From the Pedro Binder

2003 Topps

As with most base cards, this card is just wonderful in its simplicity.

Everything you need from a card is there. Nothing that you don’t need is forced upon you. This is simply a documentation of Pedro Martinez. It clearly shows us what team he plays for. His position is also listed. His name is right there set against a bold background. Unfortunately, his name is still in that annoying foil. (Topps is going to stop doing that at some point, right?) But, that’s really the only flaw I can see with the card.

The blue border is a nice touch. It adds something to make the rest of the card stand out. Now, I’m sure that color might be off a little bit if Pedro were wearing an Orioles or a Rockies jersey. The orange or purple might clash a bit too much. But, with the Red Sox colors, it works just fine.

I like the second headshot set inside a baseball field. I especially like how they’ve selected a picture that actually makes a good headshot. They just didn’t crop in on the head of the larger photo.

Speaking of larger, that’s certainly the case with this card. Even though they took up a lot of space for the name, Topps still left a larger practically uninterrupted picture. There’s nothing especially exciting about the shot they chose. Pedro’s just rubbing up the ball, getting ready to pitch. But, it’s still well done. Nicely cropped, and allows Pedro to stand out.

As he should.