2009 Topps Series Two Hobby Packs - Jackie vs. Mickey - Card 8

If you voted in the poll for the 100 card pack of '89 Topps vs. the First Edition Blaster the only blaster I've found so far is a First Edition basketball box. It looks like the '09 options are winning anyway, so there's still time to switch your vote. To the one guy who voted for me to 'make love not war', you really want to see that? I might break the interwebs.

Jackie Robinson pack card 4:
CARLOS GONZALEZ

Card front: Carlos waits for a pop up to come down. I likethe fact that Topps is using more interesting photography, but is it completely necessary to show everyone in a full body shot? It's like there's a photo editor at Topps who feels his mission in life is to document the height players are wearing their socks at in the new millennium. Crop this sucker.

Card back: I had no idea who this dude was until I saw the back and realized it was the guy who played on the A's last year. Series Two is good for all those second tier players who changed teams over the offseason that no one bothered to photoshop a new uni onto him immediately to get him into Series One. Carlos' first seven MLB hits were all for extra bases. Last guy to do that was Johhny Mize.

Mickey Mantle pack card 4:
JASON KENDALL

Card front: I will never, ever get used to Jason wearing a uniform where yellow is not the primary color. I love the full catcher's gear but here's another card that could use a closer crop. We do not need to see the shin guards, but it would be nice to be able to actually see Jason peering out toward the mound.

Card back: Jason's stats eat up the entire back of the card so there's no place to put a "Niche in History"factoid. What scares me about this is that he has only been playing since 1996. I remember when you had to have been playing since the Sixties in order to pull that off on the back of your card. Two names on Jason's "I Own These Pitchers" list that pop out: Mark Buehrle .467 average against and Roy Oswalt .390 average against.

VERDICT:

Jason is on the downward slide of his career while Carlos is just starting his. Right now they're both hitting under the Mendoza line though. In a few years from now, Carlos might be a heck of a player, but right now Kendall has some name recognition and better yet, the tools of ignorance. Jackie Robinson is backed up against the wall with another Mantle victory.

Jackie Robinson 3, Mickey Mantle 5