An after the holiday letdown? Not here

Good Monday evening to you all, hope that your week got off to a fine start.  I returned home today from spending Christmas with my wife's brother and his family to a couple of packages in the mailbox.

Ahhhh...the gifts that keep on giving 

One was a priority mail package from Ryan over at This Card is Cool.  Ryan recently advertised a "clearance sale" of sorts.  I naturally jumped in on the opportunity to acquire the Blue Jays group of cards he was moving at a reduced price.  I am kind of calling this a trade, because I did send Ryan's way some cards he was in need of from the '09 OPC set.

With this post, I have taken a page from other bloggers and decided to show the best cards of the bunch that I received.  Most of the others show 9 cards (which makes sense, 9 players on the field, etc etc), but of course I have to be different, well just because I like to be different. 

I've decided to show what I will call the Magnificent Seven (Charles Bronson was in this movie...a precursor to the Death Wish series?   but again, I digress.)

Here we go, in order, starting with Number 7.

7. 2011 Topps Brandon Morrow Diamond Parallel

If it's shiny, chances are it's going to make the list. 






















6. 1994 SP Roberto Alomar  

I have quite a few of the 94-95 SP cards from Upper Deck hockey, but this is the first baseball card I've come across for the SP set.  It is also numbered ER1, I'm assuming that means "Eastern Region 1".  Did they actually release these regionally for baseball?


















5. 1981 Donruss Bob Bailor 

Bob Bailor was part of the original Blue Jays team in 1977, plucked from the Orioles organization in the expansion draft.  Bob was the 2nd pick, 1st overall selection for the Blue Jays, and went on to hit .310 in 1977 and yet did not receive a vote for Rookie of the Year (Eddie Murray won in '77). 

















4. 1980 Topps Jerry Garvin 

Jerry was Toronto's 2nd pick, 4th overall in the 1976 expansion draft.  Jerry had been the property of the Minnesota Twins up until then.  Jerry was one of the early "stars" in the first few years of the Jays franchise.  He was known for a high leg kick, and an excellent pick-off move to first base.  Jerry spent his only 6 seasons in MLB with Toronto, and was out of baseball after the '82 season.














3. 2011 Topps Heritage Black Jose Bautista 

Finishing 3rd this past season in MVP voting by Verlander and Ellsbury, Bautista is the catalyst for the Jays offense (Duh).  Ninety seven HR's over the past 2 seasons gives the Jays the best long ball presence every day in the outfield since George Bell in the 80's. 

The Heritage Black Border cards are pretty slick and getting this card was a great addition to my Jays collection.














2.  1992 Score Select Shannon Stewart 

I know I know, how can a card from the overproduction era be in the top 7?

I took one look at the photo, and had it considered for number one for a while.  This is a great super imposed shot of Shannon Stewart going skyward for a fly ball, figuratively speaking of course. 

Great card...













1.  1992 Upper Deck Pat Borders 

Yes, again a card from the over production era.  But for me, this card is classic.  Pat in the catchers crouch, getting ready to catch a pitch.  Now I don't know if the ball is actually super imposed on the card, or if it is an actual pitch, but the focus of his eyes on the ball is a fantastic shot.

Sometimes, simple is good.













Hope that you enjoyed the magnificent seven as much as I did.   Tomorrow, Ryan goes insane....

Ryan, thank you for the cards, much appreciated!!

Thank you for reading, Robert