A new set of baseball cards

Bryce Harper, Card No. 661
in the 2012 Topps set.

Long-time readers of this corner of the web are aware that some time ago my mother-in-law gave me a complete set of 1987 Topps cards. Some of those cards have appeared here — Jamie Moyer, Barry Larkin, Graig Nettles, Ted Simmons, Gary Carter ... that gift has been a useful resource.

But 1987 is an increasingly long time ago, and I have for a couple of years considered investing in a new set. This year my wife ordered a set for my birthday, and that set finally arrived. I picked it up Tuesday and spent some time going through it.

I was disappointed that Jamie Moyer didn't get a card; he was included in the 1987 set, and I had hoped to have him in both. True, he didn't pitch at all last season, and was only signed to a minor league contract, but he's spent more time in the majors than (to pick on a couple of Twins represented in the set) Joe Benson and Tsuyoshi Nishioka.

Desmond Jennings has two cards. So does Ben Revere. But Moyer didn't get one. (Neither, I believe, did Andy Pettitte, who also didn't pitch in 2011 and returned this year.)

But I did have a little chuckle out of this. The last "checklist card" ends with No. 660. But there is a No. 661— Bryce Harper.

Topps, I surmise, didn't expect Harper to play in the majors, and when he did, hurried him into the set.

It sure won't be the last time he's in a set. And if I get another set 25 years from now, he just might be in that one too.