An impulse by fills a few binder needs. 

Fresh off a victory at Busch Stadium on Tuesday night, I decided to take the plunge and buy one of those overpriced plastic containers of baseball cards from one of the numerous team stores. If I had scrutinized the packaging label a little more carefully, I may have realized that this random assortment was going to be nothing but old cards -- junk wax era, to be specific.

While everything was firmly rooted between the years 1981 and 1993, I did actually knock out a few things on my want list. Besides, at least I didn't throw down $34-plus-tax for a Topps flagship blaster, right?


I have quite a few Conlon cards, especially from 1991, but I didn't have this particular variant. Like many junk wax era sets, there were variations galore, as internet sleuthing has discovered that many sets from this era had two or three distinct versions of every single card in the set (check out 1987 through 1991 Donruss, for example.) This particular Conlon set is notable for its first printing lacking MLB logos, while its second (and seemingly identical third) printing has the logos. I am missing a lot of the "no logo" versions.


Check it. No logo.


I'm quite sure I never saw a single 1993 O-Pee-Chee card until I was well into my 30s. Here's a good one of the recently inducted HOFer.


Yep, here's a regular ol' base card from the '80s that I needed. '84 Donruss is fancy Donruss, though. Go figure. How many '84 Donruss Don Mattingly cards do you own? Be honest!


Finally, a couple of the Cards cards were randomly from a 1989 Louisville Redbirds set. I am cool with this. If there had been boxes of random (Cardinals affiliated) minor league cards available, I probably would have bought out the whole store.

I bought new packs and pulled a few new Redbirds. 

Each one of these pickups could probably have been part of a separate post, but I don't have a lot to say about the newest releases right now that tons of others haven't probably already said. Allen & Ginter continues to be Allen & Ginter, with the added bonus of a weird card numbering snafu that I assume Topps will never cop to. Does Topps ever apologize for anything? Do they have to? I guess that's what happens when you're a monopoly.


I ended up liking the cards in hand a lot more than I liked the samples, though. It probably helps that two of the three Cardinals I pulled had weird old-timey dudes in the background. Minis are the same as always, and come in several variants including the usual black bordered version like Hudson here.


Miles Mikolas just looks like he belongs on an Allen & Ginter card. He's feeling right at home.

In any case, I'm sure I'll collect this set. It'll probably be a better idea, however, if I wait until blasters drop to $15 and retail boxes drop to $40 like they have in the recent past.


I did actually post something about Stadium Club here, but I didn't pull any Cardinals in my pack. I did get this horrendous Photoshopped card in my pack tonight, however. Stadium Club should be for the photo purists, but sadly it is not.


I also bought a blaster (?) of Topps Stickers (?!) immediately after I left the card show a week ago. In case you hadn't heard, these are full-sized this year and have card-like backs (of other players, of course.)


This is one of the sticker backs. It's fine. It's nice to see Topps trying something different again. I think they switched back to making the stickers themselves after several years of farming these out to Panini (I presume) like the good ol' days. These no longer seem to say "Made in Italy" anywhere on them.

I'd love to see a Fleer Sticker Project style deep dive into Topps Stickers on the internet someday. I know there's some info out there, but not nearly enough, at least for me.

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Jim Edmonds | Adam Wainwright | Joe Torre | Scott Rolen | Willie McGee | Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel

At long last, here's one last list of Cardinals cards that I need to get rid of. Said list follows at the end of this post, so get your scroll wheel warmed up.


It's no secret that Ozzie Smith is my all-time favorite player. This is one of those things that is harder to explain with each passing year, as he became my favorite sometime during my childhood for reasons that I can't exactly put my finger on.


I was originally a Yankees fan when I was still learning about the game of baseball, and an American League fan by default. My dad (and his dad) had a heavy hand in that. No matter how many times I tell this story, it comes out differently, so sometime around when the Royals and Cardinals were meeting in the World Series, I decided the following things: 1) The world isn't fair. 2) Those exciting guys in red are sure fun to watch. Ozzie just happened to be the most exciting of them, and he played shortstop -- that was my position.


When you're 7 to 12 years old, there's something to be said for a guy that does a backflip before he takes his position.


I don't want say that time has diminished my enthusiasm for the Wizard or that I'm reassessing my feelings about him. He was a great player who was a surefire Hall of Famer on defensive skills alone. This is no insignificant feat in an era where defensive metrics were largely unknown/underappreciated. (They still are.) I will always collect Ozzie Smith cards as long as I collect cards. He was my first player collection before I ever even considered collecting Cardinals cards as a whole.


The list:

1984 O-Pee-Chee #130 [2 available, 1 is lightly creased]
1984 Topps (All-Star) #389
1984 Topps All-Star Glossy #16
1985 O-Pee-Chee #191 [dinged corner]
1985 Topps #605
1985 Topps (All-Star) #715 [2 available]
1986 Donruss #59
1986 Donruss Pop-Ups [2 available]
1986 Leaf/Donruss #47
1986 Sportflics #121
1986 Topps #730 [5 available]
1986 Topps (All-Star) #704 [6 available]
1986 Topps All-Star Glossy #16
1987 Donruss (Diamond Kings) #5
1987 Fleer Award Winner #38
1987 Fleer Baseball All Stars #41
1987 Fleer Star Stickers #112
1987 Sportflics #142
1987 Sportflics (Tri-Stars w/ Hubie Brooks and Shawon Dunston) #79
1987 Topps #749 [7 available]
1987 Topps (All-Star) #598 [5 available]
1988 Donruss #263 [4 available]
1988 Donruss MVP #BC-22 [5 available]
1988 Donruss All-Stars #37
1988 Donruss All-Stars (Top Vote Getter) #63
1988 Donruss Pop-Ups
1988 Fleer #47 [2 available]
1988 Fleer Baseball All-Stars #39 [2 available]
1988 Fleer Star Stickers #120
1988 Score #12 [2 available]
1988 Topps #460 [7 available]
1988 Topps (All-Star) #400 [7 available]
1988 Topps All-Star Glossy #16 [2 available]
1988 Topps Kmart #28
1988 Topps Mini League Leaders #72
1988 Topps UK Minis #72
1989 Donruss #63 [10 available]
1989 Donruss MVP #BC-14 [12 available]
1989 Donruss All-Stars (Top Vote Getter) #62
1989 Fleer #463 [6 available]
1989 Score #80 [3 available]
1989 Topps #230 [13 available]
1989 Topps (All-Star) #389 [11 available]
1989 Topps All-Star Glossy #16 [4 available]
1989 Upper Deck #265 [2 available]
1989 Upper Deck (Team Checklist) #674
1990 Bowman #195 [2 available]
1990 CMC Collect-A-Books #5
1990 Donruss #201 [13 available]
1990 Donruss (All-Star ERR "Recent Game Performance") #710 [2 available]
1990 Donruss (All-Star COR "All-Star Game Performance") #710 [23 available]
1990 Fleer #260 [11 available]
1990 Leaf #142
1990 Post #6
1990 Score #285 [2 available]
1990 Topps #590 [5 available]
1990 Topps (All-Star) #400 [3 available]
1990 Topps Kmart #4 [6 available]
1990 Upper Deck #225 [6 available]
1990 U.S. Playing Card Co
1991 Donruss #240 [20 available]
1991 Donruss (All-Star) #437 [6 available]
1991 Fleer #646
1991 Fleer Ultra #296
1991 Leaf #80 [3 available]
1991 Score #825 [4 available]
1991 Studio #238
1991 Topps #130 [3 available]
1991 Upper Deck #162 [5 available]
1992 Classic II #T26
1992 Confex The Baseball Enquirer #29
1992 Donruss #432
1992 Donruss (All-Star) #423
1992 Donruss McDonald's #26
1992 Donruss Triple Play #244 [2 available]
1992 Fleer #592 [3 available]
1992 Fleer Ultra #271 [4 available]
1992 Leaf #400
1992 Leaf Black Gold #400
1992 O-Pee-Chee Premier #84 [2 available]
1992 Pinnacle #6 [2 available]
1992 Score #590
1992 Topps #760 [4 available]
1992 Topps Stadium Club #680 [3 available]
1992 Upper Deck #177 [6 available]
1992 Upper Deck (Diamond Skills) #716 [2 available]
1993 Bowman #460
1993 Donruss #520
1993 Fleer Diamond Tribute #8
1993 Fleer Flair #128
1993 Fleer Ultra #113
1993 Leaf #328
1993 Score (Dream Team) #532
1993 Score Select #15 [4 available]
1993 Studio #217
1993 Topps #40 [2 available]
1993 Topps Black Gold #20
1993 Triple Play Nicknames #9
1993 Upper Deck #146 [5 available]
1993 Upper Deck Iooss Collection #WI7
1994 Donruss Triple Play #66 [2 available]
1994 Fleer #646
1994 Pacific #604
1994 Pinnacle #389 [2 available]
1994 Score #384
1994 Topps #320 [2 available]
1994 Topps Stadium Club #417 [2 available]
1994 Topps Stadium Club (Career Leaders) #541 [2 available]
1994 Upper Deck Collector's Choice #545 [2 available]
1994 Upper Deck Collector's Choice (Team Checklist) #334
1995 Emotion #183
1995 Leaf Great Gloves #13
1995 Sportflix #108
1995 Topps #347 [4 available]
1995 Topps D3 #58
1995 Topps Stadium Club #65
1995 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Special Edition #75 [2 available]
1996 Metal Universe #229
1996 Pinnacle Denny's #20
1996 Pinnacle Zenith #2
1996 Topps #301
1996 Upper Deck (Best of a Generation) #386
1996 Upper Deck SP #155
1997 Donruss #231 [2 available]
1997 Donruss Elite #125 [2 available]
1997 Fleer Ultra #276
1997 Leaf #152
1997 Upper Deck Collector's Choice Stick Um's #1
1999 Upper Deck Retro #95
2002 Topps Archives ('87) #153
2002 Upper Deck World Series Heroes #23 [3 available]
2003 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites #10
2003 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic #65
2004 Fleer Greats #143
2005 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts #59
2007 Upper Deck Masterpieces #19
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes #124
2008 Upper Deck Masterpiecs #83 [5 available]
2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Mini #56
2010 Topps Cards Your Mom Threw Out #CMT100
2010 Topps Peak Performance #PP-80
2010 Topps Vintage Legends #VLC9 [3 available]
2011 Topps 60 Years of Topps #60YOT-95
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen #99 [3 available]
2011 Topps Lineage #141
2012 Topps Archives #142
2013 Topps Archives #70 [3 available]

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Adam Wainwright | Joe Torre | Scott Rolen | Willie McGee | Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese

Just one left after this. As always, the list (and it's a big one) follows at the end of the post.

Let's get down to it. Jim Edmonds is one of my all-time favorite players. I followed the Pacific Coast League pretty closely back when I was in high school, and remember Edmonds from his time with the Angels AAA affiliates (Edmonton and later Vancouver.) I remember a lot of players from those days, which incidentally is what makes this blog so fun. He had some early success with the big league Angels, which included an All-Star season and some MVP consideration.


Most of Edmonds' career with Anaheim was highlighted with amazing defensive plays (I think they were called "Web Gems" to some) and lowlighted with some frustrating injuries. The Angels likely thought they were getting something of value for someone who hadn't quite lived up to the hype of his first full season when they dealt him to St. Louis for sell-high candidate Kent Bottenfield and serviceable Adam Kennedy, but the trade couldn't have gone better for the Redbirds.


Edmonds soared to new offensive heights immediately upon arrival in St. Louis, putting together season after season of stellar work at the plate while maintaining his Gold Glove caliber defense. Having already admired his work prior to to his donning of the Birds on the Bat, I found a new and exciting favorite player to follow.


Edmonds was always known for his flashy glove, and it's true that he caused himself to have to dive for more balls than your average center fielder because he played the position shallower than most. He was a walking YouTube highlight reel before there was such a thing. And even though he was seemingly hell-bent on playing for every rival team in the NL Central before he was forced to hang it up for good, Jimmy Ballgame remains one of my favorite players ever.


The list:

2000 Fleer Tradition Update #U55
2000 Pacific Omega #116
2000 Topps Traded #T91
2000 Topps Finest #149
2000 Upper Deck #474
2001 Bowman #70
2001 Donruss #33
2001 Donruss Classics #33 [2 available]
2001 Fleer Focus #58
2001 Fleer Futures #90
2001 Fleer Tradition #10 [2 available]
2001 Leaf Limited #14 [2 available]
2001 Pacific #350 [2 available]
2001 Topps #702 [2 available]
2001 Upper Deck #381 [2 available]
2001 Upper Deck Gold Glove #51
2001 Upper Deck MVP #189
2001 Upper Deck Pros & Prospects #54
2001 Upper Deck SP Authentic #52
2002 Donruss #23 [2 available]
2002 Donruss Diamond Kings #88
2002 Fleer Flair #15
2002 Fleer Premium #158
2002 Fleer Tradition Grass Roots #U4 of 10gr
2002 Fleer Ultra #36
2002 Leaf #46
2002 Topps (Gold Glove Award) #712 [2 available]
2002 Topps Opening Day #60
2002 Topps Post #5
2002 Topps Stadium Club #11 [2 available]
2002 Upper Deck Ballpark Idols #116
2002 Upper Deck Piece of History #53
2002 Upper Deck MVP #169 [2 available]
2003 Bazooka Minis #205
2003 Donruss Diamond Kings #145
2003 Fleer Box Score #38
2003 Fleer Tradition (Banner Season) #474
2003 Fleer Tradition Update (All-Star) #U238
2003 Fleer Ultra #22
2003 Topps Opening Day #108
2003 Topps Stadium Club #82
2003 Topps 205 #11
2003 Upper Deck Masters with the Leather #L10
2003 Upper Deck First Pitch #158
2003 Upper Deck Honor Roll #100
2003 Upper Deck Patch Collection #102
2003 Upper Deck Victory #84 [5 available]
2004 Donruss Team Heroes #390
2004 Fleer Platinum #118
2004 Topps #560
2004 Topps (Gold Glove Award) #713 [3 available]
2004 Topps Opening Day #110 [3 available]
2004 Topps Total #340
2004 Upper Deck Power Up #14
2004 Upper Deck Diamond Collection Pro Sigs #87 [2 available]
2005 Donruss #338
2005 Donruss Diamond Kings #209
2005 Donruss Studio #261 [2 available]
2005 Fleer America's National Pastime #32 [2 available]
2005 Fleer Authentix #33
2005 Fleer Patchworks #11
2005 Fleer Showcase #93
2005 Fleer Tradition #125
2005 Leaf #183 [2 available]
2005 Playoff Absolute Memorabilia #3
2005 Playoff Prestige #115 [2 available]
2005 Topps (All-Stars) #724 [2 available]
2005 Topps Grudge Match (w/ Carlos Zambrano) #GM4
2005 Topps Cracker Jack #223
2005 Topps Total #375
2005 Upper Deck ESPN #79 [2 available]
2005 Upper Deck Flyball #29
2005 Upper Deck MVP #42
2005 Upper Deck Pros & Prospects #89 [3 available]
2006 Fleer Tradition #49 [5 available]
2006 Fleer Ultra #38 [7 available]
2006 Fleer Ultra Gold #38
2006 Fleer Ultra Diamond Producers #DP3 [5 available]
2006 Topps #535 [4 available]
2006 Topps (Gold Glove Award) #258 [6 available]
2006 Topps Cardinals Team Set #STL4
2006 Topps Co-Signers #69
2006 Topps Opening Day #129 [4 available]
2006 Topps Opening Day Sports Illustrated for Kids #8
2006 Upper Deck Artifacts #84
2006 Upper Deck First Pitch #181
2006 Upper Deck Future Stars #66
2006 Upper Deck Sweet Spot #21 [2 available]
2006 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Update #88
2007 Bowman #59
2007 Bowman Chrome #59
2007 Fleer #45 [3 available]
2007 Fleer Mini Die Cuts #45
2007 Fleer Ultra Retail #149 [4 available]
2007 Fleer Ultra SE #149
2007 Topps #39 [7 available]
2007 Topps Wal-Mart #WM10 [2 available]
2007 Topps Co-Signers #13
2007 Topps Opening Day #48 [5 available]
2007 Upper Deck #448 [3 available]
2007 Upper Deck First Edition #287 [3 available]
2007 Upper Deck Goudey Red #59 [2 available]
2007 Upper Deck MLB Artifacts #67 [2 available]
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic #48 [2 available]
2008 Topps #192 [3 available]
2008 Topps Opening Day #82 [2 available]
2008 Upper Deck #69 [3 available]
2008 Upper Deck First Edition #56

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Joe Torre | Scott Rolen | Willie McGee | Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese

We're down to just three more players to feature on the Cardinalpalooza, a feature I expected would last through the summer of 2013 at the latest. I'm slow, I can't help it! The final two players to be featured are my two all-time favorite Cardinals, so it is fitting that I am talking about one of my favorites from the current team here today. As always, the list of available cards follows at the end of the post.


Adam Wainwright is indelibly etched into Cardinal lore for his role in the 2006 playoffs, where as a rookie he was thrust into the closer's role after Jason Isringhausen's injury and Braden Looper's ineffectiveness. That 2006 team was running on fumes, having floored it through the entire 2004 and 2005 seasons without remembering to stop at the gas station on the way back into town. Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds were fraying at the seams, and the team had to rely on young blood like Wainwright to push them across the finish line.


Wainwright was the prospect piece in the J.D. Drew trade. Atlanta sent over serviceable but frustrating starter Jason Marquis, who logged quite a few innings (and headaches). Ultimately, the deal would be all about Wainwright, who was on the path to be a upper crust starting pitcher.


By the time the Cardinals would find themselves back in the playoffs in 2009, Wainwright was leading the National League in pitching wins and innings pitched. Only Chris Carpenter's brilliance kept the spotlight from being firmly on Wainwright alone.


Oddly enough, the Cardinals would find themselves again a World Series winner by 2011, but it would with Waino on the sidelines. He sat out the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but returned to form in 2013 after an up-and-down 2012.

The list:

2006 Fleer Flair Showcase Wave of the Future #WF-3
2006 Fleer Tradition #48
2006 Upper Deck #424
2006 Upper Deck Star Attractions #SA-AW
2007 Fleer #48 [2 available]
2007 Fleer Ultra Retail #152 [5 4 available]
2007 Fleer Ultra SE #152
2007 Topps Update #UH79
2007 Topps Finest Finest Moments #RFM-AW
2007 Upper Deck #954
2008 Topps #244 [11 10 available]
2008 Upper Deck #61 [4 3 available]
2009 Bowman #137 [5 4 available]
2009 O-Pee-Chee #131 [2 available]
2009 Upper Deck #348 [4 3 available]
2009 Upper Deck #883 [4 3 available]
2010 Bowman #104 [2 available]
2010 Bowman Gold #104
2010 Topps #136 [8 7 available]
2011 Topps Update (All-Star) #US-125
2010 Topps Attax Code [5 4 available]
2010 Topps Chrome #43
2010 Topps National Chicle #102 [3 2 available]
2010 Topps Opening Day #62 [3 2 available]
2010 Upper Deck #467 [3 2 available]
2011 Bowman #42 [3 2 available]
2011 Topps #645 [4 2 available]
2011 Topps (League Leaders w/ Roy Halladay + Ubaldo Jimenez) #11 [4 3 available]
2011 Topps (League Leaders w/ Josh Johnson + Roy Halladay) #82
2011 Topps Topps 60 #T60-39
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen #202
2011 Topps Lineage #83 [3 2 available]
2011 Topps Lineage Diamond Anniversary Refractors #83
2011 Topps Opening Day #151 [3 2 available]
2012 Bowman #59
2012 Topps #495 [2 available]
2012 Topps Archives #53 [2 available]
2012 Topps Gypsy Queen #196 [2 available]
2012 Topps Opening Day #60 [5 4 available]
2013 Topps #50 [2 available]
2013 Topps Update (All-Star) #US93
2013 Topps Archives #135 [2 available]
2013 Topps Mini #50

[updated 01/14/14]

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Scott Rolen | Willie McGee | Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton

Joe Torre joined Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa this week in a parade of managers-to-the-Hall, but Torre's career was nearly as memorable as a player as it was with him riding the pine in a Yankees uniform. Managing a team to 4 rings in 6 seasons will fasttrack you to the Hall of Fame easier than 2300+ hits and 9 All-Star appearances as a player will, though.


Torre spent the majority of his playing days with the Braves, but he spent a good chunk of time with the Cardinals as well. Torre arrived in St. Louis after some pretty memorable '60s teams, which nearly parallels the way his Cardinal managerial tenure played out. He came in after the Whiteyball era ended, and... well, let's just say that the first half of the '90s are best forgotten if you're a Cards fan. It's interesting that he took over the Yankees the same season that Tony La Russa became the Cardinals manager. Torre won a ring that first season while La Russa led the Cardinals to their first playoff appearance since 1987. For the Yankees, it would be their first World Series appearance since 1981.


The list:

1971 Topps (NL Batting Leaders w/ Rico Carty and Manny Sanguillen) #62 [no creases but the card is pretty beat up as you can see by the scan]
1982 Topps Kmart #20 [4 available]
1991 Topps #351 [2 available]
1992 Topps #549 [4 available]
1993 Ted Williams #93
1993 Topps (w/ Lou Pinella) #512

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Willie McGee | Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton

The MV3 era was great times. Scott Rolen was acquired by the Cardinals in the 2002 season to bolster their playoff chances, but his fateful meeting with Alex Cintron meant his full potential wouldn't be realized until the post-3 Nights in August season of 2004. That year, the Cardinals could do no wrong. It would be the finest offensive season of Rolen's career, though he was being overshadowed by his own teammates.


When healthy, Rolen was a terrific offensive player, but that always came secondary to his work with the glove. A second, more serious injury in 2005 would effectively doom his chances of ever driving in 100 runs again, but in his prime he was an extremely valuable commodity. The Cardinals improbable World Series win in 2006 when all of the cogs (save for Pujols) were seemingly broken down/old/Scott Spiezio meant that we'll never talk about Rolen the same way as people talk about Carlos Beltran. He did get the ring. So did Edmonds. So did So Taguchi.


Rolen apparently had an icy relationship with the icy Tony La Russa, so the rare "match trade" shipped him out of town for an even more doomed Troy Glaus. Glaus only had one productive season left in him, while Rolen resurfaced as a key member of the Reds, one of Walt Jocketty's first of many ex-Cardinal imports.


Fans of watching baseball likely appreciate Rolen's talents, especially in the field. I don't think he was the type of personality to cross the line between ballplayer and "star", but I can hardly think of any players that played his position better in the past decade-plus.


The list:

2002 Donruss Originals #88
2003 Donruss #346 [2 available]
2003 Fleer Tradition #393
2003 Playoff Portraits #122
2003 Upper Deck Honor Roll #77
2003 Upper Deck Standing "O" #73
2003 Upper Deck Victory #86 [4 available]
2003 Upper Deck Victory (Solid Hits) #124
2004 Bowman #11 [2 available]
2004 Donruss Diamond Kings #104
2004 Donruss Elite #145
2004 Fleer InScribed #66
2004 Fleer Platinum #128
2004 Fleer Tradition #139
2004 Leaf Second Edition #186
2004 Topps (Gold Glove) #709
2004 Topps (All-Star) #722
2004 Upper Deck Diamond Pro Sigs #48 [2 available]
2004 Upper Deck Play Ball #62
2004 Upper Deck R-Class #11
2004 Upper Deck Sweet Spot #83
2005 Donruss #342
2005 Donruss Diamond Kings #398 [2 available]
2005 Donruss Team Heroes #299
2005 Donruss Zenith #96
2005 Fleer America's National Pastime #30
2005 Fleer Classic Clippings #31
2005 Fleer Patchworks #61
2005 Fleer Tradition #171
2005 Leaf #184
2005 Skybox Autographics #51
2005 Topps (Gold Glove) #708
2005 Topps (All-Star) #722 [2 available]
2005 Topps Total #295
2005 Upper Deck All-Star Classics #43 [2 available]
2005 Upper Deck ESPN #81
2005 Upper Deck MVP #80 [2 available]
2005 Upper Deck Pros & Prospects #18 [3 available]
2005 Upper Deck Sweet Spot #21
2006 Fleer #94 [2 available]
2006 Fleer Smooth Leather #SL-12
2006 Fleer Tradition #50 [4 available]
2006 Fleer Ultra #42 [5 available]
2006 Topps #555 [3 available]
2006 Topps Update (All-Star) #UH255
2006 Topps Opening Day #19 [3 available]
2006 Upper Deck First Pitch #185
2007 Bowman #148 [3 available]
2007 Fleer #44 [5 available]
2007 Fleer Ultra #148
2007 Fleer Ultra Retail #148 [6 available]
2007 Topps #85 [6 available]
2007 Topps (Gold Glove) #302 [3 available]
2007 Topps Opening Day #53 [3 available]
2007 Upper Deck Elements #37
2007 Upper Deck Future Stars #87
2007 Upper Deck Goudey Green Backs #91
2007 Upper Deck SP Authentic #49 [2 available]
2007 Upper Deck Spectrum #95
2008 Topps #170 [7 available]
2008 Topps Opening Day #72 [2 available]
2008 Upper Deck Spectrum #88 [2 available]

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Red Schoendienst | Enos Slaughter | Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton

Willie Dean McGee was one of the centerpieces of the Runnin' Redbirds. McGee's speed and tablesetting was as integral to the success of the Cardinals offensive engine as Ozzie Smith's defensive wizardry was to saving runs. And even though McGee won the MVP in 1985 based largely on his ability to get on base and his base thievery, it was his 1987 season that always sticks in my mind. He was dropped to 5th in the batting order and sacrificed some of his on-base abilities that year while driving in a remarkable 105 runs. Not bad for a guy who had 79 HRs in 18 seasons.


Willie remains one of the most popular Cardinals of all-time to never have his uniform number retired, even though he spent the better part of the '90s in other uniforms. I don't recall other players who have been issued his #51 (though not exactly the most popular of numbers), so it's safe to assume it's unofficially retired.


Well over a decade before renting players at the trade deadline became a common practice, McGee was a participant in one of the weirder statistical anomalies in all of baseball when he won the NL batting title as a member of the (AL) Oakland Athletics. The Cardinals traded him to Oakland at the deadline when he was hitting .335 and he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting crown. No one caught up to him.


Like Ray Lankford, McGee returned to the Cardinals at the tail end of his career, during the Tony La Russa era. La Russa feuded with Ozzie Smith, a Cardinal legend that he inherited, but apparently must have been on good terms with some of the other Cardinals stars of earlier days.


The list:

1983 Fleer #15
1983 Topps #49
1983 Topps Stickers #147 [2 available]
1984 Topps #310 [6 available]
1985 Donruss #475
1985 Topps #757 [4 available]
1986 Donruss #109
1986 Donruss (Diamond Kings) #3
1986 Fleer Baseball's Best Sluggers vs. Pitchers #22
1986 Fleer Star Stickers #74
1986 O-Pee-Chee #117
1986 Topps #580 [7 available]
1986 Topps (All-Star) #707 [6 available]
1986 Topps Box Bottom #L
1986 Topps Glossy All-Star Send-In #9
1986 Topps Mini League Leaders #71
1986 Topps Quaker Chewy Granola Bars #1
1987 Donruss #84 [5 available]
1987 Fleer #304
1987 Fleer League Leaders #29 [3 available]
1987 O-Pee-Chee #357 [2 available]
1987 Topps #440 [8 available]
1988 Donruss #307 [9 available]
1988 Donruss All-Stars #44
1988 Fleer #42 [2 available]
1988 Fleer Star Stickers #118 [2 available]
1988 Score #40 [8 available]
1988 Topps #160 [5 available]
1988 Topps Mini League Leaders #71 [4 available]
1988 Topps Stickers (w/ Steve Bedrosian Super Star #31) #55
1988 Topps U.K. Minis #46 [7 available]
1989 Donruss #161 [10 available]
1989 Fleer #457 [3 available]
1989 Panini #189
1989 Score #88 [3 available]
1989 Topps #640 [7 available]
1989 Topps Stickers (w/ Rafael Santana #313 and Bob Knepper Super Star #63) #36
1989 Topps Stickers (w/ Rafael Santana #313 and Mark Davis Super Star #64) #36
1990 Bowman #194
1990 Donruss #632 [5 available]
1990 Fleer #253 [6 available]
1990 Score #374 [5 available]
1990 Topps #285 [8 available]
1990 Upper Deck #505 [2 available]
1991 Donruss Highlights #BC-22
1991 Panini #1 [2 available]
1997 Upper Deck Collector's Choice #199 [2 available]
1998 Upper Deck #202
1999 Upper Deck #187

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Bruce Sutter | Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton | Lance Berkman

Perhaps no other Hall of Famer embodies the team he played for more than Red Schoendienst. At 90 years old, he still participates in team activities to this day. He was a 10-time All-Star and won 5 World Series rings. He's the oldest living person to manage a World Series winner, and he came back to the post twice on an interim basis, bookending the Whitey Herzog era.


Had I planned things better, this would have made a great Veterans Day post.

The list:

1990 Topps Traded Factory Set #113T
1992 Studio (Checklist) #262
1994 Ted Williams Card Company #83
2001 Topps Archives '62 #400
2005 Upper Deck Classics #80
2007 Topps Distinguished Service #DS24 [2 available]
2008 Donruss Threads #47 [5 available]


Like Red, Enos "Country" Slaughter spent some playing years with other organizations. His most prolific years were spent wearing the Birds on the Bat, however. I know embarrassingly little about Slaughter beyond the fact that he was a terrific player with a terrific name who played for a terrific team.


The list:

1993 Ted Williams Card Company #92
1998 Fleer Sports Illustrated World Series Fever (Magnificent Moments) #26
2005 Upper Deck Classics #32 [3 available]

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Albert Pujols | Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton | Lance Berkman

If you haven't already, check out my public service announcement from late last night and keep in mind that I might be hitting you up for some want list action very soon. Here's another player I'm working on purging doubles of from my collection.


Bruce Sutter's Cardinal tenture was a little before my time. The Cardinals did win the World Series in 1982, but I was just shy of 7 years old at the time and still thought that the American League was the league to root for. I guess it didn't matter how exciting those speedy Redbirds were. Sutter was the bearded All-Star the Cardinals traded for that ultimately bolstered their bullpen enough to be dangerous.


He was the first ever pitcher to be elected to the Hall of Fame who never started a game in his career. The Hall still seems to thumb its collective nose at closers (Lee Smith!) and other specialists, but I'm expecting that to change when it comes to Mariano Rivera's turn. Sutter entered the Hall on his 13th ballot, the very same year that the Cardinals finally won another World Series ring. I realize that it seems to most fans like the Cardinals win every other year, but they did go from 1988 to 2003 without a Series appearance.


I've always liked these "then and now" style cards.

The list:

1982 Donruss #372 [2 available]
1982 Topps #260
1982 Topps (League Leaders w/ Rollie Fingers) #168
1982 Topps (All-Star) #347 [4 3 available]
1983 Fleer #24
1983 Fleer Stickers #1 [3 2 available]
1983 Topps (Super Veteran) #151 [2 available]
1983 Topps (League Leaders w/ Dan Quisenberry) #708
1984 Fleer #338
1984 Topps #730
1984 Topps Ralston Purina #24
1985 Donruss #109
1985 Topps #370 [4 3 available]
1985 Topps (Record Breaker) #9 [2 available]
1985 Topps (All-Star) #722 [4 3 available]

[updated 11/13/13]

Previously on the Cardinalpalooza: Ray Lankford | Mark McGwire | J.D. Drew | Colby Rasmus | Yadier Molina | Allen Craig | Stan Musial | Rick Ankiel | David Freese | Keith Hernandez | Steve Carlton | Lance Berkman

What can you say about Albert Pujols? For 11 glorious seasons, the man was an unstoppable baseball killing machine, arriving on the scene as a rookie that was more polished offensively than most All-Stars. Only a .299 batting average (and his subsequent years with the Angels) ruined the back of what would have been a perfect baseball card. It was like Albert had all the cheat codes while everyone else was playing with the difficulty switch set to "hard". If you want some Pujols cards, I have plenty of extras - just check the list at the end of the post.


Albert's worst St. Louis season was probably his last, where he only drove in 99 runs and had a .906 OPS. No Cardinal on the 2013 World Series roster drove in as many as 99 runs or had an OPS as high as Albert's worst year, let alone sniffed the 32 HRs Pujols hit in his worst Cardinal power year (2007).


After being shuffled around the field early in his career, Pujols even became an excellent defensive first baseman before foot injuries began to rob him of his range. As great as Yadier Molina is behind the plate, he's never been able to pick players off of 1st like he did when Pujols was around.


There was much teeth gnashing surround Albert's departure for Anaheim in 2012. Due to the unfortunately decline in his health, the Cardinals have been much better off without the big Pujols contract. But there is nowhere in baseball he would have been more popular than if he had remained in the Gateway City, and that fact alone has probably dipped his standing a bit as one of the game's greats. He may no longer be an unstoppable killing machine, but Cardinals fans will always have those 11 spectacular seasons.


Oh yes, and those 2 World Series rings. And that sweet, sweet Game 3.

The list:

2002 Upper Deck MVP #166
2003 Fleer Doubleheader #129
2003 Upper Deck SP Authentic #54
2003 Upper Deck Victory #87
2003 Upper Deck Victory (Solid Hits) #101
2003 Upper Deck Victory Green #87
2004 Donruss Diamond Kings #27
2004 Fleer Classic Clippings #17
2005 Donruss Throwback Threads #105
2005 Fleer Patchworks #49
2005 Fleer Tradition (NL Home Run Leaders w/ Adrian Beltre and Adam Dunn) #10
2006 Topps #200
2006 Topps (League MVP) #263 [3 available]
2007 Fleer Ultra Retail #147
2007 Topps #130
2007 Topps (Gold Glove Award) #308 [5 4 available]
2007 Topps Stars #TS6
2007 Upper Deck Goudey Green Back #6
2007 Upper Deck MLB Artifacts #66
2008 Topps Target T205 #TCP1
2008 Upper Deck Baseball Heroes #156
2008 Upper Deck First Edition Starquest #SQ-32
2008 Upper Deck National Baseball Card Day #UD11
2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic #3
2008 Upper Deck SP Authentic Authentic Achievements #AA-38
2008 Upper Deck Spectrum #87
2008 Upper Deck Timeline #300
2008 Upper Deck X #91 [2 available]
2009 Bowman #2
2009 Topps (NL MVP) #217
2009 Topps Update (All-Star) #UH48 [2 available]
2009 Topps Update (Home Run Derby) #UH300
2009 Topps Ticket to ToppsTown  #TTT13
2009 Topps Unique #100
2009 Upper Deck Icons #5
2009 Upper Deck X #84
2010 Bowman Gold #185
2010 Topps #100 [3 available]
2010 Topps (League Leaders w/ Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval) #4
2010 Topps (League Leaders w/ Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard) #42
2010 Topps (League Leaders w/ Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard) #206
2010 Topps (NL MVP) #327
2010 Topps Update (All-Star) #US-200 [2 available]
2010 Topps Ticket to ToppsTown #TTT14 [4 available]
2010 Topps Opening Day #47
2010 Topps Opening Day ToppsTown #TTS22
2010 Upper Deck #463
2011 Bowman #6
2011 Bowman Gold #6
2011 Topps (League Leaders w/ Carlos Gonzalez and Joey Votto) #138 [2 available]
2011 Topps (League Leaders w/ Adam Dunn and Joey Votto) #318 [2 available]
2011 Topps (Checklist) #547 [2 available]
2011 Topps Diamond Giveaway Code #TDG-8
2011 Topps Diamond Stars #DS-10
2011 Topps HTA Diamond Giveaway #HTA-20
2011 Topps Kimball Champions #KC-40
2011 Topps Topps 60 #T60-100
2011 Topps Chrome #150
2011 Topps Gypsy Queen #75
2011 Topps Opening Day #50
2012 Topps (League Leaders w/ Matt Kemp and Prince Fielder) #77
2012 Topps (World Series) #108 [2 available]
2012 Topps (League Leaders w/ Vladimir Guerrero and Todd Helton) #124 [3 available]
2012 Topps Golden Giveaway Code #GGC-6 [3 available]
2012 Topps Golden Greats #GG-69

[updated 11/12/13]