Getting a Card Fix From a Junkie

I've been in a bit of a funk lately, but nothing pulls you out of a funk quite like some free cards. These were courtesy of Jeffrey over at Card Junkie. First Jeff sent along some Angels cards as a thank you and then followed that up with a couple of cards from off of my 2009 Topps Series 1 Wantlist. These 2 cards put me just 8 away from finally putting to sleep Series 1.

First up, the 2009 Topps cards, both of the horizontal persuasion.

I'm thinking a more creative photo might have been in order for a card celebrating an MVP.


On the other hand, the Furcal cards is just plain sweet. Excellent use of the horizontal.

On to the Halos. Jeff sent a number of cards from various sets, so I'll hit you with a couple of highlights.

My first and maybe only 2009 Goudey card. The reviews have been poor and my budget is tight. Not a good combo for the boys at Upper Deck seeing my dollars. I've been itching to open some packs and Goudey has been at the Target for a couple of weeks, but even so I haven't been able to pull the trigger. Not a good sign.


I'm not the biggest 88 Fleer fan, but I like a lot about this card. The pure 80s spectators are nice, combined with the dirty uniform, real stirrups, the old orange railing that made any Anaheim Stadium background card instantly recognizable and the Schofield batting stance which looks to me like a guy who's a bit scared of the ball being thrown in his direction.


DiSar the prospect.


Polonia the superstar.


The highlight of all the cards. I have no idea what set this came from. It's numbered 537, so apparently there are a number of this set floating around, but outside of that it has no identification. Even the back only has a 3 paragraph write-up about the "Best Hitters in Baseball" and nothing else. Odd and wonderful.

Thanks for the cards Jeff, I really appreciate them.

Go Halos!

Fave 4: Kansas City Royals

Again, all credit goes to Night Owl and his list inspiration which has led me to the start of this. I'd also like to hurl all of my aggravation at him as well. Coming up with these lists is already driving me nuts. I figured I would start with a team like Kansas City, one I have never really followed too closely and don't spend too much time concerning myself. I figured that finding 4 worthy of my list might be a struggle, but then I found myself having to make a couple of difficult decisions.

So here they are in order from 1st Fave to the 4th.

1. Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson

Bart Knows Bo


How could I go with anyone other than Bo for my favorite Royal of all-time? Sure, George Brett is the Kansas City Royals, but for me Bo is the ultimate athlete. I grew up idolizing Bo Jackson and one of my first actual authentic New Era baseball hats was a Royals hat, solely because I loved Bo. He was an iconic athlete and pop culture phenom. Bo easily comes in first place in this Fave 4 installment, and because of that he gets 3 cards displayed here. Lucky guy.


2. George Brett

This guy was the franchise for so many years. To this day when I think Royals, I think George Brett. Although I like Brett while he was playing, it's since he's retired that I've really grown to appreciate him. He is an all-time great and deserving of a top 2 spot on the Fave 4.

3. Tom "Flash" Gordon

Gordon's sensational rookie season in 1989 made this card an absolute must-have. And although the Griffey rookie from this set is one of my favorite cards of all-time, this card represents that set to me almost as much. The color combos mixed with the grin that is lacking from Griffey make this a great card. He never recaptured the magic of his rookie season as a starter, but he's gone on to be a top of the line reliever for a long while and I have rooted for him at every stop, even with the Yankees.


4. Brian McRae

This was my first really tough call of the series. A lot of names that were floating in my head were deserving of this spot, but for some reason I kept coming back to McRae. A look back at his stats reveals nothing to get excited about, but my fond memories of Brian go back to a simpler time. A time when I spent hours playing Strat-o-matic baseball. For some reason, Brian McRae was a beast for me. Every time I rolled the dice, my numbers would come up perfectly for McRae. So despite his not so great work on the field, he still stands out as one of my Fave 4 Royals of all-time.

Those who just missed the list:
Bret Saberhagen

Danny Tartabull


Both of these players are more deserving statistically and a true Royals fan would most likely have them much higher than Brian McRae, but that's not what this is about.

Recap:
I noticed very quickly when making my Royals list that it's been a long time since I gave a crap about a Royals player. Gordon's last season with the Royals was 1995 and since then I guess my interest has waned. A good young nucleus of Alex Gordon and my daughter Hailey's favorite Billy Butler may make them relevant again at some point, but it may be another 15 years before this list sees any changes from me.

So the first edition of Fave 4 is in the books. The Kansas City Royals are accounted for with only one major upset.