1995 Team Issue Asheville Tourists Update Set

The Asheville Tourists minor league baseball club became the "A" league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies back in 1994, and has maintained the position ever since. The Tourists released a set of 30 cards early on in the 1995 season, featuring players and staff members that were current at the time. An update to that set would be released a few months later, adding another fifteen cards to the mix. 

With an announced print run of just 1,000 sets, this update issue is fairly tough to find. Sets were factory-wrapped in clear, graphics-free cello. Young prospect Todd Helton was the card found on the front of the pack, with slugger Derrick Gibson appearing on the back. As it would turn out, Helton and Gibson would be the only two players from the update set to make it to the majors.

The cards from the update issue are virtually indistinguishable from those found within the regular 30-card set. The cards are numbered on the backs based on the player's uniform number, meaning several cards share a number between both sets. Printed on white, medium-weight cardstock, fronts feature a large color photo and and orange border. Nowhere is the printer of the cards mentioned.

Todd Helton is the primary reason for the value of the set today, which is in the $15 to $20 range; the 1,000 set run doesn't hurt the value either. One reason the set isn't worth more, however, is because of two earlier Team USA cards of Helton found in the 1993 Topps Traded set and 1993 Bazooka Team USA set.

Random Fact: Outfielder Derrick Gibson appears in both the '95 Asheville regular and update sets. He led all of Minor League Baseball in 1994 with 115 RBI, and tied the league lead with 32 home runs. His time in the majors  would be short, however, appearing in just seven games for the Rockies in 1998, and ten games in 1999. Gibson's final season in baseball was in 2006, with New Haven County of the independent Canadian-American Association.

Click here to hunt for 1995 Tourists cards on eBay

 (NNO) Team Photo

(7) Mike Vavrek, LHP

(8) Brian Rose, RHP

(9) Todd Helton, INF

(13) Chris Henderson, RHP

(16) Bill Eden, LHP

(18) Fred Ocasio, INF

(20) Mike Zolecki, RHP

(21) Pat McClinton, LHP

(26) Tal Light, INF

(27) John Meskauskas, C

(28) John Slamka, LHP

(30) Mark Wells, OF

(31) Keith Barnes, LHP

(34) Derrick Gibson, OF

2011 DAV Cedar Rapids Kernels Set

Let's be clear about one thing... This set is ruled by a king boss, and his name is Mike Trout.

The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) organization began sponsoring stadium giveaway sets some time in the early 2000s. While the DAV cards given away at Major League parks typically feature current Major League players, the sets given away at Minor League parks usually feature current MiLB players in their Minors unis. In the case of the 2011 Cedar Rapids set, we are presented with a "hybrid" issue, as this set of fifteen cards showcases Kernels alumni who went on to play at the Major League level. Each player is pictured as a Kernel during their time with the A-level club.

The Kernels have been an Angels affiliate since 1993, the year after the Reds organization left town. Over the past 20 or so years an impressive number of future Major League All-Stars have worn the Kernels uniform, as this set attests. Mike Trout is doubtlessly the greatest Kernel player to date, and might even be the reason that an alumni-style set was chosen (he played for the club briefly in 2009, and in 81 games in 2010). On a side note, Trout was also featured in the 2010 DAV Kernels set as an active player. 

Card fronts are colorful and unique, which has been a trademark look for most DAV sets over the years. All card backs in the set are similar, with no specific details relating to the players pictured on the fronts. Each is numbered between 80 and 94, as the cards are sequentially numbered with the other Minor League sets released by the DAV that season.

The Minor League DAV sets always have modest print runs. This 2011 Kernels set was given out on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day) at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Only 1,000 sets were printed, making this a fairly scarce prize for collectors of Trout, Kendrick, Aybar and company. Sets were originally packaged in sealed, clear plastic cello bags.

The quality controls on this release were pretty high, as the cards tend to be clean and well-centered. One pesky problem is the colored borders, which make gem mint copies of these cards virtually impossible to find even straight out of the factory cello bags (thanks to even the slightest of wear on the corners and edges). A fresh, undisturbed set is probably worth in the neighborhood of $50 or so.

Click here to find 2011 Kernels cards on eBay

80. Mike Trout, OF

81. Casey Kotchman, INF

82. Ervin Santana, P

83. Howie Kendrick, INF

84. Erick Aybar, INF

85. Bengie Molina, C

86. Jeff Mathis, C

87. Mike Napoli, C

88. Alberto Callaspo, INF

89. Alexi Casilla, INF

90. John Lackey, P

91. Jordan Walden, P

92. Bobby Jenks, P

93. Hank Conger, C

94. Mark Trumbo, INF

2001 Grandstand Southern League Top Prospects Set

Prospect sets are fun. Lots of fun.

Dozens upon dozens of Minor League Baseball prospects sets have been created over the years, and they always provide years of entertainment, as the players pictured thread their way at varying speeds though the uncertain maze towards the Majors.

The 2001 Southern League Top Prospects set, produced by Grandstand, is one typical example. Consisting of thirty player cards and a header, borderless photos and a glossy surface help to give card fronts a slick new-millennium appeal. Backs are printed in black and give player statistics for the 2000 season, as well as Minor League totals. Surprisingly, the cards are not numbered except for player uniform numbers.

Being an AA league, a large percentage of these prospects saw time in the Majors. As always, some of the players "missed it by that much," while others went on to enjoy All-Star seasons (Josh Hamilton, Adam Dunn, Carl Crawford and Felipe Lopez each received the latter recognition). 

The volatile up and down price fluctuations of Minor League cards are very similar to those of the rookie cards released in mainstream major League sets. Fickle collectors and speculators are constantly shifting their focus to the "hot" on-field performers of the moment. In the case of older prospect sets such as this, history has already run it's course and the prices always stabilize -- usually at a very reasonable price if no superstars or Hall of Fame-caliber players are found within. 

We'd estimate the current market value of this set in the $10 to $15 range, and think it's a great addition to any baseball fan's collection.

Click here to find 2001 Southern League Cards

(1) Cory Aldridge, Greenville Braves

(2) Luke Allen, Jacksonville Suns

(3) Josh Bard, Carolina Mudcats

(4) Joe Borchard, Birmingham Barons

(5) Mike Bynum, Mobile BayBears

(6) Pasqual Coco, Tennessee Smokies

(7) Carl Crawford, Orlando Rays

(8) Bubba Crosby, Jacksonville Suns

(9) Juan Cruz, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx

(10) Adam Dunn, Chattanooga Lookouts

(11) Cam Esslinger, Carolina Mudcats

(12) Kris Foster, Jacksonville Suns

(13) Jose Garcia, Huntsville Stars

(14) Josh Hamilton, Orlando Rays

(15) Bobby Hill, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx

(16) Tim Hummel, Birmingham Barons

(17) Josh Kalinowski, Carolina Mudcats

(18) Austin Kearns, Chattanooga Lookouts

(19) David Kelton, West Tenn Diamond Jaxx

(20) Joe Kennedy, Orlando Rays

(21) Felipe Lopez, Tennessee Smokies

(22) Aaron McNeal, Mobile BayBears

(23) Jason Middlebrook, Mobile BayBears

(24) Brian Moon, Huntsville Stars

(25) Nick Neugebauer, Huntsville Stars

(26) Josh Phelps, Tennessee Smokies

(27) Brian Reith, Chattanooga Lookouts

(28) Billy Sylvester, Greenville Braves

(29) Dan Wright, Birmingham Barons

(30) A.J. Zapp, Greenville Braves

(31) Header Card/Checklist

1988 Cal Cards San Bernardino Spirit Set (Ken Griffey Jr.)

I'll never forget the first time I read the name "Ken Griffey Jr." and saw his picture. As a matter of fact, I'll show you. It was in this advertisement for Tuff Stuff magazine, which was featured in a mid-1988 issue of Sports Collectors Digest. Here it is:

That's right. If you subscribed to Tuff Stuff magazine during this promotion back in 1988, this gem of card, as well as the rest of the 1988 Cal Cards San Bernardino Spirit set, was yours. Looking back now, we must applaud the Tuff Stuff marketing department for choosing an all-but obscure set in 1988, a year before Griffey made his first appearance in the majors with Seattle... After all, Gregg Jefferies and Roberto Kelly were much more popular with speculators at the time.

But enough about me and Roberto Kelly. 

Cal Cards produced a modest run of California League team sets from about 1988 to 1991-ish, snagging a few future superstars along the way (Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza come to mind). The designs were a bit basic, and maybe even quietly classic. Minor League cards and their collectors had been enjoying steady growth since the early 1980s, and some Minor League teams even had three different sets produced for them in one season. The '88 Spirit team were carded by two companies, Cal Cards and Best. Best produced two versions of their set, with their special "Platinum" edition being limited to just 1,300 numbered sets. At the height of Griffey mania, an example of this Best Platinum set was known to sell for $650.

But enough about Best Platinum sets.

The 1988 Cal Cards Spirit set consists of 28 cards, which are actually numbered from 28 to 55 on the backs. Though each team set was sold separately, Cal Cards adopted the numbering method used by most Minor League card producers at the time, which was to number their cards among the team sets to reflect one large complete set. Each team set produced that year was given it's own border color, and San Bernardino was assigned a dark blue border. Though Griffey is obviously the big name in the set, others from this "A" level club went on to have varying degrees of success in the majors. Rich DeLucia, Dave Burba, Jerry Goff, Jim Bowie and Pat Rice all made it to the bigs. Pitcher Jeff Nelson stuck around the majors for fifteen seasons, including an All-Star appearance with the Mariners in 2001, and four World Series rings with the Yankees (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000).

I should probably mention that an unlicensed Griffey card was made to look like his 1988 Cal Cards issue. It began showing up in the hobby around 1990, and has unfortunately fooled more than a few collectors. Thankfully, the card features a photo of Griffey that is completely different than the one found on a legit Cal Card. In addition, the information found on the back of the bogus card was completely re-typed, as opposed to being photocopied. The differences can be easily seen when comparing the two backs side by side, with the card number "34" being much fatter and mushed-together on the fake. Here's a look at a legit and fake Griffey, compared next to each other:

The set can be found today with little trouble for $40 or less... Keeping an eye open for "auction" formats on eBay can net you one for considerably less.  When you compare the relative scarcity of this Griffey versus the number of his rookie cards printed in 1989 by Donruss, Fleer, and even Upper Deck, you'll be wise to slip one of these sets in to your collection.

Just make sure Ken Jr. isn't wearing a white jersey.

Click here to find 1988 Spirit Sets on eBay

28. Bryan King

29. Steve Murray

30. Jim Bowie Jr.

31. Dan Disher

32. Clay Guinn

33. Jerry Goff

34. Ken Griffey Jr.

35. Joe Kemp

36. Jose Tartabull

37. William Diaz

38. Ted Williams

39. Steve Hisey

40. Mike Brocki

41. Ted Eldredge

42. Jody Ryan

43. Pat Rice

44. Keith Helton

45. Howard Townsend

46. Tim McLain

47. Jim Blueberg

48. Jeff Nelson

49. David Burba

50. Rich DeLucia

51. Todd Hayes

52. Rich Doyle

53. Ralph Dick

54. Bobby Cuellar

55. Don Reynolds

1975 Cramer Circle K Phoenix Giants

The 1975 Phoenix Giants team set was sponsored by Circle K Food Stores and produced by 22 year-old card collector Michael J. Cramer, the founder of Pacific Trading Cards. Pacific would go on to release numerous non-sports sets, as well as issues for the Major Indoor Soccer League, the National Football League and Major League Baseball. 

A complete set features 26 cards, including a card of PCL Manager of the Year Rocky Bridges, team General Manager Ethan Blackaby and a card of Cramer himself. As was typical for minor league cards at the time, they were printed in black and white and featured a simple design on the fronts. Backs were uncluttered yet informative, featuring both minor league and major league statistics for the players. Cards are numbered on the lower fronts, and also feature each player's uniform number on the back (information that is difficult to find even today on the internet). 

A slew of soon-to-be and already-were major leaguers appear in this issue. Of note, catcher Mike Sadek would spend parts of eight seasons with the parent Giants club. Fan-favorite Greg Minton would pitch in the majors for 16 seasons, including an All-Star appearance with the Giants in 1982. Lefty hurler Bob Knepper would spend 15 years in the big show, grabbing two All-Star appearances with the Astros in 1981 and 1988. Outfielder Larry Herndon would play in 1,537 MLB contests, amassing 5,319 plate appearances along the way.

I can't recall ever hearing of the number of '75 Phoenix sets produced, but I'd venture to guess that no more than 5,000 were printed -- I could be wrong and on the low side with my estimate, but minor league team sets were not widely collected in the mid-1970s. As a matter of fact, these types of sets were usually printed in quantities of 1,000 or less! With that being said, the value of the '75 Phoenix set is considerably lower than other minor league sets of the day, which leads me to believe that more copies of the Phoenix set exist.

A copy of the set is indeed easy to find today (as of this writing several sets are available on eBay at reasonable Buy It Now prices). Sets are valued in the $10 to $15 range. 

Click here to find Phoenix Giants Sets on eBay

1. Rocky Bridges, Manager (Unif. #26)
2. Jack Mull, Catcher (10)
3. Mike Sadek, Catcher (20)
4. Bob Nolan, Pitcher (18)
5. Tony Gonzalez, Pitcher (22)
6. Ed Sukla, Pitcher (27)
7. Don Rose, Pitcher (30)
8. Greg Minton, Pitcher (31)
9. Tom Bradley, Pitcher (33)
10. Bob Knepper, Pitcher (34)
11. Rob Dressler, Pitcher (37)
12. Johnny Lemaster, Infield (2)
13. Glen Redmon, Infield (12)
14. Skip James, Infield (15)
15. Bruce Christensen, Infield  (17)
16. Mike Eden, Infield (19)
17. Tom Heintzelman, Infield (23)
18. Tony Pepper, Infield (35)
19. Jim Williams, Outfield (9)
20. Larry Herndon, Outfield (11)
21. Leon Brown, Outfield (16)
22. Horace Speed, Outfield (20)
23. Frank Johnson, Outfield (24)
24. Harry K. Jordan, Trainer
25. Ethan Blackaby, General Manager
26. Michael J. Cramer, Sports Collector