Since its National Trading Card Day, I figured Id post one my favorite cards of one of my favorite all-time baseball players, Cardinals star, Albert Pujols. This game-worn Upper Deck logoman. Thankfully, this is from his days in St. Louis - it’s hard for me to buy cards of him in an Angels uniform (the same way I can’t buy Paul Pierce in anything except a Celtics uniform…we all have our boundaries!). This would only be better if it was autographed as well.

As a Cardinal fan, Albert Pujols has been my favorite player in the last 20 years. While I wish he would’ve stayed with the Cardinals for his entire career, I’m glad he had his late resurgence and got his flowers and reached 700 home runs. I have a couple of his rookie autograph cards. Nothing massive, but I do love this tops, finest refractor autograph from his rookie year.

Add this to a “rarely-seen” product/insert. The all-time best gives you refractor-like holofoil with cards numbered to their career best (at the time of printing, Pujols’ career best was 37 home runs in a season). Super cool. Not quite a “ghost” but seldom seen.

The last of the three Pujols cards that are in my PC. One of my favorite all-time Cardinals. First ballot HOFer. Just wished he would have spent his entire career in St. Louis!

This is one of my top three Albert Pujols cards. Such a clean design by Upper Deck. Simple, elegantly presented picture with ample dead space for a bold, bright autograph. Was hoping for a gem mint grade, but sometimes you get what you get!