Another Christmas Card

Behold this beauty from 2013 Bowman Sterling that came my way just the other day.  A most kind Christmas gesture from Douglas, the good-hearted Dollar Store blogger and fellow Bills/Mets fan from Ontario, Canada.

This is a "jumbo" relic of Buffalo Bills rookie Robert Woods, a super-talented wideout drafted in the second round out of Southern Cal.  Woods has quickly become one of my favorite players on the team thanks to his ability to run crisp routes and make tough grabs.  He had perhaps his best pro game this past Sunday with five catches for a career-high 82 yards and a TD in Buffalo's win at Jacksonville.

It's been a while since I've really been excited about a WR drafted by the Bills, but Woods has all the makings of a future star.

This is a dynamic addition to my Bills collection, Douglas, and I truly appreciate it!

Merry Christmas to ya, and Go Bills!

MK

Christmas Cards

I didn't win the Mega Millions jackpot, so I guess I'll have to keep my job and continue shopping at Wal-Mart.  Oh well, I can think of worse things.

Although the lottery gods didn't smile upon me [Ed. Note: Honestly, I didn't even buy a ticket, so what am I talking about?], I recently won a different sort of jackpot.  Thanks to Jeff at Fan-Attic Sports Card Blog, I was one of three bloggers randomly selected to be the recipient of a Happy Holidays PWE.  Christmas cards, if you will.

Very cool!

The set collector that I am, I was quite pleased to get the above Dave Burba from 1997 Stadium Club, which is my favorite TSC set of all-time.  I'm slowly but surely winding down my 'need' list for this handsome set.

Additionally, a pair of cards for my quest to put together a 2011 Topps Cognac parallel set.  Or at least come somewhat close.

Marlon Byrd had quite a nice 2013.  He not only signed a minor league contract with the Mets and then made the roster out of spring training, but he happened to be a very productive run producer for the Amazins.  He parlayed that into a trade to the pennant-contending Pirates in August and, eventually, a postseason appearance.  Oh, and then there's that two-year contract worth $16 million bucks he inked with the Phils in November.

The base version of this Bruce Chen card is contained in the Update & Highlights portion of 2011 Topps.  I mean, what's an update or traded set without Bruce Chen, right?  The guy has a lot of destination stickers on his suitcase.  He looks pretty good in the powder blue Royals cap and jersey.  And its especially nice looking on the cognac backdrop.

Thanks for a nice bit of holiday cheer, Jeff.  And Merry Christmas to ya!

MK

Why We Love '93 Topps Traded: A Clubhouse Retrospective

About a year or so ago, I was able to find a 1993 Topps Traded factory set on eBay for a mucho reasonable price.  And, well, naturally I snatched it up.

But, because I kinda ran out of space in my 1993 Topps binder, the 132-card set has been sitting inside a little cardboard box all this time feeling neglected and unloved.  A real crime if you're familiar at all with the set and the type of rookies and vets that call this set home.

So let me atone for that sin this very moment.  Twenty years after '93 Topps Traded was born, let's take a look at the 10 cards from the set that gave me pause while shuffling through the set recently.  These 10 aren't necessarily the most valuable or universally memorable cards, but I think I like these the best.

1T

The first card in the set, and a very fitting one at that.  The first card of Barry Bonds in a SF Giants uniform. Yes, I realize Bonds is an apostate of Hell and we're all supposed to hate him.  But his significance during the era and the fact that he still looks like a proportionately built human being on this card more than withstands any slings and arrows.

19T

You knew this one had to be in the mix.  One of the best pure hitters of his generation, Helton's rookie is one of many iconic Team USA cards featured throughout the history of Topps sets, and perhaps the most important first-year card contained in this set.  Well, almost...

24T

I'll contend that this rookie of Mike Piazza is the card to own from '93 Topps Traded.  And, of course I'd feel that way considering I'm a Mets fan and Piazza is one of my all-time favorite sluggers.  It also happens to be a great photograph of Mike.  Speaking of the photo, if it looks familiar it's because a nearly identical shot of Piazza was used for his card in the '94 Topps set. A few shutters of the camera are all that separate the two.

47T

If you were shown just a silhouetted version of the photograph you see on this card, you'd still automatically know it was Wade Boggs.  The trademark batting follow-through of Boggs is always a welcome sight on cardboard, plus this is the first Topps card of the Hall of Famer as a Yankee.  Both very good reasons to recognize this one.

48T

Nestled back-to-back with Boggs on the set's checklist, Paul Molitor is yet another Hall of Famer sporting new threads.  The long-time Brewer was a wise free-agent investment for the Blue Jays, as Molitor earned World Series MVP honors after leading the Jays to a six-game triumph over the Phillies in the '93 Fall Classic.

49T

While he directly follows Boggs and Molitor in numerical checklist sequence, Turk Wendell's imprint on Major League Baseball wasn't the stuff of an immortal.  Unless, of course, you're measuring legendary status on a scale of 1 to 10 whoopee cushions.  Turk was one of the true free spirits during his time in the bigs, and he wasn't too shabby as a relief pitcher either.  Wendell was a key bullpen cog for the Mets when they won the pennant in 2000.  This card happens to be his stand-alone rookie (he made one of those "Top Prospect" cards in the 1992 set).

54T

The first of many cards of Greg Maddux in a Braves uniform; it doesn't get more vital than that.  I'd have to say Maddux was the best pitcher I ever had the honor of watching.  Yes, he played for a team I vigorously detested, but you had to respect the way he went about his craft.  A surgeon in stirrups.

83T

This is just a smooth-looking card of a smooth HOF player.  After helping the Blue Jays capture their first World Series title in 1992, Dave Winfield was granted free agency and signed with the Twins during the subsequent offseason.  At 41 years old, the Minnesota native collected his 3,000th career hit late in the '93 season.

84T

There were a few other big-name players in this set who were featured in new uniforms, but I chose Paul O'Neill over the likes of Andres Galarraga or Gary Sheffield because his card is more important.  Mainly because he was every bit a vital piece in the Yankees' late '90s dynasty as Jeter, Rivera or Bernie.  Plus, even though I was conditioned to despise him because he was a Yankee, I loved the way he played every game with unabashed intensity.

92T

Andre Dawson in a Red Sox uniform is always a strange sight.  Ditto for his later donning of Marlins rags. Retirement was right around the corner for the Hawk at this point and most of his potent days were far behind him.  But, this is such a terrific photo of Dawson, who was still showing the physique of a man 10 years his junior.

Each of the Topps Traded sets from the late '80s and early '90s may have decent claim to being the best or most interesting among its peers, but 1993 Traded undeniably takes its place at or near the top.  It perfectly captures a snapshot of the game as it was about to transition into a new era.  The '93 design is also pretty underrated. Or, at least I've always underrated it.  Revisiting this set has certainly given me a new appreciation for its allure.

MK

Buffalo Gameday, Dec. 15, 2013

Unless you're a believer in miracles, the Buffalo Bills season will effectively end after their Week 17 game in New England.  With another losing season in the cards, the Bills (4-9) trek south to Florida for the second consecutive weekend, attempting to snap a two-game slide as they square off with the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) today at 1 p.m. on CBS.

Just a few short weeks ago the Bills had completed a whitewashing of the New York Jets, subsequently planting themselves within the "In the Hunt" category of the AFC playoff chase.  But, following their by week, Buffalo fumbled away a golden opportunity against the Falcons in Toronto and then, last Sunday, came out completely flat in an embarrassing loss to Tampa Bay.

While the Bills haven't been mathematically eliminated yet, they effectively need to root for an eight-way tie for the final Wild Card spot in order to sneak them in.  That would require Buffalo to sweep their final three contests while half the conference would need to either lose all of their remaining games or severely stumble down the stretch.  The way the Bills have performed of late, the former ingredient seems just as unlikely as the latter.

At the very least, these Bills need to show a little heart over the season's final three regular season contests. Today's opponent has done just that over the past month.  After beginning the year with eight straight losses, the Jaguars have won four of five games since their bye week, including three straight.

Including playoffs, the Bills and Jags have played 12 times since 1996, with the teams splitting the contests. And while this isn't a classic rivalry, the Jaguars have made a habit of being present during benchmark moments in Bills history -- for better or worse.

Right off the bat, the initial meeting between these two teams came in the first round of the 1996 playoffs, when Tom Coughlin's upstart Jags came into Buffalo and handed the heavily-favored Bills their first-ever playoff loss at Rich Stadium, 30-27.  If that wasn't bad enough, it also marked Jim Kelly's final NFL game, as the Buffalo QB was carted off the field late in the fourth quarter after sustaining a concussion.  Want more?  The Bills haven't hosted a postseason contest since.

How about a brighter note?  Two seasons after the Jaguars ended the Kelly-era of Buffalo football, Coughlin's club helped usher in the era of Flutie Mania.  The Bills began the 1998 season 0-3 but, thanks to some Flutie magic, won their next five, including a last-second thriller over the unbeaten Jags in Buffalo.  With his team trailing 16-10 and facing 4th and Goal from the 1, Flutie turned a busted play into an endzone scramble around left end with 13 seconds remaining in the game.  The win brought the Bills to 3-3 and, more importantly, energized the football-loving masses of Western NY.

And, in 2009, the Bills celebrated their 50th season with...Terrell Owens.  The Bills brought in the notorious wideout for a one-year trial contract, amounting to nothing more than a marketing gimmick.  But, at least for one shining moment, Owens made his mark and established a Bills franchise record in the process.  In an otherwise forgettable November game in Jacksonville, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick heaved a pass nearly 50 yards out of his own endzone, hitting Owens and stride for what would become a 98-yard TD.  The Bills still wound up losing, but... hey, franchise record, right?

While it's impossible to predict whether a lasting historical moment will stem from today's edition of Bills/Jags, it's a pretty safe bet that we'll most likely see an uninspiring game between two sub-par teams.  Rookie EJ Manuel played about as bad a game at QB as you can play last Sunday, but he had plenty of help.  The offensive line was downright offensive and the defense allowed way too many big conversions, including an 80-yard TD run on the second play of the game.  And don't even get me started on penalties.

I'd like to think the Bills will bounce back and show some life and a lot of fight today, but when you're a Bills fan it's best to not expect anything good.  And just maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised at the end of the day.

My Week 15 Picks:  Call me crazy, but gimme the Dolphins (Pick 'Em) at home versus New England; the Panthers (-10) to dismantle the Jets; and the Redskins (+6) to cover in Atlanta.

May your beers be cold and your games high-scoring!

MK

Home Plate Heroes

At the last card show I attended, I found some cards of my all-time favorite catchers to add to my player collections.  I mean, who doesn't love catcher cards?

The above Gary Carter was one on my radar for quite some time.  I can't believe it took me so long to track down a copy of this awesome card of the Kid during his Dodger days.  While it isn't necessarily in the conversation of my favorite junk wax-era sets, 1992 Score churned out some pretty incredible cards.  Especially of the "catchers in action" variety.  The Todd Hundley from this set also springs to mind, as it's probably my favorite card of Hundley.

Mike Piazza's name doesn't readily bring to mind visions of excellence behind the plate.  No one will ever confuse Piazza's defensive abilities with that of a Johnny Bench or Ivan Rodriguez, after all.  Rather, Mike produced shock and awe at the dish with a bat in his hand, and many of his cards feature Piazza in the throes of such activity.  Here, TSC gives us a glimpse of Piazza getting down and dirty in the catcher's gear.

Carlos Delgado was a catcher for a hot second in the big leagues before wisely being shifted 90 feet away to his permanent home at the first base bag.  A good number of Carlos' early cards still feature the Puerto Rican slugger in the shinguards and chest protector.

It would appear Sandy Alomar Jr. and the home plate umpire are sharing a light-hearted moment here.  This is one of two cards of Sandy in the 1990 UD set, with this one falling within the High Numbers portion of the checklist.  The other features Alomar in Padres duds.

Lastly, Fleer did a super job of capturing a badass moment of competitive greatness.  The demonstrative Pudge Fisk looks pretty heated here, perhaps announcing to his fielders the number of outs after tagging out an unfortunate Oriole at home plate.

Enjoy the weekend, friends!

MK

Four Topps, #713

Howdy, folks!  Earlier this evening I clicked on over to Random.org to pluck a new number for the Four Topps feature.  And would you believe it spat a 713 out at me?  The nerve!  Can anything positive come from such a number?

Well...

1987

The name of Tom Brookens reminds me of the countless summer days of my youth playing RBI Baseball on Nintendo.  Brookens and his Detroit Tigers were my favorite club to choose because it was virtually one bopper after another.  The former first-round choice wasn't exactly part of that power parade, but for some reason his name stands out.  Hey, Stat Man:  Batted .270 with 25 RBIs in 98 games for Detroit in 1986.

1988

Back to back Tigers, whoopee!  Reliever Willie Hernandez joined Detroit via trade following the 1983 season and proceeded to make three consecutive All-Star Games and win the '84 Cy Young and MVP awards.  Pretty decent acquisition for the Tigers, I'd say.  Hey, Stat Man:  Went 3-4 with eight saves for Detroit in 1987.

1987

Ah!  Our first "Draft Pick" card in the history of Four Topps.  Heck, it's the first subset card of any type.  Unless I'm mistaken, this is the first time Topps featured cards of draft selections in their regular set.  I'm kind of ambivalent towards them; some are pretty neat 'n notable (Frank Thomas, Chipper Jones) while others are plain forgettable (umm, this one, for instance!).  Griffin, who made his cardboard debut in the '88 Traded set as a member of Team USA, never made it to the big leagues in nine seasons of professional baseball.  Hey, Stat Man:  Slugged 14 homers in 68 games as junior at Georgia Tech in 1988.

1990

Oh me, oh my.  There just aren't a lot of redeeming qualities to be found on this sliver of 1990 Topps baseball.  A bad mustache, matted chest hair, and a mesh practice jersey all make for an uncomfortable hobby experience for the whole family.  I'm sure Mr. Drummond is a nice man, though.  Hey, Stat Man:  Logged 2 1/3 scoreless innings to record his lone save of the season, September 15 versus Detroit.

And the Winner Is:  In a tight race between Tigers teammates, I'll give Willie's Cy Young Award, MVP, and aviator-style glasses the edge over Brookens and his satin Starter jacket.

MK

HOF Haul

I love Hall of Famers; I think all of us do.  And nothing beats cards of Hall of Famers for a mere dime.  Being able to snag few cards of the game's legendary stars for such a minuscule price tag is one of the true joys of card shows.

The following cards are some of the new pieces to my HOF collection...

I didn't even recognize Tom Terrific at first glance.  I only saw the White Sox jersey and cap and the doughy face and my mind automatically registered "Carlton Fisk."  I still tossed it in my 'purchase' pile, and was pleasantly surprised when I went back for a look at my loot later on.

Yaz looks more like your grandfather than a guy who was just two years removed from a 28-homer, 102-RBI season.  We need more ballplayers in today's game to look like this, using their old man strength to put cocky, young pitchers in their place.

Truly, this was a time when it was all too easy to have pride in your league's heroes.  Guys weren't changing teams as often as underpants and All-Star Game starters played deep into the game instead of making silly cameos.  In 1963, I'm sure boys all over the country were gladly giving (or taking) a black eye to defend the hallowed names of Willie Mays or Stan the Man.

"Lefty" Carlton made 10 All-Star squads during his brilliant career.  The 1982 Midsummer's Classic was his final hurrah in that regard.  On that occasion, Carlton was the first pitcher out of the bullpen for the NL, striking out four batters over two innings.  The Senior Circuit prevailed, 4-1, at Olympic Stadium.

I grew up listening to Ralph Kiner and Tim McCarver on Mets telecasts on WOR-TV.  To me, Kiner was just the old guy who called Mets games.  What did I know, I was just a dumb kid who thought baseball was born with the '86 Mets.  Kiner, of course, was a true badass as a player, leading the NL in homers for a seven straight seasons from 1946-52.  Ridiculous!

Jim Palmer crafted eight seasons of at least 20 victories.  He won three Cy Young awards, finishing twice in voting on two other occasions.  Of his 268 career wins, an MLB-high 186 of them occurred during the '70s.

This card is so shiny and sweet that it gave my scanner a toothache.  Yogi is such a renowned figure in baseball history for his colorful personality, but this is a guy who played for 10 World Series champions.  Certainly, there will never be another Yogi...in more ways than one.

Not a bad lot of cards for just 70 cents!

MK