The Riverside Times

The 1980s represented a high point for the baseball card industry, both in terms of mainstream popularity and in terms of card design. Many of the most popular and recognizable card designs of all-time were produced during this decade. Below are my Top 10 baseball card designs of the '80s, based on overall attractiveness, creativity and/or innovation, and my own personal preferences. Card backs are not weighed as much in these rankings, but I like to read the backs of baseball cards, so bonus points are given to good design there as well.  So without further ado... 10. 1989 Donruss  The '89 Donruss set is easily distinguishable for the multi-colored borders at the top and bottom of the cards. This gradient effect (which Donruss debuted in 1988) would be emulated many times by many companies in the decades that followed. I also like the way Donruss utilized the space on the back of the cards. A maximum of five seasons worth of stats are displayed along w...

Although it's a given that baseball players are going to get hurt, there are some ways that Major League Baseball could make the game less hazardous for it's athletes. Here are a few practical ideas to help make the game safer without changing the way it's played. 1. Foam rubber outfield walls. Why are the outfield walls in major league baseball parks covered with padding the thickness of an oven mitt? In some spots there is no padding at all. Wrigley Field literally has a brick wall out there. Players get hurt crashing into these walls all the time. Earlier this season, Yankees OF Jacoby Ellsbury received a sprained neck and a concussion slamming into a wall. He made the catch, but landed on the DL. Clearly, the "warning track" is not enough of a deterrent. Outfield walls are bad for your health. Photo: USA Today My suggestion: 3-foot-thick foam rubber outfield walls. This would prevent countless serious injuries every year, and it wouldn'...

NBA D-League MVP Vander Blue / Photo: NBA.com The NBA's minor league could be bigger than college hoops within 10 years if it just makes one change... I'm bullish on the NBA G-League. It's expanding to 26 teams next season, with the Bucks, Grizzlies, Hawks, and Clippers being the latest NBA teams to add a minor league affiliate to develop their young players. Existing, unaffiliated minor league teams are also being scooped up, and soon every NBA team will have it's own G-League franchise. And that's when things will get fun. Minor league basketball will soon be like minor league baseball... except way better. While minor league baseball has multiple levels (Rookie ball, AA, AAA) the G-League will be all AAA, stocked with players on the brink of the big-time. Soon the nation's top high-school recruits won't be one-and-done's at Duke or Kentucky, they'll be going pro in the G-League. All the league needs to do is give it's players ...

Eddie Murray 1989 Donruss Traded #T-12 This was our first look at Hall of Famer Eddie Murray in Dodger Blue. "Steady Eddie" was traded by the Orioles to his hometown L.A. Dodgers following the 1988 season, after 13 seasons and 333 home runs with Baltimore. He was 32 at the time, but would remain productive at the plate for the next 5 years, averaging 21.6 HR and 94.4 RBI during that span for the Dodgers (1989 to 1991) and Mets (1991 and 1992). Murray also had stints with the Indians and Angels, and a second-go-round with both the O's and Dodgers before retiring after 21 years in the bigs. He finished with a .287 BA, 504 HR (26th all-time), and 1917 RBI (10th all-time). ...  This was the first and only Traded set that Donruss printed  to compete with other limited run extended sets like Topps Traded and Fleer Update. Other notable players appearing in this set include Nolan Ryan and Rafael Palmeiro. Apparently, card collectors didn't like Donruss Traded sets bec...

Here are my favorite prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft. This isn't a comprehensive Big Board, because I don't watch every game and I don't grade every player. But as a college football fanatic, these are the guys that jumped off the screen when I watched them play. If your favorite team snags one of these guys, they're getting a great player. Offense 1. Laquon Treadwell - WR - Ole Miss ... My favorite player in this year's draft, this guy catches everything thrown his way. He's big, he's strong, and he comes down with the ball in traffic. Yeah, I know, he didn't run the fastest 40-yard-dash, but did I mention he catches everything thrown his way? I think the Michael Crabtree comparisons are spot-on; Crabtree was also a big, strong, super-productive college receiver and has become a super-productive NFL pass-catcher. I expect the same from Treadwell. I'm a Vikings fan, and they need a receiver: I hope they get this guy.  2. Derrick Henry...