Hey, there's a contest!

There's a bracket contest going on over at The Great Orioles Autograph Project. Check it out to win some great stuff!

2000 Topps

Ok, so it's not white... but it is silver! It's also the first year card that Griffey is in a Reds uniform. Sure, things didn't quite pan out the way they should have when he left Seattle to come home to Cincinnati, but we were lucky enough to have one of the games greatest players grace us with his presence for a little while when he wasn't on the DL. Topps did a decent job with this set. I like the photography they used for both the front and back of the cards. The team logo and player's name at the bottom of the card, along with the team color that's used as an accent is a nice touch. Out of all the cards in the 2000 Topps set, my favorite would have to be the Griffey. Sure, I might be biased, but I love the way he's about to snag a fly ball over his shoulder Willie Mays style. Very cool!

1984 Topps

So I decided to do a little housekeeping today to see what Topps sets I've already written a review for and found out that there was only one 1980s set remaining on my review list...so here it is. I like the 1984 Topps set. Maybe because it looks similar to the 1983 and 1963 Topps sets with the big action photo and tiny photo on the bottom front of the card. Again, white borders, as with most Topps sets and a nice blue color used on the background of the back of the card. I also like how they put the team logo on the back of the card as well. Nice touch. While the 1984 Topps set isn't on the same grade as the 1984 Donruss set, it's no red-headed step child either. But at least in 1984 we saw a glimpse of the competition yet to come in the late 1980s.

I just bought me a ballpark!

Well, a little replica of one anyway. One of the things I miss about living in Cincinnati is the fact that whenever there's a giveaway at the ballpark, the only way for me to pick it up is to either get a ticket to the game and drive four hours down I-71 or go to ebay and buy it from someone else. Option one I only use sparingly if it's a game I really want to see since I limit myself to going to watch a game at a ballpark only a couple of times a year. I was very happy to finally snag this on ebay over the weekend since I've always wanted to add this to my memorabilia collection. I still have a few bobbleheads and a seat from Crosley Field to pick up, but after that, it's strictly cards from that point forward. Stadium giveaways are so sweet!

1989 Topps

Gluttony! That's the first word that comes to my mind when I think about 1989. Why? Because it was the ramping up of the hobby. With the introduction of Upper Deck to the scene, things in the baseball card world would not be the same and we would be inundated with a plethora of selection from high end stock cards to inserts, short prints, game used memorabilia, to who knows what else in the years that followed. I'm a simple man and in 1989 I stuck with collecting Topps because I had done so in the past... and spending a dollar for a pack of cards from Upper Deck was a whole lot of crazy to me. I like the 89 Topps set because of a number of reasons: the white border, the curved name plate and photos, the deep colors on the card back. Overall, I think it was a big improvement over the 1988 Topps set. This was the final year for a Topps card for Pete Rose. It was also the year prior to the Reds going Wire to Wire in the 1990 season. While there are a number of Reds cards I like from this year, such as Barry Larkin and Eric Davis, the Chris Sabo card would have to be my all time favorite of this set. The way he's chucking his bat as he heads to first while tracking the ball through his signature glasses is just so sweet! It doesn't get much better than that.

Something New for the Man Cave

I'm always looking for new items to add to my man cave. Although I don't know when I'll have it completed, I'll have more than enough stuff for it when it's all said and done. In addition to displaying my Reds card collection and memorabilia, I plan on using some prints, newspapers and panoramic photos. I stumbled on this print a few days ago and I've decided to add it to the cave. It's a print by Legendary Graphics called "Evolution of the Ballpark". They have different prints to choose from so obviously I'll be snagging the Reds print. This should look sweet between the panoramic photos of Riverfront Stadium and Great American Ball Park. Sure... it's not baseball cards, but it's the next best thing.

1963 Topps

I finally finished my 1963 Topps Reds team set this past weekend. This was not an easy set to put together, but I'm happy to finally knock that off my wantlist. While most would think the Pete Rose rookie would be the most difficult card to get...not me. It was this one! Who would have thought that a Wally Post card could cause so much problems. For me it was about finding one is great condition since my mentality when collecting these older cards is to find a card I'll be happy with and not one that I'm just content having. That basically means an ex card or better, and while it does get pricey, it's well worth it for me. So now I have the complete run of Topps Reds team sets from 1963 to present. Next up... 1962 and 1961!

Everyone has a favorite

Everyone has a favorite baseball card. Could be because it's worth so much or maybe because it's not worth anything at all. Maybe it's how the card was obtained, either from saving for a long time or a fantastic trade with one of our friends. For me, my favorite baseball card is the 1986 Topps Pete Rose #1. Growing up near Cincinnati I had just started getting into baseball and following the Reds in 1986 and it was the year I received my first pack of baseball cards from my mom. She picked them up on the way home from some hole in the wall mom and pop convenient store for 35 cents. That's right 35 cents! When I opened that pack about halfway through the pack I was greeted by Pete. Sure, the cards only worth about a buck today, but the memories that card brings back every time I look at it makes this card priceless to me. So...what's your favorite card?

Another Man Cave Post

So I'm still looking around the web to get ideas for my Man Cave when it comes to fruition. It's not a matter of "if" but "WHEN". Of course with everything else, it costs money and that's something I need to consider with my card hobby. Anyway, here are some decent pics I found on Cleveland.com about some of the Men Caves in my area that while they're not Reds related, they do give me further ideas for my project when I get around to it. If any of you out there have a sports themed Man Cave, give me a shout out. I'd like to see some pics.

1964 Topps

Talk about WHITE! I like the 1964 Topps set, probably because it's simple with it's white border. Maybe it's also because it's the second year Pete Rose card where his head isn't floating about with three other guys on colorful circles. I like the photography, but then again, I like most of the photography from the vintage sets just because I think it's great to not only look at the player on the card but the background as well. With the 1960s cards from the Reds you can catch glimpses of Crosley Field, the advertising signs of businesses long gone that adorned the outfield walls...all captured forever in time by these simple photos. These little pieces of cardboard we call baseball cards.

2004 Topps

I don't know why I like this set, I just do. Maybe it's because the cards have a nice clean white border. Or perhaps it's that the photography is nice and the lettering doesn't overpower the card. Actually, I think the real reason is because of the little mirror image of the player at the bottom of the card. Seriously?! What were they thinking when the put that down there? Was someone in the art department playing hangman and noticed a blank area on the card and said "Hey, I've got a great idea!" If Topps would have just left that off the card I think it would have been a perfect design, but no such luck. Too bad, so sad :( Anyway, this is my most favorite Red's card in this set. I love how Griffey's making that leaping catch. Reminds me of the prime years of his life when it seemed like he was always on the highlight reel of Sportscenter every night. Those were the days.

1988 Topps

So with the 10 year anniversary of September 11th coming up, I wanted to share another anniversary that took place on September 11th, but in 1985. It was on that day that Pete Rose passed Ty Cobb to become the all time hit king at 4,192...but Pete would ultimately amass a total of 4,256 hits at the end of his career. 1988 saw the next to last of Rose's regular issued cards and though the design doesn't scream impressive, it is simple and not too overbearing. Reminds me of the 1967 Topps set with smaller letters on the front. What I do like about this set is the backs of the cards. They were produced in an orange color and had little baseballs in the background of the header where the player's name was listed. Very cool! This also had the rookie card of Chris Sabo, who would go to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. Can never go wrong with Spuds.

2008 Topps

Could Topps have made this set any worse than what they did? This is probably one of my least favorite sets that Topps put together. I guess the reason I have such a dislike for this product is the way the team name is represented on the top of the card. The big circles around the letters remind me of a carnival. Worse yet, they remind me of those stupid balloon dart games you play at the carnival where you spend a buck to win some dopey prize that only costs ten cents to make and will break before you even exit the gate to go home. Probably the only thing I like about this set is the Votto card, since it is his rookie card and he's my next favorite current Reds player (after Jay Bruce). But other than that, these cards make great fire starters for a campfire on cool autumn nights. Just wish I would be watching the Reds in the post season again this year, but no such luck. I will say that if any team deserves to win the National League Central this year....it's the Brewers. I'll be cheering for Milwaukee come October. Let's hope they can get past Philly.