Baseball card photo of the year? It has my vote!

What makes the photo on a baseball card great can vary. Sometimes, a great photo showcases a sharp photo of a great hitter, mid-swing. Especially from a unique angle.

Maybe the player's shown in the field or the base paths.

 The photo could hint at something big about to happen.

 Maybe it's a quick shot with an amazing background (that would be the Branyan on the right).

Some photos are great because they capture something unique to that player.

 Can you pick the great photo of these three?

 Topps used lots of fantastic photographs this year. Iannetta is about to get clobbered, and Mauer is shown in an almost Mantle-esque aura with his base image. (But wait, didn't we see that angle on the Utley card at the beginning of the post?)

There are many reasons to pick a great photo, but I think the following image might be the best.

 

It's not necessarily the most beautiful image in 2011 Topps. The Mauer probably takes that vote. It's not the most intense game situation - Iannetta could be blocking the game-winning run from scoring.

How often do you see a pitcher leaping over someone on the base paths?

There's a little more to this photo than meets the eye, however. He wasn't covering second for some strange double play move. On May 7, Stephen Drew hit a ball into the gap between first and second, and Patterson (playing second for the Padres) managed to field the ball. Moseley was covering first, as all pitchers should do on ground balls hit to the right side. Patterson made an errant throw to first, an extremely high toss that ended up around the backstop. Moseley got some serious air trying to catch the ball, and did the strange splits-like gymnastics move you see above as he watched the ball sail on by. You can see the play here. It's the last video highlight available for the game ("Roberts scores on error").

Moseley had a tough year as a starter for the Padres, going 3-10 on the season, despite a respectable 3.30 ERA.

It's a rare moment caught on film - and cardboard - that may make this the best photo in 2011 Topps.