Buyback Franken-set: Angus Snipes New Numbers Round 2

It's time for the second of three posts containing the buybacks that my buddy Angus was kind enough to pick out at a card store recently, just to send me for this project.  Angus confirmed in the comments of the last post that he picked out buybacks based on holes in my online franken-set checklist, which explains why he went an impressive 7/10 as far as new numbers in the first post.

Can tonight's round top those odds?  Let's take a look...

2012 Topps #607 - C.C. Sabathia

In the lead-off spot tonight is a pitcher who's racked up some impressive career stats, lefty CC Sabathia.  I like the fact that we get something a little different here photo-wise on this 2012 release, with a bullpen shot and a prominent 'MLB Network' logo in the background.  New number?  Of course it is, into the binder with this one.

1989 Topps #652 - Rich Gedman

Sweet, a rarer blue foil buyback of '80s Red Sox mainstay Rich Gedman.  To me, the photograph on this one looks like it was snapped in the early stages of a home run trot.  Gedman hit over 80 home runs in his time with the Red Sox, so it's entirely possible.  Now, when Angus grabbed this one for me I didn't yet have a #652 buyback, however...

...in the first round of 2018 Heritage buybacks that I posted in the interim this Eddie Watt assumed slot 652.

As much as it pains me to choose an Orioles card over a Red Sox one, especially on Opening Day Eve here, I just enjoy the Watt card more aesthetically speaking.  Besides, there aren't going to be a ton of buybacks from the '60s that end up this deep into the binder with a number of 650 or higher.

1989 Topps #719 - Danny Darwin

Next up, pitcher Danny Darwin.  I always picture Danny in a Red Sox uniform, probably because he had a ton of Sox cards issued having been with the team during the over-production era of the early '90s.  He actually pitched for a bunch of different teams in his career, including two separate stints with both the Rangers and the Astros.  A nice, relatively high new number here!

1988 Topps #584 - Steve Trout

Steve Trout actually spent 1988, his penultimate MLB season, with the Seattle Mariners after the Yankees dealt him there in the '87 off-season.  Steve was never a world-beater to begin with, and his stats were really declining sharply by this stage of his career.  Nonetheless, this buyback makes the binder as my first #584.

1986 Topps #607 - Ken Dayley

Here's another '86 Topps buyback and, like the one featured in my last post, it's not a bad looking card at all if you ask me.  Ken Dayley got the call from the 'pen 31 times for the Cardinals in '86, going 0-3 with a 3.26 ERA.  Now, #607 was one I was missing from the binder at the beginning of this post, but those of you with a keen eye may have noticed...

...that the Sabathia card I led off with has the same number.

As much as I like the Dayley, that Sabathia is just too unique to toss from the binder at this point, and CC is a much more significant player as well.  Somewhat easy call there.

1985 Topps #622 - Luis Leal

Here we have a very suspicious-looking Luis Leal on his 1985 Topps release.  Luis was from Venezuela, and was signed by the Blue Jays in 1979.  He made his debut in 1980, and wound up starting in over 150 games for the Jays over the next six seasons.  He was stuck in AAA in both 1985 and 1986, and when he failed to catch on with a club coming out of Spring Training in 1987 his pro career was done.  As for the franken-set?  You guessed it, another new number!

1988 Topps #131 - Don Schulze

I've read some complaints on other blogs about Topps' use of similar, tightly-cropped poses across many player cards in their sets in recent years, and the next two buybacks are certainly evidence that this practice isn't anything new (albeit less frequent in the past, maybe).  From 1988 Topps we have Mets pitcher Don Schulze delivering a pitch to home...

1988 Topps #209 - Richard Dotson

...and White Sox pitcher Richard Dotson doing much of the same.  If Dotson's hand was elevated just a tad bit more to overlap the 'W' in White Sox these cards would practically be identical.  Hey, both are new numbers for the franken-set, so I'll take 'em!  At least they don't fall on the same page or anything like that.

1989 Topps #238 - Eric King

Eric King went 9-10 in 25 starts with the Tigers in 1989.  Record aside his stats weren't all that bad, I'm sure some of those losses or lack of wins were due in part to the fact that the Tigers managed just 69 wins that year.  Surprise, surprise, another new number.

2010 Topps #US-131 - Takashi Saito

Last buyback for tonight, featuring Braves pitcher Takashi Saito.  Saito enjoyed a 7-year career as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball, book-ended by separate stints playing pro ball over in Japan.  A nice enough card but Traded/Update buybacks aren't eligible for the binder at this stage.

Good news is I filled slot 131 anyway with the Don Schulze's '88 Topps card above.

With that, Angus has once again gone 7/10 in terms of new numbers for the binder.  I never imagined I'd hit those kind of numbers in consecutive posts at this stage of the project.  Card collectors truly are some of the most generous folks I've ever encountered.  Oh, and I've still got one more round of buybacks from Angus to come!

Franken-set Progress:  565/792 (71%)
"Rejected" Buybacks:  476
Total Buybacks in Collection:  1,041