Missing Topps Cards Part 5: Vladimir Guerrero (1995 and 2012)

Vladimir Guerrero played in the Majors from 1996-2011. He spent 1996-2003 with the Montreal Expos, 2004-2009 with the Anaheim Angels, 2010 with the Texas Rangers, and 2011 with the Baltimore Orioles. He finished his career with 449 Home Runs, and I think has a good case for the Hall of Fame. He could hit any pitch, had great power, a cannon arm, and I believe that he could've played for someone in the 2012 season, perhaps more, and that the owners colluded to keep players such as Jermaine Dye and Guerrero out of MLB for some reason. They were productive hitters, and I think they could've hit 15-20 Home Runs with a team, but never got a solid opportunity. 

Vlad got his first Topps card on a 4-player prospect card with Andruw Jones in the 1996 Topps set. He appeared in every Topps set through the 2011 set. He is in the 2012 Topps set, but it is a highlight card, and not a true sunset card. I chose to give Vlad the sunset card, as well as a 1995 Topps prospect card with Orlando Palmeiro, Alex Ochoa, and Mike Darr, Jr. to finish his career Topps run.

Work has been zapping my energy as well as life, so I haven't made a ton of customs lately, but I still am working on the 1994 set, and am finished through card 1004 now. I'm hoping to get a chance to work on more customs for a good while on Thursday night. Maybe I'll sleep too. Thanks for checking out my latest customs.

-Jeremy

1995 Topps #700 Mike Myers/Scott Sullivan/Eric Dinyar/Danny Graves

Today's card features 4 players. 3 of them were valuable relievers in the Majors, and 1 of them was a great pitcher I saw play in the minors that had an injury cut his career short before he reached the Bigs.

Mike Myers pitched from 1995-2007 with a number of teams, and won a World Series title with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.
Scott Sullivan had a 3.98 ERA in 10 seasons in the Majors, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. He went to Auburn University, and gets bonus points for doing so.
Eric Dinyar pitched in the minors for the Detroit Tigers from 1994-1997. In 1996, I saw him pitch a few times, and he set the Lakeland Tigers single-season record for Saves with 27. He was injured in 1997, and retired shortly after. He was elected to the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Hall of Fame in 2014.
Danny Graves played for 11 seasons in the Majors, making the All-Star team in 2000 and 2004 with the Cincinnati Reds. He finished his career with 182 Saves.

The next few cards coming up will be prospect and draft pick cards. Hopefully you will enjoy them. I have been working on finalizing all of the checklists that I have done by adding team photos that I could find, stadium cards, and notable draft picks that Topps missed. The 1989-1994 sets are done, as well as the 1996 set. I chose to make some customs tonight rather than doing the 1995 set, but I'll finish it soon enough. I think I will do the 2001 set and then just hold off with the '97-99 sets until all of the players are done for those. The 1999 set will be first (already have the Blue Jays and Rangers teams done), then 1998, 1997, and 2000. I'm hoping to finish a set or two by the end of the year and possibly more. Thanks for checking out my latest card.
-Jeremy

Favorite Player Collection Part 13: 1990 Topps #842 Stu Tate

Stu Tate only played 1 season in the Majors, but he still made my Favorite Player Collection. I am a big fan of all things Auburn University, and Tate played at Auburn before appearing in the Majors.

Stu only has 2 major cards, a 1990 Fleer that he shares with Greg Smith, and a 1990 Topps Debut card, which I stole the photo from since I can't find any with him in a Giants uni.

I sent Stu his 1990 Fleer card and a minor league issue ttm, and he returned them signed. I believe I still have them, but they may have not made it out when I sold most of my autograph binders, I'll have to check later today. I asked him in my letter if he cheered for the Alabama Criminal Tide or Auburn, and he responded War Eagle, and put the years he attended, and that is how I found out he attended there. I still have the letter if nothing else.

Thanks to Greg from Night Owl Cards for posting about the 1992 Topps Dodger customs that I made for him. They were fun to make, and I hope to print out more customs, maybe the entire '92 set. I'm working on '94 Topps templates right now, and give it a few month, I will have complete checklists and templates out for most Topps sets from 1989-2001 and customs as well. Thanks for checking out my latest post.
-Jeremy

2000 Topps Albert Pujols/Josh Beckett Draft Picks

Today's card is one of those fantasy cards that Topps could've theoretically made had they had a crystal ball. It features Albert Pujols and Josh Beckett, 2 players who were drafted in the 1999 MLB Draft. This card could've been worth alot during Beckett's prime, and would still command a ton of value due to Pujols being on it. Pujols has been in every Topps set since 2001, so this would've been his first Topps card, and Beckett appeared on his first Topps card in 2002, and got one for every season he played. Josh's final Topps card, in the 2015 set is actually just a highlight card with a checklist on the back, so I may do a regular version of his 2015 card. Other than that, both of these players have their career Topps run finished with this card, although I may put Josh on a 2001 Topps prospects card if I find a few other players to pair with him.  This is actually the 2nd 2000 Topps card I've done of Pujols, as I've done a 2000 Topps Traded version of him during the early days of my blog. Here is the Traded card.

I have made a bunch of templates this week, and am only 5 away from finishing the 1989 Topps set. That will give me the 1989, 1996, 2000, and 2001 Topps sets, and I have a feeling that the '90 set as well as the 1997 sets shouldn't give me too much trouble either. I should get a chance to work on more on Monday night. Also, Richard, who has made some customs for me before, sent me some yesterday and is working on a few more batches, so once I get the rest of them, I will post them for you. Some of them aren't technically Topps cards, but they are cool and if I were ever to make a custom set to print out and put in binders, I would definitely include them, so stay tuned for them in a coming post.
It's been a while since my team had a softball game, but we did have one on Monday, and I should've just stayed home. I went 0-2 with a fielders choice, and a lineout to 2nd with the bases loaded. We lost 25-3, and during the 6th, I think the other team batted around twice, and they scored at least a dozen runs. I let a bouncing ball get through my legs that inning, but I was ok with just 1 error, as our shortstop made at least 3 that frame. Things have to get better next game. Thanks for checking out my latest custom.
-Jeremy

1999 Topps #492 Scott McClain

Scott McClain got his first appearance in the Majors in 1998 with the Rays. He spent the next to years in the minors before playing in Japan from 2001-2004. He got time with the Cubs in 2005, spent 2006 in the minors, before playing his final 2 seasons in the Majors with the Giants in 2007 and 2008. He spent 2009 in Japan before retiring.
Scott put up some great power numbers in the minors and Japan, but was unable to get significant playing time in the Majors. He gained some notoriety in 2008 when he hit his first Major League Home Run, becoming at 36, the oldest position player to hit his first Home Run.

Scott doesn't appear on any Topps cards, so he is missing cards from the 1999, 2006, and 2008-2009 sets. He did appear on a 1996 Bowman card. This 1999 custom gives Scott his rookie card, and leaves him with just 3 Topps cards needed to complete his career Topps run.

I am thinking about possibly posting templates of a few different years of Topps cards just to help out the custom card making community. Templates are hard to make sometimes, especially when the set has a different one for each team, but if custom card makers can share templates, that means more cards can be made and enjoyed by more people. The next time I get to working on customs, I think I am going to try to get templates for the 2001 Topps set started. Let me know if you think this is a worthwhile idea. Thanks for checking out my latest card.
-Jeremy

2001 Topps Yadier Molina/Chase Utley Draft Pick

Today's card is one of those cards that I kind of got to cherry-pick 2 good players and put them on the card. In 2001, Topps put 2 random players on draft pick cards, as they had since 1997. This practice (along with the fact that they didn't specify 'First Round Pick') will allow me to pair up some real superstars on customs draft cards from '97-'01.

Molina has been a fixture with the Cardinals for the last decade. Good enough to probably be inducted in the Cardinals Hall of Fame, and perhaps in MLBs if he puts up another 5-10 years of solid numbers. If he can get close to 2500 hits and wins a few more Gold Gloves, I think he could be a lock.

Utley has put up some good numbers in Philly until injuries hit him. After the cheap takeout slide he did in last years' playoffs, I lost a good deal of respect for him, but he had the best numbers out of the candidates I had, so I stuck him next to Molina on the card.

If you have any ideas for custom Draft Pick cards from the '97-'01 sets, or any other ideas for cards, feel free to let me know. Thanks for checking out my latest card.
-Jeremy

1994 Topps Draft Pick Derrek Lee

Topps for some reason left Derrek Lee off of their Draft Picks subset in the 1994 Topps set. Lee was featured in just about all of the other sets that year that included draft picks (Bowman, Collector's Choice, Pinnacle, Score, and Upper Deck), but was left off of good ol' Topps. His first Topps card would come in the 1996 on a 1B Prospects card, and he would get many other Topps cards throughout his career (besides a sunset card), but I would've figured that Topps would've got him in the '94 set.

This card was pretty simple to make, and now that I have the template made for it, I will probably make many more draft cards from '94. The good thing about just about all of the draft pick cards that Topps made after 1991 is that they don't have 'First Round' listed on them, so you can make a rookie card for anyone who got drafted and signed that year. I could theoretically make an Albert Pujols Draft Pick card from 1999 Topps and combine him with the biggest name that didn't get a card in that set, and have a card with 2 mega superstars on it that would never have been possible because card companies would've never paired the two, but now with customs becoming more prevalent, things like that are possible.

It's been busy, busy, busy around here, and I haven't made many non-1992 Topps cards lately, but I am about 1/4th of the way done with the backs of all of the coach cards in that set, and after that it should be smooth sailing. I'm hoping to be done with that set in a few months, and hopefully after that, I can make some more customs for this blog (including the previously mentioned 1994 Topps Draft Pick cards and the '99 Pujols.

Thanks for checking out my latest card.
-Jeremy

Missing Topps Cards Pt. 2: Jeromy Burnitz 1991 Topps Draft Pick, 1996 Topps, 2007 Topps

Jeromy Burnitz was drafted by the New York Mets in 1990 and was a mega prospect. He missed getting a card in the 1991 set, but got prospect cards in the 1992 and 1993 sets before making it to the bigs in '93 and getting his own '94 Topps card. Burnitz never made it in New York, and was traded to the Cleveland Indians in '95. He didn't get a card in the 1996 Topps set (which if I'm not mistaken, was the smallest one Topps has ever done at 440 cards). Burnitz got traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in '96, and his career started taking off and he had multiple 30-HR seasons. He appeared on tons of cards in his Brewer years, and after 2002, he started towards the end of his career and played for a few different teams. Burnitz's 2002 Topps Traded bat relic card was the first Game-Used card I ever pulled from a pack, and it featured him with his first team (and 2003 team), the New York Mets. Burnitz went on to play for the Dodgers, Cubs, and Rockies, before suiting up for the Pirates in 2006, his last season. Jeromy missed out on a sunset card in 2007. 

All in all, Topps did a pretty good job of getting Burnitz a card in all of his seasons. The 1996 set was pretty small (probably due to lack of interest in baseball due to the 1994 strike), so many middle-of-the-run players and younger, unproven players missed out on getting cards in that set. Not sure why he missed out on the '91 Draft Pick card, but Todd Van Poppel also missed out on a card that year, and he was supposed to be Nolan Ryan. Many players have missed out on sunset cards over the last 20 years at Topps, and I suppose because the Pirates were rebuilding in '07 that Topps didn't include him. 

I hope to do a few more players for this blog theme. None currently come to mind, but if you can think of a player who missed 2 or more cards from Topps who played from 1988 to the present, let me know, and I should be able to come up with a few Topps cards to complete their Topps run.

Thanks for checking out my blog.

-Jeremy

Missing Topps Cards: Mariano Rivera 1992 Topps, 1993 Topps, 1994 Topps Traded Update, 1995 Topps Traded, 1996 Topps

I had planned on doing the next cards in order numberwise, but I started making a few random Mariano Rivera cards, and decided to do a post where I completed his Topps run of cards. I did the 1992 card as part of my 1992 Topps blog. the others came as a request from REJ who writes Century 21 Topps Cards. I could've paired some great pitchers with Rivera in the 1993 card, but since Topps chose to post a player from each Minor League class, the pickings were slim. Topps already had a Coming Attractions card for the Yankees in the '94 set, but I decided to give them 2 more (including one with Jeter and Posada) in the Traded Update set. Rivera had a card with Lyle Mouton in the '95 Traded set, but didn't have his own card, so I gave him a Future Star card, and finally the '96 card pictures him with 3 borderline Hall of Fame pitchers. 

I have never been a Yankee fan, but I have a little respect for Rivera since he does alot of charitable work in his hometown. I'll try not to post too many Yankee cards on my blog, but I think I can live with a few of Rivera. 

In one of the next posts, I'll do another Missing Topps Card post of Jeromy Burnitz. I don't know how many of them I'll do, but I'll do a few at least to get the ball rolling.

2005 Bowman Kelly Hunt

I first heard about Kelly Hunt 10 years ago. I lived in Lakeland, FL, and Kelly played First Base for my hometown Lakeland Tigers. Kelly had a great year, ranking among the league leaders in HRs, 2Bs, and RBIs. During the season, I got to know Kelly, and found that we had a few things in common, including our Christian faith, taste in books, and music. After the last game of the season, Kelly gave me his bat, and we kept in touch for a few years. Kelly never made it to the Majors, but I think he deserved a card in 2005. If a few injuries would've happened in 2006, I think Kelly would've realistically been in Detroit. He tore up AA that year. Unfortunately, Kelly never got a Bowman card, so here is my version of his 2005 card.

I might make a few more cards that aren't in the 'Dick Pole Project', but rest assured, I will get back to the project shortly. Thanks for checking out today's card.
-Jeremy

2008 Topps Buster Posey Draft Pick

Well, the Royals didn't win, so that means card #43 will be this 2008 Topps Buster Posey Draft Pick card. I was really pulling for the Royals, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. I will make a George Brett Pine tar card soon, though. Congratulations to the Giants.

1987 Topps Traded Edgar Martinez

Edgar Martinez's first appearance on a Topps card came in 1990. He could've got a card in the 1988 or 1989 set, and if not in the regular set, then maybe in the Traded set. Omar Vizquel appeared in the 1989 Traded set, and he made it to the Majors only a year after Edgar. I decided to give Edgar a card in the 1987 Topps Traded set. He put up some good numbers in the fall of 1987 with the Mariners, and it's concievable that Topps could've put him in the '87 Traded set.

On another note, the Royals won Game 6, so that means I will know tonight who will appear on the next card. I'm thinking that if the Royals win, instead of doing a 1973 Brett/Schmidt/Cey card, I might to a highlight card of the Pine Tar game. That might be fun. Hopefully the Royals can pull it off tonight.

1989 Topps Charles Nagy Draft Pick

Got back from my trip yesterday, and had time to make this card today before I go to work. Charles Nagy was one of the most solid pitchers for the Cleveland Indians in the 1990's. He won 16 in '95, 17 in '96, and helped them make it to the World Series that year. I met him a few times over the years at Indian Spring Training games in Winter Haven, Florida, and he was always nice, signing autographs and being pretty fan-friendly. He was one of 3 players the Indians picked up in the first round in 1988. Mark Lewis was the first, and he was given a 1989 Topps card. Next came Nagy, who wasn't given a card, and last came Jeff Mutis, who wasn't given a 1989 Topps card (but who I did make a http://completingthe1992toppsset.blogspot.com/2014/07/1992-topps-jeff-mutis.html of).

So now Charles Nagy has his 1989 Topps Draft Pick card. Card #42 is a 1987 Topps Traded Edgar Martinez, and depending on if the Kansas City Royals or the San Francisco Giants win the World Series, card #43 will either be a 1973 Topps George Brett/Mike Schmidt/Ron Cey card, or a 2008 Topps Buster Posey Draft Pick card. I personally hope the Royals win, just because most of the players on the Giants already have 2 rings, and most of the Royals haven't won any. I do sympathize with Tim Hudson, but I'm rooting for the Royals.

I do think the 2008 Posey Draft Pick card would be fun to make, and making that card unlocks an even bigger can of worms: Since Topps can't make a card of a player until they are on the MLB roster, they wouldn't have been able to make this card in 2008. But, if Topps gave every #1 draft choice a Bowman, and then once they made the Bigs, issued their "true" Topps Draft Pick card in a Topps Archives set, and gave it all the bells and whistles that previous Topps Draft Pick cards had before 2006 (autographs, Chrome/Refractors, maybe serial numbering), would those cards carry their weight as if they were issued during the player's draft year? I would personally get them to complete my Topps run of the player. Would MLB frown upon the practice? Would the cards just be considered another regular card of the player? I don't know, but I intend to make a few just to see what people think. Thanks for checking out my blog.
-Jeremy

1991 Topps Todd Van Poppel Draft Pick

Todd Van Poppel was the next big pitcher when he was drafted by the Oakland A's in 1990. He would've been the first overall pick if the Atlanta Braves thought he was signable. Instead, he slipped down to #14 and Oakland took him. He was rushed to the Majors quickly, and could've used a few years experience in the minors. Todd bounced around to a few different teams, and played into the mid '00's, but never was the ace pitcher everyone expected him to be.

I had the pleasure of meeting Todd in 1996 or 1997 when he was with the Texas Rangers organization. He was playing with the Charlotte Rangers, and I saw them take on my hometown Lakeland Tigers. Todd was nice enough to sign my 2 baseball cards in the rain, and I've been a fan of his ever since.

I think that Todd's 1991 Topps Draft Pick card would've been hot had it been issued that year. Here's what mine turned out like.

1952 Topps Johnny Podres/Jim Gilliam

In 2006, Topps made a set called Topps '52, featuring every rookie from 2006 on a card with the 1952 Topps design. It was a great set, and if Topps isn't going to bring back the MLB Debut set, Topps '52 is a good alternative.
In the Topps '52 set, there was an insert set featuring 2 players from the same team called Dynamic Duos. It used various aspects of the 1952 Topps design, and I really liked it. I was wondering the other day what it would've looked like if Topps had used the Dynamic Duos design in the original 1952 set. They could've paired Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford (if Ford would've had a contract with Topps), and that would've been one amazing card. I chose to pair teammates who were rookies in 1952 and didn't get a 1952 Topps card. The best pair I could come up with were Johnny Podres and Jim Gilliam. I used photos from their 1953 Topps cards (to stay true to the painted effect of the '52 set), and changed the wording on the card from Dynamic Duos to 1952 Rookies. I might try to make more 2-player rookie cards from early Topps sets. I have some great cards coming up next, so stay tuned.

1990 Topps Mo Vaughn Draft Pick

Mo Vaughn was left off of the 1990 Topps #1 Draft Pick subset. I guess Topps thought Roger Salkeld and Tyler Houston were better players to put in the set. They did get it right with Frank Thomas, though. Topps gave Mo his first card in their 1991 Traded set. I remember the 1995 season where Albert Belle broke the 50 Home Run mark and thought for sure he would win the AL MVP award, but I think Vaughn's media-friendly personality won voters over. I think this card would've been pretty hot back in '95 had Topps made it.

1978 Topps Ted Turner

Recently, I made the last 2 cards for the 1st Series (1981 Minnie Minoso, and 1997 Alejandro Pena), and made the first 3 for the Second (1980 Disco Demolition Night Highlights, 1990 Bo Jackson All-Star Game Highlights, and 1993 Topps Stadium Club Derek Jeter 1st Day Issue). I had saved them as drafts, and planned on posting them 1 by 1, maybe 2 per week, until I was caught up. Unfortunatly, Blogger had other ideas, and posted them on the days they were first made as drafts, so I am now up to card #29, but some of the last 5 cards are out of order, so just throwing that out there in case you missed the last few cards.

Today's card is a 1978 Topps card of Ted Turner, who managed the Atlanta Braves for 1 game in 1977 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. I don't believe any card company has made a card of Mr. Turner, and I only saw 2 customs when I went searching on Google. Ted took over for manager Dave Bristol after the Braves lost 15 games. Ted had the Braves rallying in his lone game, down 2-1 in the 8th. With a runner on, he sent Darrel Chaney to pinch-hit, and Chaney hit a ground-rule Double. If it wouldn't have went over the wall, the run would've scored and the game would've been tied. Pirates manager Chuck Tanner (who would manage the Braves later in his career) sent in Goose Gossage, who retired the side and got the Save. After the game, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn declared that someone who owned part of a team couldn't manage it, and that was Turner's last game on the field. Braves coach Vern Benson took over for Turner, and later in the season, a man named Bobby Cox would manage the team. 34 years later, Cox would be inducted into the Hall of Fame, so it wasn't a totally bad year for the Braves in 1977. Turner would own the Braves until 1996, the year after they would win their only World Championship Trophy for him.

1982 Topps Ryne Sandberg

A 1982 Topps Ryne Sandberg isn't a new idea. Heck, Topps even made one for their eTopps set a few years back. I decided I'd try my hand at one. I didn't realize that Ryno's first year was 1981. I figured that he debuted in 1982. That begs the question: Why didn't Topps make a card of him in 1982 or 1981? I may have to create a 1981 Topps Traded card. I will get some practice on the 1981 design, as the next card in Series 1 is a 1981 Topps Minnie Minoso.

1993 Stadium Club Derek Jeter 1st Day Issue

I hate the Yankees. I hate Derek Jeter. So why am I making a card of him? Because Topps Stadium Club didn't feature him in their 1993 set. They had many other rookies, but failed to include any of the 1992 #1 Draft Picks. Since Stadium Club came out with the 1st Day Issue cards for the first time in 1993, which were limited to 2,000 of every card, this card would probably be one of Jeter's most popular cards. It should be mentioned that Jeter also didn't appear in the 1993 Topps Finest set. Beckett did a 1993 Finest Jeter, and Topps included him in their 2001 Finest reprint set, and I may try a stab at a '93 Finest Jeter in the future as well. For now, here is his 1993 Stadium Club 1st Day Issue card.

1991 Topps Jeff Bagwell

Jeff Bagwell got a card in the 1991 Topps Traded set featuring him as a Houston Astro, but never was featured as a Boston Red Sock. His 1991 Stadium Club card was hot at the time, and he was a pretty decent prospect, so I wonder why Topps didn't include him in the base set as part of their Future Star subset. Here is what his regular Topps card may have looked like in 1991.