The Vast Bering Sea

​We're smack in the middle of another season of Deadliest Catch, which gives me the perfect opportunity to showcase one of my favorite non-baseball baseball cards.

2010 Topps Allen & Ginter #203 Sig Hansen

Sig Hansen is the captain of the fishing vessel Northwestern, one of the longest-running subjects of the Alaskan crab fishing documentary. Sig has become one of the most well-known faces of the Discovery Channel show, along with a few other colorful characters, some of whom are no longer with us. Pixar even called on him to do voice work in Cars 2​ as the character "Crabby".

Even after all these years, I find that the captains and crews who brave the Bering Sea each winter still make for a great TV show. They've been heavily advertising the fact that this is the tenth season of the show, and I'd bet that a decade ago, Captain Sig sure would have chuckled if you told him he'd have his very own baseball card within a few years.

The Extra Pack comes through!

Only a few days ago, I was educating the blogosphere about the existence of Arizona's Baxter the Bobcat mascot, and lamenting the fact that I didn't own a card of Dinger.

Thanks to another $10 blaster of 2014 Topps Opening Day, I pulled exactly the card I had been looking for.

2014 Topps Opening Day Mascots #M10 Dinger

Dinger looks a bit unusual here with this black mask/beard, but he is twenty years old now and has apparently grown up a bit. The card gives us some background on Dinger, mentioning that he "specializes in distracting opposing pitchers in the late innings", can easily be spotted in the wild due to "colorful dots on his head", and that a triceratops skull was discovered during construction of Coors Field.

Though there is a grain of truth to that, further research indicates that this is a bit of an embellished urban legend. Construction at Coors Field did indeed unearth triceratops fossils, though the skull they refer to was found in Brighton, a northern suburb of Denver where Todd Helton happens to reside. In fact, triceratops fossils have been unearthed all over the Denver area, including at Heritage Golf Course not far from my home.

Another Fun Fact: Dinger's uniform number has changed through the years. He was once #94, referring to the year of his "hatching" when the Rockies were a year old, but now sports #00. Dinger remains the only "Rockie" to have worn either of those numbers.

The Rockies lost five of six on their most recent road trip. Dinger is sure to be a sight for sore eyes once they return to Coors Field on Friday.

Zero blog posts plus one extra blog post

​Just before this baseball season started, I saw a deal at Target that I couldn't pass up. Only $10 for a blaster box of 2014 Topps Opening Day, including 10 packs and an extra pack!

Though none of the packs differentiated itself as the "extra pack", I was able to pull some interesting cards to start the 2014 section of my collection. I showed a few cards from this blaster in my two previous posts, but there are plenty more where those came from.

2014 Topps Opening Day #16 Carlos Gonzalez

Although Carlos Gonzalez has gotten off to a slow start, the Rockies are one of the bigger surprises thus far in the 2014 season. Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, and NL Player of the Month Troy Tulowitzki have led the Rockies to a 22-14 record, in a virtual tie with the first-place San Francisco Giants.

2014 Topps Opening Day #128 Manny Machado

I am happy to see the "Future Stars" subset make a return; the first time Topps has had this subset since the mid-1990s. Night Owl was less than enthused about this turn of events, but for me, this is a nostalgic reminder of some of the first sets I ever collected.

2014 Topps Opening Day Blue #6 Adrian Beltre /2014

2014 Topps Opening Day Blue #173 Josh Reddick /2014

Serial-numbered parallels! Along with the Chris Davis card that came up in a previous post and Craig Kimbrel, I pulled a total of four from this blaster.

2014 Topps Opening Day Breaking Out #BO14 Andrew McCutchen

There were a surprising amount of insert cards in this blaster, my favorite being the "Breaking Out" insert set. Just like the "Future Stars" subset, this one really takes you back to the mid-1990s. I'm sure I'm not the first one to say that this one has plenty of 1995 Fleer DNA in it. The "Opening Day Stars" insert set goes for a Sportflix 3D effect, complete with ridged plastic.

2014 Topps Opening Day Mascots #M18 Baxter the Bobcat

Bobcats are great and all, but how hilarious would it be to have a more team-appropriate rattlesnake mascot slithering around out there without any arms or legs? Seems wacky enough, given the swimming pool and $25 corn dogs at Chase Field.

I think mascot cards are a great idea. I have yet to acquire a card of Dinger, the Rockies' lovable triceratops mascot, but they're a great reminder that baseball is just a game that's meant to be enjoyed.

While my $10 went pretty far, I can only wonder what I would have managed to pull if Topps' marketing department gave me seven packs and four extra packs.

Your 2014 Lucky Numbers: The Pitchers

Baseball is here! It's really here! I know it's been going on for a few days but I got to see real, live baseball in person today at the Coors Field home opener!

After coming off a disastrous 1-3 trip to Miami, the Rockies won big today, beating the Diamondbacks 12-2, a score we like to see at the launching pad that is Coors Field. Leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon went 6-for-6, a triple short of the cycle, and Carlos Gonzalez launched a 2-run home run off the facade of the upper deck, just below the new Rooftop patio area that was added to Coors Field this off season. I visited it before the first pitch, and it remained standing-room-only the entire game.

Our seats were even in the Purple Row, actual purple seats (the rest are dark green) that signify an elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level. These seats are in the 20th row of the upper deck if you ever want to make plans to watch some mile-high baseball.

In light of all this baseball-ness in Denver, let's take a look at the pitchers of my 2014 fantasy team, the Lucky Numbers.

2013 Topps #50 Adam Wainright

Starting Pitcher: Adam Wainright, St. Louis Cardinals (1st round)

The ace of the staff and my first overall pick is Adam Wainwright, who has already pitched an opening day gem, winning a 1-0 ballgame against the Cincinnati Reds. More on that later.

Sharp eyes will notice that Topps gave Wainright card #50 in their 2013 set to match his uniform number. Nice touch, Topps.

2014 Topps Opening Day #91 Matt Cain

Starting Pitcher: Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants (8th round)

Cain has been one of the unluckiest pitchers in recent memory, often turning in solid pitching performances but failing to get much run support. We'll see if he and his team can turn that around this year.

If you flip this card over, you'll see that Topps is clearly going all-in with Sabermetrics. The backs now provide us with nerd-friendly columns like WAR (Wins Above Replacement) for 2014, to join WHIP (or OPS, on batters' cards) which have been present for years.

2012 Topps #517 Francisco Liriano

Starting Pitcher: Francisco Liriano, Pittsburgh Pirates (11th round)

Liriano got the honor of pitching Opening Day for the Pittsburgh Pirates (new team alert!), striking out 10 Cubbies but ending up with a no-decision. Liriano looked sharp that day, and the NL Central again looks to be a tight division if this week is any indication.

2013 Topps #366 Ervin Santana

Starting Pitcher: Ervin Santana, Atlanta Braves (15th round)

Ervin Santana, no longer a Royal, gets the last active slot before we start getting into the bench guys. He signed with the Braves so recently that he didn't really get to partake in spring training, so he's not expected to join the rotation for another week or two. Right now he's sharpening his stuff in the minors.

Topps really did a nice job color-coding these 2013 cards. Santana's blue uniform really is accented well by the prominent Royals logo and the "sea turtle" design in the lower left.

2014 Topps Opening Day #14 Trevor Rosenthal

Relief Pitcher: Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals (3rd round)

"Adam, why did you pick a closer in the third round?" you may ask. Well, it just happens to be a little quirk of my league that good closers are highly, highly valuable. Saves are worth 15 points, yes, and those definitely add up. Craig Kimbrel, who was selected 8th overall this year, just ahead of Justin Verlander, was the single most valuable pitcher to own in 2013. Three closers were selected before my third pick.

He only has four career saves. One of them came in Wainright's gem on opening day, preserving that tenuous 1-0 lead.

2013 Topps #547 Glen Perkins

Relief Pitcher: Glen Perkins, Minnesota Twins (7th round)

But the real reason good closers are so valuable is that there are so few reliable ones. There are thirty, of course, but very few of them can score almost a thousand points in a fantasy season. Couple that 15 point save statistic along with a dagger-like -5 for a blown save and -10 for a loss, and you start to see why we pick our closers so early. You never know when a guy like Brian Fuentes will blow four saves in a week, subtract 60 points from your weekly total, and get "demoted" from this unofficial yet crucial position, leaving you scrambling to pick up a decent reliever. Mariano Rivera's retirement does not make this task any easier.

Glen Perkins has already blown a save this year, so let's hope he settles down and earns that 7th round selection.

2014 Topps Opening Day #143 Taijuan Walker (RC)

Bench Guys:
SP Taijuan Walker, Seattle Mariners (19th round)
SP Marco Estrada, Milwaukee Brewers (16th round)
SP Tim Hudson, San Francisco Giants (20th round)
RP J.J. Hoover, Cincinnati Reds (22nd round)
SP Wade Miley, Arizona Diamondbacks (23rd round)

If there's any reason people tell me they don't have patience for fantasy baseball, it's because of pitchers. Most fantasy leagues use some format of weekly scoring, but standard pitching rotations have five starters. That means at least one guy in that rotation will pitch twice in a calendar week. Figuring out when to activate a mediocre two-starter and bench a stronger one-starter is one of the most delicate aspects of Fantasy baseball. And don't forget to reverse that roster change next week. Risk and reward, all in one fun-yet-aggravating activity.

Taijuan Walker is on the DL currently, but is one of the better pitching prospects to keep your eye on. Hudson is the aging yet capable veteran, and there are a couple other guys that could be used in two-start emergencies.

I always try to hedge my closer bets in some fashion, and J.J. Hoover is that hedge. He's expected to close for the Reds while Aroldis Chapman recovers from that very scary head injury he suffered in spring training.

That rounds out the fantasy lineup for 2014. It's a long season, but it's looking promising so far.

Your 2014 Lucky Numbers: The Batters

Yesterday it was time for that surest sign of spring: the fantasy baseball draft. I've been in a mixed head-to-head league on CBS Sports since 2005. That would make this my tenth season! I've missed the playoffs a few times, but overall it's been a success. I've been runner-up twice and won the whole thing in 2012! Now that the draft is complete, let's take a look at the Lucky Numbers' batting lineup.

2013 Topps #418 Evan Gattis (RC)

Catcher: Evan Gattis, Atlanta Braves (13th round)

This year, I found myself picking a lot of players that have multiple-position eligibility. This is always nice to have in case of injury. I was hoping for Carlos Santana here but he was selected just a pick or two before I could draft him in the 6th round.

2014 Topps Opening Day Blue #78 Chris Davis /2014

First Baseman: Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles (2nd round)

Guy hit 53 home runs last year. Given that a HR is worth 9 points in my league (5 for the HR, 2 for the run scored, 2 for the RBI), Davis could put up some serious points if he repeats that feat. He does strike out a lot though.

I pulled this card out of a blaster of 2014 Opening Day that I bought at Target a week or two ago. Expect a post on that soon. And it's a serial-numbered card in a lovely blue! This is #1145/2014. That foil date on the card is today, even! Apparently those two Australia games don't count in Topps' eyes, nor do they count in my fantasy league. However, rest assured that the Dodgers are already ahead in the standings. Even better, the D-backs are in last. I wouldn't mind them staying there well past Friday, when I'll be at the Rockies' home opener.

2013 Topps #15 Dustin Pedroia

Second Baseman: Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox (4th round)

I suppose you need to have one crazy beard in the lineup.

2012 Bowman Gold #146 Martin Prado

Third Baseman: Martin Prado, Arizona Diamondbacks (10th round)

Another player with multiple-position eligibility. Prado can be played at 2B, 3B or OF. And as he is a D-back now, I'll have a Lucky Number playing when I'm at Coors Field on Friday.

I don't have a whole lot of super-recent cards, and I didn't want this post to be all Topps 2013 base, so you get a card of Prado in his earlier days as a Brave.

2013 Topps #581 Andrelton Simmons

Shortstop: Andrelton Simmons, Atlanta Braves (14th round)

Simmons only had his first full season last year, but he finished surprisingly high in MVP voting and has plenty of upside. You could do worse in the 14th round.

2013 Topps #151 Alex Rios

Outfielder: Alex Rios, Texas Rangers (6th round)

Here's another out of date card; this time it's Alex Rios in an odd White Sox retro jersey. Apparently they wore these jerseys on Sunday home games in 2012, a throwback to their early 1970s uniforms. I don't have a card of Rios in a Rangers jersey yet. Who can keep up with all the transactions? Topps barely can.

2011 Topps Chrome Refractors #96 Hunter Pence

Outfielder: Hunter Pence, San Francisco Giants (5th round)

Not 100% sure on this guy. He's always been good, but he's never really had that superstar year. Puts up a .280 avg and 25 HRs rather consistently, but if he doesn't have his big year soon, I don't think he'll be a huge force in Fantasy.

And here he is pictured two teams ago, before he was a Phillie. When I was younger, I organized my collection by the team the player was currently on. It was a monster to keep up with, and involved a lot of shuffling cards around. I gave up on that goal after the Padres and Astros had that monster trade when they swapped Caminiti, Finley, Shipley, Bell, and 8 other guys.

2012 Topps Gypsy Queen #33 Ben Zobrist

Outfielder: Hunter Pence, Tampa Bay Rays (9th round)

When you do this for enough seasons, you tend to keep drafting the same guys over and over. This is at least the third time I've had Zobrist on my squad, and with eligibility at OF, 2B, and SS, he's definitely Mr. Versatility. Sort of like Chone Figgins but with better batting stats.

And just check out those shades in this HDR-crazy card brand. He needs those shades to shield his eyes from the hyper-real imagery in Gypsy Queen.

2011 Topps Chrome #46 Billy Butler

Designated Hitter: Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals (12th round)

Butler doesn't have 1B-eligibility anymore, and David Ortiz previously held this slot in the Lucky Numbers roster. Obviously that's a downgrade, but Butler is usually pretty consistent; sort of like Pence, but with lower expectations and thus can be had with a lower draft pick. I've had him three years in a row, and if he plays 10 games at 1B, he'll gain that eligibility back.

It's another card from 2011 Chrome, the year they finally figured out how to produce these nice, shiny cards without that abominable curl.

2014 Topps Opening Day #178 Xander Bogaerts (RC)

Bench Guys: 
3B Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox (18th round)
1B Mike Napoli, Boston Red Sox (17th round)
1B Mark Teixiera, New York Yankees (20th Round)

This Bogaerts guy was pretty interesting to watch in the postseason last year. I figured he'd be worth a late-round pick. And that is a great baseball name. Napoli and Teixiera aren't expected to be great, but both of them are Major League veterans on strong teams, and are capable of putting up a great year.

Coming up later, the pitchers!

A conversation at Fleer, 1989

"Bob, check this out! I put the player's head outside the frame so you get this nifty 3D effect!"

1989 Fleer #480 Jack Howell

"Nice, Fred, but you really should put the bat outside the frame, too. It looks silly getting cut off like that. Here, let me show you."

1989 Fleer #322 Marvell Wynne

"See? Doesn't that look better? Let's pick it up again tomorrow."

1989 Fleer #523 Pete Incaviglia

"Fred, That's not what I had in mind. Remember what we talked about yesterday? Try it again."

1989 Fleer #97 Jim Rice

"How's that, Bob?"
"Well, it's better, but the bat is cropped at the top of the frame. Looks a little odd, don't you think?"

1989 Fleer #581 Juan Samuel

"Bob, I'm just not feeling this whole 'bat outside the frame' thing. I just put it behind his head so you can't see it."
"Good enough. Hey, can you do the Billy Ripken card real quick before you go to lunch?"

Warning! Protective coating may damage product!

I have always liked Topps Finest. I've never actually purchased a box because they're frightfully expensive, but the base cards always seem to work their way into the discount bins once the rare inserts have been pulled. Shiny, thick card stock, slightly less likely to have that frustrating curl than Topps Chrome; what's not to like?

My favorite release was 1994 Finest, the brand's second year. They're almost as green as 1991 Fleer is yellow.

1994 Topps Finest #32 Charlie Hayes

I think I even have a couple basketball cards with a roughly similar design. Basketball cards make up a tiny, tiny part of my collection, so let that stand as proof of how much I like this brand.

But then things started getting weird. In the mid '90s, well after the 1994 strike and the subsequent collapse of baseball card values, Topps decided to inject some novelty into the brand. They came up with this barely comprehensible idea of a "fractured set". And for good measure, they even gave us a handy clear protective coating on the front of the card, just like those peel-away films you find on new computer monitors and smartphones. In all honesty, I find an inordinate amount of joy in peeling those away as part of the unboxing process. And finding an unpeeled film on a years-old gadget (like my mom's microwave) is cause for celebration and can even become legendary.

1996 Topps Finest #B8 Terry Pendleton

Trouble is, though, the film found on Topps Finest cards is rather unsightly and a bit difficult to remove. It can be pretty tough to get those off without dinging a corner or bending the card. Longer fingernails help.

What, after my admission above, you think I leave Topps Finest Protectors on? Absolutely not.

However, after a decade or so in a discount box, the Topps Finest Protector can become fused to the card itself, making removal quite problematic. Take a look at these two examples from 1999 Finest.

1999 Topps Finest #18 Quinton McCracken

1999 Topps Finest #19 J.T. Snow, Jr.

Despite the protector happily doing its job for many years, the peeling process on these two left behind a very noticeable, even legible, residue running down the left side of each card. At least Topps abandoned the ridiculous "fractured set" idea by the time 1999 rolled around. That Pendleton card above is listed as "Card 8" from "Theme G58" and is clearly noted as "Common".

So given that it's a common, (the B in the card number indicates that it's Bronze, as opposed to Silver or Gold), surely removing the protective coating won't do much to harm its long-term value.

There. Much better.