03 January 2016

Washington Nationals Inside Pitch Program Cards

     In these days of exclusive licensing deals, the "oddball" card has become something of an endangered species.  Gone are the sets issued with food products or the small boxed sets from drug stores and discount retailers.  About all we have left in the way of oddballs are the occasional sets issued by the teams themselves.   The Washington Nationals were one such team.

     From 2009 to 2014, the Nationals issued a pair of cards bound into their Inside Pitch game programs.  For each of those six seasons, the Nationals issued twelve programs resulting in a total of 24 cards each year.  Given that 2009 is Volume 2, I would not at all be surprised to learn that cards were issued in 2008's Volume 1, but so far I have found no evidence.  Also, in 2009, it seems the cards may have been inserted randomly and not sequentially as in later years.  As a result, I am not 100% confident in the numbering below.

     Someone asked about a few of these cards over on SportsCardForum.com and, as I started researching, I was surprised to find no other blog had covered these cards.  To fix that, I'm going to post what I found here and enlist the rest of you to help fill in the gaps.   If you can help out with additions or corrections, please drop me a line in the comments.

2009
© Nats320

Number Name Issue*
1Elijah Dukes Vol. 2, #1
2 Ronnie Belliard Vol. 2, #1
3 Willie Harris Vol. 2, #2
4 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 2, #2
5 Anderson Hernandez Vol. 2, #3
6 Cristian Guzman Vol. 2, #3
7 Austin Kearns Vol. 2, #4
8 Ronnie Belliard Vol. 2, #4
9 Jose Flores Vol. 2, #5
10 John Lannan Vol. 2, #5
11 Joel Hanrahan Vol. 2, #6
12 Saul Rivera Vol. 2, #6
13 Adam Dunn Vol. 2, #7
14 Tyler Clippard Vol. 2, #7
15 Josh Willingham Vol. 2, #8
16 Sean Burnett Vol. 2, #8
17 Nyger Morgan Vol. 2, #9
18 Josh Bard Vol. 2, #9
19 Wil Nieves Vol. 2, #10
20 Mike MacDougal Vol. 2, #10
21
Vol. 2, #11
22
Vol. 2, #11
23
Vol. 2, #12
24
Vol. 2, #12
*I'm not entirely sure the card pairings to issue numbers were consistent in the first year.  It is entirely possible the set was released jumbled throughout the year, rather than sequentially.

2010
© Nats320

Number Name Issue
1 John Lannan Vol. 3, #1
2 Ivan Rodriguez Vol. 3, #1
3 Adam Dunn Vol. 3, #2
4 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 3, #2
5 Tyler Clippard Vol. 3, #3
6 Willie Harris Vol. 3, #3
7 Livan Hernandez Vol. 3, #4
8 Tyler Moore Vol. 3, #4
9 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 3, #5
10 Drew Storen Vol. 3, #5
11 Ian Desmond Vol. 3, #6
12 Cristian Guzman Vol. 3, #6
13 Matt Capps Vol. 3, #7
14 Nyjer Morgan Vol. 3, #7
15 Roger Bernadina Vol. 3, #8
16 Michael Morse Vol. 3, #8
17 Wil Nieves Vol. 3, #9
18 Miguel Batista Vol. 3, #9
19 Drew Storen Vol. 3, #10
20 Ian Desmond Vol. 3, #10
21 Roger Bernadina Vol. 3, #11
22 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 3, #11
23 Danny Espinosa Vol. 3, #12
24 Wilson Ramos Vol. 3, #12

2011
2011 New Era Inside Pitch Washington Nationals #3 - Wilson Ramos - Courtesy of COMC.com
2011 New Era Inside Pitch Washington Nationals #3 - Wilson Ramos

Number Name Issue
1 Livan Hernandez Vol. 4, #1
2 Ivan Rodriguez Vol. 4, #1
3 Ian Desmond Vol. 4, #2
4 Jayson Werth Vol. 4, #2
5 Adam LaRoche Vol. 4, #3
6 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 4, #3
7 Rick Ankiel Vol. 4, #4
8 Drew Storen Vol. 4, #4
9 Laynce Nix Vol. 4, #5
10 Tom Gorzelanny Vol. 4, #5
11 Jerry Hairston Vol. 4, #6
12 Todd Coffey Vol. 4, #6
13 Michael Morse Vol. 4, #7
14 Jason Marquis Vol. 4, #7
15 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 4, #8
16 Danny Espinosa Vol. 4, #8
17 Wilson Ramos Vol. 4, #9
18 Tyler Clippard Vol. 4, #9
19 Alex Cora Vol. 4, #10
20 John Lannan Vol. 4, #10
21 Jesus Flores Vol. 4, #11
22 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 4, #11
23 Chris Marrero Vol. 4, #12
24 Tom Milone Vol. 4, #12

2012


Number Name Issue
1 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 5, #1
2 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 5, #1
3 Brad Lidge Vol. 5, #2
4 Adam LaRoche Vol. 5, #2
5 Jesus Flores Vol. 5, #3
6 Ian Desmond Vol. 5, #3
7 Bryce Harper Vol. 5, #4
8 Tyler Moore Vol. 5, #4
9 Craig Stammen Vol. 5, #5
10 Michael Morse Vol. 5, #5
11 Ross Detwiler Vol. 5, #6
12 Steve Lombardozzi Vol. 5, #6
13 Gio Gonzalez Vol. 5, #7
14 Jhonatan Solano Vol. 5, #7
15 Sean Burnett Vol. 5, #8
16 Roger Bernadina Vol. 5, #8
17 Edwin Jackson Vol. 5, #9
18 Drew Storen Vol. 5, #9
19 Ryan Matheus Vol. 5, #10
20 Jayson Werth Vol. 5, #10
21 Danny Espinosa Vol. 5, #11
22 Kurt Suzuki Vol. 5, #11
23 Tyler Clippard Vol. 5, #12
24 Jordan Zimmerman Vol. 5, #12

2013


Number Name Issue
1 Davey Johnson Vol. 6, #1
2 Danny Espinosa Vol. 6, #1
3 Ian Desmond Vol. 6, #2
4 Chad Tracy Vol. 6, #2
5 Jayson Werth Vol. 6, #3
6 Ross Detwiler Vol. 6, #3
7 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 6, #4
8 Rafael Soriano Vol. 6, #4
9 Jordan Zimmerman Vol. 6, #5
10 Kurt Suzuki Vol. 6, #5
11 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 6, #6
12 Craig Stammen Vol. 6, #6
13 Bryce Harper Vol. 6, #7
14 Tyler Clippard Vol. 6, #7
15 Jordan Zimmerman Vol. 6, #8
16 Kurt Suzuki Vol. 6, #8
17 Gio Gonzalez Vol. 6, #9
18 Roger Bernadina Vol. 6, #9
19 Anthony Rendon Vol. 6, #10
20 Wilson Ramos Vol. 6, #10
21 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 6, #11
22 Ian Krol Vol. 6, #11
23 Dan Haren Vol. 6, #12
24 Drew Storen Vol. 6, #12

2014


Number Name Issue
1 Matt Williams Vol. 7, #1
2 Tyler Clippard Vol. 7, #1
3 Bryce Harper Vol. 7, #2
4 Ross Detwiler Vol. 7, #2
5 Adam LaRoche Vol. 7, #3
6 Taylor Jordan Vol. 7, #3
7 Anthony Rendon Vol. 7, #4
8 Tanner Roark Vol. 7, #4
9 Rafael Soriano Vol. 7, #5
10 Drew Storen Vol. 7, #5
11 Jordan Zimmerman Vol. 7, #6
12 Kevin Frandsen Vol. 7, #6
13 Jayson Werth Vol. 7, #7
14 Danny Espinosa Vol. 7, #7
15 Denard Span Vol. 7, #8
16 Jose Lobaton Vol. 7, #8
17 Ryan Zimmerman Vol. 7, #9
18 Jerry Blevins Vol. 7, #9
19 Stephen Strasburg Vol. 7, #10
20 Racing Presidents Vol. 7, #10
21 Wilson Ramos Vol. 7, #11
22 Gio Gonzalez Vol. 7, #11
23 Doug Fister Vol. 7, #12
24 Ian Desmond Vol. 7, #12

16 comments:

  1. A friend went to a game in DC in 2010 and brought me back a program, so I can tell you that the Vol. 3, Issue 9 cards are Wil Nieves (#17) and Miguel Batista (#18)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! the checklist has been updated.

      Delete
  2. I wish that more teams would do something like this - as you said, oddballs are a dying breed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been to a couple of Nats games during the period where they had these cards, and I've always been jealous-bordering-on-resentful over them. I wish every team would do something like this, but I would at least like *my* teams (Mets and Orioles) to have some form of team-published oddballs.

    I'll try to remember where my cards are, and if I can contribute to your checklist I will leave another comment. The ones I have are separated from the programs, so I wouldn't be able to provide any more than card # and player name.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pretty sure the Orioles did cards in their scorecard one year in the mid-90's.

      Delete
    2. OK, I found ONE... I know I have more *somewhere*...

      2011 Card #20 is John Lannan.

      Delete
    3. And in reply to NPB Card Guy... The Orioles probably did and even though I went to a bunch of O's games in the mid-to-late 1990's, I didn't know about the cards because I never buy programs; I bring a scorebook to each game I go to. Oh, well... Something else to keep an eye out for... :-D

      Delete
    4. Lannan is added. I also added Strasburg and Soriano for 2013.

      Delete
  4. I don't exactly have the opportunities to get MLB oddballs now (silly oceans) but tossing a couple random cards into magazines or food products gives me a really good incentive to buy them. Lost opportunity if you ask me, especially since on the team's end it costs almost nothing.

    You'd think Topps would be happy to partner with Coke again or other companies to get their cards into some groceries. In 2010, they worked with Kellogg's for a cereal promotion here in Japan. (They took over for Upper Deck who had done it for a few years prior.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. 2011 card #18 (from vol 4, issue 9) is Tyler Clippard
    2013 vol 6, issue #3 is Jayson Werth (#5) and Ross Detwiler (#6)

    I usually get to one Nats game a year so I may have others. It's just what I can find right now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't have Inside Pitch volume/issue numbers because I have separated my cards out, but these are the cards I have from each year. (I haven't cross-referenced to your lists, so some may repeat what you already have.)

    2009
    1 Elijah Dukes
    2 Unsure whether there is a Card no. 2. Dunn (card no. 13) was paired with Dukes (card no.1) in the magazine, but Dunn (no. 13 was also paired with Clippard (no. 14). My recollection is all other cards were paired sequentially.
    3 Willie Harris
    4 Ryan Zimmerman
    7 Austin Kearns
    8 Ronnie Belliard
    9 Jesus Flores
    10 John Lannan
    11 Joel Hanrahan
    12 Saul Rivera
    13 Adam Dunn
    14 Tyler Clippard
    15 Josh Willingham
    16 Sean Burnett
    17 Nyger Morgan
    18 Josh Bard
    19 Wil Nieves
    20 Mike MacDougal

    2010
    10 Drew Storen
    11 Ian Desmond
    12 Cristian Guzman
    13 Matt Capps
    14 Nyger Morgan
    15 Roger Bernadina
    16 Michael Morse
    17 Wil Nieves
    18 Miguel Batista

    2011
    1 Livan Hernandez
    2 Ivan Rodriguez
    5 Adam LaRoche
    6 Ryan Zimmermann
    11 Jerry Hairston
    12 Todd Coffey
    13 Michael Morse
    14 Jason Marquis
    15 Ryan Zimmerman
    16 Danny Espinosa
    19 Alex Cora
    20 John Lannan


    2012
    1 Stephen Strasburg
    2 Ryan Zimmerman
    15 Sean Burnett
    16 Roger Bernadina
    17 Edwin Jackson
    18 Drew Storen
    21 Danny Espinosa
    22 Kurt Suzuki
    23 Tyler Clippard
    24 Jordan Zimmermann

    2013
    23 Dan Haren
    24 Drew Storen

    2014
    1 Matt Williams
    2 Tyler Clippard
    5 Adam LaRoche
    6 Taylor Jordan
    9 Raphael Soriano
    10 Drew Storen
    13 Jayson Werth
    14 Danny Espinosa
    19 Stephen Strasburg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! In all cases where your list conflicted with mine, I went with your information since you actually have the cards in-hand. Some of my numbering for the first couple of seasons was speculation based on blurry images. The later years lined up nicely, so a lot of gaps were filled in.

      Delete
    2. Glad I could help. I was excited to see your Blog since I have not seen any sort of checklist for these cards. Your info has provided the content of for some of the cards I'm missing. Gradually a list is emerging. Thank you!

      We were very disappointed the Nats stopped issuing the cards in 2015. (And 2009 was indeed the first year they were included in the magazines.)

      Delete
  7. Correction: 2011, card #6 should be Jordan Zimmermann (my mistake)

    ReplyDelete
  8. More Inside Pitch cards:
    2009
    5 Anderson Hernandez
    6 Cristian Guzman

    2010
    19 Drew Storen (Rookie)
    20 Ian Desmond (Rookie)
    21 Roger Bernadina (Rookie)
    22 Stephen Strasburg (Rookie)
    23 Wilson Ramos (Rookie)
    24 Danny Espinosa (Rookie)

    ReplyDelete