Collecting some All-Stars, 7 years later

Major League Baseball provided the first update on 2014 American League and National League All-Star voting this week. David Wright trails Colorado’s Nolan Arenado and Milwaukee’s Aramis Ramirez at third base, but he’s the only Met who’s in the top five at his position.

In 2006, circumstances were very different – the Mets had six representatives on the All-Star team, including three members of the starting lineup. So baseball cards commemorating that All-Star Game have much greater potential to be interesting to a Mets fan than any for this year’s contest.

Topps produced a series of 12 All-Star insert cards that were included in 22-card Series One rack packs in 2007. Some of these packs recently resurfaced at select WalMart stores for the discounted price of 98 cents. Night Owl was kind enough to send me seven of the All-Star cards, including Carlos Beltran, one of two Mets players on the checklist.

I don’t remember seeing these cards before, but it has been seven years. Then again, I’m sure I would have made some kind of effort to collect the set. The bright, cartoon background reminds me of the spirit of the early 1990s oddball cards that I still love.

With the size of current All-Star rosters, it would be impractical to include everyone in a small set… but the selection Topps chose seems a bit odd. Beltran, Vladimir Guererro and Chase Utley? Cool. Brad Penny? Well, he did start the game for the National League. But Gary Matthews Jr.? Really? Then again, that’s kind of fitting too.

Here’s the full checklist, according to COMC.com:

•  AS1 Alfonso Soriano
• AS2 Paul Konerko
• AS3 Carlos Beltran
• AS4 Troy Glaus
• AS5 Jason Bay
• AS6 Vladimir Guerrero
• AS7 Chase Utley
• AS8 Michael Young
• AS9 David Wright
• AS10 Gary Matthews
• AS11 Brad Penny
• AS12 Roy Halladay

I definitely have to track down Wright’s card at some point, and I will probably try to get Soriano, Glaus, Bay and Halladay to complete the set.

Thanks, Night Owl!