#406 - Len Whitehouse

What a card: This is the last card issued of Len Whitehouse during his career. His first card was in the 1983 Topps Traded set. So he had just three Topps cards.

My observation on the front: The Twins logo on the stirrups certainly stands out.

More opinion from me: I like the shadowy fans in the stands.

Something you might know: Whitehouse was a relief pitcher for the Twins. He received the brunt of his playing time in 1983 when he appeared in 60 games and went 7-1.

Something you might not know: Reggie Jackson's 2,000th career strikeout came against Whitehouse. Jackson was the first player to strike out 2,000 times, and he struck out three times in that game. Frank Viola got Jackson strikeouts 1,998 and 1,999.

My observation on the back: Whitehouse, a native of Vermont, has served as an assistant coach for the Saint Michael's College baseball team in Colchester, Vt., although it doesn't look like he's there now.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#405 - Tom Veryzer

What a card: This is the final card of Tom Veryzer issued during his 12-year major league career.

My observation on the front: I don't know what Veryzer is looking at, but doesn't he look majestic doing it?

More opinion from me: That does not look like a uniform; it looks like a T-shirt.

Something you might know: Veryzer was the shortstop on the Topps rookie all-star team in 1976 and received a rookie cup on his card for that honor. A couple years before that, he drove in the last run at Yankee Stadium before it was renovated after the 1973 season.

Something you might not know: Veryzer was such a prized prospect in the Tigers' organization that manager Ralph Houk told a sportswriter near the end of the 1974 season, "I wouldn't trade Tom even up for Robin Yount." Yount was an 18-year-old sensation at the time, and, of course, future Hall of Famer.

My observation on the back: This has to be one of the worst candidates for a hero number (card number ending in "0" or "5') of all-time. Veryzer hit .189 in 1984 and none of his seasons really qualified for getting a card number ending in "5".

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#404 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Billy Swift

What a card: Billy Swift (who would go on to be known as "Bill") is the last card in the the '84 U.S. team subset. He is the 12th of the 15 players featured to make the major leagues.

My observation on the front: I believe it reads "Marlboro Country" behind Swift.

More opinion from me: I'm not going to miss seeing those caps.

Something you might know: Swift started with the Mariners and became a well-used reliever for Seattle. But after he was traded to the Giants, he returned to being a starter and finished second in the Cy Young Award voting in 1993 after going 21-8.

Something you might not know: Wouldn't you like to know which members of the '84 baseball team were not included in the subset? Here they are:

Will Clark
Chris Gywnn
Barry Larkin
B.J. Surhoff
Bobby Witt

At least some, if not all, of those players were prevented from appearing in the set by the NCAA because they still had eligibility left.

My observation on the back: The stats provided by Maine aren't as complete as the schools of the other players.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture category is updated.

#403 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Cory Snyder

What a card: Aside from the Mark McGwire card, this is probably the most memorable card in the subset. Cory Snyder is the 11th future major leaguer featured so far.

My observation on the front: A lot of the players in this set look like newbies, but not Snyder. He looks like he's been playing for years.

More opinion from me: Snyder ended his career with the Dodgers and I'll always remember him for leading the league in strikeouts in his first year with the team in 1993.

Something you might know: Snyder emerged as a top rookie for the Indians, finishing fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1986. He hit some home runs, threw out some runners, fanned at some fastballs, but might be most known for appearing on the Sports Illustrated cover with Joe Carter in which SI declared the Indians the best team in the AL for 1987. They finished dead last.

Something you might not know: Snyder's daughter, Amberley, was paralyzed after being thrown from her vehicle in a car accident. But even though she can't move her legs, she later returned to rodeo competition, barrel racing in the College National Finals last year.

My observation on the back: Nothing but .400s on the back of that card.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#402 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Pat Pacillo

What a card: Pat Pacillo represents the 10th of 13 players featured so far in this subset who went on to play in the major leagues. Pacillo pitched for the Reds in 18 games over 1987 and 1988.

My observation on the front: That's the best look at the General Electric logo on the U.S. baseball uniforms yet.

More opinion from me: Other than saying that Pacillo looks vaguely like someone famous to me, I've got nothing else.

Something you might know: In 1986, Pete Rose took himself off the Reds' 40-man winter roster to protect Pacillo, who was a big prospect in Cincinnati's organization at the time. The players' union was threatening a grievance to make Pacillo a free agent if he wasn't placed on a roster.

Something you might not know:  In 2011, Bleacher Report named Pacillo as the Reds' all-time biggest prospect bust.

My observation on the back: It's interesting that the write-up addresses Pacillo's hitting exclusively when he's listed as a pitcher.

The blog wants to speak know: The Movies category is updated.

#401 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Mark McGwire

What a card: I haven't checked recently, but I believe this is still the priciest card in the 1985 Topps set. I believe Beckett lists it around $30, but you can Buy It Now for under 10 bucks.

My observation on the front: Have an urge to smoke? Blame it on Mark McGwire's rookie card.

More opinion from me: Only one adjective to describe McGwire in this photo: "sunny".

Something you might know: McGwire set a rookie record for home runs in a season with 49 in 1987, and held the overall season mark for home runs for three years when he hit 70 in 1998. Then a little androstenedione here and a Jose Canseco tell-all book there and McGwire eventually admitted to using steroids.

Something you might not know: The U.S. baseball team used aluminum bats during the 1984 Olympics, but McGwire said he made sure he posed with a wooden bat for this photo because he expected it to be his first baseball card.

My observation on the back: I think someone needs to come up with a statistic to measure "fear".

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#400 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Oddibe McDowell

What a card: Oddibe McDowell is the eighth of 11 '84 U.S. Baseball Team members shown so far to have reached the majors. In fact, McDowell was already in major league baseball when this card was issued. He is the only player featured in this set to also have another card in the Traded set.

My observation on the front: Go, ahead, Oddibe is saying, impress me.

More opinion from me: I don't remember the specifics, but I'm sure that I cracked up the first time I heard there was a baseball player named "Oddibe".

Something you might know: McDowell was named the best amateur baseball player in the country in 1984 and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1985.

Something you might not know: McDowell and Rangers teammate Darrell Porter are part of select group to have hit back-to-back pinch-hit home runs. It happened against the Red Sox on Sept. 1, 1986 against pitcher Steve Crawford.

My observation on the back: McDowell is one of the few non-major league players to have received a "double zero" card number in a Topps flagship set. The others are league presidents (late 1950s) and first-year players/prospects (late '90s/past decade).

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated once again.

#399 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: John Marzano

What a card: The 1984 U.S. Baseball Team is really starting to show its prowess as the future major leaguers have now well-outnumbered the never-weres. John Marzano is the seventh of 10 players shown in this set so far to have made the majors.

My observation on the front: Marzano is the only player in this set who isn't wearing a USA trucker hat. He has good taste.

More opinion from me: It's a bit scary that the only player in this set to not be wearing a cap is also the first player on the team to die.

Something you might know: Marzano was a career backup in the majors, mostly for the Red Sox and Mariners. He famously helped touch off a brawl between the Yankees and Mariners by taking swings at the Yankees' Paul O'Neill. Marzano died at age 45 in 2008 after falling down a flight of stairs while intoxicated.

Something you might not know: Marzano was good friends with three heavyweights of major league baseball: Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez.

My observation on the back: Marzano was from South Philadelphia. Marzano's longtime coach and a father figure, Gabriel "Spanky" DiFeliciantonio, said, "You can be only three kinds of things if you're from South Philly: a baseball player, a singer or a gangster. Fortunately, he chose the right one."

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated.

#398 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Shane Mack

What a card: So far this is the most successful major leaguer in the subset. Shane Mack would play nine years in the majors (and a couple years in Japan) and be a key part of the Twins' World Series champion team in 1991.

My observation on the front: This is the second neck chain showcased in the '84 U.S. baseball team subset.

More opinion from me: Mack instantly makes me think of my doomed three years in fantasy baseball. Mack was a regular member of my team, although I believe I picked him up just after his peak season, which was pretty typical for me.

Something you might know: Mack's legacy in major league baseball was derailed somewhat by the players strike in 1994. Not willing to wait around for a resolution, Mack took a very large and guaranteed contract to play in Japan for the Yomiuri Giants. He returned to the majors in 1997, but not as a regular starter.

Something you might not know: Mack got his first start in major league baseball when the Padres' Steve Garvey was placed on the disabled list and Tony Gwynn injured his thumb. Mack was called up and played right field.

My observation on the back: Three triples in one game -- there's not much more exciting for a baseball viewer than that.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated.

#397 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: John Hoover

What a card: John Hoover is the fifth of the eight players in this subset shown so far that reached the major leagues. Hoover did it by the skin of his teeth, though, appearing in two games for the Rangers in 1990.

My observation on the front: Clipboard sighting! Sorry, these are not exciting-looking cards.

More opinion from me: I'm just realizing that there is a double giant "USA" on almost every card in this set.

Something you might know: Hoover led the country in strikeouts when he fanned 205 batters for Fresno State in 1984. He started the first game for the 1984 Olympic team, getting the win.

Something you might not know: Hoover is the most recent member of the '84 Olympic team (but not the first) to have died. He died on July 8 of last year at age 51. It was attributed to natural causes.

My observation the back: 19 complete games. I wonder how many games college pitchers are completing these days (really, I don't know. I don't follow college ball. But I know it's not 19).

The blog wants to speak now: The Sports tab is updated.

#396 - 1984 United States Baseball Team: Gary Green

What a card: Gary Green brings some respect to this 1984 USA baseball team. Among the cards in the set covered so far, Green is the fourth of the seven to have played in the majors, meaning more players competed in the majors than did not, so far.

My observation on the front: Thanks to the caps, these players look like they're buying cattle feed at the corner livestock store.

More opinion from me: All these guys are starting to look the same.

Something you might know: Green played a sporadic five years in the majors with the Padres, Rangers and Reds. He's in Upper Deck's 1989 debut set as a Padre and in Topps' 1991 set as a Ranger.

Something you might not know: Green was named to the All-College World Series team in 1984, along with one of his Oklahoma State teammates, Pete Incaviglia. The two would be teammates again five years later with the Texas Rangers.

My observation on the back: Green's father pitched in some rough situations in the 1960 World Series. He gave up a two-run home run to Mickey Mantle in Game 2 and an RBI double to Bobby Richardson in a 16-3 Yankees win. In Game 3, he was the third Pirates pitcher in the first inning as the Yankees pounced for six runs. Green held the Yankees scoreless for three innings until giving up another Mantle two-run shot (scoring Whitey Ford, who had singled off Green). The Yankees won 10-0. In Game 6, he started the sixth inning and promptly gave up a triple, single and another single and was removed. The Yankees won 12-0.

P.S.: But Fred Green got a World Series ring.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.