in which i make the case that one is better than two

i was surprised to see not one but two danny valencia cards in topps' series 2 release.  one has him in the home whites

and the other in the away grays.

each card has a different number in the set, so i knew it wasn't a variation. they are numbered only a couple cards apart which is weird. the first one has the rookie cup, so i figured maybe one of the cards was a checklist or something.  nope.  here's the back of the first one 

now here's the second valencia card back

they both have the full stat display.  aside from the number, the inset photo and the text writeup, the backs are the same.  it seems silly for topps to have produced two cards for the twins' third baseman when just one would do.  in the 2011 topps twins team set, there was only one valencia card

and even though they used the photo from what would be valencia's second card in series 2, they managed to get the rookie cup on it.  makes sense to me.  are there any other players that got two cards thanks to a rookie cup?
speaking of series 2, topps updated the tsuyoshi nishioka card, and although i like seeing ron gardenhire on a card, i can't complain about a double play turn

with alexi casilla lurking and jose bautista sliding in.

another nice update from the team set is joe mauer's card

same photo; it just looks better in landscape.  topps got that one right.

turn out the lights in twins territory

i've been sitting on this post for a few weeks now, and wouldn't you know - the twins are playing pretty good baseball right now.  it looked pretty grim in may and even the beginning of june, but who knows what will happen in the al central. 

here's the joe mauer stadium lights insert from 2011 topps opening day.

it's a pity that there are no dodgers featured in this set.  target field, in this case, makes a nice backdrop.  we'll see that it doesn't always offer aesthetic value.

first, we will further enjoy the confines with the minnesota limestone, concrete and glass on this 2011 topps twins joe mauer

this is a pretty, pretty card.  i am guessing that this is the same card in series 2, but i don't know for sure.  the twins are wearing their 1961 throwbacks at every home game this year in tribute to harmon killebrew.  i wish they would never go back. 

here's jim thome wearing one of the twins away variations.

i think now the blue jerseys say 'minnesota' instead of  'twins' which is more in line with other teams' away unis.

joe nathan, on his 2011 topps twins card

shows off the retired twins away pinstripes. that's because he didn't pitch in 2010 so topps used an old photo.  no problem.  does he have a card in series 2?  i am always pleased when a player misses a season but still gets a card a la tommy john in 1976.

so, while topps gets a pass on nathan, they do not get off so easily with brian duensing's card

sure it's got a lurking joe mauer, but it's still a photo from 2009.  duensing was with the big club and appeared in 53 games in 2010.  there's no reason why we should have a photo in 2011 topps with twins players wearing the 'last year in the metrodome' patch on their jerseys.

here's another lurker - this time it's manager ron gardenhire on tsuyoshi nishioka's topps twins card

nishi busted his leg early in the season but is back now.  he looked pretty nervous the first few games of the year, but the potential is there.

here's another nice shot of target field

unfortunately, ugly target center (home of the timberwolves) makes an appearance in the far right.  i used to work in the building just right of center field.  i could see the back of the left field scoreboard from my office window.

that is a much much better than the 2010 topps card that featured the outside of the metrodome and a street sign

no offense, kirby.  these days the metrodome has a sunken roof and is still adorned in purple and gold even as the vikings scheme to leave the site.

anyway, here's where target field suffers - 2011 bowman ichiro suzuki

the scoreboard in right field is pretty obnoxious when it serves as the background on a baseball card.  it's nice for the fans, though, as it's easy to read and has all of the out of town scores.  i just wish the photographer would have waited until ichiro was in front of some of that limestone.

win twins!  maybe those lights should stay on a little bit longer...