C.A., the review 3 (part 2)

I've found a silver lining in the distasteful sidebar set-up I've been forced into in order to have a poll that everyone can read.

And that lining is, I can make the sidebar a different crazy color every time I do a new vote-off for Cardboard Appreciation, the review 3!

You know how I love my crazy colors.

So, while you're being blinded by the sidebar, let's have a look at the results of the first vote-off (I had to end it a little bit early because of weekend festivities).

1. Frank Robinson, 1973 Topps: 23 votes
2. Don Drysdale, 1959 Topps: 10 votes
3. Mike Piazza, 1998 Fleer Ultra: 9 votes
4. Bake McBride, 1977 Topps, 7 votes
5. Dick Perez, 1982 Donruss, 5 votes
6. Darrell Porter, 1981 Topps Traded, 4 votes
7. Mickey Scott, 1976 Topps, 2 votes
1. Domingo Ramos, 1985 Topps, 1 vote
(61 total votes)

I can't believe Mickey Scott received two votes. Bless you, you two voters.

But selecting Frank Robinson's airbrushed masterpiece is an excellent choice, and I'm happy he's moving on to the next round.

Let's see who is in the second grouping of eight. I have to warn you, they're not as exciting as the previous eight:

1. Montreal Expos checklist, 1994 Score: The brief summation of that Cardboard Appreciation post was this: "I miss the Expos." And I still do.

2. Ned Garver, 1956 Topps: People didn't seem too impressed with this post, but I went through a lot of work to do it. The post presented the all-time "Born on Christmas Day" team. And Ned Garver was one of the pitchers. Check it out again, if you like.

3. Rene Tosoni, 2011 Topps Update: Holy crap, three horizontal cards in a row! I featured this card as an example of possibly the most blatant product placement on a card. This Bud's for You, Topps.

4. David DeJesus, 2009 Topps Chrome Xrefractor: In this Cardboard Appreciation post, I put forth a theory that all you need for The Perfect Card is to be spot-on in three elements: card design, photograph and something that enhances the card. The 2009 design of David DeJesus bowling over a catcher on an xrefractored card did it for me.

5. Arnold Earley, 1967 Topps: This card has the honor of being one of those cards I obtained after seeing it on someone's blog. There aren't a lot of those cards out there. But I couldn't resist Earley's tinted frames. I also promised on that post that I would do the absolute definitive "Best Glasses In The History of Baseball Cards" post. I've failed you all miserably.

6. Bill Buckner, 1990 Upper Deck: Did Upper Deck purposely take this photo to poke fun at Buckner's gaffe in the 1986 World Series? Or was it a case of "the boy who cried wolf"? So many Upper Deck shenanigans that you think UD is pulling a fast one every time.

7. Gary Carter, 1977 Topps: One of my favorite cards from childhood, I wrote this post immediately after Carter's death. We need gregarious people like Carter to prevent the world from falling into a pit of despair and cynicism. This card wipes the frown off my face every time.

8. Matt Kemp, 2010 Upper Deck Supreme: Just when you think you know every card in every recent base set, something pops out at you that makes you realize you know nothing. That was this card for me.


So those are the choices that you'll have for the whole next week. Please be so kind and place your vote in the poll on the very brightly colored sidebar. It will only take a moment. And I swear you won't lose your vision.

Let me have my fun.

I have so little.