The 20 Best 2015 Stadium Club Cards I got from JustCommons

It was only a matter of time.

Once 2015 Stadium Club hit the stands, it was like Ryan Gosling pulling up to a beach. The outcome was inevitable. I was bound to pick up some of that sweet, well-lauded product, just as quickly as Gosling's shirt would be thrown onto the towel.

Before you ask, yes, I do adore this set. I do adore the photography, the cardstock, the finish, etc. I've only gotten a bunch of commons of it at JC, so I don't know anything about relics or inserts, or any of that.

I got a bunch of base cards, but I'm gonna show you the 20 best ones I pulled, in no particular order. Werth makes it 21, but I needed a good header photo.

Good one to start with.

I, as a Yankees fan, was a bit frustrated with last year's Stadium Club set, in that all the new Yankees (McCann, Ellsbury, Beltran) all got wide, zoomed in, pedestrian shots. I was kind of disappointed to see people like Jose Reyes and Jayson Werth have all the fun, while the Yankees got sort of ripped off. This year, none of that.

This shot of Tex pretty much redeems Topps for that last bit of nonsense. It's the kind of photo I'd use for a custom. Glad they made it a landscape, too.

I think Nick from Dime Boxes brought this one up, or tweeted it, but I kind of knew I needed to have it. This is pretty unheard of for Topps, including a current photo of a player in a set full of current players and old photos of former players. The Eckersley is also pretty current. But...this is Banks getting a medal from President Obama, within a year of his untimely death. It's a gorgeous card, but it means so much, especially just leaving Obama in the background.

(By the way, this marks the second Stadium Club set in a row to feature President Obama)

Pretty similar to the Jose Reyes one from last year, but including the catcher and ump in the mix does add a touch more perspective.

Looks like something off an SI cover from 1997. Excellent stuff. I love the idea of putting 90's stars in these sets, but putting a bit of variety in there. I-Rod is not a quintessential 90's star (though I'm pretty sure he's a Hall of Famer), but he's a nice, quirky addition to this checklist, like Albert Belle and Ron Gant (and Bip Roberts)

Best part about getting great cards like this is that Pence is a guy I collect. Also, the look on all these kids' faces is amazing. They all LOVE Pence, and they all love that he's signing their stuff. I remember his year in Philly, there were tons of Pence shirts going around my high school. He's a fun player.

Just an awesome casual shot. He's just peeking 'round the corner, checking out what's going on.

CHUTLEY! A very dramatic shot, accented by some subtle filtering, and the depth of those stairs. The mirror also adds a lot.

Excellent shot from Konerko's last game. Says a lot about the White Sox fans, their devotion to this guy.

This card is awesome enough just being black and white. It's also an awesome shot, and it's also a rare shot of Cepeda as a Cardinal. Don't find those everyday.

There is so much to love in this shot. The sky, the stadium, the smile on Springer's face, the uniform. Just spectacular.

Love those old Pirates uni's. Pops looks so happy. Man, I really do applaud the inclusion of black and white into this set, because it really helps, and it captures emotion surprisingly well, and dates the photos a bit. Gives it a very retro feel, which is something I didn't think Stadium Club could pull off.

The angle makes this shot so great. If this were a vertical it wouldn't be this good. The fact that it's at this angle, and it's a landscape, makes it truly great. The spotlight affecting the rest of the shot is also a great touch.

This has been on a bunch of blogs, but I have to show this. This is perfect in so many ways.

Making this one a vertical helps it a lot, too. The joy becomes so much more real. Plus, you get more detail to the custard.

Taken right after he pitched a no-hitter against my Phillies. Also, counts as a sunset shot, and definitely beats any other nominee for 'best one'.

Early candidate for best card of the year. Last year we had a beloved pitcher riding a horse. Now we have a beloved pitcher playing golf. I truly adore this set.

Great shot of Molly. I love the helmet just barely staying on his head.

Never turn down another Crime Dog. I think this one took place in the '96 (or '95) World Series. Zoomed back juuuust far enough.

I don't know why, but this reminded me of an Upper Deck card. If they were still making licensed products today, this might be what their inaugural 'Max Scherzer as a National' card might look like.

Probably the most important baseball card that will be released this year.

A current, black and white, card of the two first African-American players in the NL and AL, chatting, sharing a friendly conversation, bats in hands. That's so good. I don't know if they're gonna be able to top that.

Excellent stuff, Topps. Well done. Keep up the excellent work.

My Top 40 Customs of 2013: The Top Ten

Ladies and Gentlemen, I now present the ten best Mint Condition customs of 2013. There was a crapload of competition, so I understand if I got a few picks wrong, but these are what I believe to be my best.

 #10- Carlos Gomez, Brewers
I absolutely love this shot, the lunge for the basepaths in full display. I really didn't have to add too many filters, but you can see the chalk lines disintegrating a little on the field. Still very proud of this one.

 #9- Matt Holliday, Cardinals.
When in doubt, throw in a fun one. I love the batting practice hat in this one, especially since it's similar to the glove. Great shot, similar to the Yadier Molina catcher's mask one from a few years ago.

 #8- Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
Nothing better than an awesome slide shot, especially when you can see the white lining fly as well as the dirt. Another great sideways shot.

 #7- Carl Crawford, Dodgers.
I don't care if Crawford is one more bad season away from everyone giving up on him being a consistent star. This shot is one of my favorites, in that it's another fisheye, but you can see the practice swing. The fading blue of the sky is also amazing.

#6- Zack Wheeler, Mets
I imagine this would have showed up in Sports Illustrated or something the week after, so I'm glad I got to this photo first. Also, the best part of this is the lighting. The shadows on one half of the photo, and the lighting hitting the blue of his cap.

 #5- Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins
This marks the only time ever that that orange uniform has ever worked. Really, against that skyline, it rocks.

 #4- Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox
I swear, when I made this custom, I had no idea he'd be joining my team. I still love the overall mystique of this, even in a night shot. He's waiting for his turn, yet still silently watching the batter before him. This has a lot of emotion in it, and it's one of my best.

 #3- Hanley Ramirez, Dodgers
Sometimes it helps to dim down the color in the rest of the photo, just to make the central focus a lot bigger. Hanley had a great season, and this custom is enough to personify what is so great about his character, his personality. Another one that I absolutely love.

 #2- Mariano Rivera, Yankees
I was going back and forth in my head over what my number one would be, and I basically chose the one below on a whim, but I still absolutely adore this custom- I needed a final tribute for one of my favorite players, and I got one. I love how he smiles toward the crowd, like he knows he's leaving soon, and he's doing it as much for them as for him. I will always remember watching Mariano Rivera pitch, every ninth inning.

#1- David Ortiz, Red Sox
In the end, I had to go with this one, because I think it's the best custom I've ever made. Ever. It could rival my Ryan Howard custom from 2011 as my all time greatest. The timing really made this, as I posted and made this not too long after the Boston Marathon incident, at a time when Boston needed hope. Even as a Yankee fan, I couldn't ignore that. The 'Boston Strong' patch in the bottom right corner isn't even on purpose, but I'm glad it's in there. I love the shine on Papi's face, how the light reflects, how the shadows interact, the glimpse of the green monster. I love this shot, I love everything about this custom, and I love that I got to post it more as they delved deeper and deeper into the postseason.

Well, that's it. Aside from the occasional football customs, I'm done until Spring Training photos begin to surface. And until then, it might get a little dark around here.

My Top 40 Customs of 2013: Part Three

 Halfway through the countdown, and currently doing this post with the Chargers-Bengals game going on in the background. Man, if San Diego goes all the way, it's the Eagles' fault.

On with the countdown...

 

#20- Bryce Harper, Nationals.

This was the obligatory one, as in I had to make a good Harper, because he was coming off a great season, and he was likely gonna remain a big star. So, given the circumstances, this was pretty damn good. I love how you get the darkness of the beard against the red background.

 #19- Justin Upton, Braves
This was right in the midst of Upton's streak, during his homecoming in Arizona. This is a very nice fisheye lens shot, that has the roof of the dome, and the shine off of Upton's helmet.

#18- Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
Just a nice, subtle walk back to the dugout, with the blue of his jersey absolutely illuminated. Very impressive.

 #17- Pedro Alvarez, Pirates
This reminds me of a Stadium Club shot, or some sort of 90's photo, because it just has that element of fun and wonder, especially from Alvarez. I posted this the night of the Home Run Debry, even if he didn't do as well as Cespedes.

 #16- Robinson Cano, Yankees
It's incredibly heartbreaking that Cano will not be on my team this year. However, to remember him, there will always be the mystique of this car, the art of the steal, and the look on his face as he touches the bag.

 #15- Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
Another plate scene captures, this one with Cutch's hair flying in the breeze, and the shot of another Pirates player ready to start sprinting for home. A great shot for the future MVP.

 #14- Marco Scutaro, Giants
Yet another fisheye shot, Scutaro walks away from batting practice, toward the dugout. The shadows really work here.

 #13- Matt Kemp, Dodgers
Another beautiful batting practice shot, complete with a blue uniform, and the little spots of the net in the frame.

 #12- Adam Lind, Blue Jays
Beautiful Shot from behind, one of the many batter's box shots. The way the building in the background is lit really speaks volumes.

#11- Miguel Cabrera. A shot of the other MVP, complete with different shades of sand, and another nice hit.

Tomorrow, the Top 10.

My Top 40 Customs of 2013: Part Two

 Ten more of my favorite customs of the year. I didn't make enough customs to match last year's record of 273, though I did make enough to contend with other years.

On with the countdown...

#30- J.B. Shuck, Angels.

J.B. Shuck had a nice rookie season. I don't know if the rest of his career will be anything worthwhile, but this custom is awesome. I love the color on the helmet, the red with the mix of black from the dirt, as well as the background of blue.



 #29- Coco Crisp, Athletics
I used to dismiss Crisp for just being another pretty name, but he's actually become a nice fit for the A's. This custom represents his spirit- always in a joking mood, yet still professional enough about it to have a leadership position.

 #28- Joey Votto, Reds
This was the year that I tried a few 1988 customs, because I'd been avoiding them for so long, and yet it's not the most difficult design out there. This one benefits from the single headshot, as Votto is watching some ball fly out of there. Or not. I have no idea.

 #27- Michael Bourn, Indians
I'll admit that this was a curious pick for the first custom of 2013, but the Indians' photos came out very early, and I snatched them up in a heartbeat, especially if it was a big offseason steal. I love the way the red off his jersey contrasts with the navy blue. It just pops, I guess.

 #26- Jose Iglesias, Tigers
I captured a few plate scenes here, just by pulling back the action. This is one of the better ones, of a bunt that went right, and of the entire field reacting.

 #25- Yasiel Puig, Dodgers
I needed to make a Puig, and I needed to make sure it was worthy of being plastered over every Dodger post for the rest of the year. So, I made it fun, and I made it a nice shot of Puig warming up on his first game.

#24- Albert Pujols, Angels.

This is what I like to call the 'Django Unchained' shot. It just reminds me of the first shot of Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained, turning to the camera with a stern look that's almost forming a smile, with a stare that seems like it's rehearsed yet is still gravitated by the overall setting. This is a great custom, one that benefits from the nice shades of Red.



 #23- Adrian Beltre, Rangers
Speaking of red, this one has it used so sparingly, yet it illuminates the rest of the shot. It seems like Beltre stands out against the ground, even the outline drawing him closer, with the bat just about to fly out of his hands. Proof that I can make great customs of players I despise.

 #22- Tim Lincecum, Giants
This one definitely benefitted from a sideways position. You can see the full apex of Lincy's stance, the length of his arms, and the look on his face, contrasted with the advertisement in the background.

#21- Andre Ethier, Dodgers
Last year's Ethier was my absolute favorite of the year. This one wasn't too bad either, as it gets the grace of Ethier down, even when he's standing still. Great detail on this one.

Tomorrow, I unveil half of the top twenty.