Tommy Manzella SP!

Tommy Manzella sounds the like the name of an ex boyfriend on a sit com.

B.J. Upton

Torii Hunter

Jim Thome

Michael Cuddyer

Adrian Gonzalez

I've always wondered what they called blow jobs 25 years ago? Why would you give your kid that to deal with in high school? Adrian Gonzalez is going to get an incredible trade package for San Diego this season, he is too good and too cheap not too.

I still cannot decide if I LOVE these All-Star kids or think they are terrible - it's one or the other - what do you think?
Matt Cain Refractor 32/561

I like how some of the color actually came through on this scan. Good times. See you tomorrow or Thursday!

Oh thats right, you want to see cards.

Brandon Phillips

Manny Acta

Kosuke Fukudome

Andy Pettitte

Bob Geren

Emilio Bonifacio

This was a guy I ended up in a bidding war for at least years draft but ran out of money - but I had Adrian Beltre! oh bother.

Adam Wainwright Chrome 1845/1961

I used to not really get into the chrome cards, but for some reason this season, I really like them - not sure why.

Shin-Soo Choo

Andrew Bailey

Kevin Millwood

Chad Billingsley

Which Billengsly are we going to see this year? The young ace or the kid who just can't put it all together? Or worse, will we end up with the same enigma we've had for the last few seasons where there is just no consistency.

JAMES Loney

Jeremy Guthrie

Orlando Cabrera

Nate McLouth

We all agree that James Loney's first name is James right?

Well Topps didn't get the memo - Jeff Loney just doesn't sound right.

Kevin Gregg

Chris Johnson

Fernando Perez

Fu-Te Ni

Brian Tallet

Ron Villone

Brian Fuentes

Todd Helton - biography

Josh willingham - Biography

Kazuo Matsui

Beast of the East - Josh Beckett and Johan Santana

Carl Crawford

Russel Martin

Between Beckett and Johan I think I would have to take Johan - of course I am skewed being a Mets fan and all, I have just never been a big Josh Beckett fan although he has done nothing to deserve that. Carl Crawford finally had that superstar season last year and there is lots of talk that the Mets are going to push real hard to get him on the team next year - a 1 2 of Reyes then Crawford would really be pretty insane. Finally we have Russel Martin who is looking to rebound from a lost season last year.

Mark Buerhle

Joe Saunders

Scott Podsednik

Man the Mets dodged a bullet in not signing Lowe last year. He went from ace to untradeable in about 6 months, thats pretty impressive. Mark Buerhle somehow keeps performing at all star levels.

Matt Carson - RC

Jed Lowrie

Nick Punto

Johnny Cueto

Melky Cabrera

Mark DeRosa

Jake Peavy

Jim Riggleman

I really think that Peavy is going to be huge this year - He was super strong at the end of last year and I hope he puts it together, great pitcher, great teammate.

I am all for a little die cut action but I don't think these cards could look any worse if they tried.

First up we have Mark Wohlers about to be hit by a baseball asteroid. If you look carefully you will see that not only is the flame die cut, but there are many holes inside the flame as well. I didn't scan the backs, but they do not have a stat listing for the players just a few highlights like "1.37 - ERA in last 57 appearances of 1995". Thrilling.

Here is John Smoltz and his own asteroid.

Finally, it's hard to make a card set like this boring, but somehow Topps managed to do so with the Ryne Sandberg and Brian McRae.

Anyone out there want any of this shit? I've got 2 of the Ventura card so all is available - just let me know!

I know all about the complaints that this is a "sideways" set, but so far I have not grown tired of looking at these cards at all. It's really like UD is broadcasting in HD while Topps is still going black and white.

No stars, but here are some of my favorites from this pack.

Kendry Morales

Neil Walker

Jose Lopez

Seth Smith

Troy Tulowitzki

Glen Perkins

David DeJesus

Nick Markakis

Ozzie Guillen

Really, the Perkins and DeJesus cards are pretty boring - boring players looking bored. Wow! Markakis is at least a rising star and has a bitchin' beard and Guillen swears a lot when you can actually understand him.

Next up we have three pretty Young and somewhat exciting players.

Elvis Andrus

Asdrubal Cabrera

Jose Reyes

I think in looking at these players Jose Reyes is what Elvis Andrus dreams of being - an all time stolen base threat who is good with the glove - the one thing Jose has is more pop and a more dangerous all around game. Hopefully Jose can stay healthy for both the Mets and my Dynasty Team.

Wrapping things up is an SP of Carlos Gomez, the man partially responsible for bring Johan Santana to the Mets! So thank you Carlos for that. When he was dealt I was kinda sad to see him go as I had seen him play quite a bit while here in Binghamton and grown in to quite a fan - but when you can get the best pitcher in baseball - it makes it easy to say goodbye.

Something different tomorrow - see you then!

Since MLB The Show comes out tomorrow - I realize I will need to get a few of these queued up so I can spend my time in front of the TV. Also have my first fantasy draft here at the house on Saturday (a live draft beats the shit out of computer). Now that I have my justification for not doing something social - here are some new cards made to look like old ones!

Ozzie's Aces - Mark Buerhle and Jake Peavy

Oakland A's Team Card

2009 AL Batting Champs - Mauer, Ichiro, Jeter, Cabrera

Steve over at White Sox Cards must be looking forward to having a rotation fronted by these 2 hurlers. I thought it was a classy move earlier in spring when Peavy said that Buerhle should be the opening day guy. It's that kind of selflessness than can make you a clubhouse hero. Onto the leaders card - can you imagine if the top four of your lineup went like so

1 - Ichiro

2 - Jeter

3 - Mauer

4- Cabrera

Wow - that lineup would easily the best top 4 ever put together - I know it would never happen, but still kinda neat to think about.

Josh Beckett

Tim Wakefield

Michael Brantley

It's safe to say the Red Sox have 3 aces in the form of Beckett, Lacey, Lester - a healthy Dice -K ain't so bad either. I wonder if Wakefield is going to be the long man this year since Bucholz seems to be ready to be a part of a MLB rotation.
Here is Curtis Granderson again, this time in the form of a Chrome Refractor #'d 104/561 - any one of you ever send out a chrome card for a TTM? How did they turn out? I know that Curtis is a pretty prolific TTM signer so I am tempted to try him out.

By the way - thanks to the Cardboard Junkie for the shout out on what may end up being the longest box break ever - We will see if I have the stamina to keep going pack by pack!