Topps made a card just for my blog

See.




There it is, right at the top. "Play at the Plate". I feel honored and a little guilty for the Topps bashing I've been doing (ok, not real guilty). Besides, I'm not really bashing Topps. I like Topps. I don't like that they won't move into the 21st century when it comes to their online presence, but hey, it's not like they're kidnapping ponies or clubbing baby seals.

Here are the real subjects of this 2003 Topps 205 Play at the Plate card.





It's Marquis Grissom and Ivan Rodriguez on one of those nifty fold-out cards. I'm like Mikey when it comes to play at the plate cards. "He likes it, he really really likes it!" Kudos if you get the reference.

This card and the rest of them here came courtesy of Ted over at Crinkly Wrappers.




Here is another great play at the plate card. It's Javy Lopez and an unidentified Met on a 2002 Fleer Triple Crown card. If anyone can identify the Met, I should be able to figure out which game this photo is from and...




...how cool is that? I love that you can see the ball just entering Javy's glove. That is a great shot.




Ok, they can't all be gems, but a card off the wantlist is a card I don't have to need ever again and therefore, equally as appreciated. Take this 1988 Topps Traded Ray Hayward. Check it off, put it with the others and forget it. Until I get it in a binder anyway. Hayward started 12 games for the Rangers in 1988 and went 4-6. That was the end of the big league road for him. He pitched in the Rangers minor league system through 1991.

Hey, did you know the Rangers beat the White Sox in the ALDS in 1994?




I didn't either. If you look at the back of this 1995 Topps Cyber Stats Juan Gonzalez, you can find out about that playoff series and see that Juan was the MVP of the series.




Of course we all know there were no playoffs in 1994. These Cyber Stats cards included stats based on computer simulations since the players were on strike and the World Series was canceled.




I like getting cards from sets I can't afford to buy myself. I've never opened a pack of Topps Tribute. This is the 2010 Tribute Vladimir Guerrero.





Rangers GM Jon Daniels has earned a reputation as a guy who makes pretty good deals. Many of his trades have been great for Texas, but they don't all work out. Cristian Guzman is a prime example. He did so little for Texas after they acquired him in July of 2010 that I'm not even going to bore you with the details. If you're even still reading.





I've said it before and I'll say it again, Pudge Rodriguez spoiled the fans in Texas with 12 years of greatness. This card is from the 2010 Topps Walmart black set. Pudge, who left Texas in 2003, came back and finished the 2009 season with the team. It was nice to have him back, even though it was only for 28 games.





We'll wrap this up with the card that started the trade in the first place. My wife is a huge All My Children fan so when Ted posted this Susan Lucci "relic" (that is not a comment on Susan's age) then I had to have it. You know, for my wife. She was a little surprised when I gave it to her, but she liked it.

Ted, thanks for the trade! I look forward to another one soon.