Thursday, January 19, 2012

2012 Topps Series 1 Checklist

Thanks to a posting over at Paul's Random Stuff, I Got a look at the Topps Checklist for the upcoming release of series 1:  


2012 Topps Gold shiny thingy Roy Halladay (#150???)
These are the dozen Phils that are in the checklist provided by Sports Collectors Daily

28 Placido Polanco 
64 Michael Martinez
98 Domonic Brown 
117 Carlos Ruiz 
120 Hunter Pence
150 Roy Halladay 
190 Cole Hamels 
243 Justin De Fratus 
259 Michael Stutes 
280 Ryan Howard 
287 Antonio Bastardo 
307 Vance Worley 

There are 30+ cards missing from this list so there could be some additions to the list.  There are at least four prominent players from the 2008 World Champs teams that are missing from the checker - Understandably there is late FA signing Jimmy Rollins.  The most noted player to get booted to Series 2 is Chase Utley.  We will also need to wait on both Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton.  Cliff Lee is the biggest deferment on the current staff.  I did not see FA defectee Ryan Madson on the list, nor are FAs Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge. 

At least 2 pitchers that are expected to be in the Phils spring training camp are checked on their 2011 Teams #89 Dontrelle Willis(Reds) and #267 Joel Pieniro (Angels).  Jim Thome is not listed. 
Other interesting things I noticed is that Neither Albert Pujols nor AL MVP and Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander are Checklisted.  As I noted above 35 cards are unlisted, these are likely for 
special cards and perhaps award winners such as Verlander.

  
- Mickey Mantle returns to his familiar #7 spot in the order, The #44 spot which was once issued to Hank Aaron is occupied by Edwind Jackson (listed as a Cardinal, but I think he moved on)
- #27 John Buck will be the first Miami Marlins Topps Card ever issued - it will be interesting to see how those cards are handled. 
- #30 Derek Jeter is a pretty low level Hero Number for the Yankees star and is #40 a hero number - it was issued to Tom Milone of the Nationals - who the hell is that guy.  
- Dee Gordon and Craig Kimbrel are each listed for two spots.  Did either of them set records of some sort last season, maybe Kimbrel. 
- #66 is Nyjer Morgan - no Tony Plush listed.
- #72 is there really a player named Rex Brothers - sounds like a place where you buy a suit or get a lawyer.
- #107 Luke Scott listed as an Oriole - he has taken his guns to Tampa Bay
- #136 Casey McGehee last card as a Brewer. 
- #267 World Series Hero and Phillie Killer David Freese
- #299-#301 are all Rangers - 3 in a row (Moreland/Hamilton/Alexi Ogando) 
-#305 Potentially Chipper Jones final Topps Card while Active - although he will likely show up in Ser 2 or update.  

Hero Numbers 100 200 and 300 were handed out to Jose Bautista, Miguel Cabrera, and Josh Hamilton respectively.  I appreciate Bautista getting some love here - easy to forget he has hit close to a hundred dingers over the past two season leading the AL in both 2010 and 2011.  Not as keen on troubled drunken Miguel Cabrera getting one. 

It is also interesting to note that the latest steroid rep Ryan Braun gets #1 while the man he beat out for the MVP award Matt Kemp got the last card #330. 

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a thousand words

a thousand words
2008 World Champions