It's time for the last major matchup of Pack Wars - Stadium Club vs. Fleer Focus. Right now, Stadium Club has the best record - but a loss will put them behind Topps Stars by "half a game." On the other hand, if Focus wins, they will manage a tie with Stadium Club and beat both Pinnacle and HD. With that in mind, both boxes have a lot to play for!
This time I will bust two packs of Fleer Focus (20 cards) and three packs of Stadium Club (18 cards). To even it up, the first two cards out of each Fleer Focus pack will count as "one card" in the matchups. The Fleer Focus cards (and score) will be listed first. Here we go!
2000 Fleer Focus (packs 13 and 14) vs. 2000 Topps Stadium Club (packs 11, 12, and 13)
Sammy Sosa (Cubs) and Rolando Arrojo (Rockies) vs. Rich Aurilia (Giants)
Sosa was a terrible cheater but even without cheating was probably a better player than Aurilia. Throw in Arrojo's 4.23 career ERA (up to the year 2000) and Focus steals the first point. 1-0.
Jeff Shaw (Dodgers) vs. Larry Walker (Rockies)
I always liked both of these players, but Walker gets the nod based on his photo. 1-1.
Livan Hernandez (Giants) vs. Pat Burrell (Phillies)
The Burrell card is a future star card which makes it more interesting than the Hernandez. I'm not sure if the future star cards are short prints or not... Either way, Burrell wins. 1-2.
Quinton McCracken (Rays) vs. Brady Anderson (Orioles)
Finally, a match up without an NL West team in the fray. Of course, this round features two of the poorer teams (at the time) in the AL East...but the win clearly has to go to Anderson. 1-3.
Tom Goodwin (Rockies) vs. John Smoltz (Braves)
Sheesh, Stadium Club is running away with this Pack War, at least early on! 1-4 now, Stadium Club with one of the largest leads of any Pack War battle.
Brady Anderson (Orioles) vs. Derek Bell (Astros)
I suppose if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Fleer Focus lost to Brady a few rounds earlier, so now they trot out their own version of Brady to beat Stadium Club (and it worked)! 2-4 Stadium Club on top.
Eric Young (Cubs) vs. Christian Guzman (Twins)
Guzman gets the win because he is at least pictured with the team he is on according to the card. Young is shown in Dodger blue rather than Cub blue. 2-5 Stadium Club.
Angel Pena (Dodgers) #2635/3999 vs. Tom Goodwin (Rangers)
I needed the Pena card for my own set so this is an easy win for Focus. As it turns out, no one claimed the Dodgers so I'd get this card regardless of my rules. 3-5 Stadium Club.
Warren Morris (Pirates) vs. Pat Burrell - Stadium Club Chrome (Phillies)
The Stadium Club Chrome preview cards were seeded 1 per box making this a great pull for the Phillies (their second really nice pull of the group break). Another easy choice, 3-6 Stadium Club after one pack of Focus... Can Fleer manage a historic comeback or will Stadium Club roll on its way to the championship?
Armando Benitez (Mets) and Jason Schmidt (Pirates) vs. Eric Karros (Dodgers)
I liked Schmidt as a Pirate quite a bit - so I'll give this win to Fleer Focus. 4-6.
Ryan Klesko (Padres) vs. Marquis Grissom (Brewers)
Uhm, two guys I never really cared for one way or the other...there seems to be quite a bit of that with these early 2000s players! I guess I'll give the win to Grisson based on his goofy picture (and the fact that Klesko is said to be a Padre while in full Braves gear). 4-7 Stadium Club winning.
Justin Thompson (Rangers) vs. Shawn Green (Blue Jays)
Another Fleer Focus card with the player pictured in the wrong uniform. This is not a trend that I want to see continued ever again - so I'll keep punishing Focus. 4-8 Stadium Club
Albert Belle (Orioles) vs. Kenny Lofton (Indians)
The Lofton photo is so much better - I love the dust flying! 4-9 Stadium Club in a romp so far!
John Smoltz (Braves) vs. Kevin Tapani (Cubs)
This appears to be a night card of Tapani - but that's not enough to beat out Smoltz. 5-9 Stadium Club with a seemingly insurmountable lead with only four cards left! Can Focus manage to tie it up?
Chuck Knoblach (Yankees) vs. Mike Piazza - Luminous (Mets)
And there it is, the win-clinching blowout that is an insert of Piazza (seeded 1:18 packs) versus a Yankee. Stadium Club up 5-10.
Cliff Floyd (Marlins) vs. Andy Ashby (Padres)
I'm giving this one to Floyd because I'm sick of NL West teams and I don't have anything else to say about these two guys. 6-10.
Tony Womack (Diamondbacks) vs. Shannon Stewart (Blue Jays)
See my comment above for why Womack loses. 6-11.
Mike Mussina (Orioles) and Mo Vaughn (Angels) vs. Mo Vaughn (Angels)
Either I messed up somehow, or else the Fleer Focus pack came with an extra card. It's exactly that extra card though that pushes Mo plus Mussina up and over plain old Mo. 7-11 Final score - Stadium Club rolls easily.
Final tally:
Fleer Focus 7
Stadium Club 11
Overall Records:
Stadium Club: 3 - 1 - 0
Topps Stars: 2 - 1 - 1
HD: 1 - 1 - 2
Pinnacle: 1 - 2 - 1
Focus: 1 - 3 - 0
Individual card win percentage with actual Win/Loss (for tie breakers)
0.550 Stadium Club: 33 - 27
0.500 Pinnacle: 31 - 31
0.500 HD: 25 - 25
0.500 Topps Stars: 30 - 30
0.458 Focus: 33 - 39
This time I will bust two packs of Fleer Focus (20 cards) and three packs of Stadium Club (18 cards). To even it up, the first two cards out of each Fleer Focus pack will count as "one card" in the matchups. The Fleer Focus cards (and score) will be listed first. Here we go!
2000 Fleer Focus (packs 13 and 14) vs. 2000 Topps Stadium Club (packs 11, 12, and 13)
Sammy Sosa (Cubs) and Rolando Arrojo (Rockies) vs. Rich Aurilia (Giants)
Sosa was a terrible cheater but even without cheating was probably a better player than Aurilia. Throw in Arrojo's 4.23 career ERA (up to the year 2000) and Focus steals the first point. 1-0.
Jeff Shaw (Dodgers) vs. Larry Walker (Rockies)
I always liked both of these players, but Walker gets the nod based on his photo. 1-1.
Livan Hernandez (Giants) vs. Pat Burrell (Phillies)
The Burrell card is a future star card which makes it more interesting than the Hernandez. I'm not sure if the future star cards are short prints or not... Either way, Burrell wins. 1-2.
Quinton McCracken (Rays) vs. Brady Anderson (Orioles)
Finally, a match up without an NL West team in the fray. Of course, this round features two of the poorer teams (at the time) in the AL East...but the win clearly has to go to Anderson. 1-3.
Tom Goodwin (Rockies) vs. John Smoltz (Braves)
Sheesh, Stadium Club is running away with this Pack War, at least early on! 1-4 now, Stadium Club with one of the largest leads of any Pack War battle.
Brady Anderson (Orioles) vs. Derek Bell (Astros)
I suppose if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Fleer Focus lost to Brady a few rounds earlier, so now they trot out their own version of Brady to beat Stadium Club (and it worked)! 2-4 Stadium Club on top.
Eric Young (Cubs) vs. Christian Guzman (Twins)
Guzman gets the win because he is at least pictured with the team he is on according to the card. Young is shown in Dodger blue rather than Cub blue. 2-5 Stadium Club.
Angel Pena (Dodgers) #2635/3999 vs. Tom Goodwin (Rangers)
I needed the Pena card for my own set so this is an easy win for Focus. As it turns out, no one claimed the Dodgers so I'd get this card regardless of my rules. 3-5 Stadium Club.
Warren Morris (Pirates) vs. Pat Burrell - Stadium Club Chrome (Phillies)
The Stadium Club Chrome preview cards were seeded 1 per box making this a great pull for the Phillies (their second really nice pull of the group break). Another easy choice, 3-6 Stadium Club after one pack of Focus... Can Fleer manage a historic comeback or will Stadium Club roll on its way to the championship?
Armando Benitez (Mets) and Jason Schmidt (Pirates) vs. Eric Karros (Dodgers)
I liked Schmidt as a Pirate quite a bit - so I'll give this win to Fleer Focus. 4-6.
Ryan Klesko (Padres) vs. Marquis Grissom (Brewers)
Uhm, two guys I never really cared for one way or the other...there seems to be quite a bit of that with these early 2000s players! I guess I'll give the win to Grisson based on his goofy picture (and the fact that Klesko is said to be a Padre while in full Braves gear). 4-7 Stadium Club winning.
Justin Thompson (Rangers) vs. Shawn Green (Blue Jays)
Another Fleer Focus card with the player pictured in the wrong uniform. This is not a trend that I want to see continued ever again - so I'll keep punishing Focus. 4-8 Stadium Club
Albert Belle (Orioles) vs. Kenny Lofton (Indians)
The Lofton photo is so much better - I love the dust flying! 4-9 Stadium Club in a romp so far!
John Smoltz (Braves) vs. Kevin Tapani (Cubs)
This appears to be a night card of Tapani - but that's not enough to beat out Smoltz. 5-9 Stadium Club with a seemingly insurmountable lead with only four cards left! Can Focus manage to tie it up?
Chuck Knoblach (Yankees) vs. Mike Piazza - Luminous (Mets)
And there it is, the win-clinching blowout that is an insert of Piazza (seeded 1:18 packs) versus a Yankee. Stadium Club up 5-10.
Cliff Floyd (Marlins) vs. Andy Ashby (Padres)
I'm giving this one to Floyd because I'm sick of NL West teams and I don't have anything else to say about these two guys. 6-10.
Tony Womack (Diamondbacks) vs. Shannon Stewart (Blue Jays)
See my comment above for why Womack loses. 6-11.
Mike Mussina (Orioles) and Mo Vaughn (Angels) vs. Mo Vaughn (Angels)
Either I messed up somehow, or else the Fleer Focus pack came with an extra card. It's exactly that extra card though that pushes Mo plus Mussina up and over plain old Mo. 7-11 Final score - Stadium Club rolls easily.
Final tally:
Fleer Focus 7
Stadium Club 11
Overall Records:
Stadium Club: 3 - 1 - 0
Topps Stars: 2 - 1 - 1
HD: 1 - 1 - 2
Pinnacle: 1 - 2 - 1
Focus: 1 - 3 - 0
Individual card win percentage with actual Win/Loss (for tie breakers)
0.550 Stadium Club: 33 - 27
0.500 Pinnacle: 31 - 31
0.500 HD: 25 - 25
0.500 Topps Stars: 30 - 30
0.458 Focus: 33 - 39
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