In Case Topps Asks (aka My Mets Update Wish List)

I realize this post may be a bit premature, as I haven't even polished off this year's Series 2 checklist.  Heck, I haven't opened a single pack, rack pack, hanger pack, blaster box. super-duper jumbo box, etc. since busting a hobby box last month.

Nonetheless, my thoughts are already centered on the Update Series, which is due in early-to-mid October (unless Topps delays that a week or two, as they have for pretty much every other release this year).  And now that I'm keen on grabbing a card of every Met to put on the uniform, I have a mini-laundry list of players in the works.

With that in mind, here is my six-pack of players that I hope Topps sprinkles into its Update offering.

This is a no-brainer.  And I have zero worries that Zack Wheeler will be a snub from the 330-card checklist. Wheeler, a highly-regarded prospect who made his ML debut on June 18, has shown flashes of brilliance tempered with ribbons of inconsistency.  I think he's going to be a good pitcher for a long time, but we Mets fans have been fooled before.

Eric Young, Jr. has been a permanent fixture on the Mets since arriving from Colorado via trade on June 18.  He's not only stabilized the top of the order, but he's added the element of speed on the bases and also covers a lot of ground in left field.  EY Jr. plays with a lot of enthusiasm, which I really love.  Plus he's a Jersey boy, so he's obviously A-OK in my book!

Another no-brainer.  Marlon Byrd wasn't even a guarantee to make the major league club out of spring training, yet he's been an irreplaceable presence in so many ways for the Mets.  If you woulda told me in March that Byrd would be sitting on 17 homers and 60 RBIs on August 8, I'd question your sanity.  On top of that, he's made some sterling plays in right field and added veteran leadership to a young locker room.  I was shocked he wasn't moved to a contender at the July 31st deadline.

Topps loves smushing as many middle relievers as possible into their Update sets.  Or at least that's the impression I get.  In 2012, we saw Manny Acosta, Josh Edgin, Tim Byrdak and Ramon Ramirez -- each a bullpen dweller -- find their way into the Mets checklist.  Nothing wrong with relievers, mind you, but they aren't the most exciting gets.  But, in the case of LaTroy Hawkins, I'd be geeked to see him wearing blue and orange on an Update card.  He's been a real life-saver in a number of different relief roles, recently acting the part of closer in place of the injured Bobby Parnell.  Plus, y'know, Hawkins is about 67 years old, so it's pretty cool that he's still throwing well.

God bless 'im, Q has played every mother-lovin' day for the Mets since the immature Ruben Tejada went on the shelf at the end of May.  Quintanilla rejoined the Mets as a FA back in January after being dealt to the Orioles at last season's trade deadline.  He's clearly not an everyday player according to his skill set, but he's a steady fielder at shortstop and, as an 8-hole guy, isn't relied upon for much offense.  I'm a Q fan!

Besides having Bert's eyebrows, Josh Satin distinguished himself as a competent alternative at first base when Ike Davis was demoted to Triple-A.  Satin can handle himself at the plate.  In 38 games this season, Josh has registered a .295 average with 11 extra-base hits.  He'll never be a star player, but he's a good extra piece to have on the bench.

Finally, may I please ask Topps for a Juan Lagares card?  Juan's not pictured here since, well, I don't have a card of his.  I'm not ever sure if he has a card, though I would bet Bowman scratched his image onto card stock at some point in the short past.  Anyhow, Lagares has quickly entered his name into the mix for next year's Mets team and beyond.  He's displaced Kirk Nieuwenhuis and a host of other wannabes in center field, and has shown a knack for big hits along the way.  Oh, and he's a real natural in the outfield, with a nose for the ball and good speed.  To me, he's a 'must' for Update inclusion!

There you go, Topps.  I hope you're reading.  I'm gonna be a sad tomato if one or more of the aforementioned half-dozen is left on the dock when the Update vessel steams away.

MK

Hello Wilmer!

Mets fans have been clamoring for GM Sandy Alderson to promote Wilmer Flores to the big club for weeks. Well, today those wishes were granted.  And perhaps "wishes" is the right term, as Tuesday also happens to be Flores' 22nd birthday.  How about that for a birthday gift?!

Flores, the No. 5 prospect in the Mets system according to Baseball America, will make his big league debut for New York in its Citi Field tilt with the Rockies.  Weather permitting, Flores will play third base and bat sixth in the Mets lineup.

In 107 games at Triple-A Las Vegas, Flores was batting.321 with 36 doubles, 15 homers and a league-leading 86 RBIs.  Not bad for a guy playing primarily second base.

Equally exciting (for me, anyways), this also means the above 2012 Bowman Platinum card of Wilmer will now be inducted into the All-Time Mets Project mix.  It's a real beauty of a card.  The handsome pinstriped uni, the 50th anniversary patch on the left sleeve, and a high school yearbook-esque backdrop all contribute to making this card a winner.

Now, the one downer of Wilmer's arrival is that it was necessitated by David Wright's unfortunate trip to the DL with a tweaked hamstring.

Wright tried to play through it, but he really aggravated the hammy last Friday trying to leg out an infield hit.  In yet another losing season in Flushing, at least we had David.  And, now, we don't even have that for at least a couple weeks.

Oh well, Captain America's spirit will endure despite the DL trip thanks to great cards like this 2011 Topps Lineage mini.  But, not just any mini -- a relic mini!  Mrs. K recently ordered a couple of Chris Cooley jersey cards from COMC.com [Ed. Note: Man, she's getting as bad as me!] and picked up this mini Wright as a surprise for her dashing hubby.  Very nice!!

Get well soon, David.  And Let's Go Wilmer, and Let's Go Mets!

MK

Clubhouse Correspondence: The Toddfather

A yellow mailer bearing a Tennessee return address found its way into the Kaz mailbox recently.  A baseball card offering from fellow blogger and tremendous human being, Tim, who pays the bills and mows the lawn at Home of the Toddfather.

The cards, of course, are all perfectly selected additions to my various player collections and Mets pursuits. But, more than that, Tim included a really nice note containing belated birthday wishes, among other things.  I truly enjoy how the act of sending stuff through the mail has gotten many of us back into the old-fashioned act of hand-penning a letter.  Email, Twitter and texting hasn't killed pen and paper yet, at least in the card blogging world.

Okay, well let's get on with it then.  You clicked here to view some cards, after all.

With a pair of Fonzies, Tim has helped my Edgardo Alfonzo collection reach 65 cards.  I know it doesn't sound like a whole lot, but I'm pretty proud of the scope of my Alfonzo cache.  And while cards from his Mets days are obviously at the top of the heap, the Giants and Angels cards from Alfonzo's playing days are valued pieces, as well.

Roberto Alomar underachieved as a Met, and that may be putting it nicely.  But, he still looks good captured in a Mets uniform for eternity on a baseball card.

Is it proper to say that Albert (Joey, back then) Belle got 'bipped' on this 1990 Topps Sticker panel?  Regardless, Belle doesn't look too pleased by the intrusion.

This might be one of the most beautiful baseball cards of a Mets player ever produced.  It is true irony that it belongs to such a controversial figure [Ed. Note: Jerkface] in team annals.  Anyhow, it's a winner, especially when enhanced with the Topps Gold treatment.  In case you care, the non-Gold version of this card already has taken its place in the All-Time Mets Project lineup.  It was unavoidable!

I really need to get off my duff, point-and-click my way onto eBay, and purchase the complete Boardwalk and Baseball boxed set that Topps released in 1987.  All the cards I've come across from this set, such as this Gary Carter, have really caught my eye.

This is a first for the Clubhouse collection -- a Will Clark mini!  And, as my cracker jack research staff informs me, it's the SP version of Clark's 2013 Gyspy Queen mini.  Love it!

This surely is in the running for my favorite card from the lot.  It's Todd Hundley, it's a freakin' awesome photo, and it's from McDonald's.  If the card had arrived in a Happy Meal box with a four-piece McNuggets, I'd consider it perfect.  Instead, it'll have to settle for the 9.9 out of 10 treatment as such.

Remember when it was socially acceptable to root for A-Rod and collect his cards?  I almost feel ashamed to display anything bearing his image.  I said almost.  As I opined in a previous post, I don't intend to quit A-Rod collecting anytime soon.  This Ultra subset card from 1999 reminds us of Alex's better days.  And there were plenty.

Does anyone else out there like the 1990 Topps Sticker backs as much as I do?  Anybody?  I love getting Mickey Tettleton cards in the mail, by the way.

And, unfortunately for you, you won't be able to sidestep a helping of steaming-hot All-Time Mets Project goodness.  A trio of new players plus a pair of upgrades came the way of Tim's kindness.

1996 UD Collector's Choice Doug Henry, #627

The trade that sent Fernando Vina to the Brewers in 1994 netted New York righty reliever Doug Henry. A somewhat lopsided deal in retrospect, at least Henry gave the Mets a quality season in '95 (2.96 ERA in 51 games) before struggling through the '96 campaign (4.68 ERA, 58 games).  Notable Knowledge:  Presently the bullpen coach for Kansas City.

2008 UD "A Piece of History" Carlos Muniz, #128

I'm ashamed to admit that this name doesn't resonate at all with me.  My first reaction: Ain't this the kid from Malcom in the Middle?  Uhh, not quite.  Well, in my defense, at the time Muniz moonlighted for the Mets (2007, 2008), I was knee-deep in my work for the Class-A Wilmington Blue Rocks (K.C. Royals) and was flat worn-out and done with baseball at the end of each 15-hour work day.  So my attention to the Mets may have lapsed a tad.  [Ed. Note: This was a clarion call that work and play should never mix.]  Turns out I didn't miss much. Notable Knowledge:  Compiled a 5.61 ERA over 20 games out of the bullpen as a Met.

2004 Upper Deck Jason Roach, #13

Here's a name that I more readily recall, though perhaps for not the right reasons.  Yet, his two career big league games -- both for the Mets, both in 2003 -- were as forgettable and regrettable as can be.  A dozen runs, including three homer runs, in nine innings over two starts (both losses, might I add).  And that, dear readers, is how you accrue an ERA of 12.00.  Ouch!  Notable Knowledge:  Played in the Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh organizations following stint with Mets.

Now, neither of these are blockbuster names by any means, but both are a couple of fantastic finds due to the scarcity of cards produced for each.  Without checking, I'd wager that you're looking at the only cards made for Muniz and Roach, respectively.  At least in a big league uniform.  A big bonus for the ATMP!

These next two are players for whom I already have cards, but these new-to-me cards are upgrades over those.

1995 Upper Deck Jason Jacome, #124

This is one of the two Jacome cards contained in the mailer, but I chose this one over the '94 Bowman issue because I'm a sap for sleeve patches.  And the MLB 125th Anniversary patch is a beaut.  Regardless, either card woulda been a no-brainer choice for upgrade, as my prior Jacome card was from '95 Fleer.  'Nuff said! Notable Knowledge:  Followed up stellar debut in 1994 (2.67 ERA in 8 starts) with an abominable 10.29 ERA through five Met starts in '95.

2009 Topps Fernando Tatis, #11

Strangely, I already possess Tatis' card from the Mets Team Set that Topps produced in 2009.  I think it came to me via Fairfield repack.  And, actually, it's a pretty nice-looking horizontal card.  But, for the ATMP binder, I'm more interested in standard vertical shots for most players.  Plus, this is a great full-on closeup of Tatis rounding the bases.  Notable Knowledge:  Final three big league seasons were with New York (2008-10)

A big-time 'thank you' to the Toddfather for a very kind gesture and a fantastic assortment of loot!

MK

Have You Met...? From the Card Show, Pt. 2

Hello there! More Mets?

More Mets.

Here are some more nickel-priced finds for the All-Time Mets Project, picked up at the recent Concord Mall sports card and memorabilia show.

2007 Topps Chan Ho Park, #561

A former All-Star with the Dodgers, Park pitched in exactly one game for the Mets.  And that's it.  A four-inning, seven-run massacre on April 30, 2007 vs. Florida.  He was designated for assignment by early June. By the way, Park earned $3 million from the Mets for that one lousy start.  Notable Knowledge:  What else to you need to know?

2007 Upper Deck Aaron Heilman, #823

Gee whiz, Upper Deck sure had some humongous checklists for some of their flagship sets.  Card no. 823!? Anyhow, Heilman never got a fair shake (in my estimation) at a starting gig, instead being used as a set-up man for most of his six seasons in Flushing.  Notable Knowledge:  Served up Yadi Molina's infamous game-winning home run in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.

1980 Topps Steve Henderson, #299

I love the look of this card.  Great batting cage photo of Henderson, who was a part of two very significant trades in Mets annals.  Foremost, Henderson was one of the pieces to return from Cincinnati in the 1977 Tom Seaver trade.  Then, in 1981, Steve was swapped along with cash to the Cubs to reacquire Dave Kingman.  Notable Knowledge:  Hit .287 with 35 homers over four season in New York.

2007 Upper Deck Guillermo Mota, #824

The Mets acquired Mota in late August '06, and he was tremendous down the stretch as a 6th, 7th or 8th inning guy.  But, then came the playoffs, where Mota struggled and eventually cost the Mets Game 2 of the NLCS. Notable Knowledge:  Fashioned a 3-0 mark with a 1.00 ERA in 18 game for '06 Mets.

1981 Topps John Pacella, #414

Looking at his card, I'm reminded of a quote from one of my all-time favorite films, Miller's Crossing.  In it, Tom Reagan is describing a dream to his lover, in which the wind blew his hat off.  To conclude the exchange between characters, Tom sneers, "There's nothing more foolish than a man chasin' his hat."  Words to live by. Notable Knowledge:  On the back of this card, it reads, "John has a unique habit of losing his cap each pitch."

1983 Topps Gary Rajsich, #317

No hats flying about on this one.  Kinda of a let down from the last card.  Rajsich was a two-year Met, playing in just 91 total games as an outfielder or first baseman.  His big league career endured for only four seasons. Notable Knowledge:  Attended baseball factory also known as Arizona State University.

2009 Topps Wal-Mart Black Parallel Brian Stokes, #316

These black-bordered parallels were available in 2009 Topps blasters sold at Wal-Mart.  I guess these are kinda cool.  Not sure if these are more or less impressive than the Target-only throwback gimmick from that year, which was usage of the old-style Topps logo.  Notable Knowledge:  Swapped to Tampa in January 2010 for Gary Matthews, Jr.

1981 Topps Claudell Washington, #151

How affable-looking is Claudell Washington on this particular card?  I showed it to my wife, Mrs. K, who is always good for a quip or two, and she responded, "Aw, he looks like a really nice man.  He's probably a minister at his church."  I couldn't find anything in the way of Washington's ministry, but I wouldn't be surprised. Notable Knowledge:  One of 116 players to have played for both the Mets and Yankees.

Okay, now these next three did not come from my favorite nickel box-bearing vendor.  Instead, these came from a somewhat snooty vintage salesman.  [Ed. Note: Whatever, his prices were decent.]

1966 Topps Bobbly Klaus

You better not pout, you better not cry...  Okay, sorry, but that was somewhat unavoidable.  This particular Klaus lasted just two years in the big leagues, joining the Mets from Cincinnati in July of '64 and the playing 119 games for the Amazins in '65.  Notable Knowledge:  Six home runs in 673 career plate appearances.

1967 Topps Chuck Hiller, #198

For just a buck, I knew I had to own this card.  I'm a sucker for this sort of posed photo.  A nice, sunny day at Shea complimented by a great view of the '64 New York World's Fair patch on Hiller's left sleeve.  This'll be a brilliant add to the binder.  Hiller, by the way, was a .242 hitter over three seasons with the Mets. Notable Knowledge:  Became the first N.L. player to hit a World Series grand slam, Oct. 7, 1962, as a member of the Giants.  Can ya believe it?

1967 Topps Ron Swoboda, #264

I've saved the best for last.  Swoboda became a World Series hero and a household name throughout the Five Boroughs with his spectacular diving catch to rob Brooks Robinson during the ninth inning of Game Four.  I hope to eventually get Swoboda's 1966 card, replete with rookie cup, but this one will more-than-do in the meantime. Notable Knowledge:  Bashed 19 homers as a Mets rookie in 1965.

Now, believe it or not, I found more than just Mets cards at this show.  Perhaps I'll get around to blabbing about some of them in the not-too-distant future.  Time will tell.

Thanks for stopping by and hangin' tough through this who's-who of random Metsdom.

MK

Have You Met...? From the Card Show, Pt. 1

I've been the recipient of some really thoughtful and generous trade packages recently, causing me to fall a tad behind on chronicling some of the neat cards I scored at the Concord Mall sports card and memorabilia show a couple weekends ago.  I'm certainly not complaining, mind you; just pointing out fact.

As it concerns the All-Time Mets Project, I had a pretty successful go of it at the show.  When all was said and done, I secured 22 new players towards the checklist, which you can view here.  Concerning that checklist, I used the Ultimate Mets Database, cross-referencing it with the Trading Card Database, to accumulate what I believe to be the master list of Mets players with Mets cards.  [Ed. Note: If you find any players missing, or any other errors, please feel free to holler at me!]

My usual favorite vendor was there, so I was a happy camper.  She was my first stop and my only stop...and I was at the mall for three hours!  With a pair of six-foot tables containing nothing but nickel boxes of cards from the '80s, '90s, '00s and today, I couldn't pull myself away.  And why would or should I?  There were easily a dozen monster boxes, all organized by year, which made the hunting all the more enjoyable and easy.  Anyhow, 19 of the 22 ATMP additions came from her tables.

So let's take a look which previously M.I.A. Mets have added themselves to the mix...

1998 Topps Finest Rick Reed, #67

Arguably my favorite card of the lot you are about to view.  A former scab player, Reed was tabbed the "poor man's Greg Maddux" for the Mets of the late '90s.  I think the protective coating will have to come off this one before it lands in the binder.  Notable Knowledge:  Represented Mets in the 1998 and 2001 All-Star Games.

1983 Topps George Bamberger, #246

Coffee-stained teeth and lots of chest hair highlight this card of the ninth manager in Mets history.  The Staten Island native resigned 46 games into the '83 season, his second as the club's skipper.  Notable Knowledge: Former GM Frank Cashen regarded Bamburger, formerly with Baltimore, as the best pitching coach he had ever seen.

1980 Topps Jose Cardenal, #512

The Mets were one of nine stops for Cardenal, who crafted an 18-year big-league career.  He appeared in just 37 games over two seasons in Flushing.  Jose was released by the Mets in August of '80 and, soon thereafter, signed on with the Royals.  Notable Knowledge:  Hit two homers as a Met, both coming in a span of 11 days during August of '79.

1980 Topps Dock Ellis, #117

The man who claimed to have pitched a no-no in 1970 under the influence of LSD wasn't much of a sensation by the time he reached New York at the end of his career.  It's strange that Ellis even has a 1980 baseball card, and a Mets card to boot.  Firstly, he didn't finish the season with the Mets (he did so with the Pirates) and, secondly, he retired after the '79 season.  Notable Knowledge:  Posted a 3-7 record with a lowly 6.04 ERA in 17 games as a Met.

1978 Topps Nino Espinosa, #197

Which is better: the flamboyant collar or the far-out afro?  Let's call it a draw and just enjoy this card of Espinosa.  Notable Knowledge: Gave up league-high 107 earned runs in 1978.

1980 Topps Sergio Ferrer, #619

This is one of those players who was barely a ripple in the pond of baseball.  Ferrer played in just 125 games over a four-year career.  Two of those years (69 games) were in a Mets uniform.  Well, at least his autograph is nice.  Notable Knowledge:  Zero career home runs, tied for the lowest total in history.

1980 Topps Gil Flores, #478

Now we're talkin'!  Move over Tom Selleck and Burt Reynolds, there is a new sheriff of mustaches in town!  Look at that thing!  Do you even care what he did in the majors?  Notable Knowledge:  Was second in the NL to Steve Garvey in 1978 in number of broken hearts.

1981 Topps Ed Glynn, #93

Man, Topps cards were pretty bland during this era, were they not?  I guess the little ball cap is kinda nice, but... Blah!  Glynn is a homeboy, meaning he was born in Flushing, Queens.  In fact, the back of the card informs us that Ed was a hot dog vendor at Shea Stadium prior to signing with Detroit in 1971.  Notable Knowledge:  Re-read the prior sentence.

1982 Topps Greg Harris, #783

Hey, cherry Greg Harris rookie card, man.  Actually, I had no idea that Harris even began his career as a Met.  I just remember him as the journeyman that he was -- eight teams over a 15-year career.  Journeyman or not, if you play 15 years in the top baseball league in the world, you're doing something right.  Notable Knowledge: Greg can pitch with with either arm.  Look it up!

1980 Topps Andy Hassler, #353

In case you haven't noticed the trend, I found quite a few Mets I needed from the 1980 set.  Which is fine with me, since that's my birth year and I rather like the look of the '80 cards.  Hassler played in New York for part of the 1979 season, and that's it.  Therefore, he was either a Pirate or an Angel when this card was pulled from packs during the spring/summer of '80.  Notable Knowledge:  Logged 4 wins and 4 saves in 29 games as a Met.

1980 Topps Rich Hebner, #331

Another one-and-done story.  Hebner was a solid, clutch player for both the Pirates and Phils, but never warmed to New York after being dealt to the Mets in March of '79.  He was traded to the Tigers on Halloween of that same calendar year.  Notable Knowledge:  Went 4-for-5 with a homer an 4 RBIs in his Mets debut.

Okay, that's half of the new ATMP class.  I'll save the rest for next time.  Besides you've endured enough Mets no-names for one visit.

MK

All That Sparkles Ain't Silver

Sometimes -- okay, lotsa times -- baseball cards can unknowingly lead us to a story that goes beyond the cardboard.  Such was the case with this Ryan Jaroncyk card that was part of a neat trade package that I recently received from Nick at Dime Boxes HQ.

A Mets cap and a Mets warm-up jersey?  Gotta be a prime candidate for the All-Time Mets Project, right? Well, after a little sleuthing, I came across an old New York Slimes article about Jaroncyk, who was another in a tired line of failed Mets first-round draft picks.

But, rather than physical issues or just plain bad scouting, Jaroncyk derailed from the track towards the big leagues because, well, he just didn't like baseball anymore.  In fact, he probably never liked it.  Seems he thought it was "boring."  Pretty interesting piece, check it out here.

So it is, Jaroncyk never set foot on a big league diamond and, thus, never swung a bat or fielded a groundball for the Mets.  Sadly, this 1996 Topps Power Booster parallel - which would have been a non-brainer addition to the Project -- becomes just a really cool footnote in my Mets collection.  I can live with that, I suppose.  It's still a pretty great-looking card.

****

Not to worry, though, because Nick's package had lots of other prime pieces for my collection.  Including a couple of legit additions to the ATMP.

It's tough to get too psyched up for a manager card.  But, if nothing else, Torborg is an important piece to the puzzle because he presided over the fabled "worst teams that money could buy", the 1992 Mets.

I completely forgot about Brian Bohanon, who spent 1997 and half of 1998 in Queens.  Nothing extraordinary about his time as a Met (8-8, 3.57), but he was an effective member of the staff during a time when the Mets fortunes were looking up.  This also happens to be the first of these snazzy Pacific Online cards in my collection.

Elsewhere, Nick is always an ace when it comes to adding onto my player collecting pursuits.

Example A would most certainly be Vladimir Guerrero.  Every padded mailer that arrives from Dime Box Central is always blessed with a few Vlads.  My Guerrero collection now stands at 264 unique cards, thanks in large part to Nick.

Vlad isn't the only player that we share, however, as Nick always finds a way to sneak in some spare Oleruds.

I'm gonna assume that Nick's copy of this card will work it way into his ongoing frankenset project.  At the very least it will be in the running.  A very unique camera angle of Johnny O signing some autographs under partly cloudy skies.

This next guy, you may have heard his name in the news recently...every minute of every day.

Some might think this would be the right time to abandon their A-Rod collections.  To that I say balderdash! This is the exact perfect time to kick that bad boy into high gear.  Oh boo hoo, he did some drugs and he lied.  No one is baseball has ever done that!  Viva A-Rod!

I mean, wasn't Keith Hernandez shuffled out of St. Louis because of, among other things, a rampant cocaine fetish?  In today's social media-mad world, there would probably be thousands of stories and Deadspin videos about Hernandez.  Instead, Keith is a beloved figure in New York, both for his '86 World Series heroics as well as his broadcasting antics presently on SNY.

I know, I know, A-Rod's cheating isn't the same as doing lines in the players' parking lot or smoking in the dugout.  Well, whatever, I'll take A-Rod over a loser like Ryan Braun who basically chastised baseball and all the non-believers last year when he knew he was a lying cheat.

Moving along...

If Tommie Agee's 1970 Topps card wasn't a perfect piece of art, I'd consider using this 1994 Ted Williams Co. card for the ATMP binder.  I love everything about this photo, from the batting helmet to the sideburns to the bare hands to the stirrups.

We'll finish up with this.  Back in '91, how badly was Gregg wishing Aaron Spelling would call him for a spot on 90210?  Instead, Spelling went with Brian Austin Green for the role of David Silver, while Jefferies had to continue with baseball.  If only Gregg coulda been around to mentor Ryan Jaronyck...

Another grand slam, Nick.  Thanks for the cards!

MK