Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps #21

Hi. I play for NEWYORK.

Who is he? Chris Britton was a relief pitcher for a spell. His Wikipedia entry seems neglected and a little sad, mentioning his large weight relative to other players in the league in the present tense even though he hasn't pitched a game in 7 years. There's a quote from the Yankees GM that probably fails the "is it noteworthy?" check pretty hard, damning Britton with faint praise or at least casual indifference. In any case Chris Britton logged three years of MLB service time, three years more than I did or my neighbors did or any of my friends did.

How did he get here? Britton was an 8th round pick of the Orioles in 2001 and reached the majors at the age of 23. The Yankees gave up Jaret Wright to get him, and he would spend the next two years bouncing between the Yankees bullpen and AAA. He struggled in later years in the Padres organization before disappearing from organized ball entirely after 2011.

Repeat offender? No

Other versions of this card: None

Airbrushed Score: 10

Comments: This card gets the rare perfect score in the Photoshop era. The only thing that could have made it worse is if "New York" was misspelled.

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps #133 & #470

I'm going to break from the usual format today because I stumbled across something truly weird in the airbrushing/Photoshopping department. I probably noticed this before, but I'm just now getting around to fully appreciating the Topps Double Trouble that was laid upon the collecting public in 2007.

Yes, these are two clearly Photoshopped cards, using identical photos, from both Topps Series 1 and Series 2. It's almost as if Topps meant to make amends for their ills in the second series by providing a non-Photoshopped image of Sheff with his new team. But alas, it was not to be, for the same altered photo found its way to Gary's Series 2 card, with the same wall of stats and same cropped inset photo on the back. Shameful. Doubly so.

Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything, but you never know!

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps #107

In case you've been in a The World Is Ending Soon type of bunker hole, there's a contest going on here at Cards on Cards. There's still time left to sign up! Just get some picks going and you'll be entered to win some prizes, including cards from your favorite team/player(s), a blaster perhaps, and question marks (????)! Good luck and... good luck.

Who is this week's victim, and why do we care? Rafael Soriano is one of the top relievers in the game. He's also an example of the wide gap between closers and non-closers that exists in baseball. He was relatively unheralded (but decently paid, I suppose) until Mariano Rivera went down with a freakish season-ending injury last spring. Suddenly, he's the team's closer and shutting down fools like it was 2010 again. After finally "proving" himself by maintaining a closer role for the better part of three out of the last four seasons, he's being pushed out the door for someone born in the '60s. I can't blame the Yankees for keeping Mo around, of course, but this team (Ichiro, Youkilis, Jeter, A-Rod's withered corpse) is going to be hilarible to watch next year.

Why does this card exist? Soriano was brutally hit in the head by a comebacker in 2006 in what would prove to be his final season with the Seattle Mariners. Atlanta took a flyer on him, not knowing if he'd ever be the same. He ended up being pretty effective as a mostly non-closer. Of course, Soriano was nowhere near a major league uniform when this set was being put together, which explains his non-Braves-ness.

Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything other than the tears of a Kansas State fan, but you never know!

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps #25

The playoffs start today, sort of. I am still really not liking this Wild Card thing. The Angels aren't in it. I should feel some sort of delicious satisfaction about the Angels missing out, but there really isn't much of a payoff for me. There were a lot of good teams in the AL this year and the Angels were just slightly worse than they needed to be. Last season or next season or three seasons from now, it might have been good enough. This year, it wasn't. If there's anything to take solace in, it's that the Angels dropped off enough money to fund a small country on the porch of a certain first baseman and he didn't even end up being the best player on the team. With the future Mike Trout seems to have ahead of him, he may never be the franchise player. Yeesh, even the other slugging Mike is worthy competition.

Who is this week's victim, and why do we care? Gary Matthews the Sequel was an average outfielder who had a flair for the dramatic catch. He randomly had one impressive season in a walk year with the Rangers and earned himself a ton of cash. 50 million smackaroos later, he was out of baseball having put in just three of his five contracted years with the Angels, who bought out nearly all of the remainder of his contract to see him in a Mets uniform for part of a fourth season.

Why does this card exist? Matthews had yet to appear with his Angels of Los Angeles-ishness at the time the 2007 Topps Series 1 product hit the shelves. His offseason signing will be mocked for years to come. I think last year's cash grab will also be a major boondoggle, but at least you know that the guy that signed it has his ticket punched to the Hall of Fame already.

Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything other than a hyperlink and a used copy of R.E.M.'s "Around the Sun" on CD, but you never know!

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps #549

David Freese was selected to the All-Star team yesterday as the National League's "Final Vote" selection, to make him the fifth member of this year's team to make the squad. I can't complain about that.

Who is this week's victim, and why do we care? Horacio Ramirez is a subpar left-handed starting pitcher who came up with the Braves. Seattle traded away talented reliever Rafael Soriano straight up for Ramirez. Soriano became a valuable closer and this season is Mariano Rivera's stand-in. Ramirez is playing baseball for the Korean Baseball Organization.

Why does this card exist? Because Topps released a black bordered set designed to showcase human greasy fingerprints in 2007. In this case, it was a Series 2 card, and Series 2 often includes heavy use of  Photoshop.

Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything other than a hyperlink and a Kei Igawa rookie card, but you never know!

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH294

How can you just leave me standing alone in a world that's so cold? Maybe I'm just too demanding. Maybe I'm just like my father: too bold. Maybe you're just like my mother (she's never satisfied.) Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like when doves cry.

Todd Wellemeyer was a right-handed reliever that the Cardinals scooped up off the scrapheap (er, Royals system) and tried to perform the Dave Duncan Conversion Project magic on him. He had some success, especially in 2008, but was mostly a league average (if not below) pitcher as a starter in St. Louis. He's also a Colonel, however.

Why did Topps airbrush Todd's photo? As mentioned, Wellemeyer was an early season waiver claim from Kansas City. That being said, this card is from the Updates & Highlights set and he had been on the team since May, so there's really no excuse.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? This is just an awful example of Photoshop work. You can barely even see what are supposed to be the Cardinals cap and jersey logos.

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: 2007 Topps #361

All I can say is that it was not a great day to be a Blazer. Here's a late night edition of Airbrushed Fridays to forget that the NBA exists for awhile longer.

Adam Kennedy is a second baseman who has been converted to a utility player in recent years. Kennedy was originally a Cardinals first round draft pick in 1997 and began his career in St. Louis before being shipped to Anaheim, where he would spend his most productive years, as a piece in the Jim Edmonds deal. He won a ring with the Angels while gaining a reputation for his "dependability" and "not terribleness".

Why did Topps airbrush Adam's photo? Kennedy was signed as a free agent by the Cardinals in what was supposed to be a glorious reunion between Kennedy's first team, who happened to be defending champions. It didn't work out so well. The Cardinals were expecting more "not terribleness" and instead got "mostly terribleness".

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Kennedy was assigned uniform #7 (sadly, not 47, because AK47 would have been easier to root for) and never wore #2 with the Cardinals, a retired number reserved for Red Schoendienst. As a sign of things to come, Kennedy was also at the plate without a bat in this shot.

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: 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH323

Where did this baseball season go? Where did this year go? As it stands now after last night's Fish Disposal, the Cards have completed 112 games with 50 remaining. I'm afraid that if I sleep in a little too long once or twice that it's going to be October all of a sudden. Summer (all 82 degrees of it) finally took hold here in Portland in these past couple of weeks and the lawns have finally turned white, but I'm already fearful of the imminent doom of crisp clear nights. This is about the time of year where I need to stop taking baseball for granted, no matter how frustrating the team I root for can be.

Jorge Cantu is a journeyman first baseman who most recently appeared in the majors with the Padres. He struggled with San Diego this season and was released last month. Just prior to the recent trade deadline, he signed a minor league deal with Colorado.

Why did Topps airbrush Jorge's photo? Cantu spent his first few seasons with Tampa Bay, following up a breakout 2005 season with a disappointing 2006 and 2007. The Reds made their own trade deadline deal for Cantu in 2007, not long before the Updates & Highlights set was born.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? From the short sleeves to the striping running down his pants, Cantu looks more Devil Ray than Red even if you look at the card up close. The helmet is weird, as well. I am not positive, but I think that Cincinnati used nothing but solid red batting helmets at this point. And wait... there's more. Cantu's nameplate is goofy, especially the 'C'. And last, but certainly not least, Jorge wore #15 for the Reds instead of the #3 he donned in Tampa. You see, there was a certain veteran in that clubhouse who had a preference for that particular uniform number. His name was Ken Griffey, Jr. Perhaps you have heard of him?

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. Last week's offer still stands, by the way.

Airbrushed Fridays: 2007 Topps Updates & Highlights #UH55

The season following the Cardinals' 10th championship saw the following players take the mound (ERA in parentheses): Brad Thompson (4.73), Kelvin Jimenez (7.50), Andy Cavazos (10.35), Brian Falkenborg (4.82), Randy Keisler (5.19), Dennis Dove (15.00), and Broken Mark Mulder (12.27). Chris Carpenter would make his only start on Opening Day and blow out his elbow. Josh Hancock took the mound 8 times before he tragically passed away in a drunk driving accident. And then there was Mike Maroth.

Mike Maroth was a Tigers prospect who lost a shocking 21 games in 2003, leading the league in earned runs for a club that went an appalling 43-119. After four long, patient seasons, Detroit had finally had enough of him and cut him out of the rotation with the emergence of Justin Verlander and Andrew Miller on the way (ha.) St. Louis took a flyer on him in the wake of pitching disaster after pitching disaster (they actually signed Tomo Ohka to a minor league deal at one point) and he responded with his own tidy 10.66 ERA performance.

Why did Topps airbrush Mike's photo? The Tigers picked up a player to be named later in exchange for Maroth, which must have felt like a coup to them. That player ended up being Chris Lambert, who did not fare much better in his short time with Detroit. Both players are out of baseball at this point.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Aside from being a symbol of frustration for the 2007 Cardinals, pretty much all of the red on Maroth's jersey and cap looks washed out and sort of grey-ish. You could probably say the same about that season. Injuries plagued Mike Maroth throughout his doomed career, but he does have 50 more career wins than I will ever have.

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: 2007 Topps #529

Is anyone reading this blog yet? PunkRockPaint has joined their crew and has been posting some gems. This, in particular, is amazing.

Chris Snelling was an oft-injured outfielder and former hitting prospect who was perhaps best known for playing with the Australia national team. He came up with the Mariners, who seemed to be overly fascinated with him despite never materializing as a legitimate major league talent.

Why did Topps airbrush Chris's photo? Snelling was traded to the Nationals after the 2006 season. He didn't play a lot, and for all I know he was too injured in spring training to be captured in action. Guys like Snelling don't get the studio red velvet treatment that seemingly every member of the Red Sox roster got in the 2007 Topps set.

What's wrong with this picture, anyway? Well, my first reaction is that it just looks weird. I usually focus on the visual, so I thought I'd take a different approach and offer some analytical evidence this time instead. Can we first agree that the dugout in the background is a Tampa Bay Devil Rays dugout. Even though the backdrop is blurry, the player over Snelling's right shoulder looks like he's wearing the Devil Rays jersey that the team wore until 2008. Snelling's Nats did not play Tampa Bay in 2007. In fact, Snelling himself barely lasted a month before he was shipped off to Oakland. Put Snelling back in a Seattle jersey, and you can see that even in his limited time, he did play in a series at Tropicana Field after September call-ups in 2006. He started in RF in the Friday (night) game of the series, and also started the Sunday day game. This has more of a look of a night card to me (although I'll leave that to the expert), so I'm just going to claim that this photo was taken during this game.

Okay, fine, it looks weird. It's also pretty convenient that both the Nats and the M's had the circular sleeve logo on the same sleeves of their respective jerseys. Maybe I should have left it at that.

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.

$5 Repack

I hadn't bought a repack box in awhile, and on my current budget I decided to spend wisely and go for something cheaper. I was hooked instantly when saw this goody grab bag, with the 2008 Heritage pack in the front. I think I have all of the main Cardinals from the Future Stars set, the other pack that is showing, but the third (hidden) pack is what made me nervous. I think I bought one of these once before and the pack turned out to be a 1991 Upper Deck pack. I crossed my fingers and hoped there would be nothing from 1991. I found it rather interesting that the "GREAT VALUE!" sticker covered up what was most likely a Topps logo, while Upper Deck was still on board with this venture. There was a similar sticker in the same spot on the back.

I'll start with the hidden pack first, which turned out to be none other than a 2007 Topps Series 2 pack containing 6 cards. It looks like it probably came out of a blaster.

545 - Miguel Cairo

478 - Octavio Dotel

344 - Kenji Johjima (He really, really fell off after his first year or two in MLB.)

518 - Esteban Loaiza

HP5 - Manny Ramirez Hit Parade (If it wasn't an insert, I probably would not have scanned this. This goes into my inserts binder. That binder is one of the first things I look through when looking for cards to send out for trades.)

- 2008 All-Star Game sweepstakes thing

- Topps of the Class thing (pre-David Wright)

529 - Chris Snelling

Well, wasn't that fun? I'll try the 2007 Upper Deck Future Stars pack next. I'm doing this thing in order of least to most importance.

33 - Magglio Ordonez (I don't dislike this set nearly as much as I did at first. I still prefer cards with natural backgrouns, though.)

TS-OM - Micah Owings / Miguel Montero Two for the Bigs 343/999 (Pretty cool card. I have no idea how difficult these care to get. I wonder if there's a Cardinals version of this. Unfortunately, this didn't scan all that well so you're missing the players names, but they are certainly there. I should probably send this along to Dinged Corners.)

24 - Aaron Harang

41 - Carlos Lee

Alright, and now here's the 2008 Topps Heritage pack.

142 - Rich Thompson (RC) (Got it.)

271 - Andy Phillips (Got it.)

375 - Manny Ramirez Baseball Thrills (Ugh. Got it.)

39 - Joe Mauer (Good player. Got it.)

171 - Delmon Young (Got it.)

NAP7 - Alex Rodriguez New Ager Performers (This pretty much paid for the pack right here, except... yes, I got it.)

5 - Javier Vazquez Black Back (Got this one, too.)

267 - Xavier Nady Black Back (And this as well.)

Well, there's 8 more cards for the trade pile. Let me know if anyone is still working on this set.