Buyback Franken-set: A Quick Dose of '90 Topps

In these uncertain times, it's natural for us to turn to things that give us comfort.  For me, on the collecting side of things, both buybacks and 1990 Topps (the first set I ever ripped packs of and collected as a kid) would both qualify as such.  So, let's evaluate five 1990 Topps buybacks for my franken-set project!

1990 Topps #185 - Ruben Sierra

First up, slugger Ruben Sierra.  Ruben had a bit of an off-year in 1990, with a noticeable drop in power and average compared to both the season before and the season after.  Cool card though, I feel like the photograph is crisper than many other examples in this set, and I like how the bat overlaps the team name too.  Does he make the franken-set binder though?

Not if Jim Owens' 1960 release has anything to say about it.  Honestly, this is a case where I have so few 1960 buybacks that I'm hesitant to toss this one for the sake of variety in the binder alone.

Owens stays, and Ruben Sierra joins the dedicated 1990 Topps buyback set.

1990 Topps #368 - Bill Doran

I confess to knowing little to nothing about Bill Doran, despite the fact that he enjoyed a 12-year Major League career.  Sort of a bland buyback, plus...

...it's got a tough draw as this project goes, squaring off against this great '74 Topps Manny Mota.

Easy call!

1990 Topps #365 - Ozzie Guillen

Here's a cool one, Ozzie Guillen showing off his bunting technique.  I've also got this card in autographed buyback format, courtesy of Topps Archives Signature Series.  Ozzie was an All-Star in 1990, won a Gold Glove, and even drew an MVP vote or two!

In slot 365 of the Buyback Franken-set sits this 1974 Steve Busby.  The star of the show here is the chain link fence and empty bleachers backdrop.

In this case I don't see a need to force Guillen into the binder, particularly where I could use this card number for my burgeoning 1990 Topps buyback set.

1990 Topps #71 - Allan Anderson

I'll forgive you if you aren't intimately familiar with pitcher Allan Anderson.  He lasted just six years in MLB, and in 1990 he was 7-18 in 31 games as a starter for Minnesota, with an ERA on the wrong side of 4.50.

Is there any chance I'd boot this fantastic Johnny Briggs buyback from the binder in order to make room for Allan?

Nope!

1990 Topps #122 - Shawn Abner

Last, and certainly least, Shawn Abner of the Padres.  Abner was the first overall choice in the 1984 entry draft, believe it or not.  I try not to get personal on the blog here, but the reason I took a dig at Shawn is that he was charged with animal cruelty last year for leaving his 14-year-old husky home for over a month, resulting in its death due to starvation.  As a dog lover, this is simply unacceptable, and there's no possible excuse that could justify behavior like that.

I'm certainly not going to welcome a character like Abner to the binder, especially not with such a fantastic buyback as this '68 Gene Mauch already in slot 122.

I'll reluctantly add him to my '90 Topps buyback binder instead.

Well, I was hoping to end on a more positive note, but at least I bumped up my total in my insane (and probably impossible) quest to complete a 1990 Topps set in buyback format.  Five more in that binder today brings me to 127 in total, or 16% of the way there.

The next Buyback Franken-set post will feature another run of five '90 Topps cards, then I promise to break it up with something different.  Until then, thanks for stopping by and stay inside if you can!

Franken-set Progress: 667/792 (84%)
1990 Topps Buyback Set: 127/792 (16%)
"Rejected" Buybacks: 682
Total Buybacks in Collection: 1,476