Carlton Fisk was an intimidating fellow. I think I would have thought twice about trying to score from second on a single if I had to barrel into him at home plate. I picked up the O-Pee-Chee up for $10 at The National from a box filled with graded Fisk cards at the same price. The guy saw that I had a PSA 9, thinking I was a Fisk collector, said “there are some 10’s in there if you want to get one.” I replied “oh no, I specifically was looking for 89 Topps.”

@1988toppspodcast did an excellent episode on him about a month ago. I think one of the words used to describe him was surly. Worth a listen for sure!

Warm it up Danny! Topps got some mileage from Danny Jackson pregame warm up stretch sesh at Wrigley Field. Imagine looking for your card in 1989 Topps and find it is that one, and then thinking “wait! I am an All-Star I wonder what photo they used?” Another dud. “It can’t be on every single Topps card this year, can it?” Yes, Danny, it can be….it can be.

#1989topps #baseballcards #wrigleyfield #dannyjackson #autographs

Spring Training is also Tommy John season where elbows go sproing after a winter off from pitching. I feel like Tommy missed out on a great marketing opportunity to trademark the procedure after his was done in 1974. I heard his is not a big fan of the name, but think there could be TJ recovery merch, TJ career achievement awards, and TJ sponsoring the 60 day Injured List.

So far the pitchers to go down with Tommy John this Spring Training (hopefully no more!):

Mike Vasil - White Sox

Hayden Birdsong - Giants

Adam Mazur - Braves

Bowden Francis - Blue Jays

Vinny Nittoli - Red Sox (Internal Brace)

Pablo Lopez - Twins (Internal Brace)

Tommy is featured here are the 2022 Topps Archives Signature Series, 1989 Topps, 2021 Topps Spotlight 70 by Andy Friedman and 2001 Topps Archives autograph gifted to me by skaght at Reindeer Studios.

(P.S. Tommy was 46 years old in 1989!)

#tommyjohn #ucl #springtraining2026 #baseballcards #1989topps

Corbin Carroll returns from hamate surgery to ramp up for the season. Here he is in his 1989 Topps swag through the years. Starting off with a Throwback Thursday Future Star from 2023 and then an Archives Doubleheader shared with Michael Harris II. From 2024, a Rookie Cup, All-Star, All-Star Relic and a Rookie Cup Relic Color Match. Really can’t beat those red swatches!

#1989topps #corbincarroll #rookiecup #relic #2024topps

Free Gunnar! Hopefully Henderson will be able to make his WBC debut soon. His was benched in favor of Bryce Turang in tonight’s game against Brazil. Even with that he has some stunning 1989 Topps cards. The top left is a 2023 Topps Archives Doubleheader with Adley Rustchman. The other three are from 2024 Topps with the Rookie Cup, with a tough color match relic to top it off.

#1989topps #gunnarhenderson #WBC #rookiecup #worldbaseballclassic