- Thread starter
- #1
My main PC subject for the past 15 years, Grady Sizemore, appears to possibly have come to the end of the road. I thought he had before the 2014 season, but he caught on with the Red Sox, and even hit a homer in his first game back. But he was let go, and then caught on with the Phillies, then the Rays, who declined to bring him back this year. As far as I know, he's a free agent and keeping in shape, not officially retired or anything, hoping for another shot. For his sake, I hope a contender needs a good defensive OF to platoon or something. Anyways, I thought his last cards were issued in 2015 Topps Heritage High Numbers. Luckily, I was able to quickly acquire all the parallels from that set, and it's a good thing because they are all tough, and for a couple of them I've only seen my one copy. But I figured he'd seen his last MLB play, and with it, his last cards. However, while doing my thrice daily ebay searches (how many times have I searched for him over the years?), a listing for a 2016 Topps Tier One break came up. I hadn't seen any of his cards from that se yet, so I pulled up a checklist. It turns out that he is on there with one card, in the Bat Knob section. How fitting. After all these years, and a couple thousand cards, his very first knob would be his last card (hopefully not, but, you know).
It's especially fitting, in my eyes, because, aside from Topps, companies all treated him a little strangely in the first few years. He would often appear in insert sets but not base sets. I've been cataloguing my collection, and in 2004 and 2005, when he first became eligible for non-Topps cards, he's in things like Fleer Flair Autographs with 5 parallels, but no Flair card. Or Upper Deck Rookie Class on an insert, but not in the base set. Now he's got a copy of one of the most coveted styles of insert card, but no base card. TBH, I'd be surprised if the card was actually made, and even more so if I manage to locate and acquire it. But I'd love to. If anyone hears of it, please make me your first call.
It's especially fitting, in my eyes, because, aside from Topps, companies all treated him a little strangely in the first few years. He would often appear in insert sets but not base sets. I've been cataloguing my collection, and in 2004 and 2005, when he first became eligible for non-Topps cards, he's in things like Fleer Flair Autographs with 5 parallels, but no Flair card. Or Upper Deck Rookie Class on an insert, but not in the base set. Now he's got a copy of one of the most coveted styles of insert card, but no base card. TBH, I'd be surprised if the card was actually made, and even more so if I manage to locate and acquire it. But I'd love to. If anyone hears of it, please make me your first call.
