Digging through the Archives, how I wish they were made differently

In 2011 Topps issued a release called Lineage.  It featured active and retired players on a new design.

The set also showed the lineage of Topps by revisiting some of the more popular designs and creating insert sets around them.  The fans loved the idea and Topps never produced Lineage again.

Well not under the title of Lineage that is.

Beginning in 2012 Topps would go into their archives and create a set called Archives.  Each year Topps would utilize 3-4 different designs from their cardboard making history and feature players on a design (mostly from their non playing days).

I have at minimum every base card of Andrew McCutchen from the Archives release and today I am going to post a series of designs I wish that McCutchen was used for over the first 8 years of existance of the brand.

2012 Topps Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1954, 1971, 1980, 1984
Design chosen by Topps for McCutchen

1971

While I like the design of 1971 and it is nice to have Cutch wearing the black and gold in a design from the year the Buccos won a World Series, I knew Cutch would eventually get the 1971 cardboard treatment in 2020 Topps Heritage.

I would have much rather gotten the 1954 design of Cutch.  No Pirates were represented using the 1954 design so it would have been an extra bonus to get Cutch in a 1954 design just for that reason.

Here is his Team USA teammate Adam Jones on the 1954 design.


2013 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1972, 1982, 1985, 1990
Design chosen for McCutchen

1985

I am ok with this selection, but if I was given a choice of another design, I would lean towards 1990.  I don't see 1990 Topps as being a popular set by fans and can't imagine Topps using the design again until 2039 Topps Heritage. 

2014 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1973, 1980, 1986, 1989 (the last year they use 4 designs)
Design chosen for McCutchen

1986

This is my favorite of all the Archives cards produced.  A strange thing about this card is that I think it may be an unannounced short print.  Try finding one on eBay or COMC right now.  You're likely to find less than a handful between all the after market places.  Try looking for any parallels including those sold on eBay, COMC, or WORTHPOINT and I promise you won't find any.  

Despite the perceived short print of this card, I approve this selection.



2015 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1957, 1976, 1983
Design chosen for McCutchen

1983

I am so sick and tired of seeing modern players on 1983 designs.  Any of the other years would have been fine with me.  The 1983 design was also used for Josh Harrison and Bill Mazeroski.  The 1976 design was used for Gerrit Cole, Starling Marte, and Roberto Clemente.  

Given the choice I guess I would want Cutch in that 1957 design since Willie Stargell was the only Pirates player to get the 57 treatment.

2016 Archives
Designs used by Topps 1953, 1979, 1991
Design chosen for McCutchen

1991

Were it not for the Desert Shield foil variants I would have been begging for a 1953 Topps design.  It seems likely that Topps will continue to avoid putting Cutch in a Topps Living Set card even though JP Crawford and Bryce Harper already both have two entrants in the set.  I like the 91 set.  I have many fond memories opening these packs and trying to build the set with my dad.

No need for a change especially since I have this 1953 style card from 2019 Topps Transcendent.

2017 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1960, 1982, 1992
Design chosen for McCutchen

1992

For many of the same reasons (foil parallel reminiscent of the ones available during initial release) I liked the 2016 Topps Archives selection of 1991 Topps, I am supporting the 2017 selection of 1992 Topps as the design for Cutch.  The design was also used for Roberto Clemente, Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, and Gerrit Cole.

Cutch got a rookie card in 2009 Heritage High Number similar to the 1960 Topps rookie style made famous by the Yaz rookie.  Both Tyler Glasnow (rookie) and Honus Wagner represented the Pirates with the 1960 design.  I guess 1982 could have been a possibility since the double hockey stick style border was only used for Willie Stargell.

It seems Pops kept getting the short stick (no pun intended for this design) when being placed as a representative for the Pirates in Topps Archives.

2018 Archives
Designs used by Topps: 1959, 1977, 1981
Design chosen for McCutchen

1959

This is a selection that I approve, but given the choice of switching it up I would prefer 1981 Topps.  1959 is a great design and this is the only time Cutch got a solo card in the 1959 design.  However, he also got the 1959 treatment in the card "Bashers of the Bay" with Buster Posey. (Both pictured above)

So if that card was still produced, I would have liked to see a 1981 design for Cutch especially if it was given a pink border like what his team mate Buster Posey got.

2019 Archives
Designs used by Topps 1958, 1975, 1993
Design chosen for McCutchen

1958

This is actually a perfect selection among the designs offered.  As I have stated above McCutchen debuted in 2009 so his first Topps throwback design was 1960 Topps which appeared in 2009 Topps Heritage High Numbers.  He missed out on all the 1950s set via the traditional Heritage route.  The yellow background and red name letters make this card pop much in the same way Rip Repulski did in 1958.

The only other option for me would be 1993, but again that is only because I would want that gold foil found on Topps Gold style cards for that era.  The 1993 design isn't my favorite of the early 90s Topps designs.  Cutch did receive the 1975 design in 2011 Lineage.

2020 Archives

Designs used by Topps 1955, 1974, 2002

Design chosen for McCutchen

Nothing.

Cutch didn't receive a card in 2020 Topps.

This is an absolute shame that the streak of appearing in every Archives release comes to an end.  

Given the choices of 1955, 1974, and 2002 I would probably opt for 1955 Topps because it is an iconic set for Pirates fans (Roberto Clemente rookie!!!).

Getting a Cutch on a 1955 Topps design in his prime in a similar pose to the Clemente card would have been a perfect card.

Unfortunately Cutch is now with the Phillies and his 1955 style card may have resembled what this Steve Carlton looked like in Topps Archives.

My second choice would be 2002 Topps.  I wasn't collecting in 2002 and the set is so ugly I want a Cutch card to be represented in my collection with that ugly design.  

Former Pirates outfielder, Starling Marte, made it look kind of cool.

Have you ever looked at Topps Archives design samples and wished that a player got a different year treatment?

Cutch's Curse on Rex Manning Day

If you grew up in the 90s you likely watched the movie Empire Records a half dozen times.  I know for me it was one of my favorite most influential movies in my teenage life. For the longest time I wanted to work in a record store like that. Kids today will never understand how awesome it was at record stores.

The movie focuses on a bunch of young adults working at a record store that is being bought out by a major franchise on Rex Manning Day.

Rex Manning Day is celebrated as April 8th in the movie.  Many of those involved in the production of the movie say that the date was chosen because of the passing of legendary 90s star, Kurt Cobain.  Rex Manning's music is significantly different compared to the great grunge rock star.

The super sexy 90s star Liv Tyler throws herself at her childhood crush pop icon Rex Manning.

It was a very awkward scene and made many of us viewers not appreciate Rex Manning.

Many people likely remember Cutch's epic walk off homer against the Dodgers last year on April 7th 2018 (I talked about it yesterday).  Cutch is usually a slow starter each season, so how does he do on Rex Manning Day, which falls within the first 10 games of the season?

Well, Cutch hasn't fared too well on Rex Manning Day.

Prior to 2009 - hadn't made MLB debut yet
2010 - 0 for 4
2011 - 0 for 5
2012 - 3 for 4, run, rbi, walk
2013 - 1 for 1 (pinched hit)
2014 - 2 for 3, run, rbi, 2walks
2015 - 0 for 5, walk, run
2016 - 0 for 4, walk, 2 runs
2017 - 0 for 3, walk
2018 - 0 for 4

Overall that puts Cutch at 6 for 33. That is only a .182 batting average.

His on base and ability to draw walks is slightly better with a 12 for 37 performance at the plate.  That equates to .324 OBP.

I don't think Cutch appreciated Rex Manning Day either.

Rex Manning was played by actor Maxwell Caulfield who was born in 1959.

Last year Cutch got the Archives treatment using the 1959 design.  I have picked up both the base version and the signature omission variant among many different parallels.

"Say No More, Mon Amour"

Cardboard Insider: Who The Heck is Curt Barclay?

Whenever I get an Andrew McCutchen card on a vintage Topps design I like to research the original card numbering who shares the numbering on Cutch's card.

Andrew McCutchen appeared twice in the 2018 Topps Archives product as a member of the San Francisco Giants.  He received his own card (which I will discuss in a future post come April) and on a team card featuring Buster Posey titled BASHERS BY THE BAY.

The image used for the card of these BASHERS is ....well....let's just say it looks like they are competing for Dancing With The Stars.

The card features the 1959 Topps design and is numbered 307 on the back.

Coincidentally the 1959 Topps set had another San Francisco Giant appear as card number 307.  However it didn't feature any bashers by the bay.

Instead it features a gent named Barclay.

Not much is known of Curt Barclay.  Even his Wikipedia page doesn't provide much information of the former Giants pitcher.

Barclay excelled at both baseball and basketball at the University Of Oregon.  The Chicago native signed with the Giants in 1952 and made his MLB debut in 1957, starting in 28 games for the Giants.

He had two shutouts that year as a rookie (his only career shutouts) and would go on to post a 9-9 record that year, his only full season in the majors.

Shuffling between the majors and minors in 1958 and 1959, Barclay officially retired following the 1959 season.  His career stats over the three calendar year seasons were 73 strikeouts in 199 1/3 innings with a 10-9 record and 3.48 ERA.

Barclay died from cancer in his Montana home at the age of 53 years old.

***The Barclay card images used for this post were taken from the internet.  I do NOT own the 1959 Topps Curt Barclay card***