2 Packs of Topps Heritage

I finally decided to pick some of this up, didn't want to buy the $2.99 retail and come away with not a single SP, so I got 2 hobby packs at the shop for $8. Let's commence with the break

45 Chris Ray

In the minors, Chris played for Aberdeen, Delmarva, Frederick, and Bowie. That reads more like a list of last names. The nerdy, repressed Ray is wearing glasses while reading a book and being laughed at by the jocks. Finally, a baseball card that represents the AV club!

302 Wily Mo Pena

Is Mo in his last name or his first name? I think first, but I have really no clue.

185 Brad Hawpe

Hawpe had 116 RBI's last year and gets no love? Reminds me of the season Jorge Cantu had a couple of years ago with the Devil Rays.

109 David "Grit" Eckstein

"David makes up for his size with grit" says the picture. David has no power. Every person on earth must now know that David Eckstein is a small man, as this has been mentioned no less than 6,522 times in the past year. However, Eckstein led the league in grit with a ridiculous .822, the most grit since his record breaking 2002. Some speculate Eckstein uses steroids to increase his grit quotient, but nothing can be proven. Nothing.

295 Josh Johnson

Just another young, talented, injured Marlins starter.

131 Brandon Jones (RC)

I like the design of these cards. As someone who owns an authentic "gasp" rookie card of this year, the design stays pretty true to form. Brandon Jones appears to be a competitor for the grit NL title: but wait, far too many RBI's.

116 Black Back SP Wladimir Balentien

He's good and underrated. Wladdy was born in Willemstad and played winor weague ball for Wisconsin.

414 J.D. Drew

Drew only has 173 HR in his career: I thought he had around 250. Guess that's what happens when you bat like 370 times a year.

173 Ronny Paulino

Last year, J.D. Drew had the same amount of home runs as this Pittsburgh "scrub", with 11. In fact, they had similar stat lines

.263/11/55 with 25 2B, 120 H, 457 AB for Paulino
.270/11/64 with 30 2B, 126 H, 460 AB for J.D Drew

50 Ken Griffey Jr.

No picture? All stats? Goddammit, I want to see the damn pictures!

460 Tom Gorzelanny

Serious made up statistic here... among NL Lefties with at least 40 starts over the past 2 years, Gorzelanny's ERA is the 2nd lowest... at 3.68, a good ERA, but not even close to the stuff of legends. Who's first, you ask? Cole Hamels is apparently tied for second with a 3.68 ERA, and there's no other lefty. Maybe there's something I'm missing, but 3.68 is not greater than 3.68. Perhaps they gave Hamels the edge because he plays in a little league park.

296 Josh Banks

He likes to fish. Ummm what else is there that's interesting about Josh Banks.

342 Matt Chico

Now we're talking, baby! Ace of the Washington Nationals right here with these fine stats

31 Starts
167 Innings Pitched
94 Strikeouts / 74 Walks
7-9 W/L
4.63 ERA

The Pirates are looking really good at pitching now with Snell and Gorzelanny.

59 John Patterson

He was SUPPOSED to be the Nationals ace, but had an ERA of almost double Chico's before going on the DL. Oops.

63 Eric Chavez

Eric Chavez's picture indicates that he likes to hug men. Whatever. Chavez is one of only three household names on the A's, the other two being Rich Harden. (Joe Blanton gets no love, despite being a damn good average pitcher) Now that Chavez is out, the A's have fewer name players than any other team in the majors. Try it. The Royals have Alex Gordon and Gil Meche. The Pirates have Jason Bay and Freddy Sanchez. The Marlins have Hanley Ramirez and Dan Uggla. The Nationals, well, the Nationals have Ryan Zimmerman, and, um... Dmitri Young? Yeah, let's go with that. Okay, so the Nationals have only one name player too. Big whoop.