Random Brave #6

This is a 1995 Topps Finest card of Javy Lopez (or as my grandmother would say, Harvey Lopes). 2010 Finest is out now, with a Jason Heyward card I will have great difficulties getting my hands on. While I've seen complaints about the design, people have to remember that Finest has always had a bizarrely overdone design to it. 1995 had a green grassy background - with yellow pinstripes - and circular helicopter landing pads - and a diamond shaped swimming pool - with kiddie wading pools on the corners - and the center filled with hot molten lava. A nice simple team logo looks pretty good now, doesn't it?

The back is much like the front, with the added genius of putting stats on a pinstriped dark textured background for readability. The true weirdness is on the front though. You'll notice that there is writing over Javy's face. The writing says:

TOPPS FINEST PROTECTOR

PEEL AND REMOVE COATING

Someone at Topps must have figured out that the super shiny metallic cards were dope, but they could get skritched up pretty easily.  To rectify this, they put clear plastic film on each card so you would receive it in 'uncirculated' condition, then you could peel it off at your convenience to enjoy the naked shiny of the card. Rrawr.

Two problems with this: One, the film is a bitch and a half to peel off. If you didn't get one with a bit that was already loose, you could spend an hour fiddling with a corner so you could peel the damn thing. The other problem was a question of collector psychology. The hobby was still reeling after the '94 crash and the people who were still buying these things were thoroughly indoctrinated in the idea that cards were extremely valuable investments and even the slightest condition flaw could eventually cost them big bucks. So even though they were ugly as hell with a bunch of words all over them, there was still that nagging voice in the back of your head saying "no! 15 years from now they'll be worthless unless they are in perfect mint condition with the film!" Well, it's fifteen years later and I can safely say that they are worthless with or without the film.

This one here has a tiny bit loose on the top right corner. If the Braves win tonight, I shall peel this sucka. Go Braves!

Trade from Mike

I'm late on posting this trade, but Mike was late in sending it due to a brand new Wii Fit. That's cool, as I'm still trying to remember if I sent anything to him... That pile of Red Sox and Piazza cards is missing so I probably did. Anyway, I got the two cards I needed to complete my T205 set and a bunch of Braves. Since the cards were more or less organized by player, I'll post 'em by player.

Oddballs:

Did you know Bazooka Joe was a Brave? Well, he wasn't. It's all a cynical marketing scheme by Topps and their army of airbrushers. Everyone can tell that's an airbrushed Giants cap.

Also: 1 Avery, 1 Deion, 2 Loftons and a Sheffield bazooka mini card.

Four Chipper Jones:

It's hard to find a Chipper card I don't have that isn't a relic or auto or some pricey insert, but Mike found one here. This is from some weird Team Out! baseball card game. I remember seeing these at Target years ago but I never picked one up. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of gameplay on the card... Maybe it's momory for baseball fans.

Also: '97 Donruss VXP, '97 Fleer Million Dollar Moments, '98 Pinnacle Swing for the Fences.

Seven John Smoltz:

I like finding Starting Lineup cards loose because I never opened any of the ones I got, especially not the Braves. It looks like this card was from a Classic Doubles package from 2000 featuring Smoltz and Pedro Martinez.

Also: '93 Classic, '95 Ultra Gold Medallion, '97 Pinnacle Inside checklist, '97 Fleer Million Dollar Moments, '03 Fleer Focus, '03 Bazooka Comic

Two Dale Murphy:

I don't know what oddball set this is from, but it looks like a sticker and I keep trying to peel it. It's some kind of '86 Topps set but I'm too lazy to look it up in the SCD right now.

Also: '87 Boardwalk and Baseball

Four Fred McGriff:

There were too many good ones so I couldn't decide which one to post. We have here a 1996 Collector's Choice Crash the Game card that is wonderfully obnoxious, a 1995 Fred McGriff NAtional packtime card that probably deserves a post all it's own and a spectacular '95 Topps All Star card with the Big Hurt. Awesome stuff right there.

Also: '97 Pinnacle Swing for the Fences

Three Javy Lopez:

Javy Lopez. Durham Bulls. I bet he's wearing Annie's garter.

Also '92 Classic Best, '97 Pinnacle Swing for the Fences

Three Tom Glavine:

Tom Glavine is radioactive. Literally. That sucker glows in the dark! It kinda glows in the light too. Gotta love early '90s card design.

Also: '93 Classic, '94 Post

Four Dave Justice:

I have never seen one of these cards before. Not ever. And I've seen a lot of cards. It appears to be a Canadian version of the Post cereal cards. Probably inserted into Kraft Dinner or cases of LaBatt's. That's a typical Canadian breakfast, right?

Also: '93 Classic, '94 Post, '94 O-Pee-Chee offer card

Three Andruw Jones:

This is quite possibly the greenest card in existence.

Also: '97 Donruss VXP, '98 Donruss Playstation

Six Greg Maddux:

I've posted the VXP card/CD/thing before, but I don't think I've shown off the case for it. This is another card that really deserves its own dedicated post. I've seen a lot of these around lately, I'll bet another warehouse full just hit the market.

Also: '94 UD Fun Pack, '97 Pinnacle Inside checklist, '97 Donruss VXP, '03 Bazooka Comic, Team Out! baseball game card

Great group of stuff, as always. I'll leave you with this cartoon from the back of Greg's Fun Pack card that shows how I looked when cracking this package open:

Eight 8s for 8/8/08

Here's a few number eights for this eighty day...

Javy Lopez

Kobe Bryant

Bill Dickey

Andre Dawson

Troy Aikman

Yaz

Cal Ripken Jr.

And the number one number eight of all time:

YOGI

Javy Retires

I better do this before Brian has a heart attack...

Javy Lopez retired yesterday after being told that he wouldn't break camp with the team in Atlanta. Javy decided to hang 'em up instead of going to Richmond to wait for an opportunity to get called up to the bigs.

Javy got caught up in a numbers game, the Braves have a bunch of talented young catchers and quite a few players out of options. Not a good combination for a non-roster invite trying to make the club. Brayan Pena will probably make the opening day roster, assuming he's not traded to make room for Clint Sammons. It's a little disappointing he won't even make the two exhibition games against the Indians next week at Turner Field, it would have been nice to see him catch at the Ted one last time. Hopefully Javy will one last appearance on a Braves card in one of the second series sets. I've got a Gary Matthews Jr. card in a Braves uni, Javy's more deserving than him. Put 'em in the set, Topps!

Marquis Grissom's agent really needs to get Frank Wren on the phone

Javy Lopez is back home with the Braves, albeit as a non-roster invitee with a minor league contract. Now, the chances of Javy making the team are pretty slim, but it's still a nice story for mid-December. Brian McCann is the man in Bravoland and Javy is going to be trying to win a bench job. He's got to fight off Brayan Pena, Corky Miller and Clint Sammons and that's also assuming the Braves don't end up signing a vet like Damian Miller. It would be nice to see him make the team if for no other reason than I would get to hear my grandmother call him "Harvey Lopes" one more time. Javy would have to have a fantastic spring to earn a chance, as putting him on the club means someone else gets bumped from the 40 man roster. The most obvious skill Javy brings to the table is as a good bat on the bench, assuming he still has it. However, the only way he could be used as an effective pinch hitter is if a third catcher is on the bench and Bobby hates having more than two on the club. The Braves have been experimenting with making Brayan Pena (I'm bewildered they haven't given him a chance yet) a super sub, so there is a chance for Javy, but I'm not counting on it.

I see Corky or Brayan getting the backup spot, with UGA alum Clint Sammons with an outside shot. Clint is popping up as an MLB RC card in a lot of the early 2008 checklists, so when you bust that box of 2008 Topps and pull Clint now you'll know who the heck he is. You never know though... anything can happen in spring training down at Disney. Non roster invitees occasionally make good, Willie Harris came out of nowhere last year and had a hot start once he got called up, then saved a game against the Mets by stealing a Carlos Delgado homer. I'll be rooting for Javy though, as will about half the female population of Atlanta.

I'm dead serious about Grissom though. He never ever should have been traded from the Braves. Come on back Marquis, you're better than Josh Anderson.