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Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Unconfirmed A&G SP list

This hasn't been confirmed anywhere yet as far as I know, but a list of Allen & Ginter SP's has popped up on a couple of forums. I'll update this post once a confirmed list is released. The list is only 37 cards, so there may be more SP's to add to the list. Looking over the list and the pulls from my box it seems pretty legit, but use with caution for the time being.

Update: A new SP list has popped up, this time with 50 cards. This one looks to be correct. The updated cards are highlighted in blue, I'll update again once everything is confirmed.

UPDATE: It's confirmed now, I've fixed the list. Matt Kemp was not an SP while Michael Bourn was. Topps released this just in time for the National. Oh wait, whoops.

#5 Stephen Drew Diamondbacks
#43 Scott Rolen Cardinals
#48 Gary Matthews Angels
#58 Mike Mussina Yankees
#63 Bengie Molina Giants
#107 Jason Varitek Red Sox
#110 Michael Young Rangers
#119 Hunter Pence Astros
#130 Jason Schmidt Dodgers
#137 Jason Isringhausen Cardinals
#152 Carlos Lee Astros
#159 Michael Barrett Cubs
#178 Juan Pierre Dodgers
#193 Rich Hall Cubs
#194 Francisco Cordero Brewers
#203 Justin Verlander Tigers
#219 Dan Uggla Marlins
#222 Rocco Baldelli Devil Rays
#224 Josh Bard Padres
#243 Brad Hawpe Rockies
#263 Jim Edmonds Cardinals
#301 Chris Duncan Cardinals
#302 Augie Garrido Champion Baseball Coach
#303 Tyler Clippard Yankees
#306 Morgan Ensberg Astros
#307 JJ Hardy Brewers
#308 Mark Zupan US Quadriplegic Rugby Captain
#309 Laila Ali Boxer
#310 Greg Maddux Padres
#316 Dan O'Brien Olympic Decathlon Champion
#317 Michael Bourn Phillies
#318 Johnny Gomes Devil Rays
#319 Ken Jennings Jeopardy! Champion
#320 Barry Bonds Giants
#321 Gary Hall Jr Olympic Swimming Champion
#322 Kerri Walsh Olympic Beach Volleyball Champion
#325 Grady Sizemore Indians
#326 Alex Rios Blue Jays
#327 Ted Toles Pittsburgh Crawfords Negro Leagues
#330 Bob Geren Athletics
#331 Dennis Rodman Iconoclast
#334 Gustavo Molina White Sox
#335 Bartolo Colon Angels
#336 Misty May-Treanor Volleyball Champ
#339 Jason McElwain Basketball
#340 Placido Polanco Tigers
#345 Sammy Sosa Rangers
#348 Roger Clemens Yankees
#349 Jesse Litsch Blue Jays
#350 Adam LaRoche Pirates

The SP list has 39 MLB players, 1 Negro Leaguer and 10 Champions cards.
If you're a team set collector, 8 teams have no short prints: the Braves, Mariners, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Reds, Royals and Twins. If you see an auction on eBay advertising the complete team set with SPs really cheap for one of these teams, now you know why. Cardinals fans get screwed, their Championship team was rewarded with four short prints, the most of any team. The Astros and Yankees are next with three short prints apiece. The Angels, Blue Jays, Brewers, Cubs, Devil Rays, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Rangers and Tigers get two short prints. The A's, Diamondbacks, Indians, Marlins, Phillies, Red Sox, Rockies and White Sox have one. Pittsburgh has one or two depending on whether you count Ted Toles of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. I would, but that's just me.
Bonds and Clemens are the biggest names among the short printed, followed closely by Maddux and Sosa. Justin Verlander and Grady Sizemore are the best of the young stars, and there are a bunch of short printed minor stars like Mussina, Rolen, Varitek and Colon. Five rookies are shorted, Hunter Pence, Jesse Litsch, Michael Bourn, Gustavo Molina and Tyler Clippard. Of the five, only Litsch and Molina might be true rookie cards. Pence, Molina and Clippard can be found in sets from 2006 and older.
No historical figures are short printed, so bridges, ferris wheels and assorted dead dudes are plentiful whether you want them to be or not. The aforementioned Ted Toles is the only Negro Leaguer short printed. This makes him the one SP that I will be willing to spend more on shipping than on the actual card in case I can't pull one from of a pack and I am forced to buy it online. Of the short printed Champions, Dennis Rodman is easily the most (in)famous, and Ken Jennings wins the 'people my wife has actually heard of' prize among the rares. Well, other than Laila Ali. Speaking of Laila, it's interesting to note that of the six women featured in the set (seven if you subscribe to the 'Jill the Ripper' theory) three of them are short printed including both beach volleyball players. This is why Topps eats Upper Deck's lunch when it comes to marketing. What other cards would this product's target audience of middle aged men open more boxes chasing than the cards of girls in bikinis? You don't get this kind of thinking outside the box in the Carlsbad, California Corporate Compound. Mia Hamm is the only contemporary female champ who didn't get short printed, probably so Topps could avoid the awkward conversation with Nomar explaining how Mia is probably the bigger star.

That's it for the short prints and it's probably time to take a break from Allen and Ginter for a while unless Topps puts me on the payroll. I have broken some retail boxes though, and I actually did better with them than the hobby one. If anyone reading wants me to do a review of them in the manic style of the hobby box just let me know in the comments. Otherwise A&G will get a rest for the time being.

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