Nostalgic Box Break: 1995 Stadium Club High Number (Part One)

Back to the Stadium Club grind, because I feel like it.

In 1995, as Stadium Club was beginning to transition toward its future as a two-series, harder-to-complete set, instead of putting out three series like usual, Topps gave Series 3 the 'high number' treatment, and made a smaller set with minimal base cards, plus two set-encompassing subsets- Extreme Corps, featuring star players that were deemed EXXXX-TREEEEEME enough to be mentioned, and Trans Action, a subset which has nothing to do with Laverne Cox fighting killer robots, but actually players that had been traded over the course of the 1995 season.

So...1995 High Numbers exists, and Shawn Green is the poster boy. So...this will probably be a fun rip.

24 packs, 13 cards per pack. Not too shabby. On with the show.

 Pack 1-
Cards I needed: 12/13
Dupes: 1/13
GROOVY Subset Cards: 4/13
Hall of Famers: 1/13
Yankees: 2/13

 Base cards are the same, but it's refreshing to see traded players in this design. I forget that Pat Borders was on the Royals (I saw him as a career Blue Jay).

 Kevin Brown's our 1st Transaction card, and...it's a very boring one. Also, a reminder that Tony Fernandez was a Yankee for a little while.

 Jack McDowell going to the Yankees was actually a pretty big deal in 1995, which must have sucked when he absolutely fell apart upon arrival. The Extreme Corps ones make up for it, with Cal Ripken being in his prime in 1995, and Galarraga bringing the home runs in Denver.

 Pack 2-
Cards I needed: 11/13
Dupes: 2/13
Guys on the HOF Ballot: 2/13
Guys That Missed the Cut for the HOF: 1/13
Hall of Famers: 1/13
Future Hall of Famers: 1/13

 Swift looks bored. At least Ron Gant making a great catch in his lone year in Cincinnati will cheer him up (maybe?).

 Oh yeah, Larry Walker's first year in Colorado was 1995, so he gets the Transaction insert here. Tony Gwynn is the Extreme Corps here, and the better of the 3 I got...

 Not to disparage Joe Carter and Jeff Bagwell, both great players.

 This...may be the highlight of the box.
Mariano Rivera is one of the greatest closers of all time, and this is Topps' first mainstream acknowledgment of his existence. And it's a pretty great card, too, with enough wideness to get all of Mo in there. Great card to have, and great reason to pick up a box of this.

Pack 3-
Cards I needed: 12/13
Dupes: 1/13
Cool Dudes That I Collect All Cards of: 1/13

Doug Jones, as part of the rotating assortment of Orioles relievers in the 90's, and Bobby Higginson, in something resembling a first-year card, stretching out for a good decade of mediocre baseball.

My TransAction card in this pack was Brian McRae, which must have been a big deal in 1995, but barely registers on the Jordan-o-meter. Even Joey Cora's a bit confused.

Meanwhile, Fred McGriff looks pretty happy to be A.) A member of the World Champion Braves, and B.) A member of the EXTREEEEME Corps subset, along with Albert Belle.

Pack 4-
Cards I needed: 6/13
Dupes: 7/13
Cards of Great Players in Incredibly Odd Uniforms: 2/13
Cards of Incredibly Odd Players That Were Once Considered Great: 1/13

Lance Parrish as a Blue Jay! Andy Van Slyke as an Oriole! Both of these sights are odd, and both of these cards somehow predicted the AL Wild Card game, happening tonight!

Meanwhile, the Extreme Corps insert was of Greg Vaughn, one of the more unusual BIG STARS of the 1990's.

Pack 5-
Cards I needed: 7/13
Dupes: 6/13
Hall of Famers: 2/13

Robb Nen, Glenallen Hill- two guys that were pretty big deals in 1995. Also, a very nice shot of Joe Oliver making a play at the plate.

Cal we already pulled, but Barry Larkin's Extreeeeme Corps is very cool, and very reminiscent of his legitimate star power back in the day.

Pack 6-
Cards I need: 10/13
Dupes: 3/13
Surprisingly Potent 90's Stars: 2/13

I love this shot of Steve Finley, mostly just because of the cool backdrop they gave him, and the fact that this was a new uniform for him in 1995. Also, Mickey Tettleton, in one of his last seasons in the bigs, hitting something out in a Rangers uniform.

Joe Randa, which this counts as a sort-of first-year card of, making a nice hit, as well as Marty Cordova, again...sort of his first-year card Plus, I threw in a card of Kevin Ritz mowing them down in Denver for good measure.

SUBSET CORNER! The two TransActions are kind of odd now...Gregg Jefferies was great back in the day, but by the end of the 90's he was kind of a foresight. Tony Tarrasco...I don't even know who he is. The Extreme Corps of Jeff King isn't much better- I get that the Pirates needed an entry to the set, but Jeff King would be slumming it in Kansas City within a year.

At least this ULTRA AMAZING CARD OF DAVE STEWART can save the pack. This was Dave Stewart's last season, and he's hang up his spikes as an A, and this is a pretty cool final tribute for the guy.

Pack 7-
Cards I needed: 6/13
Dupes: 7/13
Blogger Legends: 1/13
Guys Who are Still Being Paid by the Mets: 1/13
Steroid Abusers: 1/13
Legitimately Amazing Closers: 1/13

Dustin Hermanson, who was in a ton of products in 1995 and was being touted as a super-rookie, looks kind of nervous...maybe because of the hype. The TransAction is of Derek Bell...again, big deal in the 90's.

This Jim Abbott card, one of the few mementos of his notoriously bad season in Chicago, is a pretty nice one, and great for people who love Abbott. Also, the Extreme Corps for the Mets was Bobby Bonilla, because...they didn't have a lot in 1995.

At least the Marlins had a legitimate star in Gary Sheffield, who was pretty great in '95. But the real highlight for me was the TransAction subset of Lee Smith on the Angels. Gotta love that guy.

Pack 8-
Cards I needed: 10/13
Dupes: 3/13
Hall of Famers: 1/13
Potential Borderline Hall of Famers: 1/13
Yankee Legends: 2/13

A reminder that Esteban Loaiza, for a period of one season, was a legitimate pitching threat. Also the two TransActions had varied results- Scott Cooper is a mystery to me, while Marquis Grissom became a powerful and valued member of a perennially great Braves squad.

My Extreme Corps ones were a little better- Kirby Puckett was just rounding out a really nice career, while Paul O'Neill had a few rings left until he hung up his spikes.

Speaking of Yankees and rings...

A second member of the Furious Four wound up in this pack, and it's a semi-kind-of-first-year card of Andy Pettitte, which is a pretty nice pull, as well as a great gift to a Yankee fan, along with the Mo from earlier.

I'll leave it at eight, and post Part 2 in the next few days.

Predicting the Playoffs: 2016

Today is a very sad day, because it's the first time since July that absolutely no baseball activities are going on. So, it's just too quiet around here. This being said, I figured I'd do something really stupid and try predicting the playoff outcomes.

Yeah, the norm around here is for me to make out-of-line predictions, and as the playoffs start tomorrow, with the AL Wild Card game, I figured I'd make some seriously sack assumptions about how everything's going to go, from the Wild Cards all the way to the World Series. Will I be wrong? YES! OF COURSE I'LL BE WRONG! That's the whole point!

AL Wild Card: Blue Jays vs. Orioles

Battle of the AL East Underachievers. the Blue Jays have indeed tracked some serious momentum in the last 3 months, but the Orioles have taken a dire situation and turned it into some serious results, setting September on fire and hitting like a storm.
This will probably be a tough matchup, but I predict the O's will crack it wide open LATE in the game, and move on.
Verdict: O's over Jays.

NL Wild Card: Mets vs. Giants

Inevitability vs. Continuity. The Mets have taken a lot of setbacks and made a workable, ragtag team out of it all, and I do respect that. The problem is that the Giants are a little more well-built than them, and this is also an even year. As good as the Mets are, they won't make it out alive here.
Verdict: Giants over Mets.

ALDS Pt. 1: Red Sox vs. Indians

2007 Revisited. Weird part is the Sox are the only one of the two to still have a member that was present in 2007, David Ortiz. Coco Crisp was present, but he's on the opposite end of the offensive.
I actually really enjoy both of these teams, and while I'd love for my fantasies to take hold and for the Indians to win...I don't think they have enough to overpower the Red Sox, who have become an absolute offensive monster in the last few months, and are a definite favorite going into the postseason. Plus, the injuries in Cleveland haven't been the kindest.
Verdict: Red Sox over Indians in 4.

ALDS Pt. 2: Rangers vs. Orioles

The Best of the 90's. This one could actually be pretty tough, as despite the power in Texas, this is pretty evenly matched, and could go for the full five. However, there's no denying how fantastic the Rangers have been, and even if the Orioles can hold them down for 5, the obvious outcome is still the one I'm going with.
Verdict: Rangers over Orioles in 5.

NLDS Pt. 1: Dodgers vs. Nationals

Battle of the Neglected 2010's Contenders. This one could be pretty damn tough, because both of these teams have similar strengths and weaknesses, and both of them are really at the exact same place right now. Like the Rangers one, this will go all 5 games most likely. However, in my opinion, the Dodgers are going to come out on top. I think they have a bit more going for them this year, their star players are playing well, and also I'm allowed to make out-of-control predictions here.
Verdict: Dodgers over Nats in 5.

NLDS Pt. 2: Cubs vs. Giants

Even Year vs. Wait Til This Year. Look, I'll make this quick. As good as the Giants are, they're flawed. They lost some games. They're not even in the condition they were in back in 2014, and that year they were a mixed bag that made it happen by sneaking in. They don't have the materials to do what they did in 2014. So...they Cubs are going to take it in 3.
Verdict: Cubs over Giants in 3.

ALCS: Red Sox vs. Rangers

Battle of the Only AL Champs this Decade That Aren't from the AL Central. This one could be very tough, but I don't think it'll go all 7. I'm giving this one to the Sox because I see them right now at World Series level. The Rangers may have to work towards that level. I really don't know what condition they'll be in come the ALCS, but...this looks like it's the Red Sox' to lose.
Verdict: Sox over Rangers in 5.

NLCS: Cubs vs. Dodgers

NLDS 2015, Take 2. Look, I'm going to try to judge this fairly, seeing as I may have been romanticizing the Cubs this year due to my appreciation for them. But...even when I weigh this without a bias, the Cubs still win. The Dodgers are going to fight until they can't any longer, but the Cubs have the depth, talent and drive to get past even the Dodgers. And I'm trying not to have a bias here, I swear.
Verdict: Cubs over Dodgers in 6.

WORLD SERIES: CUBS VS. RED SOX.

If this all goes according to plan, this will be a battle between the team that waited since 1918 for a title, and a team that's been waiting since 1908 for a title. This will be something momentous in baseball history, the two goats squaring off for a title, even if the Sox have won 3 since 2004.
And oh...what a World Series this will be.
I predict it going all 7, having heroes, close calls, pitching spectacles, clutch home runs, a David Ortiz performance that no one will ever forget, and Kris Bryant etching himself deeper into the history books.
But...who do I think is going to win? This is tough. I want it to be the Cubs, because of history, and because of the season they've had. But narrative-wise...it'd have to be the Red Sox. This season's been tumultuous, and they've fought to be on top, as opposed to the Cubs, who'd been on top since the very beginning of the season.


So...this will be a very close series, but...in the end, I predict the Red Sox to win the World Series over the Chicago Cubs.
...and somewhere Rod Serling is smiling at me for saying that.

The Best of the Rest: 2016

Last year, around this time, the stage was set, the brackets were arranged, and we were all gearing up for a Royals-Pirates World Series.

Of course, nothing ever goes as predicted by a mass group of people a month or so beforehand judging by solely inferences (insert election joke here), but it's still nice to dream. And for 20 teams this year...that's all they can do. Dream of a brighter 2017.

A lot of the teams that won this year, like the Indians, Orioles, Red Sox and Nationals, were on this list last year, so it can happen. However, as seen by the inclusion of the Astros, Pirates and Royals, the reverse can also apply sometimes.

So, now I present the 2016 Playoff-Missers Superlatives, and try to at least give some sort of medals to these 20 teams.

Most Likely to Succeed (According to the Sportswriters back in January: Arizona Diamondbacks

Best Indicator that Less Isn't Always More: Tampa Bay Rays

Best Squanderer of Hopes Their Fans had in 2015: Minnesota Twins:

Though Max Kepler may have a future

Best Example of Injuries Severely Hurting a Great Team: Kansas City Royals

Best Example of Semi-Purging Severely Hurting a Great Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Although I am very much aboard the Cole Train

Best Pitching Staff for a Team That Didn't Make the Playoffs: Detroit Tigers

Worst Pitching (and this one wasn't even remotely close): San Diego Padres

Best Way of Shaving off the Last Remaining Reasons the Fans Have Left for Coming to Games: Philadelphia Phillies

Most Overshadowed Youth Movement: The Oakland Athletics.

If this farm system can give you Ryon Healy, then the A's might be in good shape after all...

Best Team That Completely Fell Apart in June: Chicago White Sox

Best Cosmic Justice: St. Louis Cardinals

At least I gave them a nice enough custom to go out on

Most Unwilling to Recapture the Lightning in the Bottle: Houston Astros

Though it could definitely happen again next year

Biggest Indicator that Even a Mega-Star Like Mike Trout Can't Lift a Team All by Himself: Los Angeles Angels.

Best Example of a Team That Has No Idea What it Wants: Milwaukee Brewers

The Best Overall Team That Didn't Make the Playoffs: Detroit Tigers (they were robbed I tell ya!)

Best Team That Couldn't Seem to Hold Onto Any Momentum This Year: Seattle Mariners

Best Team That Handled Something Absolutely Amazing and Something Absolutely Horrible in the Same Season, with the Most Grace Possible: Miami Marlins

Best Way to Make a Fanbase Completely Forget the First Half of the Season: New York Yankees

Best Third-Place Team That Was Actually Pretty Good: Colorado Rockies

Most Unlikely Optimism to Come from a Last Place Team: Cincinnati Reds

Team That Will Most Likely Be Amazing in 2026: Atlanta Braves

Most Likely to Not End up on This List in 2017: New York Yankees and Miami Marlins

Alright, those are your faithful 20, whose fans are taking today as their last opportunity to see them until Spring Training. It's been a good year, but here's hoping for some of these 20 that next year will be better.

Tomorrow, we go over the guys that made it in.