The Doctor('s Package) is In

Steve M, who happens to be a doctor of some kind, requested a Dodgers card issued by Kellogg's here in Japan that I had picked up at a store. Eventually that led to a request for a complete set issued last year. Steve sent the following cards in the trade:

 USA! USA! USA! Upper Deck was the king of the full-bleed photo. Once Stadium Club disappeared, Topps hasn't issued a comparable set.

 Did you ever see The Trouble With The Curve? No? I was the only one? Well, Billy Butler looks like the high school kid in that movie.

 The King of New York. Pinnacle's base set didn't do much for me in 2013, but several of the inserts are pretty cool.

 I like the News Flashbacks insert sets in Heritage. I've put together a few of them - I really should look at that in a little more detail.

 Steve said this card was expensive. Of course, I have the full set but I used this for my type collection.

 My love of throwback inserts should mean I like Archives. I don't, probably for the same subconscious reason I don't care for Topps Heritage.

 Goodwin Champions may not have logos, but it's still a great multi-sport set that has some quite unique images.

 Likewise, Cooperstown has some unique players. And it has some interesting insert sets.

 Speaking of Cooperstown inserts, the I've been finding some Colgan discs lately and I've grabbed them all to try to put together a set.

 Cooperstown's cracked ice parallels are flashy in person, which my scanner can't really capture.

 I think I just noticed the serial numbering on this gold parallel. I don't care much for normal foilboard - I think Donruss ruined that novelty back in the 1990s.

 Die-cut Bowman Platinum is nice. Topps did a bunch of die-cut sets last year, but many of them are in Bowman products which I usually have no interest in anyway. Some of the Finest die cut inserts might end up on my want lists some time.

 Platinum has its own cracked ice parallel which scans much better than it looks. Interesting...

 Wait. That's not 2013 stuff. But minor league team issues are tough to come by so this was great to find in the package!

 And LaRussa's number was retired by the Cardinals in 2012, so this card goes into that collection!

 Bowman. How Topps spends more money actually making cards than they're worth.

 I'm a sucker for stadium shots.

 I might be a year late in saying this, especially with the images circulating of 2014 Series 1, but it seems so wrong for Topps to make Target parallels for Heritage.

 There's really no comparison here.

 My scanner cut off the least important parts of this card. That's a pretty good photo.

 This, on the other hand, is why 99% of Bowman-brand cards are worthless. A prospect who will never work out with an uninspired photo on a boring design.

 I want to see this guy play in the majors. I really do.

 This photo is pretty good, and this Bowman design is a little nicer. And then Topps took some of it for 2014.

" I'm just happy to be here."

Scott Crawford, eat your heart out. I think I'll make mention of his blog every time I post a relevant card. Because that's one of the coolest post series ideas I've heard of.

So, Steve's cards were pretty fun! I still need to finish assembling the set for him - I have to locate a few more cards before I can ship the package off. Thanks for the memories!