Buyback Franken-set: 800 Total Buybacks!

Today's batch of ten buybacks is significant for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, they arrived in trade from one of my absolute favorite bloggers, Dimebox Nick. Secondly, today's round of ten takes the total number of buybacks in my collection to 800 even! Let's dig in...

1989 Topps #744 - Roger Craig

Roger Craig was involved in Major League baseball for decades, beginning as a pitcher back in the '50s, and continuing in managerial/coaching positions through the early '90s.  He looks like he's about 85 years old here, but in fact he was not even 60 in this photo.  Roger's still kicking as of the publishing of this post, 87 years old and counting.  He's my first #744 buyback, so he's got a place in my franken-set as well!

1977 Topps #399 - Bruce Boisclair

Bruce Boisclair's Major League career may not have been very notable, but this is an interesting card to me personally.  The reason?  Boisclair was born in the same region of Connecticut that I grew up in.  He was drafted out of Killingly High School, which is mere minutes from where my parents live to this day.

I'd love to include this one in the binder due to the personal connection, but there's a card standing in Bruce's way:

Yup, it's David Clyde on a "Psychedelic Ink Stain" photo variation short print! (TM Shoebox Legends).  Something went very, very wrong during production here.  Kind of makes it a cool addition to the binder but...

...in the end the local connection won out over the acid-trip-vibe David Clyde.

1987 Topps #183 - Andy Hawkins

Andy Hawkins does not look all that pleased to be featured on this 1987 Topps card.  Hawkins earned the W in what is the only World Series win in Padres' history to date.  Does this card make the franken-set binder though?

Steve Braun has other ideas.  Well, who's it gonna be?

I just like the photo on the Braun card more.  Besides, maybe someday I can offload some of the '87 buybacks in my reject box to Kin at I Feel Like a Collector Again for some of the sweet buybacks he's been showing off of late.

1989 Topps #791 - Jim Lindeman

Next up, Jim Lindeman.  This one looked familiar to me.

That's because the Gold Foil version already lost out to this Ted Simmons with respect to the franken-set.

Here the Silver Foil version suffers the same fate.

1984 Topps #266 - Steve Lubratich

I can't lie, my first reaction upon seeing this one in the stack from Nick was "who the f@#$ is Steve Lubratich?".  Not a name that jumped out at me whatsoever, but I don't feel too badly as it turns out 1984 was the only season during which he had a major trading card issued.  This is my first #266 buyback, so the franken-set just got a lot more obscure.

1989 Topps #445 - Matt Nokes

Next we have Matt Nokes in a classic batting pose on his 1989 release.  Nokes had an impressive rookie campaign in 1987 (he finished third in RoY voting), but was never really able to replicate that success again.  This is another new number for me as far as buybacks go, Matt is in.

1990 Topps #532 - Cecilio Guante

I am quite possibly the only collector on the planet who gets extremely excited to find a 1990 Topps buyback in a trade package.  What can I say?  If my count is correct Cecilio Guante here gives me 48 buybacks from this set that I've recorded and inventoried now, though I know I have a few others floating around here.  As the franken-set nears completion I'm going to start really focusing on a 1990 Topps buyback set (there, I said it!), so I'm happy to give this one a home.

Oh yeah, and for now Cecilio is actually not available for a 1990 Topps buyback set, because he's holding down slot 532 in the franken-set binder.

1984 Topps #64 - Mike Scioscia

Next we have a fine buyback in this 1984 Topps Mike Scioscia.  I like the prominently featured catcher's gear, and 1984 Topps is a set I don't have a ton of in the binder so far.  The problem is, I've already got this buyback in slot 64:

Ouch.

Any Lou Brock card (even half of one) that makes the binder is going to be tough to unseat indeed.

2006 Topps #UH305 - Diamondbacks Team Leaders

This is the kind of buyback that gives buybacks a bad name.  Does there need to be a recycled copy of the 2006 Diamondbacks (before they were good) team leaders card floating around out there?  Not really, but since there is I'm happy to give it a home!

Unfortunately, being from the Update set it's disqualified from making the binder by default.  Maybe if I someday finish the franken-set, and by some miracle complete a 1990 Topps buyback set also, and am still loving these cards, I'll try an update franken-set.  I doubt it though.

1965 Topps #42 - Earl Wilson

Last card for today, and what a completely awesome one for a Red Sox fan like myself.  Earl Wilson was a solid starter with the Red Sox throughout the early to mid '60s, and even tossed a no-hitter in 1962.  He moved to the Tigers for the 1967 season, where he promptly led the American League with 22 wins, then won a World Series the following season.

On top of that, 1965 Topps as a set is just gorgeous.  Easy to see why it's one of the most collected sets of the '60s.  This one should really be a no-brainer for inclusion in my franken-set, right?

Well, it turns out I already had a buyback in slot 42 of the binder.  And it's a Pilots buyback to boot.  I agonized over this one for a few minutes...

...but ultimately went with the Tommy Harper.  If this had been a '62 Earl Wilson, the year of his no-hitter, or a '67, the year he lead the AL in wins, it would have been a lock.  But in the end, my love of all things Seattle Pilots won out (even though it's a cap-less Pilot, which is really saying something).

I'm not all that confident with my decision here.  In fact, in the couple of days that have passed between scanning these and making the call and then typing this post, I kind of feel like I made the wrong choice here.  When (if!) I finish the franken-set I'm going to go back through the rejected box and reconsider a handful of cards for re-evaluation, and this will definitely be one of them.

As I mentioned at the outset of the post, this batch officially takes me to 800 total buybacks!  If I'd gotten perfect collation the franken-set could technically be done at this point, but as it stands I'm at a respectable 60%.  With over three months remaining, I'm hoping to get closer to the 75% mark by year end here.

There are more great buybacks to come from Nick's latest package, but before I get to those the next buyback post will feature a really significant individual buyback as a celebration of making it to 800 (teaser).  Until then!

Franken-set Progress:  480/792 (60%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  320
Total Buybacks in Collection: 800