A Prize For My Prescience, part 1

Way back in the few days between the 2011 Regular Season and Playoffs, I managed to predict the Cardinals would win the World Series in a contest at The Great Orioles Autograph Project. Amazing, right?

OK, I had multiple entries and picked the Phillies over the Rangers in #1. No matter; the point is I won, and Ryan took his time combing my want lists and putting together quite a pile of cards for me. So many that, as always, I'll have to split into multiple posts because I have an overwhelming need to

I have a feeling that image will stick around on this blog for awhile.

First up, some 2011 Topps Heritage to chip away at my want list, including 6 short prints.

2011 Topps Heritage #438 Shaun Marcum

2011 Topps Heritage #446 Carlos Marmol

2011 Topps Heritage #455 Joe Saunders

2011 Topps Heritage #456 Jeff Keppinger

2011 Topps Heritage #484 David Eckstein

2011 Topps Heritage #489 Brandon Morrow

2011 Topps Heritage #56 NL ERA Leaders

2011 Topps Heritage #18 Managers' Dream

The full list of 2011 Topps Heritage was:

10 Andrew McCutchen
11 Joe Nathan
15 Fausto Carmona, aka, Roberto Hernandez Heredia
18 Managers' Dream - Pujols/Braun
22 San Diego Padres
38 Coco Crisp
42 Nelson Cruz
46 cole Hamels
56 NL ERA Leaders
89 Jake Peavy
101 Jacob Ellsbury
105 Max Scherzer
115 Alfonso Soriano
125 Vladimir Guerrero
130 Omar Infante
134 Brett Cecil
135 Babe as a Boy
136 Babe Joins Yanks
138 The Famous Slugger
142 Babe's Batting Record
146 Placido Polanco
152 Jim Riggleman
156 Hank Conger
181 Dillon Gee
184 Kurt Suzuki
188 Freddy Sanchez
227 Cliff Lee
249 Vance Worley
257 Scott Kazmir
263 Rangers Danger - Hamilton/Cruz
267 B.J. Upton
271 Jeremy Jeffress
278 Derek Lowe
307 Jair Jurrjens
308 Jason Bay
309 Yonder Alonso
355 Brian Matusz
368 J.P. Arencibia
392 Ryan Zimmerman
399 Roy Halladay
422 Kendry Morales
423 Fear the Beard - Wilson/Posey
438 Shaun Marcum
446 Carlos Marmol
455 Joe Saunders
456 Jeff Keppinger
484 David Eckstein
489 Brandon Morrow

Next, some Ozzies to round out Part 1.

1993 U.S. Playing Cards Aces #3H Ozzie Smith

1994 Bowman's Best (- Refractor?) #R3 Ozzie Smith

Can anyone tell from the scan if this is a Refractor? It bugs me when parallel sets don't announce themselves clearly, but of course if this is a base card maybe the backs of the refractors are perfectly clear.

1993 Post #26 Ozzie Smith

Check out that sweet airbrush job for this MLBPA set. The Red cap and grey uniform can only mean this was a spring training game, as the Cardinals had ushered in the Navy road caps by 1993.

1993 Select #15 Ozzie Smith

1993 Donruss #520 Ozzie Smith

I think what I remember most about this set is excitedly buying the blister-packed full team sets of the Marlins and Rockies. One of these days I'll have to dig those up, scan them, and share the story.

I'll have more of the great prize package Ryan sent me in my next post, tomorrow if all goes well.