One-Sheet Collections: $100 Padres Starter Kit

The One-Sheet Collections idea is a simple concept with infinite possibilities. Take a single nine-pocket sheet and a reasonable $100 budget, and build a nine-card collection with a unifying theme.

I’ve been slowly working on a team-specific theme to the One-Sheet Collections series. We’ve already covered the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Miami Marlins, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays and  Toronto Blue Jays, and now it’s on to the San Diego Padres as we work our way chronologically through MLB franchise history.

The Padres’ inaugural season came in 1969 when they were one of four new teams added to the league along with the Expos, Pilots and Royals. They did not have their first winning season until 1978, and their first postseason appearance came in 1984 when they made it to the World Series. Their only other trip to the Fall Classic came in 1998 when they were swept by the Yankees.

1972 Topps #571 Nate Colbert ($4)

Nate Colbert played with the Padres from 1969 through the 1974 season, and he still stands as the franchise’s all-time leader with 163 home runs. The best season of his career came in 1972 when he posted a 145 OPS+ with 38 home runs and 111 RBI to finish eighth in NL MVP voting while making his second of three straight All-Star appearances.

His 1972 Topps base card is part of the high-number portion of the checklist, making it his most valuable playing days card outside of his 1969 Topps rookie.

1974 Topps #173 Randy Jones RC ($2)

Randy Jones won the ERA title and finished  runner-up in NL Cy Young voting in 1975 (20-12, 2.24 ERA, 285.0 IP), and he followed that up by winning the NL Cy Young in 1976 (22-14, 2.74 ERA, 315.1 IP) when he tossed 25 complete games among his 40 starts.

His Rookie Card is a steal for any Padres fans at just a couple bucks, and the card also has a “Washington” version from when it was believed the Padres were relocating to Washington D.C.

1975 Topps #61 Dave Winfield ($25)

One of the best college athletes ever, Winfield was drafted in the NBA, NFL and ABA along with going No. 4 overall in the 1973 MLB draft. He  jumped straight to the majors after signing, and tallied 32.0 WAR in eight seasons in San Diego before departing in free agency.

His 1974 Topps Rookie Card doesn’t fit my $100 budget, but he has a great-looking second-year card in the iconic 1975 Topps set.

1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn RC ($40)

Unquestionably the greatest player in Padres history, Tony Gwynn spent his entire 20-year career in San Diego. A lifetime .338 hitter, he won eight batting titles and racked up 3,141 hits on his way to being a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

His 1983 Donruss, Fleer and Topps Rookie Cards are must-own for any Padres fan. Despite his legendary standing, all three cards remain relatively affordable.

1993 Flair Wave of the Future #7 Trevor Hoffman ($4)

Midway through the 1993 season, the Padres traded All-Star third baseman Gary Sheffield to the fledgling Marlins in exchange for a package of three players that included future Hall of Fame closer Trevor Hoffman. On the strength of his signature changeup, he would tally 552 saves in 902 appearances in a Padres uniform.

He appears in a Reds uniform on his 1992 Bowman Rookie Card and is featured as a member of the Marlins in most 1993 products. One of his first Padres cards is part of the 1993 Flair Wave of the Future insert set. The 20-card checklist also includes Mike Piazza, Manny Ramirez, Jim Edmonds and Tim Salmon.

1996 Collector’s Choice Gold Signature #294 Ken Caminiti ($6)

Ken Caminiti won a steroid-fueled NL MVP award in 1996 when he hit .326/.408/.621 with 37 doubles, 40 home runs, 130 RBI and 7.6 WAR to take home the hardware unanimously. He spent four seasons in San Diego and was also a key contributor on the 1998 World Series team.

The Gold Signature parallels in Collector’s Choice were a tough pull and still carry some nice value. The 1996 parallels were a 1:36  packs, and with a massive 790-card checklist, that made each individual card 1:28,440 odds.

2001 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres #61 Jake Peavy XRC ($3)

A 15th-round pick in 1999, Jake Peavy stands as the best starting pitcher in Padres history. He made his MLB debut in 2002 and two years later he won the NL ERA title with a 2.27 ERA in 166.1 innings. The right-hander peaked in 2007 when he finished 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 223.1 innings to win the NL Pitching Triple Crown and NL Cy Young honors.

He has seven different Rookie Cards in 2001 products, but he also has a card in the 2001 Upper Deck Prospect Premieres set that is identified as an XRC due to the product’s lack of veteran players.

2008 Upper Deck X Memorabilia #AG Adrian Gonzalez ($8)

On Jan. 6, 2006, the Padres made one of the best trades in franchise history when they acquired Adrian Gonzalez from the Rangers in a six-player deal that also brought starter Chris Young to San Diego. The slugging first baseman had four straight 30-homer seasons with the Padres, and he posted a 141 OPS+ with 161 long balls in five seasons with the team.

Upper Deck X Baseball had a short-lived, two-year run in 2008 and 2009 that spawned some cool and inexpensive insert cards.

2019 Donruss #254 Fernando Tatis Jr. RC ($8)

It has been a roller coaster first five years in the big leagues for Fernando Tatis Jr., from a dynamic rookie season to back-to-back top five finishes in NL MVP voting to an entire year lost to injury and a PED suspension. Still just 24 years old, he is signed to a 14-year, $340 million contract that will keep him in San Diego through 2034, so one way or another he will make his mark on franchise history.

There is a wide range of price points on his Rookie Cards, with Donruss and its “Rated Rookie” logo being one of the more inexpensive options.

Total: $100