My Favorite Early 90's Insert Set

1992 Leaf Studio Heritage Series

My scanner bed is filthy, and it really shows in the borders of these cards. 1992 was probably the year I collected most heavily as a kid. I was 11, and there were card shops everywhere. The Cal was one of the best cards you could own around here, and I remember giving up a lot for it in trade (probably 2 Phil Plantier rookies... HA!). Most of these were picked up at various card shops in 1992, and to the best of my knowledge the only one that was personally pack-pulled by yours truly was Mattingly. I'm a few cards shy of a full set, and know that Molitor, Dawson, and Van Slyke are missing. The Boggs is my favorite of the ones I own, but that's probably because of the beard, which really brings the whole old-timey look together. It could be even better, but only if he was rocking it A La Souvarov style.

Leaf kept these Studio Heritage inserts around for a long time, and I think it served as the perfect addition to the set, since it added that vintage feel while also maintaining the "studio" theme. Too bad they had to screw it up after the new millenium by featuring retired players, instead of current players in their throwback unis. How sweet would a Studio Heritage relic set, featuring swatches of throwback uniform be? Very, if you ask me.

Well, there you have it, my favorite insert from one of my favorite sets of the 90's. Actually, scratch that. 1992 & 1993 Studio ARE my favorite sets from the 90's.

Who Sent Me These Cards?

I've been caught up in the rapture of Gint-A-Cuffs for the past week, and was on vacation for a few days as well. As a result, there is a giant stack of cards on my end table that have been sent my way by various awesome folk, and unfortunately, I've lost track of who sent what.

This first card somehow managed to sneak right by me, even though I've been looking for a copy of it for at least a week now. I sure was surprised and happy as hell to see it, but am not sure where it came from. The prime suspect is Matt from Heartbreaking Cards of Staggering Genius, but I can neither confirm nor deny such allegations at this time. If it was you, please own up to it. I plan on putting together a boatload of trade packages later this week, and there might be something extra in it for you if you do.

Behold! This is my first card of the other bearded wonder, and officially can be crossed off the list of cards needed in my pursuit of the Burke Kenny Octo-fecta. Which may end up becoming a penta-fecta if I end up pursuing the silk & printing plates as well.

2009 Allen & Ginter's #61 Burke Kenny

I just took a blog break and ate some pho. It was delicious, but my mouth is on fire. Ok, let's get back to the cards.

This next one was in the same team bag as the Kenny, so I'm going to assume it's from the same person. Bedard is a wussy, and thankfully he and the time he spends being stand-offish while on the D.L., is now a problem for the Seattle Mariners. Thanks for Adam Jones & George Sherrill... suckers!

2006 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Eric Bedard

Alright, up next are 2 cards I am just about fifty percent half sure are actually from Matt.
I must have at least 3 copies of this first card by now, but Ginter relics are nice looking, so even if I'm not the biggest Tejada fan, it's a nice looking card to look at.

2007 Allen & Ginter's Miguel Tejada jersey relic

Matt (I think) followed that great card by sending me an ultra rare error card as well. This bat card is obviously mis-identified. It says right there on the card, "authentic game-worn jersey", but I'm pretty sure that's a chunk of wood inside that hollowed out "B". Brian looks none too pleased about this obvious oversight. Look at him, he refuses to even look in the general direction of the mistake. This card has to be rare, since it's an error, and will probably fetch a ton of cash on eBay. Make me an offer for it, so I can laugh in your face.

2006 Bowman Heritage Brian Roberts Pieces of Greatness

Let's round out this post with a card who's origins I am 100% positive about, shall we? This card came from eBay, and is the first Nolan Reimold card in my collection, and I hope not the last. The scan just makes me think about how dirty my scanner bed is at the moment. The nicest thing about this card is that you know exactly which game it was allegedly worn in. Oh, and that is tape along the top there, and no worries, it's just on the top loader. I hate when sellers do that, but they all seem to.

2006 Bowman Nolan Reimold Futures Game Worn Jersey

Well, that's all from me for tonight. Matt, if all of these cards are from you, then I thank you very much. Even if they aren't all from you, the one's that I'm fifty percent half sure are from you are great too, so thanks for those. If they aren't from Matt, and are in fact from some mystery sender, please identify yourself so you can be properly thanked for officially kicking off the Burke Kenny collection.

Darkness Surrounding a Rainbow Surrounding a Heart Attack

That's the only real way to sum up this card. Well... it's one way to sum it up at least. You are of course looking at a 2008 Topps Heritage black refractor of George Sherrill, the 2008 All-Star closer for the Orioles. How perfect is a black refractor for the man fondly known as "The Brim Reaper"?

The reason I say heart attack is because if you've ever watched George Sherrill come out of the 'pen in the 9th inning to get a save, you know that he enjoys living on the edge. He's a dangerous kind of guy. Look at how straight that brim is? Does he look like the kind of guy who takes the easy way out? Absolutely not! If the Orioles are up by 3, he'll give up a leadoff single, followed by 2 walks before striking out the next 3 hitters. If they're only up by a run, he immediately records the first 2 outs, before giving up a double, or walking somebody before wriggling his way out of it. Despite his cardiac pitching style he is still an effective closer, and a fan favorite in Baltimore (might have something to do with the fact that he wears #52)

I for one, am not a fan of his nail-biting saves, but do appreciate his flat brimmed stylings.

This is my second Heritage black refractor, and the first from 2008.