Whether or not you like or hate the 2008 Topps baseball card set, one factor is apparent:
the design is among the many most unusual baseball card units within the firm’s historical past.
Massive, block-style font inside circles alternating between team-themed colours made the group names pop throughout the highest.
The facsimile signatures of every participant alongside the underside had been additionally a pleasant contact.
If there’s one disadvantage to the design, the supplemental options across the borders resulted in much less room for participant photographs.
However, that is being choosy.
Total, I feel the design was properly finished and, once more, it was actually distinctive.
The guidelines is fairly stable, too.
And on this information, we’ll check out the 15 most respected.
Let’s bounce proper in!
2008 Topps Replace & Highlights #UH240 Clayton Kershaw Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $425
Making one of the vital anticipated debuts in Los Angeles Dodgers historical past, Clayton Kershaw could not stay as much as the hype in 2008.
No less than not fairly but.
Picked seventh general by the Dodgers within the 2006 Draft, Kershaw was lauded as the highest high-school pitcher out there in his class.
He shot up like a rocket by means of the minor-league ranks as a teen and reached the Majors in ’08 on the tender age of 20.
His first MLB begin on Could twenty fourth was an occasion.
Dodger Stadium was packed, and the power was palpable, much like Hideo Nomo’s first outings in 1995.
The lefty acquitted himself properly underneath the intense lights, hanging out seven St. Louis Cardinals and surrendering simply two runs in six innings pitched.
Nonetheless, his subsequent 21 regular-season outings (20 begins) would reveal a younger pitcher who nonetheless wanted time and seasoning to change into actually nice.
The Dallas native alternated good begins and tough ones, ending the 12 months at 5-5 with a 4.26 ERA.
He gave up 109 hits in 107.2 innings, marking the one time in his profession (to date) that he is given up extra hits than innings pitched.
All’s properly that ends properly, although, and Kershaw was the group’s future, and each greater and higher issues lay forward.
Technically, this card is from the 2008 Topps Replace & Highlights set and never the bottom set.
However, given Kershaw’s significance, I made an exception for him, and a few different guys as properly.
2008 Topps Replace & Highlights #UH280 Max Scherzer Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $125
Whereas he’d solely find yourself pitching for 2 years in an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform, Max Scherzer was decided to make an incredible first impression along with his first big-league membership in 2008.
And he did simply that, setting a brand new MLB file for consecutive batters retired by a pitcher making his debut in reduction with 13.
These 4.1 scoreless innings (and 7 strikeouts) in opposition to the Houston Astros had been completely electrical and introduced us a glimpse of what Scherzer would change into after transferring to Detroit.
The remainder of Scherzer’s rookie season was simply high quality.
Splitting his time between the bullpen and the beginning rotation, the younger righty pitched to a 3.05 ERA in 16 appearances (seven begins) for the 82-win D-Backs.
He gave up simply 48 hits in 56 innings pitched, hanging out 66 for a powerful 10.6 Ok/9 ratio.
It was a 12 months of promise and potential for the previous first-round choose.
It was additionally a vital constructing block in the direction of a surefire Corridor-of-Fame profession that has introduced three Cy Younger awards and eight All-Star appearances (to date.)
2008 Topps #319 Joey Votto Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45
After a cup of espresso in 2007 and a robust Spring Coaching, Cincinnati Reds teenager Joey Votto earned a roster spot in ‘08 as a part of a platoon at first with former Oakland A’s “Moneyball” hero Scott Hatteberg.
The platoon didn’t final very lengthy.
A former second-round draft choose again in 2002, Votto’s candy left-handed swing shortly gained him the outright job on the three.
From there, one of the vital beloved Cincinnati Reds of this or any technology started his ascent, in earnest, to All-Star standing.
In 151 video games for the 74-88 Reds, Votto slashed .297/.368/.506 with 24 dwelling runs, 32 doubles, 69 runs scored, seven stolen bases, and a Cincinnati rookie file 84 RBIs.
The 24-year-old wunderkind paced the NL rookie area in batting common, homers, on-base proportion, slugging proportion, hits (156), multi-hit video games (42), and whole bases (266).
Ending second within the NL Rookie of the 12 months race to Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto, Votto mixed elite glove work at first with a selective and clever hitting strategy past his years.
It could solely go onwards and upwards from there for the longer term Nationwide League MVP.
2008 Topps Replace & Highlights #UH10 Evan Longoria Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45
After simply six MLB video games, the oft-frugal Tampa Bay Rays opened their checkbooks to lock up Evan Longoria for the long run.
That is how good he was throughout his 2008 Rookie-of-the-12 months marketing campaign, even at the beginning.
Regular, good, and unfazed on the sizzling nook, Longoria shined even brighter when he stepped into the batter’s field.
In 508 plate appearances (448 at-bats), Longoria slashed .272/.343/.531 with 27 dwelling runs, 31 doubles, 67 runs scored, seven stolen bases, and 85 RBIs.
If he hadn’t missed 5 weeks with a damaged proper wrist, these numbers would have popped off the web page much more.
The true measure of Longoria’s influence in Tampa was within the win column.
Earlier than he arrived, the Rays had gained not more than 70 video games in ten years of existence.
With Longoria in tow, the Rays broke by means of the glass ceiling with 97 wins and an AL East title.
The enjoyable continued within the first two rounds of Tampa’s maiden postseason journey.
Longoria hit six dwelling runs and posted an OPS over 1.000 to guide the Rays to their first pennant with collection victories over the White Sox and Pink Sox.
The whole lot screeched to a halt within the World Collection, nevertheless, as Longoria went simply 1-for-20 in a five-game loss to the Phillies.
2008 Topps #229 Dustin Pedroia
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
Dustin Pedroia was the primary American League second baseman in practically 50 years to win Rookie of the 12 months and the league’s MVP award in consecutive seasons (Nellie Fox, 1959).
Coming off the excessive of the Boston Pink Sox’s World Collection triumph in ’07, Pedroia was a ready-made full participant in ’08.
He supplied Gold Glove protection at one of many sport’s most demanding positions, earned a beginning function in his first All-Star Sport, and captured his first Silver Slugger award in 95-win Boston’s run to a Wild Card berth.
The California native posted a .326/.376./.493 slash line with 17 dwelling runs, 83 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases.
He led all of baseball in hits (213) and doubles (54) and topped the Junior Circuit with 118 runs scored.
There wasn’t something that Pedroia could not do at an elite stage.
At any time when Boston wanted a spark, he was there with an internet gem, swiped bag, or clutch hit.
Within the playoffs, the younger second baseman hit simply .233 as Boston’s title protection hopes died in a seven-game ALCS loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Nonetheless, Pedroia made up for his lackluster common with seven walks, 9 runs scored, two stolen bases, three dwelling runs, and 6 RBIs in 11 video games.
2008 Topps #580 Ken Griffey Jr.
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
The actual story of Ken Griffey Jr.’s 2008 season boils all the way down to a single second that modified the course of his ultimate years as an lively participant.
On June eighth, Griffey returned to Seattle in an opposing uniform for the primary time since leaving the M’s by way of commerce in early 2000.
Griffey anticipated a chilly welcome with boos a-plenty, contemplating he had compelled his manner into that deal to return to his hometown of Cincinnati.
Nonetheless, that was removed from the case.
Griffey obtained a four-minute standing ovation throughout an emotion-packed pregame ceremony.
It was step one in the direction of a reunion a number of months later.
As for the particulars of the 2008 season on a broader scale, Griffey performed 102 video games for the Reds earlier than being dealt to the Chicago White Sox on the commerce deadline.
It was an unceremonious finish to his 9 years with the membership.
The previous “Child” supplied Sox followers with an excellent throwback second on the most vital of moments: an excellent throw from middle within the fifth inning of a Sport #163 tiebreaker helped propel the White Sox previous the Twins and into the playoffs as AL Central champs.
The White Sox would bow out 4 video games later with an ALDS loss to Tampa, however the throw was nonetheless as epic as they arrive.
2008 Topps #10 Miguel Cabrera
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
After consecutive successful seasons and an AL pennant in 2006, the 2008 season was a sobering letdown for the Detroit Tigers.
The offense was high quality in Motown.
However, the pitching imploded resulting from accidents and effectiveness en path to a dismal 74-88 end.
Sadly, it was a waste of a improbable Detroit debut for famous person third baseman turned first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Traded from the Marlins to the Tigers after the 2007 season alongside beginning pitcher Dontrelle Willis for a six-player haul, the AL’s Participant of the Month for July hit a brand new career-best (and AL-best) 37 dwelling runs in 2008.
Cabrera, the youngest AL dwelling run champion since Troy Glaus in 2000, was the lynchpin of one of many sport’s most feared offensive barrages.
If the Tigers had an honest pitching employees, Detroit would have simply been a contender in a questionable AL Central area.
Cabrera ended the 12 months with a .292/.349/.537 slash line, 36 doubles, 85 runs scored, and 127 RBIs in 684 plate appearances (616 at-bats).
2008 Topps #455 Derek Jeter
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
2008 was one in all Derek Jeter’s most attempting years as an expert baseball participant.
Receiving zero MVP votes for the primary time since 2002, Jeter posted a career-worst .771 OPS and didn’t crack 100 runs scored (88) for simply the second time in 13 years.
That wasn’t the worst half.
With the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Pink Sox every securing playoff berths, Jeter’s Yankees had been the odd males out for the primary time in his profession.
This set off a tabloid meltdown within the Bronx as critics lined as much as take potshots on the group captain and his tumultuous relationship with famous person teammate Alex Rodriguez.
It is not that Jeter had an terrible 12 months.
In spite of everything, he gained the AL Silver Slugger at quick and hit .300 for the fourth consecutive marketing campaign.
Nonetheless, the foundations apply in another way to the Yankees.
And Jeter knew that.
Lacking the playoffs is perhaps acceptable within the greater image for different franchises.
However, it is a downright disaster while you’re donning the trademark pinstripes.
2008 Topps #490 Albert Pujols
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
If the 2008 NL MVP award had been voted for throughout the current day, Albert Pujols may need run away and hid with the trophy.
Sure, the St. Louis Cardinals underachieved in ’08, ending fourth within the NL Central with an 86-76 file.
And sure, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard’s sturdiness and MLB-best 48 dwelling runs and 146 RBIs had been undeniably spectacular for a group that truly made the postseason.
Nonetheless, hindsight is 20/20, and Pujols deserved way over 18 of a doable 30 first-place votes.
Main all of baseball with 9.2 WAR, the hulking Playing cards’ first baseman additionally topped the Majors in slugging proportion (.653), OPS (1.114), whole bases (342), intentional walks (34), and OPS + (192) amongst different classes.
With out Pujols, the Cardinals could not have sniffed .500, not to mention ten video games above.
His .357 batting common was second amongst qualifying hitters (Chipper Jones), and his 100 walks and 104 runs scored had been emblematic of his significance.
Pujols ended the marketing campaign with 37 dwelling runs, 44 doubles, and 116 RBIs.
He could not have put up online game numbers for a playoff contender, however he positive as heck put collectively probably the greatest top-to-bottom seasons of the post-steroids period so far.
2008 Topps #320 Ichiro Suzuki
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
Amid the franchise’s worst season in 25 years, the Seattle Mariners determined to wash home and begin recent, axing supervisor John McLaren and common supervisor Invoice Bavasi in the course of the 12 months.
Issues wouldn’t enhance a lot from there.
Seattle gained simply 61 video games because of bottom-seven finishes in each runs scored and runs allowed.
It was a depressing 12 months.
However, it was at the very least a depressing 12 months with Ichiro doing Ichiro issues.
As the remainder of the M’s flailed and imploded round him, Suzuki continued his all-world methods.
Now eight for eight in Gold Gloves and All-Star appearances, the 34-year-old outfielder led the Majors with 213 hits and topped the AL in plate appearances (749) and at-bats (686).
Regular as they arrive, Ichiro hit to a .310/.361/.386 slash line with six homers, 20 doubles, seven triples, 43 stolen bases, and 42 RBIs.
One of the crucial impactful singles hitters in baseball historical past, Ichiro was M’s followers’ sole cause to cheer for almost all of the 2008 MLB season.
2008 Topps #440 Pedro Martinez
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
The whole lot fell aside for Pedro Martinez in his ultimate 12 months as a New York Met.
From his father’s passing in July to his skilled woes, it was simply tough.
Actually tough.
After an excellent debut season for the Mets in 2005, the longer term Corridor-of-Fame hurler’s physique began to short-circuit on him.
All of it reached its nadir in 2008 when the 36-year-old righty had the worst marketing campaign of his 18-year profession.
Lacking practically half of the season resulting from damage, Martinez misplaced the ace’s contact with a worse-than-replacement-level efficiency when he might play.
In 20 begins, Martinez pitched to an uncharacteristic 5.61 ERA with a career-worst 1.569 WHIP.
Pedro surrendered 127 hits and 44 walks in simply 109 innings pitched, and his 7.2 strikeouts per 9 innings had been practically three strikeouts in need of his profession mark.
The 89-win Mets completed only a sport behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Wild Card spot.
If Martinez had been even marginally higher, they might doubtless have made the postseason.
2008 Topps #360 David Ortiz
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
Pretty much as good as Dustin Pedroia’s efficiency was for the defending champs in 2008, it was counterbalanced by David Ortiz’s prolonged slumps, damage points, and general struggles on the plate.
After a tough begin to the marketing campaign, Ortiz suffered a extreme left wrist damage on Memorial Day weekend that restricted him to only 109 video games performed within the common season.
And when he was on the sphere, issues simply did not gel as groups employed excessive shifts in opposition to him to nice impact.
Posting the worst general season of his six-year keep in Boston so far, Ortiz slashed .264/.369/.507 with 23 dwelling runs, 30 doubles, 74 runs scored, 70 walks, and 89 RBIs.
The Pink Sox overcame Ortiz’s season within the wilderness and captured a playoff berth.
But, they would not be so fortunate because the playoffs went on.
After hitting simply .235 with a .644 OPS in a four-game ALDS win over the Angels, Ortiz was even worse within the ALCS in opposition to Tampa Bay.
Apart from a large three-run dwelling run that helped the Pink Sox stave off elimination in Sport 5, Ortiz was a legal responsibility.
He went simply 4-for-26 (.154) with a .697 OPS because the Rays stopped Boston’s repeat bid quick within the ALCS.
2008 Topps #500 Chipper Jones
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
Whereas Chipper Jones’ chase for .400 ended in the course of the 2008 marketing campaign, the 36-year-old Atlanta Braves third baseman nonetheless submitted one of many best performances by a switch-hitter in MLB historical past.
Jones was practically unstoppable within the season’s first two months, hitting .413 for a Braves group mulling about across the .500 mark.
Because the season wore on, the Braves fell a few rungs from mediocre to dangerous, and Jones’ blistering tempo began to gradual.
However, it solely slowed in comparison with his personal Herculean efforts.
Because the 72-90 Braves meandered to the end line, Jones outlasted Albert Pujols to win his first-and-only batting title with a .364 common.
Ending one level shy of Mickey Mantle’s file for a switch-hitter, Jones additionally led the Main Leagues with the best on-base proportion (.470) of his Corridor-of-Fame profession.
And oh yeah, he did all of this whereas battling damage issues and lacking over a month’s price of video games.
The oldest switch-hitter to win a batting crown and the primary Braves participant since Terry Pendleton (1991) to take action, Jones posted a 1.044 OPS with 22 dwelling runs, 24 doubles, 82 runs scored, 90 walks, and 75 RBIs in 439 at-bats.
2008 Topps #625 Greg Maddux
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
Over his unimaginable 23-year Main League Baseball profession, Greg Maddux shone brightest throughout his days with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves.
Between the 2 golf equipment, Maddux piled up 4 Cy Younger Awards, eight All-Star appearances, 4 ERA titles, and sixteen of his eighteen Gold Gloves.
However the artful righty would end his profession between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
He by no means appeared proper in both uniform.
However he was efficient.
After the Cubs traded him to the playoff-contending Dodgers in 2006, Maddux pitched admirably, ending with a 3.30 ERA and 6-3 file.
In 2007, he gained 14 video games with the Padres.
And through his ultimate season of his profession in 2008, he would cut up time between San Diego and Los Angeles.
His 8-13 file that 12 months was one of many few occasions he had a shedding file.
Maddux labored out of the bullpen for the Dodgers within the playoffs, permitting 4 hits and two runs whereas hanging out three in 4 innings of labor.
LA misplaced the NLCS in 5 to the Philadelphia Phillies and Maddux introduced his retirement quickly after.
And similar to that, one of many biggest to ever grace the mound was finished.
2008 Topps #650 Frank Thomas
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $20
A former two-time MVP and perennial All-Star, Frank Thomas appeared nothing like his former self in his Nineteenth-and-final Main League season.
After a stable 12 months in his first go-around with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007, Thomas was overtly optimistic about 2008 north of the border.
Nonetheless, accidents and ineffectiveness plagued Thomas from the get-go , and supervisor John Gibbons benched him after hitting simply .167 in 16 video games.
Vowing his profession would “not finish like this,” Thomas was launched on April twentieth and signed on with the Oakland A’s 4 days later.
Thomas had revitalized his profession with the Athletics simply two years earlier than, ending within the high 5 of the league’s MVP voting.
It simply wasn’t the identical in 2008.
Thomas missed over half of the group’s video games resulting from damage, hitting .263 with simply 5 dwelling runs within the 55 video games he performed.
These had been the final 5 of his 521 profession dingers.
The “Large Damage” didn’t play in ’09 and formally retired after signing a one-day take care of the White Sox earlier than the 2010 marketing campaign.
2008 Topps Baseball Playing cards In Assessment
The 2008 Topps Replace & Highlights set actually has issues coated in terms of big-time rookies with Kershaw, Scherzer and Longoria.
And the 2008 Topps base set accommodates the rookie card of surefire Corridor-of-Famer Joey Votto.
Loads of different large superstars may also be discovered all through the 660-card guidelines.
These are all constructive issues.
However then there have been some controversial points to the set.
There have been a number of completely different subsets within the guidelines, however quite than being grouped in sequential order, they’re sprinkled randomly all through:
- Leaders
- Managers
- Postseason Highlights
- Traditional Combos
It is not an enormous deal that the subset playing cards had been grouped collectively.
Nevertheless it was uncommon.
2008 Topps additionally had an enormous political affect to it which, relying in your model, could or could not have rubbed some collectors the incorrect manner.
The “Marketing campaign 2008” insert set featured 12 playing cards highlighting candidates and themes of the 2008 election whereas the 55-card “Historic Marketing campaign Match-Ups” inserts coated the previous 54 elections in addition to the Democratic major between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Some collectors preferred the political inserts, others not a lot.
The design was one other controversial level for a lot of.
And the set guidelines appeared to lack consistency and route.
That was form of the general theme to all the set, actually: some collectors preferred it and others weren’t followers in any respect.
Total, although it may not rank excessive on many collectors’ wishlists, the 2008 Topps baseball set has loads to supply for the hardcore hobbyist prepared to take a more in-depth look.
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