Nostalgic Box Break: 2002 Topps Total (Part Four)

Here now, the last 9 packs of a very nostalgic and interesting box of 2002 Topps Total. Expect more Nostalgic Box Breaks to follow until we get baseball back.

 Pack 28-
Guys I Have Never in My Life Heard Of: 6/11
Future Hall of Famers: 1/11

A very cool Total Production insert of Ichiro, in his second year (of 19). Ichiro might be one of those guys in contemporary baseball where you can't possibly be mad at pulling a card of them. There are very few people who fall into that category (Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Bo Jackson), and Ichiro's gotta be a charter member, despite his Yankee tenure.

 Pack 29-
Hall of Very Good: 3/11
Interesting Names: 1/11

 It's 2002, and I don't think Marlins prospect Wes Anderson had to disambiguate often. Give him 10 years and then he probably has to specify. 'No, I'm not the director, I'm just a forgotten former Marlins pitcher'.
Also, nice of Topps to give journeyman infielder Luis Sojo a sunset card.

Three very good players that are fun enough for fringe collectors to take upon. I still collect Beckett, and every once in a while I'll ponder if it's worth it to do Olerud.

 Pack 30-
Fringe NY Heroes: 2/11

Not much to report in this one, so here's a great mask shot of Eli Marrero and a solid shot of Brad Penny before he got big.

 Pack 31-
Guys Who Pitched Forever: 2/11
Legends Who Retired in 2019: 2/11

Ichiro's is the base, though it could be the checklist. Adrian's is technically a rookie. With Adrian, anything from 2000 to 2005 can be considered a rookie, because he didn't really start PLAYING-playing until 2005 or 2006. So all his Marlins issues are fun Pre-RCs, and I love pulling them. This is not TECHNICALLY his rookie, as he has 2000 issues, but...it's still a nice one.

 Pack 32- Wasn't a great deal in this one. Fernando Vina? Frank Catalanotto?

 Pack 33-
Hall of Famers: 2/11
Steroid Abusers: 2/11

 Luis Gonzalez was coming off his HUGE 2001 and his W.S. win.
Phil Nevin was just coming into his own as a Padres mainstay, which says a lot about the 2000s Padres

Robby Alomar was starting his tenure in Queens, a tenure that would not be very well remembered whatsoever, but this Topps Total insert looks cool.

MOOOOOOOSE. This was only his second year in the Bronx, and he was still killing it.

 Pack 34-
Future Managers: 2/11
Personal Favorites: 2/11
2010 Phillies: 2/11

 Mike Sweeney was just coming into his own as the requisite power hitter in KC. Joe Girardi's career was winding down, but he was still starting games in Chicago.

Our Topps Total insert is Aramis Ramirez, soon to be traded to Chicago. I'm still a fan of Robin V as a Yankee cards, as it's a very underrated, short tenure. And J-Rol is awesome, so I love pulling his cards as well.

 Pack 35-
Hall of Famers: 1/11
Fringe Heroes in Tampa: 1/11

 The Pudge is a cool one, as that's his last year in Texas til 2009. That's Grant Balfour's rookie, and that's a a Futures Game uniform, which is hella cool. And a Topps Total insert of Troy Glaus.

 Pack 36-
Guys With The Same Name of People I Roomed With in College: 1/11
Steroid Abusers: 2/11
HOFers: 1/11

Gotta end on Thome. Dude was a hero of mine in Philly. This is a cool enough insert of Jim Thome to end the box on.

So, that was 2002 Topps Total. It's a fun rip, and you get a lot of fringe guys and uniform combos you don't see often, well-seeded inserts and ample hero cards. But, if you're a set collector, one box won't do it for Total. I feel like I pulled like a third of the base set? I dunno. 360 cards? And it's a 1000 card set. So if you have enough to buy 3 boxes, then MAYBE you'll have a base set. Or...probably more.

Still, it's a cool break. I got what I wanted out of it.

I'm gonna do another one of these in the next few days. I have a few other boxes archived. I could go early-2000s or 90s. 

Nostalgic Box Break: 2002 Topps Total (Part Three)

Things have continued to be insane around here, which explains why I haven't posted in a week. I'm not gonna go into too much detail because I don't like being candid round here, but there's been a lot going on, and not all of it's been happy. You hear things on the news about the virus, but you can't say anything about it til it knocks on your door. And while I'm healthy, and my parents are healthy, one of my relatives hasn't been so lucky. And it's been hell over here.

All I can do is keep writing. Keep making content. Because it's miserable out there. And sometimes it's miserable in here.

Anyway. We were 18 packs into 2002 Topps Total. Here's 9 more.

 Pack 19-
Hall of Famers: 1/11
Future Hall of Famers: 1/11

 Two 2002-era infielders. Castillo was great  for a long period of time, and has two rings, I believe. Aurilia had some strong seasons, but never consecutively.

I believe Jeter's is a checklist, and Pujols' is the base card.

 Pack 20-
Forgotten Relievers: 3/11

Not much going on in this one. Cool Derrek Lee fielding shot, and a nice one of Adam Kennedy pulling a bunt. Those 2001-era Angels uniforms look so weird considering they ditched them right before they won the title.

 Pack 21-
INSANE ROOKIES: 1/11
Hall of Famers: 2/11
Potential Future HOFers: 2/11

 BOOM. DAVID WRIGHT XRC. Aw YEAH.
Threw Bobby Abreu in there too as he's a fellow NL East destroyer of the 2000s.

Glavine's is a checklist? Maybe not? Vlad's is a Topps Total insert.

 Pack 22-
Guys  Who Played Forever: 1/11

Nice mishmash of 2000s names- Brian Giles, the Pittsburgh/SD hero, Sean Casey, the Mayor of Cincinnati, and Julio Franco who played for like 25 years.

 Pack 23-
Hall of Famers: 1/11
People who are Still Technically Active: 1/11
JOHN VAN DER WAL WAS A YANKEE????: 1/11

Brad Radke, I believe, is the checklist. FERNANDO RODNEY is a rookie, or something close. Weird seeing him so young. And the Total insert is of Spongebob-suit owner Larry Walker.

 Pack 24-
Future Rookies of the Year: 1/11
Guys Who's Kids Played: 1/11
HOFers: 1/11
Steroid Abusers: 1/11

Roger Clemens inserts in 2001 were completely ordinary and valid. What a time.
Smoltz was just finishing his closing years.

 Pack 25-
Stars of Moneyball: 1/11
Barry Bonds Cards I am Ignoring: 1/11
Guys  Who Played Forever: 6/11
Hall of Famers: 1/11
Future Hall of Famers: 1/11
Guys Whose HOF Cases Will be Reconsidered Soon: 1/11

 Eric Young  was rounding out his career in 2002 with  Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, under Billy Beane's management, Scott Hatteberg's career was about to begin in Oakland.

 Jeff Conine  was always the guy the O's used to set up Ripken. So it was weird seeing him in a Baltimore lineup without  Cal
John Franco may have been the most consistent reliever of his time. My uncle will insist he's a Hall of Famers.

ICHIRO won the Rookie of the Year in 2001, as he  should have. Meanwhile, Frank Thomas was still one of the strongest hitters in the league.

 Pack 26-
Hall of Famers: 1/11
Future HOFers: 1/11

Piazza's a legend. Vizquel will get his due in the next few years. Shawn Green joins Ryan Braun as a jewish ballplayer who saw that steroids were, in fact, kosher.

 Pack 27-
Guys Rounding the Last Bit of their Career: 1/11
Guys Who are Still Playing  Professional MLB: 2/11

 Magglio Ordonez was powerful for a while, and could have secured a World Series for Detroit had it not been for Tony Larussa.
Pat Hentgen played for the Orioles long enough to see them tank. Poor guy.

BARTOLO COLON. I've become so happy to pull Colon's cards.
And, of course, Pujols was the other 2001 ROY winner, though some of his foil's been pulled up.

Last 9 should come soon. Topps Total was better like this.

Nostalgic Box Break: 2002 Topps Total (Part Two)

Monday I started a box of 2002 Topps Total, as a way of distracting myself from the hysteria going on around here.

Today we keep it going. Nine more packs. 99 more cards. All with delightful 2002-era photography and foil-curling.

 Pack 10-
Borderline HOFers: 4/11
SWEET NAMES: 1/11

 I know there are more important cards in this pack but THIS MAN IS NAMED NOOCHIE. THAT IS THE NAME HE'S LISTED WITH. THAT IS ONE HECK OF A NICKNAME. It's not like 'Chipper' or 'Boog' where you can  kind of see where it came from. NOOCHIE. THE NOOCHMEISTER. LORD OF NOOCH.
...He never made the majors, but with that name, I wish he had.

 Standard star base- Pat the Bat for Philly, Curt the, uh...Blurt, I guess, for AZ.

And the fun stuff- a Topps Total insert of Yankee favorite Jorge Posada, and a base card of Pirates saving grace for a bit Aramis Ramirez. Interested to see what Ramirez' Hall of Fame chances look like next year.

 Pack 11-
Guys Not Named Noochie: 11/11
Longtime Journeyman Pitchers: 4/11
HOFers: 1/11
Guys Whose HOF Numbers Need to be Reevaluated: 1/11

 Bronson Arroyo cards pre-Reds are always fun to pull, because he's just some schmo without an opportunity. Once he hits Cincinnati, people really start to pay attention.
Randy Wolf was good for a while and everyone seems to forget that.

This pack's TOTAL insert is of Carlos Delgado. And Randy Johnson is our checklist card.

 Pack 12-
HOFers: 2/11
Guys Who Were Good for One Season: 1/11

Slim highlights here- Total insert of Tom Glavine, checklist of Ken Griffey, and a base card of Javy Lopez right before the big homer year.

 Pack 13-
Merciless Home Run Hitters: 3/11
Hall of Famers: 1/11
Guys Whose HOF Cases Need to be Reexamined: 1/11

 Three 2000s sluggers. Gibbons was lethal for a while in Baltimore. Hinske was about to win Rookie of the Year. Pena was about to be traded midyear to Detroit, as depicted in Moneyball.

Mike Hampton was a 2001 award winner, getting a silver slugger for...you know...pitching in Colorado. Chipper's a checklist, I believe. And ZOINKS A BASE CARD OF DAVID CONE AS A RED SOCK. I often forget his last few years, and how he bounced around. Cool to see him in Boston colors.

 Pack 14-
90s Stars in Waning Years: 4/11
Rookies of People Dealt at the 2009 Trade Deadline: 2/11
HOFers: 2/11

 Two odd uniform changes for 90s guys- David Justice spent his last season in Oakland, again as depicted in Moneyball. Devo played his last season in 2001, making this a SUNSET CARD. And in Milwaukee, as well, which is a rare look for him.

 Technically these two are rookies. V-Mart was still chilling in the Cleveland farm system, Freddy would eventually be dealt to Pittsburgh.

Total Production insert of EDGAR MARTINEZ, so that's cool. And a base card of Roberto Alomar as a Met.

 Pack 15-
Guys Who Played Forever: 3/11

 I pull Roberto in one pack, I pull Sandy in the next.
Also, good shot for Mark Loretta.

 Delgado's is a checklist. Joe Nathan has a pretty boring shot here for a future all-star closer.

 Pack 16-
Cards That Aged Badly Like a Year After They Were Released: 1/11
Amusing Rookies: 2/11

 Casey Kotchman in 2001-era Angels colors...doesn't look right. I picture him as a member of the later-2000s Angels teams. This is weird.
Saying Ruben Sierra won an award is like saying Tommy Wiseau has fans. Yes, while that is technically a true statement, the connotation may not be what you're intending.

This is...sort of a Jayson Werth rookie. He has rookies before this, but this is a pre-majors release for him.
Buehrle had major league numbers in 2001, and he just rolled from there. Another guy whose HOF case will be interesting next year.

 Pack 17-
Guys Who Looked HUGE for a bit: 3/11

 Erik Bedard in Futures Game garb, Ben Grieve hitting...man, 2001 was a time. Ray Durham was a steady performer then as well.

 Helton's...might be the real base card. Erstad's is cool because, again, 2001 Angels uniforms.

 Pack 18-
Extremely Young Power Hitters: 2/11
Yankee Legends: 1/11

 Nick Johnson would soon be traded for Javier Vazquez, Ben Broussard would soon be traded for Russell Branyan, and Jason Jennings would soon win a Rookie of the Year.

We end this half on a great Bengie Molina shot, JD Drew, and Bernie Williams making the Yankee fans proud, as per usual.

Next 9 tomorrow or Friday. Fun box so far.