I apologize for posting so little over the past few months.  I have just finished moving to a new home, renovating it, working massive overtime at work, and having my second child.  Things are just starting to return to some semblance of normalcy, and hopefully soon I can begin posting regularly again.

JUMBO Sunday is back, and hopefully I’ll find the time for daily pack breaks again as well.  Today I will be opening up and displaying my long overdue first 2011 Topps Series 2 cards:

1. #390 Danny Valencia
2. #406 John Lackey
3. #658 Mitch Maier
4. #636 Chris Tillman
5. #428 Brett Myers
6. #446 Brandon Beachy (Rookie Card)
7. #514 Kelly Shoppach
8. #538 Jason Motte
9. #627 Kyle Blanks
10. #417 Miguel Cairo
11. #545 Jose Tabata
12. #606 Juan Miranda
13. #346 Jose Bautista (Checklist)
14. #580 Chris Young
15. #600 Neftali Feliz (Topps All-Star Rookie)
16. #427 Brad Emaus (Rookie Card)
17. #608 Casey McGehee
18. #392 Kris Medlen
19. Gold #553 Kyle Lohse (Serial#0894/2011)
20. Topps Town Series 2 #TT2-7 Adrian Gonzalez
21. Diamond Giveaway #TDG-12 Mike Schmidt
22. Diamond Anniversary #350 Francisco Liriano
23. Diamond Duos Series 2 #DD-3 Cliff Lee/Zack Greinke
24. 60 #T60-91 David Ortiz
25. 60 Years of Topps #60YOT-74 Roger Maris
26. Diamond Stars #DS-22 Ryan Howard
27. Kimball Champions #KC-90 Hank Greenberg
28. Silk Collection #MG Matt Garza (Serial#07/50) (Silk Card)
29. #442 Brad Bergesen
30. #499 J.A. Happ
31. #356 Alfonso Soriano
32. #407 Jonathan Broxton
33. #422 Juan Pierre
34. #651 Kendrys Morales
35. #445 Mitch Talbot
36. #645 Adam Wainwright
37. #460 Cole Hamels
38. #477 Franklin Gutierrez
39. #434 Mark DeRosa
40. #332 Melky Cabrera
41. #416 Everth Cabrera
42. #380 Jose Reyes
43. #376 Clayton Richard
44. #573 Nyjer Morgan
45. #612 Detroit Tigers (Team Card)
46. #403 Felix Hernandez (Checklist)
47. #511 Philadelphia Phillies (Team Card)
48. #568 Kansas City Royals (Team Card)

While Ryan Howard is only hitting .247 this season, he still leads the league in RBI with 35.

2008 Topps Series 1:

1. #76 Ivan Rodriguez
2. #71 Jarrod Washburn
3. #97 Clint Sammons (Rookie Card)
4. #203 Jason Tyner
5. #133 Mike Bacsik
6. Own the Game #OTG14 Ryan Howard
7. Gold Foil #263 Nook Logan
8. #320 Ichiro
9. #136 Robinson Cano
10. #42 Corey Hart

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

2007 Topps Updates & Highlights:

1. #UH53 Randy Messenger
2. #UH24 Brad Hennessey
3. #UH47 Scott Hairston
4. #UH317 Chris Schroder
5. #UH120 Jason Phillips
6. Red Back #UH290 Ryan Howard (Home Run Derby)
7. Red Back #UH140 Ryan Spilborghs
8. Generation Now #GN477 Kenji Johjima
9. #UH314 Craig Monroe
10. #UH216 David Ortiz (All-Star)

“With 79 four-baggers between the start of 2006 and the 2007 All-Star Game – 11 more than any other Major Leaguer — Howard was a natural choice for a spot in the State Home Run Derby.  In addition, he was the defending champion, having emerged victorious in ’06 in Pittsburgh.  However, Ryan could not find his stroke and did not survive the first round.”

I think they meant the “State Farm Home Run Derby”.  How dare they get a sponsor’s name wrong!

The home runs haven’t been coming as easily for Howard this season.  I guess that coaching from Barry Bonds didn’t help as much he had hoped.  So far he is hitting .277 and is on pace to hit around 34 home runs this season.

2007 Topps Series 1:

1. #63 Scott Proctor
2. #186 Grady Sizemore
3. #65 Dan Uggla (Topps All-Star Rookie)
4. Own the Game #OTG1 Ryan Howard
5. Generation Now #GN26 Ryan Howard
6. Red Back #112 Jeff Conine
7. Red Back #31 Jay Payton
8. #307 Torii Hunter (Gold Glove)
9. #143 Vicente Padilla
10. #86 Shannon Stewart

In 2006, Ryan Howard led the National League with 58 home runs.

This season, he’s leading the National League with 81 RBI’s.  However, he might be headed to the Disabled List soon for hurting his ankle on Sunday while running the basepaths.

2008 Topps Series 1:

1. #100 Ryan Howard
2. #295 Tim Wakefield
3. #61 Alex Rodriguez/Carlos Pena/David Ortiz (League Leaders)
4. #32 Howie Kendrick
5. #164 Nate Schierholtz
6. #238 Shane Victorino
7. Year in Review #YR18 Mark Buehrle
8. Gold Foil #151 Adam Loewen
9. #147 Marlon Anderson
10. #189 Esteban German

“When Ryan was just three years old, he reached up and pulled a soap dish out of the wall in a bathroom in his home.  Later, hitting baseballs indoors, he put holes in his living room wall.  These days, Howard has used his strength to power balls over, instead of through, walls to amass 16 more home runs than anyone in the game the past two seasons.”

Ryan Howard has hit at least 45 homers in each of the past four seasons.  So far this season, his power numbers are down but his batting average is up with fewer strikeouts, perhaps thanks to some hitting tips from Barry Bonds.

2008 Topps Series 2:

1. #419 Bengie Molina
2. #462 Freddy Sanchez
3. #612 Kelly Johnson
4. #404 Cecil Cooper (Manager)
5. #591 Rico Washington (Rookie)
6. #653 Endy Chavez
7. Stars #TS5 David Wright
8. #384 Carlos Quentin
9. #557 John McDonald
10. #648 Ryan Freel

“Wright’s third full season as the Mets third baseman was his greatest as he was honored with both the 2007 Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards while finishing fourth in NL MVP balloting.  A complete player who also gets high marks for his demeanor, David set a Mets record with a 26-game hitting streak that spanned ’06 and ’07.”

The most interesting card in this pack was actually the Home Run Derby Contest game card.  I don’t know why, but it’s actually serial numbered 846/999.  It’s even lower numbered than Topps Gold cards!  The contest ended back in December 2008, but I couldn’t have won anyways.  Ryan Howard didn’t even participate in the 2008 Home Run Derby!

2010 Topps Series 1:

1. #188 Joe Blanton
2. #87 Darin Erstad
3. #49 Jorge de la Rosa
4. #42 Prince Fielder/Ryan Howard/Albert Pujols (League Leaders)
5. The Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT-7 Orlando Cepeda
6. Peak Performance #PP-6 Steve Carlton
7. Topps Town #TTT15 Miguel Cabrera
8. #178 Kerry Wood
9. #83 Mark Teahen
10. #223 Ryan Church

“Carlton Cruises to First NL™ Cy Young Award”

“In what is viewed as one of the most sensational pitching seasons in history because it came for a last-place team, Carlton won his first of four NL Cy Young Awards in 1972.  He collected all 24 first-place votes after topping the circuit in wins (27), ERA (1.97) and CGs (30). Steve struck out a career-high 310 — 61 more than anyone else in the League.”

I wasn’t aware that the letters “NL” were trademarked by Major League Baseball.

I also picked up a bunch of heavy hitters in this pack: