #79 Pedro Martinez/Ramon Martinez (Bloodlines)
3. #80 Keith Mitchell/Kevin Mitchell (Bloodlines)
4. #84 Gary Sheffield/Dwight Gooden (Bloodlines)
5. #85 Ken Griffey Sr./Craig Griffey/Ken Griffey Jr. (Bloodlines)
6. #86 Jim Abbott (Team Card)
7. #89 Scott Erickson (Team Card)
8. #92 Nolan Ryan (Team Card)
9. #101 Joe Oliver *x2
10. #103 Ed Whitson
11. #104 Danny Jackson
12. #106 Ricky Jordan
13. #109 Junior Ortiz
14. #112 Dave Magadan
15. #117 Jim Leyritz
16. #118 Manuel Lee
17. #119 Alvaro Espinoza *x2
18. #122 Shawon Dunston
19. #124 Andre Dawson
20. #130 Rick Aguilera
21. #131 Vince Coleman
22. #137 Albert Belle
23. #139 Jesse Barfield
24. #140 Pat Borders *x2
25. #141 Bip Roberts *x2
26. #144 Barry Larkin *x2
27. #149 Luis Sojo
28. #151 Walt Weiss *x3
29. #154 Matt Williams
30. #155 Rickey Henderson