Here’s my first 2011 Topps Series 1 Jumbo Pack of the season.  I like the base design, but don’t care much for the look of the insert sets.  Very fun pack break.  I can’t wait to open the other nine in the box:

1. #320 Michael Young
2. #27 Ben Zobrist
3. #120 Mat Latos
4. #148 Ricky Romero
5. #107 Aubrey Huff
6. #122 Bobby Jenks
7. #170 David DeJesus
8. #150 Miguel Cabrera
9. #130 Robinson Cano
10. #209 Carlos Santana
11. #275 Clayton Kershaw
12. #172 Lyle Overbay
13. #163 Carlos Pena
14. #250 Carlos Gonzalez
15. #207 Angel Pagan
16. #212 Pedro Feliz
17. #19 Derek Lowe
18. #291 Juan Gutierrez
19. #137 Xavier Nady
20. #251 Alcides Escobar
21. #241 Wandy Rodriguez
22. #41 Freddy Garcia
23. #5 Joey Votto
24. #226 Jose Guillen
25. #225 Josh Willingham
26. #300 Roy Halladay
27. Gold #83 Greg Halman (Serial#1567/2011) (Rookie Card)
28. Diamond Giveaway #TDG-9 Ryan Howard
29. 60 Years of Topps #60YOT-22 Carlton Fisk
30. Diamond Duos #DD-HF Jason Heyward/Freddie Freeman
31. 60 #T60-47 Nolan Ryan
32. Diamond #198 Buster Posey
33. Kimball Champions #KC-1 Ubaldo Jimenez
34. CMG Reprints #CMGR-28 Ty Cobb
35. History of Topps #HOT-6 First Topps Traded set
36. Silk Collection #JG Jaime Garcia (Serial#21/50)
37. #70 Kyle Drabek (Rookie Card)
38. #157 New York Mets (Team Card)
39. #24 Neil Walker (Topps All-Star Rookie)
40. #152 Baltimore Orioles (Team Card)
41. #203 Dillon Gee (Rookie Card)
42. #15 David Wright
43. #293 Justin Morneau
44. #61 David Price
45. #110 Aroldis Chapman (Rookie Card)
46. #63 Edinson Volquez
47. #98 Bronson Arroyo
48. Topps Town #TT-6 Vernon Wells

As for the Diamond Giveaway card, I got this:

1969 Topps #617 Jesse Gonder

Here we go, 5 hobby packs of the popular 2010 Topps Series 1:

PACK 1

1. #116 Carlos Gomez
2. #326 Tyler Colvin (Rookie Card)
3. #292 Tommy Manzella (Rookie Card)
4. #274 Stephen Drew
5. Million Card Giveaway #TMC-7 Roger Maris
6. Peak Performance #PP-35 Miguel Cabrera
7. Topps Town #TTT19 Justin Upton
8. #53 Craig Counsell
9. #144 Rich Harden
10. #208 Tim Wakefield

My Topps Million Card Giveaway card unlocked:

1966 Topps #40 Jim Grant

PACK 2

1. #195 James Shields
2. #34 Michael Dunn (Rookie Card)
3. #163 Josh Butler (Rookie Card)
4. #171 Felix Hernandez/CC Sabathia/Justin Verlander (League Leaders)
5. History of the Game #HOTG22 Nolan Ryan
6. Turkey Red #TR31 Mel Ott
7. Topps Town #TTT4 Adrian Gonzalez
8. #111 Ty Wigginton
9. #290 Orlando Hudson
10. #89 J.A. Happ (Topps All-Star Rookie)

PACK 3

1. #139 Frank Francisco
2. #189 Adrian Beltre
3. #97 Luis Durango (Rookie Card)
4. #207 Colby Rasmus
5. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT-31 Paul Molitor
6. When They Were Young #WTWY-RD Ryan Doumit
7. Topps Town #TTT6 Ichiro
8. #301 Jack Cust
9. #103 Daniel Murphy
10. #150 Joe Mauer

PACK 4

1. #248 Jason Kendall
2. #188 Joe Blanton
3. #87 Darin Erstad
4. #243 Asdrubal Cabrera
5. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT-48 Ivan Rodriguez
6. Peak Performance #PP-40 Alfonso Soriano
7. Topps Town #TTT1 Joe Mauer
8. #62 Kevin Millwood
9. #91 Erik Bedard
10. #186 Andrew Bailey

PACK 5

1. #283 Adam Kennedy
2. #108 Erick Aybar
3. #236 Andrew Bailey (Rookie of the Year)
4. #42 Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard/Albert Pujols (League Leaders)
5. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT-22 Johnny Bench
6. Legendary Lineage #LL24 Bob Gibson/Tim Lincecum
7. Topps Town #TTT1 Joe Mauer
8. #170 Jason Bay
9. #213 Ricky Nolasco
10. #250 Mark Teixeira

“Nolan became 4th greatest strikeout hurler in modern baseball, 1972.  Only Sandy Koufax (382 in 1965), Rube Wadell (349 in 1904) & Bob Feller (348 in 1946) have exceeded Nolan’s 329 K’s last season.”

Since 1972, Nolan Ryan exceeded 329 K’s 3 times, while Randy Johnson did it 5 times.

1999 Topps Series 2:

1. #248 Roberto Alomar
2. #364 Bobby Howry (Rookie Card)
3. #323 Bernard Gilkey
4. #448 Randy Johnson (Strikeout Kings)
5. #359 Alan Benes
6. Ryan #6 Nolan Ryan (Reprint)
7. #382 Calvin Pickering
8. #357 Henry Rodriguez
9. #325 Craig Biggio
10. #333 Tim Wakefield
11. #326 Troy Glaus

1989 Topps:

1. #587 Mike Stanley
2. #146 Gary Pettis
3. #660 Will Clark
4. #530 Nolan Ryan
5. #176 Jeff Parrett
6. #283 Andy Allanson
7. #763 Dave Martinez
8. #88 Darryl Hamilton (Rookie)
9. #20 Steve Bedrosian
10. #704 Carlos Quintana (Rookie)
11. #315 Greg Swindell
12. #393 Gary Carter (All-Star)
13. #588 Luis Alicea (Rookie)
14. #428 Craig Reynolds
15. #579 Houston Astros (Team Card)

Gonzalez has been the San Diego Padres’ All-Star slugger for the past 3 seasons, averaging a .286 AVG and 35 homers from 2008-2010.

Funny note:  The Oakland Athletics team card #410 lists the home run leader as “Jack Crust”

The younger of the LaRoche brothers:

Strikeout King #2:

Strikeout King #1:

The Sultan of Swat and The… hmm… Ryan Howard needs a fearsome nickname…

My Topps Million Card lotto ticket gave me…

1965 Topps #474 Cookie Rojas

Not a bad card.  Cookie Rojas is not a big name, but he played 5 All-Star games in his day.

2010 Topps Series 2 Jumbo pack:

1. #432 A.J. Burnett
2. #473 Jason Varitek
3. #528 Brian Bannister
4. #635 Carl Pavano
5. #332 Brad Hawpe
6. #459 Joel Zumaya
7. #535 Andy Sonnanstine
8. #607 Ubaldo Jimenez
9. #344 Brett Myers
10. #394 Luis Castillo
11. #547 Brett Gardner
12. #649 Casey McGehee
13. #509 Todd Helton
14. #583 Anibal Sanchez
15. #471 Drew Butera (Rookie Card)
16. #452 Allen Craig (Rookie Card)
17. #375 Mike Leake (Rookie Card)
18. #636 Evan Longoria/B.J. Upton (Celeb-Rays-tion Time) (Checklist)
19. #467 Fausto Carmona
20. #552 Chris Tillman
21. #566 Maicer Izturis
22. #642 San Diego Padres (Franchise History)
23. #410 Oakland Athletics (Team Card)
24. #656 Jon Lester
25. Gold #594 Andy LaRoche (Serial#0139/2010)
26. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT96 Randy Johnson
27. History of the World Series #HWS23 Cole Hamels
28. Million Card Giveaway #TMC-12 Gary Carter
29. 2020 #T17 Tommy Hanson
30. Peak Performance Relics #PPR-AG Adrian Gonzalez (Bat Relic)
31. Vintage Legends #VLC21 Nolan Ryan
32. Turkey Red #TR93 Ian Desmond
33. Legendary Lineage #LL-45 Babe Ruth/Ryan Howard
34. Peak Performance #PP-86 Justin Verlander
35. #382 Kyle Davies
36. #458 Todd Wellemeyer
37. #507 Francisco Rodriguez
38. #628 Ross Detwiler
39. #578 Aaron Rowand
40. #630 Ben Francisco
41. #568 Jarrod Saltalamacchia
42. #488 Delwyn Young
43. #417 Dallas Braden
44. #373 Clint Barmes
45. #639 Los Angeles Dodgers (Team Card)
46. #542 Heath Bell
47. #401 Chad Billingsley
48. Attax Code Card #AR Alex Rodriguez

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?