Description

The 1998 Leaf is a 200-card set released in March, 1998. The set contains the subsets: Curtain Calls (148-157), Gold Leaf Stars (158-177), and Gold Leaf Rookies (178-197). All three subsets are short-printed in relation to cards from 1-147 and 201. Those short prints represent one of the early efforts by a manufacturer to incorportate short-print subsets cards into a basic issue set. Card number 42 does not exist as Leaf retired the number in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Distribution

24 packs per box, 10 cards per pack (MSRP: $2.99)

Reviews

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Odds
Base	200	-	?
short set	150	-	?
Short Prints	50	-	1:3
Fractal Matrix	200	varies	?
Fractal Matrix Diamond Axis	200	50	?
State Representatives	30	5000	?
Heading for the Hall	20	3500	?
Statistical Standouts	24	2250	?
Statistical Standouts Die-Cut	24	250	?
Crusade	30	varies	?

Checklist

Base Set

1 Rusty Greer GZ
2 Tino Martinez GZ
3 Bobby Bonilla SY
4 Jason Giambi SY
5 Matt Morris SY
6 Craig Counsell BX
7 Reggie Jefferson BX
8 Brian Rose SY
9 Ruben Rivera BX
10 Shawn Estes SY
11 Tony Gwynn GZ
12 Jeff Abbott BY
13 Jose Cruz GZ
14 Francisco Cordova BX
15 Ryan Klesko BX
16 Tim Salmon GY
17 Brett Tomko BX
18 Matt Williams SY
19 Joe Carter BX
20 Harold Baines BX
21 Gary Sheffield SZ
22 Charles Johnson SX
23 Aaron Boone BX
24 Eddie Murray GY
25 Matt Stairs BX
26 David Cone BX
27 Jon Nunnally BX
28 Chris Stynes BX
29 Enrique Wilson BY
30 Randy Johnson SZ
31 Garret Anderson SY
32 Manny Ramirez GZ
33 Jeff Suppan SX
34 Rickey Henderson BX
35 Scott Spiezio BX
36 Rondell White SY
37 Todd Greene SZ
38 Delino DeShields BX
39 Kevin Brown (Pitcher) SX
40 Chili Davis BX
41 Jimmy Key BX
43 Mike Mussina GY
44 Joe Randa BX
45 Chan Ho Park SZ
46 Brad Radke BX
47 Geronimo Berroa BX
48 Wade Boggs SY
49 Kevin Appier BX
50 Moises Alou SY
51 Dave Justice GY
52 Ivan Rodriguez GZ
53 J.T. Snow BX
54 Brian Giles BX
55 Will Clark BY
56 Justin Thompson SY
57 Javy Lopez SX
58 Hideki Irabu BZ
59 Mark Grudzielanek BX
60 Abraham Nunez SX
61 Todd Hollandsworth BX
62 Jay Bell BX
63 Nomar Garciaparra GZ
64 Vinny Castilla BY
65 Lou Collier BY
66 Kevin Orie SX
67 John Valentin BX
68 Robin Ventura BX
69 Denny Neagle BX
70 Tony Womack SY
71 Dennis Reyes SY
72 Wally Joyner BX
73 Kevin Brown (Catcher) BY
74 Ray Durham BX
75 Mike Cameron SZ
76 Dante Bichette BX
77 Jose Guillen GY
78 Carlos Delgado BY
79 Paul Molitor GZ
80 Jason Kendall BX
81 Mark Bellhorn BX
82 Damian Jackson BX
83 Bill Mueller BX
84 Kevin Young BX
85 Curt Schilling BX
86 Jeffrey Hammonds BX
87 Sandy Alomar, Jr. SY
88 Bartolo Colon BY
89 Wilton Guerrero BY
90 Bernie Williams GY
91 Deion Sanders SY
92 Mike Piazza GX
93 Butch Huskey BX
94 Edgardo Alfonzo SX
95 Alan Benes SY
96 Craig Biggio SY
97 Mark Grace SY
98 Shawn Green SY
99 Derrek Lee SY
100 Ken Griffey, Jr. GZ
101 Tim Raines BX
102 Pokey Reese SX
103 Lee Stevens BX
104 Shannon Stewart SY
105 John Smoltz SY
106 Frank Thomas GX
107 Jeff Fassero BX
108 Jay Buhner BY
109 Jose Canseco BX
110 Omar Vizquel BX
111 Travis Fryman BX
112 Dave Nilsson BX
113 John Olerud BX
114 Larry Walker GZ
115 Jim Edmonds SY
116 Bob Higginson SX
117 Todd Hundley SX
118 Paul O'Neill BX
119 Bip Roberts BX
120 Ismael Valdes BX
121 Pedro Martinez SY
122 Jeff Cirillo BX
123 Andy Benes BX
124 Bobby Jones BX
125 Brian Hunter BX
126 Darryl Kile BX
127 Pat Hentgen BX
128 Marquis Grissom BX
129 Eric Davis BX
130 Chipper Jones GZ
131 Edgar Martinez SZ
132 Andy Pettitte GZ
133 Cal Ripken, Jr. GX
134 Scott Rolen GZ
135 Ron Coomer BX
136 Luis Castillo BY
137 Fred McGriff BY
138 Neifi Perez SY
139 Eric Karros BX
140 Alex Fernandez BX
141 Jason Dickson BX
142 Lance Johnson BX
143 Ray Lankford BY
144 Sammy Sosa GY
145 Eric Young BY
146 Bubba Trammell SY
147 Todd Walker SY
148 Mo Vaughn CC SX
149 Jeff Bagwell CC SX
150 Kenny Lofton CC SX
151 Raul Mondesi CC SX
152 Mike Piazza CC SX
153 Chipper Jones CC SX
154 Larry Walker CC SX
155 Greg Maddux CC SX
156 Ken Griffey, Jr. CC SX
157 Frank Thomas CC SX
158 Darin Erstad GLS BZ
159 Roberto Alomar GLS BY
160 Albert Belle GLS GY
161 Jim Thome GLS GY
162 Tony Clark GLS GY
163 Chuck Knoblauch GLS BY
164 Derek Jeter GLS GZ
165 Alex Rodriguez GLS GZ
166 Tony Gwynn GLS BX
167 Roger Clemens GLS GZ
168 Barry Larkin GLS BY
169 Andres Galarraga GLS BY
170 Vladimir Guerrero GLS GZ
171 Mark McGwire GLS BZ
172 Barry Bonds GLS BZ
173 Juan Gonzalez GLS GZ
174 Andruw Jones GLS GZ
175 Paul Molitor GLS BX
176 Hideo Nomo GLS BZ
177 Cal Ripken, Jr. GLS BX
178 Brad Fullmer GLR SZ
179 Jaret Wright GLR GZ
180 Bobby Estalella GLR BY
181 Ben Grieve GLR GX
182 Paul Konerko GLR GZ
183 David Ortiz GLR GZ
184 Todd Helton GLR GX
185 Juan Encarnacion GLR GZ
186 Miguel Tejada GLR GZ
187 Jacob Cruz GLR BY
188 Mark Kotsay GLR GZ
189 Fernando Tatis GLR SZ
190 Ricky Ledee GLR SY
191 Richard Hidalgo GLR SY
192 Richie Sexson GLR SY
193 Luis Ordaz GLE BX
194 Eli Marrero GLR SZ
195 Livan Hernandez GLR SZ
196 Homer Bush GLR BX
197 Raul Ibanez GLR BX
198 Nomar Garciaparra CL BX
199 Scott Rolen CL BX
200 Jose Cruz CL BX
201 Al Martin BX

Parallels

Fractal Matrix

Randomly inserted in packs, this 200-card set parallels the Leaf base set and features color player photos with either a bronze, silver or gold finish. 100 cards were designated bronze, 60 silver, and 40 gold. No card is available in more than one of the colors. The set is broken into nine tiers based on three colors (Bronze, Gold and Silver) and three axis (X, Y and Z). Unlike the previous year, the 1998 cards carry an axis-logo on the card front, allowing collectors to identify the specific tier.

2000 copies of each Bronze, 1000 of each Silver, and 500 of each Gold card were produced. For the die-cuts, the first 400 copies (regardless of color) of each X-Axis card are die-cut, 200 Y-Axis, and 100 Z-Axis.

For example, a Bronze X-Axis card would have 1600 non-die-cut and 400 die-cut cards; a Silver Y-Axis: 800/200; and a Gold Z-Axis 400/100.

For the sake of brevity, we have denoted each card's Axis and Color in the base set checklist.

Inserts

State Representatives

1 Ken Griffey, Jr.
2 Frank Thomas
3 Alex Rodriguez
4 Cal Ripken, Jr.
5 Chipper Jones
6 Andruw Jones
7 Scott Rolen
8 Nomar Garciaparra
9 Tim Salmon
10 Manny Ramirez
11 Jose Cruz, Jr.
12 Vladimir Guerrero
13 Tino Martinez
14 Larry Walker
15 Mo Vaughn
16 Jim Thome
17 Tony Clark
18 Derek Jeter
19 Juan Gonzalez
20 Jeff Bagwell
21 Ivan Rodriguez
22 Mark McGwire
23 Dave Justice
24 Chuck Knoblauch
25 Andy Pettitte
26 Raul Mondesi
27 Randy Johnson
28 Greg Maddux
29 Bernie Williams
30 Rusty Greer

Heading for the Hall

1 Roberto Alomar
2 Jeff Bagwell
3 Albert Belle
4 Wade Boggs
5 Barry Bonds
6 Roger Clemens
7 Juan Gonzalez
8 Ken Griffey, Jr.
9 Tony Gwynn
10 Barry Larkin
11 Kenny Lofton
12 Greg Maddux
13 Mark McGwire
14 Paul Molitor
15 Eddie Murray
16 Mike Piazza
17 Cal Ripken, Jr.
18 Ivan Rodriguez
19 Ryne Sandberg
20 Frank Thomas

Statistical Standouts

1 Frank Thomas
2 Ken Griffey, Jr.
3 Alex Rodriguez
4 Mike Piazza
5 Greg Maddux
6 Cal Ripken, Jr.
7 Chipper Jones
8 Juan Gonzalez
9 Jeff Bagwell
10 Mark McGwire
11 Tony Gwynn
12 Mo Vaughn
13 Nomar Garciaparra
14 Jose Cruz, Jr.
15 Vladimir Guerrero
16 Scott Rolen
17 Andy Pettitte
18 Randy Johnson
19 Larry Walker
20 Kenny Lofton
21 Tony Clark
22 Dave Justice
23 Derek Jeter
24 Barry Bonds

Crusade

See 1998 Donruss Crusade