Finest Fantastic and Facial Haired...

Today’s ultra quick (for me) post is a package of supreme kindness and pure awesome from everyone’s favorite bearded, blogging Bird fan. Of course I am referencing Beardy, (image may not actually be Beardy) one half of the team that brings us Mojo and Beardy’s Fantastic Card Blog. You all know it and read it and love it. I know you do. Well, Beardy got his hands on some 2004 Topps Finest as well as some 2004 Topps Pristine. I know this because I have seen these cards pop up all over, all coming courtesy of the Beard Man. Beardy is nothing if not a generous dude with a penchant for creating posts that everyone needs to read. Anyway, on the generous side I will start with the Topps Pristine. These are two cards that look cool and look horrible all at the same time. They are awesome in their design and they are awesome because they are of a favorite player of mine. They are horrible because 6 years ago said fav player was in the most horrible organization in MLB and their name and logos are all over these cards. These are 2 cards I am glad to have, but not really thrilled about. The player is Dioner Navarro, the Rays catcher. Navi is hitting .154 this season and his platoon mate is out for an extended period of time with an injury suffered against the evil Yankees. Navi is going to get the chance to stay in the line-up until his bat wakes up. I really hope it does. I like this guy a lot and it wasn’t too long ago that his bat got him a spot on the All Star team. He is one of the nicest guys on the team, he lights it up in BP, and he is a hard worker behind the plate and has a quick release and a decent arm. He is a pretty streaky hitter and is in a funk. I expect (hope) it gets better. The bearded one knows my love for the second baseman on his team, the horrible and I mean horrible Orioles. Said second baseman is on the DL and may be there for a while. I am speaking of Brian Roberts and his back problems. I have the same issues with my back, but I don’t play pro ball for a living. My job is far less demanding, but my back still gets in the way so I feel for ya B-Rob, I get it. Anyway, here is one card he sent, a serial numbered gem from the 2009 UD Ball Park Collection. I am posting the rest of the B-Rob goodies he sent on the appropriate blog which I don’t mind plugging. If you are a fan of Brian Roberts and his cards, check out Leading Off, my occasionally updated B-Rob card blog. Okay back to business and the business of 2004 Finest. I really, really like these, but don’t have the time to write about them so just click here and read this post and come back to me, okay? Okay. Now that you have some background on this awesome set here are 2 of the best cards I now own from it. First a sweet relic of everybody’s favorite former Devil Ray turned minor league coach who may someday triumphantly return to the ranks of slugging outfielder or maybe not, Rocco Baldelli. A very patriotic looking card with a white jersey swatch that looks like a cobra’s tongue. Sweet. The clock is ticking on me so I must tie this post up. I will end with the Finest card (pun intended) of the package. I showed off two crappy looking cards of Dioner Navarro in the last paragraph. This card on the other hand is PERFECT and goes right on the wall in the showcase. I truly love everything about this card. It starts with the fact that there are no visible team logos or a team name. Yes Navi was a part of the Yanks in 2004, but you can’t tell from this card. Second, it has a beautiful ON-CARD autograph across the base. Navi has stellar penmanship and his sig covers the card nicely. This is my first and only Navi graph and I love it. Great chrome design, classy and bubbly and no team logos and on-card equals perfect! Oh AND its a freaking REFRACTOR, I love it!!! Thanks so much Beardy, you rock! The cards were great and I love your Fantastic Card Blog. Thanks to the Night Owl for writing up this set and saving me some time and thanks to any who read this… I hate my new schedule. I miss blogging! Oh, if you don’t know who Wonderful Willie Smith is, please read this post. Oh, I think these cards have been sitting on my desk for 2 months now. I have so many ideas for posts, but I really need to get caught up on trade/kindness posts. I do appreciate EVERYTHING and will post it all as soon as I can. Thanks! Go Rays!!!! Troll out.