Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... sometimes stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new fun cards and oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

IT'S NOT A '52, BUT ...
The Item: Ryan Mantle 2008 Grandstand Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Update
The Buzz On This: The last line of this card's "Ballpark Banter" gives away the show here -- he's the third cousin of Mickey Mantle -- and there have been a few Mantles to appear on cards beyond The Mick over the years. This one played two seasons of minor-league ball for three teams in that stretch and then 10 final games during his third season -- that one in the Frontier League. The final MiLB stats? Three homers and 38 RBI in 81 games while batting .269. Per Baseball Reference, he's among six relatives of the Hall of Famer to play pro baseball.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can find in MiLB.

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Here's this month's roundup of items that have recently caught my eye as a buyer ...

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IT'S ALWAYS TIFFY TIME
The Card: Tiffany Stratton 2023 Panini Immaculate Collection WWE Ruby Memorabilia Autographs (/25)
The Price: A meaty amount (for me)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Much like Rhea Ripley rookie autos in 2020, I've focused on trying to find one card from each of the lineups for Stratton's first year of ink in 2023 (RCs in 2022) with cleaner/full sigs on them and this brand was one of my targets for a while. I finally found one that looked good for a price I could pull off. Why chase? Stratton has delivered and figures to do so for some time with her latest big landmark moment being a bruiser of a win over Charlotte Flair at Wrestlemania. "Buff Barbie" is an informal nickname here so far -- they're avoiding trademark claims -- but they're also playing into that more and more with her Wrestlemania debut entrance having a Barbie Dreamhouse/packaging feel before a brawl that left her, in her own words, "looking like a broke down Barbie." That spectacle of an entrance and the match were both proof that the meteoric arrival and win over an all-time great at the biggest event of the year is just the start and the WWE is still fueling that rocket. I've been buying (this was a pre-Mania pick-up) and will keep looking for more somewhat selectively -- since stuff is at times pricey.
Grab a box: WWE cards are here.

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness. 

PULLED FROM THE FIELD ...
The Item: Home Run Derby X used baseball from Dunkin' Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats (Aug. 11, 2023)
The Buzz On This: This could have made its way into my monthly Collecting Game-used series here on The Buzz, but instead, I'll break up my pair and use one of them right here this time. Why? This exhibition event took place at a MiLB venue with four former MLB players leading the way smacking baseballs around the park -- Jonny Gomes, Jake Arrieta, Dexter Fowler and Nick Swisher. I read that the baseballs were not made to be sold, so the only way one could get their hands on them was to be there ... and with one of the four names being a player I collect, I did some power-shopping and landed a pair of them from a seller in Connecticut. Why? Just to have something from the event that's tied to my player. Who smacked this ball out of the park? No idea. There's no paperwork, there's no MLB Authentication sticker ... it just is what it is. I'm surprised that this event has never had any kind of card presence and really the only thing I have seen beyond used baseballs are posters ... but even those don't seem plentiful. This was from the second year of the traveling series -- the 2022 events were international and last year they showed up in different MiLB parks -- and this event was the first on American soil in 2023. The final score between the top two teams was 49-48 ... so a lot of baseballs went flying that day.

Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards you can find in MiLB.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ...

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THANKS TO OLD EL PASO ... 
The Card: Shotzi Blackheart autographed 2021 Topps Chrome WWE card (Fanatics witnessed)
The Price: $18.13 shipped (after $50 off promo)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: If you hit that link above and follow the instructions on the can when you hit a grocery store, you should be able to land a code for $50 off your order over yonder and it should be good on anything. While I pondered using this on some other things, I went back to my collecting well for a simple item that I would probably not buy at its original price as it's an aftermarket signed card but one that was witnessed and then slabbed and it says so right there on the label, which I like. It's not the best card per se for an added auto and her certified auto from this set can probably be found for less than this card's original price ... but for the delivery price here I didn't mind it. Plus, I made some tacos. I opted to stick closer to one of my collection cores with more Shotzi ink ... and as you'll see in the rest of this edition I'm still all over the place -- this is a Buzz Buys with some oddball and interesting pick-ups for this collector these days.
Grab a box right here: Chase the certified version in packs here

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2022 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was found in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2021 Topps Heritage baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
First Buzz preview, SPs & checklist: Click here

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Um ... Bartolo Colon? (It's about RCs.)

Rookie Cards (16) – Juan Soto, Mike Soroka, J.D. Davis, Willy Adames, Austin Gomber, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Miles Mikolas, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Tyler Beede, Mitch Garver, Freddy Peralta, Yonny Chirinos, Tomas Nido, P.J. Conlon, Nick Kingham, Braxton Lee

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2019 Topps Big League baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 240
Base set completion: 
189 of 400 (47 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Ronald Acuña Jr. (2), Ozzie Albies, J.D. Martinez (with Hank Aaron), Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Kris Bryant, Corey Seager, Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout

Rookie Cards (13) – Notables include Ramon Laureano, Kyle Tucker, Rowdy Tellez

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If you hadn't noticed, there are a number of boxes with discounted prices right now right here as BlowoutCards.com is in the midst its Black November sales just two days into the new month.

Wave 2 is here and many of the discounts were dramatic enough that Buzz had to sit down and ponder the possibilities in many of the boxes and cases -- and here are five boxes/cases that caught this collector’s eye.

2007 Donruss Elite Extra Edition baseball hobby box
Sure, this one's listed as a baseball set with that World Series-dominating guy, David Price, on the box from back when he was fresh off the Vanderbilt field, but this one has a lot of other surprises that makes it one to definitely consider as it celebrates the college game with a number of other inclusions that were helping shape a different card landscape back then that we see a little more familiarly today in a number of directions. Notable ink found here includes Price, Madison Bumgarner, Josh Donaldson, Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta, Dellin Betances, Jerry Tarkanian, Don Haskins, Rick Majerus, Rollie Massimino, Ara Parseghian, Dale Brown, Dean Smith, Gene Keady, Jim Boeheim, Steve Spurrier, Tom Osborne, Vince Dooley, Jennie Finch, Rebecca Lobo, Brandi Chastain, Bill Walton, Dominique Wilkins, Summer Sanders and a number of other college stars and coaches in a few sports who don't have a lot of cardboard. You get four hits per box here and there are a number of other inserts that can also pack some punch if you land the right names. It's worth a look at its reduced price.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 25 (24 standard and one box-topper)
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 225
Base set completion: 
193 of 200 (97 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – All of them ... though there aren't many. (It's about RCs.)

Rookie Cards (47) – Notables include Ronald Acuña Jr., Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery, Dylan Cozens, David Bote, Austin Meadows, Tyler O'Neill, Dereck Rodriguez

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
63 of 200 (32 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Bartolo Colon, Pat Neshek, Chase Utley (it's about RCs)

Rookie Cards (21) – Shohei Ohtani, Gleyber Torres, Scott Kingery, A.J. Minter, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Braxton Lee, P.J. Conlon, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Yonny Chirinos, Mitch Garver, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merandy Gonzalez, Shane Carle, Mike Soroka, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Suarez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Miles Mikolas, Ryan Yarbrough, Austin Meadows

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage High Number baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 71
Base set completion: 
62 of 200 (31 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – None

Rookie Cards (16) – Gleyber Torres, Ryan Yarbrough, P.J. Conlon, Braxton Lee, Austin Meadows, Mike Soroka, Shane Carle, Jaime Barria, Garrett Cooper, Andrew Suarez, Jacob Barnes, Niko Goodrum, Tomas Nido, Jacob Nottingham, Jaime Schultz, Tyler O'Neill

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Series 2 (hobby)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (a few formats)
Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 361
Base set completion: 
317 of 350 (91 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Justin Verlander, Paul Goldschmidt, Max Scherzer, Andrew Benintendi, Yadier Molina, Cody Bellinger, Albert Pujols, Jose Altuve, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton

Rookie Cards (24) – Notables include Scott Kingery, Christian Villanueva, Tim Locastro, Kyle Farmer, Jordan Luplow, Jen-Ho Tseng, Mitch Garver

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Gallery baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for collector's box)

Packs per box: 8 (seven standard & Artist Proof pack)
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 33
Base set completion: 
23 of 150 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Giancarlo Stanton, Buster Posey, Felix Hernandez, Jake Arrieta

Rookie Cards (8) – Yulieski Gurriel, Carson Fulmer, Luke Weaver, Anthony Alford, Manny Margot, Hunter Dozier, David Dahl, Trey Mancini

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Donruss baseball cards (hanger box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 7
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 56
Set completion: 
38 of 270 (14 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Ken Griffey Jr., Madison Bumgarner, Josh Donaldson, Nolan Arenado, Ian Happ, Jake Arrieta, Duke Snider, Byron Buxton, Manny Machado, Tony Perez, Aaron Judge, Joe Morgan, George Brett, Giancarlo Stanton

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Gypsy Queen baseball cards (retail monster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 12 (10 standard, two parallel packs)
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
54 of 320 (17 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Corey Seager, Evan Longoria (Giants), Felix Hernandez, Jake Arrieta, Paul Goldschmidt, Miguel Cabrera, Yasiel Puig, Stephen Strasburg

Rookie Cards (6) – Clint Frazier, Richard Urena, Nicky Delmonico, Dominic Smith, J.P. Crawford, Francisco Mejia

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Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 12 in 12 -- a series of a dozen breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in a dozen hours. We'll post one every hour all day long ... this is Hour 10.

The box: 2015 Panini Prizm multi-pack (retail)
The cost: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage baseball cards (hanger box tray)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (other formats)

Boxes per tray: 8
Cards per box: 35
Cards in this tray: 280
Base set completion: 
250 of 400 (63 percent)
Duplicates: 11

Notables on base cards – Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo, Bryce Harper, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Jose Altuve, Kris Bryant, Noah Syndergaard, Josh Donaldson, Jose Abreu, Cody Bellinger, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, Gary Sanchez, Yoan Moncada, Kyle Schwarber, Corey Seager, Ichiro Suzuki, Mookie Betts, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt

>>> For a checklist and variation galleries, click here

Rookie Cards (20 cards, 44 rookies) – Dominic Smith, Amed Rosario, Austin Hays, Chance Sisco, Anthony Banda, Jimmie Sherfy, Max Fried, Luiz Gohara, Willie Calhoun, Nick Gardewine, Zack Granite, Felix Jorge, Ryan McMahon, Mike Tauchman, Raudy Read, Erick Fedde, Harrison Bader, Jack Flaherty, Kyle Farmer, Tim Locastro, O'Koyea Dickson, Nicky Delmonico, Aaron Bummer, Parker Bridwell, Troy Scribner, Francisco Mejia, Greg Allen, Alex Verdugo, Walker Buehler, J.P. Crawford, Victor Arano, Yacksel Rios, Victor Robles, Andrew Stevenson, Jen-Ho Tseng, Dillon Maples, Taylor Davis, Tyler Wade, Garrett Cooper, Lucas Sims, Ozzie Albies, Tyler Mahle, Jackson Stephens, Richard Urena, Chris Rowley, Carlos Ramirez

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2018 Topps Heritage baseball cards (blaster Hot Box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 9
Cards in this box: 72
Base set completion: 
58 of 400 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Buster Posey, Ichiro Suzuki, Carlos Correa, Yasiel Puig, Yu Darvish, Trey Mancini, World Series celebration, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Giancarlo Stanton, Clayton Kershaw

>>> For a checklist and variation galleries, click here

Rookie Cards (6 cards, 12 rookies) – Anthony Banda, Jimmie Sherfy, Ryan McMahon, Mike Tachman, Alex Verdugo, Walker Buehler, Harrison Bader, Jack Flaherty, Zack Granite, Felix Jorge, Max Fried, Luiz Gohara

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 48
Base set completion: 
27 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Corey Seager, Stephen A. Smith, Rod Carew, Randy Johnson

Rookie Cards (5) – Andrew Benintendi, Yoan Moncada, Jose DeLeon, Robert Gsellman, David Dahl

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Series 1 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (several formats)
Packs per box: 11 (10 standard, one patch pack)
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 101
Base set completion: 
78 of 350 (22 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Kris Bryant, Francisco Lindor, Albert Pujols, Dustin Pedroia, Jake Arrieta, Mookie Betts

Rookie Cards (8) – Aaron Judge, Andrew Benintendi, Alex Bregman, Yuliesky Gurriel, Ryon Healy, Braden Shipley, Joe Musgrove, Robert Gsellman

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Chrome baseball cards (Walmart jumbo box)
Where to buy: Initially at Walmart for $34.98 (BlowoutCards.com for hobby & blasters)

Packs per box: 12 (10 packs plus two X-fractor packs)
Cards per pack: 4 per standard, 5 per X-fractor
Cards in this box: 50
Base set completion: 
30 of 200 (15 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Mike Trout, David Ortiz, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Aroldis Chapman, Paul Goldschmidt

Rookie Cards (3) – Braden Shipley, Chad Pinder, Matt Olson

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 365
Base set completion: 
305 of 350 (87 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Yu Darvish, Nolan Arenado, Jake Arrieta, Michael Conforto, Buster Posey, Justin Verlander, Yasiel Puig, Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols, Manny Machado, Jose Altuve

Rookie Cards (22) – Manny Margot, Roman Quinn, Adalberto Mejia, Jorge Alfaro, Jharel Cotton, Hunter Renfroe, Koda Glover, Bruce Maxwell, Hunter Dozier, Jesus Aguilar, Rob Zastryzny, Jose Martinez, German Marquez, Renato Nunez, Stephen Cardullo, Rob Segedin, Ty Blach, T.J. Rivera, Matt Olson, Gavin Cecchini, Pat Valaika, Trey Mancini

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for hobby)
Packs per box: 11 (10 standard plus one Independence Day MLB logo card)
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 102
Base set completion: 
76 of 350 (22 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Yu Darvish, Nolan Arenado, Jake Arrieta, Michael Conforto, Buster Posey, Justin Verlander

Rookie Cards (6) – Manny Margot, Roman Quinn, Adalberto Mejia, Jorge Alfaro, Jharel Cotton, Hunter Renfroe

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You probably know Aaron Judge by now. After all, he's tied for the MLB lead with 15 home runs, is the 6-foot-7 young face of the New York Yankees and on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

But in an alternate reality -- and an alternate reality with baseball cards -- none of this would have happened. He'd be playing somewhere else.

You probably didn't know -- this collector didn't -- that Judge was once a draft pick of the Oakland A's, the Moneyballing squad that ultimately sends all of its star players to the Yankees anyway and gets its playoff hopes dashed by Yankees stars and unlikely plays that will never, ever go away. (They even start off movies made about the A's.)

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