Airbrushed Fridays: 1990 Topps #254

I know that I'm supposed to set these posts up... maybe make a little small talk. I could tell you about my day. I could complain about the Blazers. I could talk about the weather. I could talk about how frustrating and sometimes downright sad it is to be a Blazers fan, actually. I could talk about being anxious about the pending Pujols extension offer. I could hype my contest again. I don't know... let's just get on with it.

Francisco Cabrera was a reserve catcher and first baseman who essentially did nothing in his career but for a fleeting moment when he ended the Pittsburgh Pirates' last ever run at being relevant with a walkoff Game 7 NLCS pinch-hit that drove in a hobbling guy that looked like a math teacher (Sid... Bream?)

Why did Topps airbrush Francisco's photo? After playing three... yes, THREE entire games for the Toronto Blue Jays, the Canadian team packaged him with Tony Castillo to pry the venerable Jim Acker away from the Atlanta team. Cabrera would go on to play just 193 more games in his career before heading off to Japan.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? 1990 was the last official year for airbrushing as far as I can gather, and Topps was determined to go out with a bang with this one. This card is just shy of Mike Laga for worst looking airbrushed card since the '70s. Some poor soul reinvented the cursive 'A' logo as well as the baseball cap itself and made the already awkward- looking Cabrera look like he was hiding a small family of finches in his lid.

If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1990 Topps #633

I have a very important question to ask you, dear readers. I've struggled with this internal dilemma for awhile, since before I actually started this feature, and an email I received recently from Smed's Baseball Card Blog reminded me to bring this up. Topps (and possibly others), clearly, uses Adobe Photoshop or other similar software to alter their card photos all the time. There are countless numbers of terrible looking cards that are modern day equivalents of what I post here. I've never considered them "airbrushed", however, because the technique is obviously different. That being said, I don't know how many of the original "airbrushed" cards actually involved airbrushes. The point I'm trying to make is this: Would you like to see more modern day abominations on cardboard thrown into the mix? I would love to hear your opinions. Feel free to send me an email, throw your comments in this post and/or vote in the poll I have hastily constructed. My goal is to come to a decision by next Friday.

Dennis Cook had one of the most off-putting faces in the game of baseball, at least to me. For all of the reasons I once explained in this post, I for some reason couldn't stand to look at the guy whenever he pitched, which seemed to be ALL THE TIME. It must have been his multiple World Series appearances, for one. I also think he kind of looks like Biff from Back to the Future.

Why did Topps airbrush Dennis's photo? Cook was involved in a five-player midseason deal between the Giants and the Phillies. He wouldn't stay with Philadelphia for long, or any one team at all in his 15 season career. His longest stint seemed to be with the Mets from 1998 through 2000.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? His FACE! Okay, fine, his cap and shirt were likely drawn on by a bored Philly-area art student.

If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1990 Topps #713

I know you're all sad that the Yankees haven't been eliminated yet. Will tonight be the night? I'm gonna say... nope.

Tim Drummond was a right-handed reliever who had a short professional career which included brief major league stints with the Pirates and Twins. There's no evidence to suggest that he ever jammed with Conway Twitty, unlike this other Tim Drummond.

Why did Topps airbrush Tim's photo? Drummond spent the better part of two seasons in the Mets system before coming to the Twins just before the trade deadline in a swap that saw Frank Viola and Rick Aguilera switch sides. Yes, they still airbrushed cards in 1990. I think I might have to come up with some sort of handsome reward for the first person who can provide evidence of an airbrushed card that was released after 1990, because I'm not sure that one exists.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Drummond might well be wearing a Mets cap, even though he never reached the majors with New York. There's an uncertain 'M' Twins logo on the cap instead. By the way, does anyone miss this Twins logo? They went back to using the classic 'TC' logo ages ago. Also, Drummond kind of looks like a creep here. Let's just hope he was having a bad picture day.

If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.

Airbrushed Fridays: 1990 Topps #199

Alright, it's time to steer this train back onto its track. If you all had your Aramis Ramirez relics lined up and ready to send to me, you may as well stop now.

Sergio Valdez was a journeyman reliever and sometime starter who logged time in eight different seasons in the majors, including two stints with the Montreal Expos. Remember them?

Why did Topps airbrush Sergio's photo? Valdez was a mid-season acquisition for the Braves after toiling in the Expos minor league system for nearly three years, involved in the trade that shed the Braves of one Zane Smith.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Sergio's cap has the chalky effect we've seen on plenty of airbrushed cards from this era. It reminds me of those t-shirts designs that carny folk will spray for you at the county fair, putting your favorite band or crush or unicorns... you know, whatever you're into. Speaking of which, I wonder if dayf has a stamp-related t-shirt. It also appears that the "artist" got a bit creative with the design on Sergio's jersey. Not only that, but the entire photo looks like some bad high-school photo if it wasn't for the happy little trees in the background.

(If you are interested in obtaining a card featured here, please send me an e-mail. If you have a card you would like to nominate for Airbrushed Fridays, please get in touch as well. I will require that I am able to see the card in person, either on loan or as a donation, so that I can examine the card and experience it in all its cruddiness.)