1998 Southern League Top Prospects

A few weeks ago I was at Smokies Ballpark. In the gift shop they have a large tub of older card sets for a buck a piece.  I've got all the Knoxville teams that they offer.  While double checking that I came across this set.  For a dollar, I figured I'd pick it up.

It is always nice to reminisce about players you've seen come up through the minors.  I'm fortunate.  I live about 14 miles from Smokies Park.  I've seen a number of the Cubs' players go through Kodak, Tennessee.

But back in 1998 the Smokies were still playing at Bill Meyer Stadium in Knoxville.  I did catch a game or two there.  It wasn't much of a stadium at the end.

These design of these cards don't do much for me.  I haven't compared them to other cards of that era, but I'm just not digging it.  They'll go back in the team bag and in a few years I'll pull them out again and critique them just as harshly.

Carlos Lee (card # 14)

Bronson Arroyo (card # 25)

And the checklist.  Three guys named Jason.  And two guys named Mike.

Top Prospect Checklist (card # 31)

I think that this is Pringles Park, now known as The Ballpark At Jackson, which opened in 1998.

Heery Ballpark Design (card # 32)

2005 Upper Deck Flyball

Yesterday, after a visit to the dentist, I stopped by a local thrift store. I usually look for books, CDs, something that might catch my eye. This did. It was an unopened, but far from mint, starter box of Upper Deck's Flyball. Some sort of interactive baseball card game.

I guess one would use the Fly Pentop Computer (sold separately) to play the game.  It isn't clear to me looking at a card how one would do that. Here's what one of the cards looks like, courtesy of COMC.com. 

2005 Upper Deck Flyball #40 - Mark Prior

Included in the starter box are 28 Interactive Upper Deck Player Cards.  There are 210 cards in the set.  My digital edition of the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards (ca. 2009) doesn't have a listing for them.

The box was $3.99.  I walked around with it for a few minutes and put it back on the shelf.  Not that it isn't a good deal.  I'm sure it is.  I just don't need more cards in my house that don't fit in with my collecting scheme.  Maybe I'll go back, buy it, and donate the cards to the Pack-A-Daily-Circus fiasco.

By the way, I didn't have any cavities.