Card of the Day – Arod in Purgatory

Last month, Alex Rodriguez was the King of Baseball. He played for the greatest team, put up the biggest numbers, and was destined to eliminate Barry Bonds from the #1 most-cherished sports record in the world.

Today, fans all over the country have turned their backs on Alex. Sure, he’s got his supporters but none of them will be able to save Rodriguez from public perception. It’s plain and simple: Alex cheated. He used Steroids during his M.V.P season, probably even longer than the three years he is willing to admit.

In an era where Steroids ran wild, he could have made the difference. His numbers could have proven to the young boys in little league, the young men in high school, and the young adults in the Minors that you can put up legendary numbers without the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

All that is gone now and this season the spotlight will shine brightest on Arod. If he can’t handle the pressure of playing in the playoffs (.071 in 2006), how does he expect to play when the entire sports world is hanging on to each and every at-bat while secretly hoping he fails?

As for this 2007 Topps Turkey Red autograph, you can find it HERE.

As far as Rodriguez baseball cards are concerned, it’s one of the best-looking ones I have ever seen. Yes, it’s got one of those hated Topps stickers but I think in this case it was used well. I don’t think an on-card auto would have added much to the already perfect design element.

Alex Rodriguez playing baseball in an empty field as the sun goes down.

Don’t Know What You Got (Turkey’s Gone)

I am ashamed to admit that when I busted my box of 2007 Topps Turkey Red I was disappointed. It probably had more to do with the high price I paid and not the contents of the box but in a short time those cards were put away and sat unappreciated for many months.

Today, looking back at all the products I have busted in the last couple of years, it’s now become one of my all-time favorites. For starters, unlike other Topps brands, they did not go overboard with parallels. There was a base card, a Chrome, Refractor, and Black Refractor version. That was it. No crazy Rainbow colors, ugly printing plates or other unnecessary “1 of 1” cards.

Today I received a package from reader Mike T. who sent the final card I needed for my “Master” Turkey set, a black Refractor #’d to just 99 copies. Thanks to Mike T., I am now up to 116 different Andrew Miller cards and a good chance for a few more this weekend as I might attend a Marlins workout.

Below you will find all four base versions, a worthless “game-used” relic, and two regular base cards Andrew signed for us in 2008. I can’t think of any other product with the exception of Topps ’52 Rookie Cup Edition that has gotten this much use as Turkey Red has and now it’s nothing but an insert set in 2009 Topps. Damn, what a shame.

In my opinion, Turkey Red put Allen & Ginter to shame in 2007.