WSC Birth Years: Jeff Keppinger

Card #140 - Jeff Keppinger

Born: April 21, 1980

Jeff is a pure contact hitter. A player who rarely strikes out and can play anywhere around the horn. Keppinger started that journey being selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2001 draft. Before he could reach the majors, Jeff was traded to the New York Mets, where he made his MLB debut on August 20, 2004. He spent time with the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants and Tampa Bay Rays.

Keppinger signed a three year deal with the Chicago White Sox on December 10, 2012. His numbers have been slightly below average in 2013, but near enough to his career average that there isn't concern. Jeff has stepped into the revolving door at third base and stabilized the position for nearly one fourth of the 2013 season. Second base is where he logs the most time for the Pale Hose, but he had also seen time at first base and designated hitter.

WSC Birth Years: David Purcey In Action

Card #139 - David Purcey

Born: April 22, 1982

A bonus card from the 1982 set.

WSC Birth Years: David Purcey

Card #138 - David Purcey

Born: April 22, 1982

David was born roughly an hour from U.S. Cellular Field in St. Charles, Illinois. He was first selected by the Seattle Mariners in the twentieth round of the 2001 draft, but did not sign. Purcey was selected by the New York Yankees in the seventeenth round of the 2003 draft, but did not sign. Persistence paid off, when in the 2004 draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected David as the sixteenth pick overall in the first round. He made his MLB debut in 2008 with the Jays.

On April 18, 2011, Toronto traded Purcey to the Oakland Athletics three years to the day of his MLB debut. He was traded a little over a month later to the Detroit Tigers.  David spent 2012 with the LeHigh Valley IronPigs, a AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. On November 15, 2012, Purcey signed with the White Sox. He made his ChiSox debut on July 5, 2013, against the Tampa Bay Rays, subbing for an injured Jesse Crain. After an atrociously high ERA in July, topping out at 9.00, David settled down in August and has lowered it under 1.50. Purcey has settled in nicely with Chicago.

WSC Vintage: Tom Gulley

Card #48 - Tom Gulley

Tom made his MLB Debut with the Cleveland Indians on August 24, 1923, made two plate appearances, hit a double for his first hit and scored a run. He would make two more appearances for the Indians that year. Gulley would play in two games for them in April 1924, one in May and five in September. Tom did not play in the majors in 1925.

Gulley made his White Sox debut on April 13, 1926 against the St. Louis Browns. His Sox debut played out much like his MLB debut, resulting in a double and a run scored. His average apexed at .33 on April 18th, but sputtered down to .229 by his last MLB game on May 22, 1926. While with the Pale Hose, Tom would spell Bill Barrett in right field, but was quickly replaced by Spence Harris as Barrett's backup. After Gulley's final game, Barrett and Harris would share duty in right field until September 1926, when Pid Purdy played nine games at the position. Tom Gulley's bat may have been his ultimate demise, but his fielding with the Sox was an impeccable 100%.

Cards That Never Were #60

1985 Topps - Tom O'Malley

The White Sox traded with the San Francisco Giants to acquire Tom O'Malley for players to be named later, which turned out to be Mike Trujillo and minor league first baseman Pat Adams, on August 31, 1984. Tom played twelve games with the White Sox in September 1984. While he hit a paltry .125, he did hit two singles with the Pale Hose, one on September 7th, off of California Angels pitcher Doug Corbett and the other on September 29th, off of Seattle Mariners pitcher Salome Barojas.

O'Malley wasn't released by the White Sox until April 1, 1985. It is entirely feasible that Tom could have been included in the 1985 Topps set as a White Sox player, given that he made it all the way through spring before being released. I don't think O'Malley was any threat to unseat Tim Hulett at third base, but Tim didn't exactly thrill the world with his previous season's efforts either. The mid to late eighties were a strange time for the White Sox and some of the players could not make it anywhere else but in Chicago with the south side team. Aside from a few names and splashy players, most of the others were just filling in or passing through. Roy Smalley had a card with the White Sox in the 1985 Topps set, and he was traded away in February 1985.

WSC Birth Years: Conor Gillaspie

Card #137 - Conor Gillaspie

Born: July 18, 1987

Conor started his career in the San Francisco Giants organization, playing on the major league level with them first in 2008, then in 2011 and 2012. Over all three years, Gillaspie only managed to appear in twenty-nine games for the former New York team. He had hit a combined .205 for his time with the Giants.

The Giants traded Conor to the Chicago White Sox on February 22, 2013 for minor league pitcher Jeff Soptic. Gillaspie immediately made an impact in Chicago, becoming the versatile utility player the Sox desperately needed. Conor has played in the infield and outfield for the Pale Hose and had appeared in over one hundred games in 2013. That is over triple the MLB time than his three years with San Francisco combined. Conor has already won games for the Sox. On August 22nd, Gillaspie hit a home run against Kansas City in the top of the twelfth inning that proved to be the game winner.

Beginnings: Third Wave

More cards from the Beginnings set. Some pictures aren't the best quality, but they are the best quality available, presently.

8 - Carl Yastrzemski 

23 - Ryne Sandberg 

72 - Carlton Fisk 

81 - Lou Brock 

92 - Tadahito Iguchi 

Cards That Never Were #59

1977 Topps - Rich Gossage

Topps likes to pretend that all teams except for the Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs don't exist sometimes. Case in point: Rich "Goose" Gossage. If you look at the history of Gossage only through the flagship Topps series, Rich went from the White Sox in 1977 to the Yankees in 1978. The problem? Goose was last on the White Sox in 1976 and didn't get to the Yankees until 1978, yet he played in 1977. Gossage likely would have gotten a Pirates card in 1978 from Topps, if he went to almost any other team but the Yankees.

I'll give credit where credit is due and let Topps keep the 1978 Yankees card, but I'll throw in a 1977 Pirates card to make up for skipping a team that Gossage was with for an entire season.

2013 Panini Diamond Kings National Convention

There were lots of goodies at the 2013 National Convention, but I wasn't able to attend this year. That doesn't stop me from checking out the free stuff though!

Panini had a wrapper redemption set that had thirteen cards, based on Diamond Kings from Donruss.

The pictures on the front are reminiscent of the old Donruss sets. The design is slightly too, but it reminds me of old Panini sticker designs as well. The cards look simple and sharp with understated golden borders and uncomplicated lettering. The real gem is the painting in the middle of the card. It draws the eye and is clearly the main focus, where it should be. The central circle gives you a peek into a beautiful world of baseball action, swirled paint and no team affiliation.

The White Sox have four cards in this set.

1 - Ken Griffey Jr. 

2 - Carlton Fisk 

3 - Courtney Hawkins 

4 - Chris Sale 

 Some debate the inclusion of Ken Griffey Jr. in this set, since there are no team logos. To those naysayers, I say the proof is in the numbers. Griffey only wore number seventeen as a member of the Chicago White Sox. The number on Griffey's back is number seventeen. Case closed.

I like the mix of Hall of Fame players, young stars and pre-rookies. Chris Sale is a player to build the future on, Courtney Hawkins is part of that future, Fisk and Griffey are parts of successful years where the Sox made it into the postseason and fan favorites to boot.

Not bad, Panini. Not bad.

WSC Birth Years: Tyler Greene

Card #136 - Tyler Greene

Born: August 17, 1983

Drafted originally by the St. Lois Cardinals in the first round of the 2005 draft, Tyler made it to the majors in 2009. He stayed with the Cards until 2012, when he was traded to the Houston Astros in August. The White Sox signed him on April 1, 2013.

Greene made his White Sox debut on April 15, 2013. He was called up to replace Gordon Beckham at second base, after Gordon was placed on the disabled list for a broken bone in his wrist. While playing nineteen games at second, Tyler made two errors and batted .222 in fifty-seven plate appearances. Green was sent back down when Beckham returned in June. Tyler was released by the White Sox in mid-August 2013 and signed by the Atlanta Braves a few days later.

WSC Vintage: Moxie Manuel

Card #47 - Moxie Manuel

Moxie started his career in 1903 pitching for the Vicksburg Hill Billies, a level D team in the Cotton States League. While he did bounce around the minor leagues until 1913, he caught on with the Washington Senators in 1905. Manuel pitched in three games for the Senators, including a complete game during the second game of a double header to end the 1905 season on October 7, 1905 between the Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics, when the game was agreed upon to end in a tie after five innings.

In August 1907, Moxie was purchased by the White Sox from the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association. Manuel pitched sixty and a third innings in eighteen games during the 1908 season for the Pale Hose. His final game was on September 14, 1908, at age twenty-six. The second place Sox lost the game at home to the third place Cleveland Naps, 10-4. The 1908 White Sox finished the season in third place, a game behind second place Cleveland and one and a half games behind the AL Champion Detroit Tigers.

Cards That Never Were #58

1978 Topps - Puchy Delgado

Luis "Puchy" Delgado started out in the Red Sox organization, starting out in Winter Haven's A ball team in 1973. Puchy had a big year in 1976, when he jumped from A ball to AAA in one year. Delgado perhaps would have been in a Red Sox uniform in 1977, if not for the expansion Seattle Mariners picking him fifty-sixth overall in the 1976 expansion draft. Puchy was one of eleven cut in the last days of the Mariners' 1977 spring training.

Delgado did well enough to earn a September call up and Puchy made his major league debut with the Mariners on September 6, 1977 against the red hot Kansas City Royals. Delgado didn't get his first hit until September 9th, against Gaylord Perry and the Texas Rangers. It was a single to center that scored third baseman Juan Bernhardt. Puchy would get four hits, four runs scored and two RBI in thirteen games that season.

Puchy spent all of 1978 in the Mariners system, but never made it back to the show. He was traded to the Cubs in 1979 and the Cubs traded him to the Royals later that year. 1979 was Delgado's last year playing in organized baseball.

WSC Birth Years: Simon Castro

Card #135 - Simon Castro

Born: April 9, 1988

Simon was signed by the San Diego Padres in the 2006 draft. The Friars thought enough of him to protect him in the rule 5 draft in 2010. Castro and Pedro Hernandez were traded to the White Sox on December 31, 2011 for outfielder Carlos Quentin.

Castro made his MLB debut with the White Sox on July 5, 2013 against the Tampa Bay Rays. Simon pitched three scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks, while striking out four. In his first three outings, Castro entered a blowout game. With the pressure off, he excelled. In his fourth game, on July 13th, the second game of a double header with the Philadelphia Phillies, Simon suffered his first loss, giving up a single to Michael Young that scored Humberto Quintero in the bottom of the thirteenth inning.

Cards That Never Were #57

1976 Topps - Bill Greif

Bill was traded from the San Diego Padres to the St. Louis Cardinals early in the 1976 season. Once the opening day starter for the Friars, Greif was regulated to bullpen duty at this point in his career. While only appearing in five games with the Padres in 1976, Bill would pitch in forty-seven with the Cards. Greif didn't have his best year in St. Louis but he was one of his better years.

Greif appeared in the 1976 Topps set as a Padre. After the 1976 season, on November 6th, Bill was traded to the new expansion team, the Montreal Expos. Greif never pitched for Montreal, having been released on March 30, 1977, but he has a card with the team in the 1977 Topps set. Bill sat out the '77 season and tried again in 1978, but only pitched in a handful of games with a Mets minor league affiliate before retiring.

2013 Allen & Ginter

Hey, kids! What time is it? That's right! It's Allen & Ginter time!

Yes, it's that time of year again, where everyone goes crazy for this release, and why not? It's one of the most gorgeous vintage mocking sets out there today. It manages to change drastically without changing much at all.

An intricate lined frame and a "painted" picture on thin, sturdy card stock. I'm not sure why, but this set always strikes the right balance with me. Vintage looking sets that ape actual vintage sets have been the rage for over a decade now, but Allen & Ginter keeps chugging along producing a quality product that is both fun to collect and admire. There are so many distinct bells and whistles exclusive to this set that it always manages to surprise and please.

There are the usual array of mini parallels and some short prints. There are also the relics and the autos. There are the subsets that range from the sublime to the weird and everything in between. The yearly code contest and the extras may draw collectors in initially, but the quality of the product keeps them coming back.

The White Sox have seven cards in the base set.

47 - Robin Ventura 

69 - Jake Peavy 

214 - Alexei Ramirez

237 - Chris Sale 

251 - Frank Thomas 

264 - Adam Dunn 

308 - Alex Rios (short print) 

A manager, a retired franchise player and two players with huge contracts that were traded away this summer. Not too shabby. That leaves one player that won't last past 2014, if not sooner, one player who is likely trade bait and a pitcher that the White Sox want to build around. I have a feeling that the selection for the 2014 Allen & Ginter White Sox team will be drastically different.

ATY-CS - Chris Sale 

ATY-FT - Frank Thomas 

New to Allen & Ginter this year is the subset Across The Years. It mentions events and other celebrities and athletes who were born on the subjects birthday.

Another solid Allen & Ginter set from Topps. This is definitely one set I look forward to all year.