The Baseball Project Trading Cards!

 

Baseball cards featuring a rock band that writes songs about baseball. 

 

If you're reading this and you like rock music, there's a good chance you've at least heard of The Baseball Project. Founded almost two decades ago, the band (a supergroup, if you will) celebrated their fourth album release and tour back in 2023 with a pack of cards available at their merch table which was clearly too fun for me to pass up.

Each card features one of the primary band members, and the info card that leads off the pack gives you some contact info as well as a small glimpse at the album cover of their latest release, Grand Salami Time. The title track is based on the catchphrase of Seattle Mariners legendary broadcaster Dave Niehaus and ties in a bunch of other famous announcer catchphrases.

Each card features a childhood photo of a band member, using the familiar 1987 Topps style and Future Stars logo.

On the back of the card you get each band member's "stats" (i.e. rock band resume) along with a fun fact about that member.

Did I get an all-rookie hot pack? It seems like I did!

One of the big things that put this band on my radar is that I became a huge R.E.M. fan in high school, and the band has included two core members of that group at times as well as a touring member, meaning that I first got to see 60% of this group play live together more than 30 years ago.

Is there anything better than old little league photos? I still have one or two of mine somewhere.

Peter Buck was always my favorite R.E.M. member, and he's only gotten more involved in different projects as he's gotten older, including a run of solo releases not mentioned here.

Scott McCaughey is a Bay Area native, so he may not be as enthused about wearing a Yankees shirt here as he seemed to be in the photo.

McCaughey started touring with R.E.M. in 1995 and eventually moved up here to Portland, so I see him around from time to time when I go to shows locally. The Minus 5 is always a fun time.

Steve Wynn pushes the Yankees thing further here with an actual team logo.

Wynn put out a number of acclaimed records with The Dream Syndicate in the '80s and is married to the band's drummer, Linda Pitmon. He splits lead vocal duties with McCaughey for the most part, with Mike Mills at the mic on a couple of fun tracks about Dale Murphy and doctoring baseballs.

I tend to shy away from most bands that could easily be labeled as a "gimmick band", but the first time I caught these guys live I was really into it. Their collective background in the music game certainly helps here. Check them out at their website, on Bandcamp, or YouTube or wherever you consume music.