Card/Photo Study: Jim Thome

As I have said on here before, I have been a huge Jim Thome fan since the minors. What I decided to do as a "mini project" is a card/photo study of the guy. If I like the way this turns out, I will do future studies on different players. You just never know what's going to pop in my head, do you?

I will refrain from making comments about the cards, and instead let you peruse them:

The Hawk on a poster

As you have read on here before, I enjoy collecting "oddball" items in addition to 'regular' baseball cards. In 1970, Topps produced a set of 24 mini-posters. Now, some may argue as to whether or not this should be considered "oddball" since Topps produced it and it was a set. By today's definitions, this is probably considered some kind of insert or something. In any case, as you can see by the picture, the one I have acquired has been folded and refolded several times since 1970.

My hope was that i would be able to fit the poster in its unfolded state into a full-page holder. Alas, it is a hair too wide for a standard full-page sleeve. I will have to do some hunting to find a sleeve that is a tad wider than standard, yet still fits in a binder. I would guess that BCW has such a thing, but I have not tried them yet.

It's too bad that Topps limited the run of these to 24 because they are kinda cool items to have. I am surprised that they chose Ken Harrelson to be represented when they could have picked Vada Pinson, Graig Nettles, Sam McDowell, or Ray Fosse for crying out loud. I mean, okay, "The Hawk" was better than your average Joe (he hit 30 home runs in his first season as a Triber), but he did most of his "good stuff" before coming to the Tribe. then again, in 1970, I'm sure he was considered quite a steal for Cleveland.

It just seems to me, though, that with your pick of the litter of all the players that year, why go with Harrelson? Maybe it was part of his re-worked contract or something.

Here's a tidbit I picked up while surfing around - supposedly he invented the batting glove - or, the IDEA of the batting glove. Seems he wore a golfing glove to bat with, and the rest, as they say, was history...

Checklist Errors...

I will post corrected/updated checklists shortly. Some of them (like the 1965 Embossed Inserts) do not show all the Indians cards in that set. Turns out to be a mistake on my part, as the program I use has a little checkbox that threw off the results of creating the checklists. Sorry for the mixup...

Some of the 2007 offerings

Right now, I do not have a lot of 2007-based Indians cards. There are a couple reasons for that, though the main one is that I have been concentrating on filling out past years of my collection, so the current year(s) suffer for it...

What I do have (or the sets I can pass along to ya), though, I will share: Topps Regular, Topps Opening Day, Topps Heritage, Topps Finest, Upper Deck Regular, Upper Deck First Edition, Upper Deck Artifacts, Fleer Regular, Bowman Regular, Bowman Gold, eTopps Regular, eTopps RRO, Allen & Ginter.

Sorry to say, I do not have checklists for many of these sets yet. I will post the checklists as I get them/compile them for you though!

(I am going to be lazy today. I hate Blogger tables, and it takes too long to hand-code it, so I will present the picture followed by my comments for each brand/style...)

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eTopps Regular Issue - The only offering (so far) this year from eTopps is the C.C. Sabathia card. In past years, eTopps has done fairly well with representing the Tribe. For as well as the Indians have played this year, eTopps really missed the boat. I'm sure there will be more to come, but for this late in the season to only have ONE Indians card is ridiculous. Where are Sizemore, Hafner, Westbrook, or even a card featuring Kenny Lofton would be cool. I guess we'll just have to see what the rest of the 2007 season holds for eTopps cards.

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Bowman Gold - These cards look like the regular Bowman issue but have gold borders (surprised, aren't ya?) and the facsimile auto on the front is in gold foil, too. I only have the card shown in my possession, but I am working on that.. .:-) Honestly, right now, I'm not sure if this "gold" card is part of the base set or if it is a parallel/insert... A lot of good I am, huh?

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eTopps RRO - Though technically not separate from the eTopps base set, the RRO is a different kind of eTopps card. This year, eTopps went with the 24-hour RRO instead of the "Hey, I just happen to be on the site at the right time" method of last year. In any case, the only RRO Indian they are offering (to date) is Ben Francisco. I was pretty excited to see a Tribe card offered as an RRO, and even more so when I snagged one for my eTopps portfolio. :-)

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Upper Deck Regular - The regular issue of Upper Deck have silver (gray) borders. The names of the players are silver foil on the front. On the back, a little blurb and some stats with a mini picture. I don't know the significance, but on some cards, the mini pic is tinted red, while some are black-n-white and some aren't tinted at all... Whatever... At the bottom of the cards are either "Series 1" or "Series 2," depending. The Kevin Kouzmanoff card is included in my collection, though he is listed as a Padre. Why? Because he is *IN* an Indians uniform on the card. Besides, how many other players in the league have ever had their very first pitch go for a walk-off grand slam? Uh, none. Exactly. And if I can "claim" Kouzmanoff as a Triber, I'm doin it! :-)

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Upper Deck First Edition - These cards are like the regular issue, but they have gold borders and say "First Edition" on the front. The names are not foil, just printed on the card. The backs feature the same backs as their regular counterparts. Frankly, I see nothing special about the set, and think Upper Deck could have issued some other kind of set instead, but that's just me.

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Fleer Regular - The 2007 Fleer regular feature the player on the front with the logo and team name in script at the bottom. The upper right corner is rounded on the image (though not on the card). On the back, the player's name is in script in a red section with personal info and a blurb. Below that is a gray section with some previous stats. Fleer does have an insert set that is the "die cut" version, which DOES have the rounded corner cut out. I have the Grady Sizemore in the "mini die cut" version, but forgot to grab a pic of it in my haste to post.. LOL... I actually like this set a lot because it reminds me of older sets (though, not sure why that is).

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Bowman Regular - These cards feature strong red borders around the player on the front with a facsimile autograph near the bottom. The player's name is done is silver foil, as well as their position. On the back is a mini picture with bio and stats. To me, Bowman cards are always easy to pick out of a stack of cards because, for the most part, the brand (er, Topps) has stayed true to the general layout and format throughout the years. I know companies are trying all kinds of things to make every year's cards more appealing, striking, etc, and Bowman is no different. But, you can tale a pile of Bowman cards and look through them and see the consistent styling. I like it...

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Upper Deck MLB Artifacts - I have yet to understand the word "artifacts" in the title of this set. The layout of the card is okay, kinda vintage-looking... A brownish marble frame surrounds a stitched parchment style back with the player's photo done in an artistic fade. The player's name is written in black, such as to appear as though someone hand-wrote it on there. The team name in the lower left corner uses a 'typewriter' font to give the whole thing a "doesn't this look like it is circa 1960?" look. It's okay, but as I said, I don't get the "artifact" part. When I saw "artifact," on the pack, I assumed it meant "materials inside." After all, what are artifacts, if not pieces of things, right? Well, not according to Upper Deck. Again, Kouzmanoff appears as a Padres card in an Indians uniform, so he is in my collection of Tribe cards.. :-)

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Allen & Ginter - I liked the 2006 A/G set because I was not familiar with the set/style before that. Though I have been collecting Indians cards for many, many years, I am not any kind of card "expert" (which I'm sure you have figured out by now if you've been reading along). Anyway, I thought the A/G throwback was a cool idea. In 2007, Topps continues to ride the A&G Express with this year's issue. As with last year, this year has short prints, minis, minis with black borders, Perez inserts, etc etc. I just purchased the regular A&G Indians set on eBay, so I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival... :-)

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Topps Regular - I love Team Cards. I always have. In the "glory" days, it represented just what it was - the TEAM. Yes, players moved around, but it seems like many players stayed with the same team longer than they do now. I'm sure that is manufactured nostalgia, but that's how I see teams of the past. For many years, card companies dropped Team Cards, checklists, etc. I'm not saying 2007 is the return of those, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the set included Team cards. Even if the "team" isn't the band-of-brothers it used to be, the fact that you can still get everyone together for a nice group shot is a welcome sight in my nostalgic eyes. Like I said, it is not that team cards haven't been 'back' for a while, but it is that they are STILL HERE that moistens my eyelashes... :-) On top of that, I like the look of this year's card from Topps. To me, it is retro without flat-out stealing a past design. Bold, thick borders, colored squares on the front... I likey! :-) There is, of course, the now-obligatory mini pic on the back with stats and bio info.

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Topps Opening Day - These cards have the same photo as their regular counterpart, but instead feature a white border and the "Opening Day" logo on the front and back. Everything else about the card is the same. Well almost. The Opening Day set has different card numbering than the regular set. For example, Jake Westbrook's regular card is #72, while his OD card is #3. Seems to me that if they were going to have to print all new cards (colors, numbering, etc) they should have chosen different photos as well, but that's just me...

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Topps Heritage - Topps Heritage, Bowman Heritage, Fleer Heritage... Heritage, Heritage everywhere... Frankly, when these first came out a zillion years ago, they were retro-cool. Now, they have the same look they always have (in the Heritage flavor), and it has been beaten to death. So much so, in fact, that looking at the Topps Heritage card, you have to look at the logo to make sure it is NOT the Bowman! Stupid, and shows complete lack of originality. I know, I just said earlier that I liked the Bowman consistent look and feel, so how come I am complaining here? Because I am tired of the "hey, doesn't this look like a 1952 card - AGAIN" set-up. Do Heritage, I like the idea of Heritage, but you know, the 50's were a WHOLE DECADE. You have TEN YEARS of card styles to choose from... Please, for the love of Pete, pick another....

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Topps Finest - Remember when Topps Finest were the coolest card out there, with the protective film over them and all? What happened to that? I mean, these are nice enough cards - bright white, silver accents, thick card stock - but "finest?" Are we saying the PLAYER'S are the finest, or the CARDS are the finest? Back in the day, the card themselves WERE the finest - very cool. I do like the "2006 Finest Moment" blurb on the back, though. A little highlight from the player's previous year. Yes, there is a mini pic back there, too... One thing I do like about the card's style is the "out of the frame" appearance (see the bat and helmet extend beyond the card's "border?"). Nice touch!

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Happy Labor Day! Hope you enjoyed the run-down... :-)

1997 - Score confuses the world...(or maybe just me)

In 1997, Score produced several sets (including parallels) containing the Indians. For today's discussion, I am focusing on only eight (yes, 8!) of the sets. Now, to be fair, I am talking about only three base sets, believe it or not. Those are: Score Regular, Score Indians, and Score Indians Team.

The Score Regular contain 26 player cards (checklist below). The cards show the player and have the scripted "S" logo on the front. They are pretty generic-looking cards, to me, which may explain why Score created two parallel sets of this style...
In addition to the regular issue, Score decided to make a version that was only available to hobby shops. In 1997, I have a feeling some of the large store chains (or one in particular) was muscling in on the local hobby seller's turf, so as to appease the local shop guy, Score created this parallel set: Hobby Reserve. Notice the difference between "HR" cards and the regular ones? Score added a gold foil seal that reads "Hobby Reserve by Score" and has a monogram-looking "hSr" in the middle.
Before the Hobby Reserve, Score decided they needed yet ANOTHER version of the same cards, and issued the "Premium Stock" variety. Note that this set changes the border (and card stock) to a "grey" color. Most of the folks I see selling these refer to the color as "silver." I think that's wrong. Silver is metallic (as will be seen in other cards in the Score line for 1997). At any rate, in addition to heavier cardboard and a new background color, the gold foil seal reads "PS." These cards were also only available to hobby shops.
Now, if that were the end of it, we'd be done. But, NO! Score had a brain-child to create a set of cards called the "Score Team Set Collection." These cards featured different poses and a different look to the card. The cards were sold in boxes of 32 packs, with 5 cards in each pack. Mainly, in place of the Score logo on the front, Indians cards have a red triangle with the logo and the team name embossed. I assume the 'triangle' is actually supposed to be a 'mountain,' since Pinnacle was the parent company of Score at the time... On the back, in gold-ish lettering, the words, "Team Collection" are watermarked across the player's stats. At any rate, the Team Set Collection set featured 15 player cards.
Once again, Score couldn't leave well-enough alone, so they created TWO parallel sets of these cards, too! One set (the more common) features a silver foil backing that is very iridescent when light reflects off it and the words "Platinum Team" watermarked across the stats on the back. These cards were placed in 1 of every 6 packs, so in a box of 32 "regular, Team Collection" cards, you would find 5 or 6 of the silvery "Platinum Team" cards. Like their counterparts, there are 15 players featured in this parallel set.
And, because good things come in threes, I guess, Score decided to make a parallel to the parallel of the "Team Collection" series. These 15 player cards featured gold iridescent fronts with the words, "Premier Club" watermarked on the back. These were inserted at a rate of 1 in every 31 packs. So, in a box of 32, you were essentially guaranteed to get one Premier card. In my first-hand experience, I had a box that had a sealed pack with only four cards in it, instead of the five that were "supposed" to come in the pack. It turns out that box also had NO Premier cards! Somewhere, a card-collating mathematician is having a good laugh...
Finally, we come to the 1997 Score Indians. I don't know about other Tribe collectors out there, but this set's existence has made it rather frustrating to collect the "Team Set Collection" because sellers are not always sure which "version" of Indians-specific cards they are selling (in boxes, packs). These cards look like the regular 1997 Score cards, but they have a red foil Indians logo embossed on the front. Also, the included players are not all the same. For example, card number 1 in this set is Matt Williams, whereas in the Team Collection, it is Albert Belle. The backs of these cards have no special writing at all.
And, of course, Score has to make a parallel of THIS set, too! At least the backs of these say, "Tribe Collection" and they are metallic silver. One other difference between the Team Set/Tribe Collection and the Team Collection/Platinum/Premier sets is the existence of checklists for this last mentioned set. The checklist is regular Score card stock and has no special embossing or coloring at all.

In my attempt to collect all the Premier Club cards, I have contacted several dealers all over the U.S., and not all of them know what I want when I ask for it. Some do, and others send me the "Tribe Collection" variety instead of the "Premier Club" version. On Friday, I received a shipment of four (4) boxes of the "Team Collection" version (with Premier) and noticed that on the edge of the box is printed the "odds of finding..." Premier Club cards. So, at least now I can ask the hobby shop guy if the edge of the box mentions "Premier Club" or not... :-) At least I see I am not the only one confused by these sets and parallels!

And, for your enjoyment, we have checklists! :-)

1997 Score Regular, Premium Stock, and Hobby Reserve: 173 Sandy Alomar Jr. 12 Albert Belle 211 Mark Carreon 462 Tony Fernandez 139 Julio Franco 309 Brian Giles 255 Danny Graves 334 Marquis Grissom 378 Orel Hershiser 442 Dave Justice 230 Jeff Kent 157 Kenny Lofton 377 Albie Lopez 115 Dennis Martinez	85 Jack McDowell 366 Kevin Mitchell 177 Charles Nagy 526 Charles Nagy 403 Chad Ogea 162 Manny Ramirez 496 Manny Ramirez 207 Kevin Seitzer 107 Jim Thome 514 Jim Thome 153 Omar Vizquel 361 Matt Williams
Indians Team Collection, Platinum Team, and Premier Club: 1 Albert Belle 2 Jack McDowell 3 Jim Thome 4 Dennis Martinez 5 Julio Franco 6 Omar Vizquel 7 Kenny Lofton 8 Manny Ramirez	9 Sandy Alomar Jr. 10 Charles Nagy 11 Kevin Seitzer 12 Mark Carreon 13 Jeff Kent 14 Danny Graves 15 Brian Giles
Indians Team Set: 1 Matt Williams 2 Jack McDowell 3 Jim Thome 4 Chad Ogea 5 Julio Franco 6 Omar Vizquel 7 Kenny Lofton 8 Manny Ramirez	9 Sandy Alomar Jr. 10 Charles Nagy 11 Kevin Seitzer 12 Orel Hershiser 13 Paul Assenmacher 14 Eric Plunk 15 Brian Giles 16 Checklist