a card with any other photo would not be so sweet

i have mentioned many times that i will usually search images of new card releases by team in search of cards that fit one of my many mini collections. when 2020 topps series 2 was released, i performed this ritual and was able to find a few cards to target.  there were two non-dodger cards that i couldn't wait to acquire.

the first is this decades' best celebrating the phillies teams of the 1980's.

i nearly fell out of my chair when i saw pete rose featured on the card. the last time there was a licensed topps card of rose was in 1989, although topps did include rose cards in their buyback campaigns in 2015 and 2017 (if not 2014 and 2016 as well). now, this isn't a pete rose card per se, but i find it hard to believe that someone at topps chose this card without recognizing number 14. it is a weird photo to use for the 1980 world champions and 1983 national league champions as it shows manager pat corrales flanked by steve carlton and charlie hustle as he heads on to the field to argue a call in 1982 or 1983 (according to getty images).

i have said many times that i am not a pete rose apologist, but i am a fan of his accomplishments on the field. whatever the reason, i am glad topps used that photo.

the other card i was quick to obtain was this legends variation of reggie jackson

it comes from the 1974 world series and features dodger catcher steve yeager, along with reggie's teammate sal bando. yeager held on to the ball, but reggie was called safe. there is another photo available at getty images, taken just a few moments later, that shows yeager arguing with the umpire, as well as what may well be the back of mc hammer's head.

that would have made for a nice card, too.

i snagged a couple of other cards for my collection, including the decades' best card that celebrates the 1980's dodger teams.

they were the only franchise to win two titles in that decade, and the card shows a scene from game 1 of the 1988 world series. i can't argue with that, especially since it is a different photo from what is typically used to mark kirk gibson's pinch-hit home run. look at all of those coaches on a card! still, i was hoping topps would produce this card and use the 1981 world series photo of the three steves - garvey, yeager, and howe - celebrating together.

the 1950's dodgers were also included in the insert set, and i was sure to pick up one of those cards, too.

that is a photo of the 1954 dodger squad (here's a different angle thanks to walter o'malley's website. that particular year, the team finished 2nd in the national league, but they did win 5 pennants and 2 world series titles in the decade. i appreciate topps using a different photo here, rather than the johnny podres celebratory 1955 image again. some of the recognizable faces are walt alston (his first year as manager) and billy herman to his right, carl furillo, preacher roe, gil hodges, jackie robinson, rube walker, and half of don newcombe in the second row,  don zimmer, carl erskine, sandy amoros, and don hoak up top. i had to look up number 12 (it's erv palica) as well as the other members of alston's coaching staff. speaking of which, the player just to the right of whom i believe to be jake pitler (to the right of billy herman) is pee wee reese, and to his right was tommy lasorda. would have been cool to see young tommy on this card to go along with his appearance on the 1980's card above. don't worry though - we'll see tommy again in a bit.

there is a decades' best card of don sutton in series 2 that i have yet to purchase, but i did get the sandy koufax

and clayton kershaw cards

sutton had a decades' best card in series 1, and his series 2 card lists him as a 1960's "best". he was a good pitcher in his four years that decade, but his inclusion in the set is likely due to the player list available to topps, as don drysdale would have been a better series 2 choice for the dodgers. still, this is probably my favorite insert set this year.

here are two more variations that i've added - craig biggio:

even with the ryne sandberg cameo, this goes in my double play binder.

and stephen strasburg:

a photo from dodger stadium, with tommy lasorda in the stands behind him. this bunt by strasburg in game 2 of the nlds moved victor robles to second which kept him out of a double play when the next batter grounded out to third. the next batter singled robles home, and the nats never looked back in that game. also, this may be one of the last current hitting pitcher cards we see.