tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54452109992184284932024-02-19T03:35:57.721-05:00The 2014 Topps BlogOnce a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-59456047705632532014-06-02T19:00:00.000-04:002014-06-02T19:00:02.452-04:00#M-22 Swinging Friar (San Diego Padres)<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
While I wanted to raise awareness about the Jose Veras card, I never intended to take this long of a break from the blog. I think I made my point although now it’s up to Topps if they want to fix it. Moving forward, since it’s Monday, I’m going to throw another mascot out at you.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJKjHuWZSZIa4Nhcm5QOZNrEo_bKzaIdOlZeGYk5uM1JevH2rkcqNhWYszrzP6r1-p6owyL7yKKqRuMIL3vDclYPWlueFdZB7_-5YAHxcB4UVdVa873H9TiVfH9-Nu9DmO_l-JR9yOBRK/s1600/2014+Topps+Opening+Day+Mascots+%2523M-22+Swinging+Friar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJKjHuWZSZIa4Nhcm5QOZNrEo_bKzaIdOlZeGYk5uM1JevH2rkcqNhWYszrzP6r1-p6owyL7yKKqRuMIL3vDclYPWlueFdZB7_-5YAHxcB4UVdVa873H9TiVfH9-Nu9DmO_l-JR9yOBRK/s1600/2014+Topps+Opening+Day+Mascots+%2523M-22+Swinging+Friar.jpg" height="400" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#M-22 Swinging Friar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>I knew the San Diego Chicken wasn't the San Diego Padres
mascot. And I knew the Padres had a monk/friar swinging a bat in their logo.
And I've seen the “live” mascot before. But I don’t think I ever knew he went
by the Swinging Friar moniker. The photo itself is pretty good, as is the crop job. The
guy in the background is probably a mascot escort or chaperon or event staff
or whatever it is they call them at Petco Park.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But wait. Are they <i>in</i>
Petco Park? I think I see the top of another mascot right behind the Friar.
It’s a little tough to tell, and if I hadn't just seen a card of his as well I
wouldn't know it, but I think that is TC, the Minnesota Twins mascot behind him. Usually the Mascots don't travel to road games. Maybe the
source photo will give me more info.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHB5EJfiYThPpJKfRJBXQevbpkJM3v5W1PtC5yW-Mzb9skeT1dD71s87UnVk3Ya2yOOP8nqZZAvHUw8kOwV3_He6vW-Wx5gjbpUncp_P9QoTJQTFQWsljHPwDG3QYzUjbLEMNc7PciMTK/s1600/Swinging+Friar+187146598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHB5EJfiYThPpJKfRJBXQevbpkJM3v5W1PtC5yW-Mzb9skeT1dD71s87UnVk3Ya2yOOP8nqZZAvHUw8kOwV3_He6vW-Wx5gjbpUncp_P9QoTJQTFQWsljHPwDG3QYzUjbLEMNc7PciMTK/s1600/Swinging+Friar+187146598.jpg" height="400" width="258" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW YORK, NY - JULY 14: San Diego Padres
Mascot, Friar, walks around during the 2013 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at
Citi Field on July 14, 2013 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough
of New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/MLB Photos via Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
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<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> My suspicions are correct, at least as far as Petco Park goes. The
photo was taken at Citi Field (home of the New York Mets) during the All-Star Futures
Game. A quick search on Getty Images for “<b><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=mascot+padres+2013">mascot padres 2013</a></b>’ netted more
results for Mr. Met than our Swinging Friar. There seems to be a pre-game
(hopefully, based on the empty stands) photoshoot for Mr. Met during a
Mets/Padres series. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For those unfamiliar with the All-Star Futures game, it pits
minor league prospects from the USA against minor league prospects from all of
the other countries. It is played during the All-Star weekend. Check out the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-Star_Futures_Game"><b>Wiki</b></a> for more information. Team USA leads the overall series
9-6 since its inception in 1999, including the last four in a row. No word on
who the Swinging Friar was rooting for.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s no conclusive proof of the trailing mascot being TC,
but I think in the source photo, I can make out the Twins logo on his hat. Bernie
Brewer’s mustache/hair make a cropped cameo in the source photo too. Here’s
another photo proving that TC was there that day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAF3ktJZZL4UfytSyk4zU67GijaL_iRotafFMmjqpbGdvvfUkVD7wsRR-n_Si5n575RgsnbdpDuH389X5DjBt6HDWHD2Ajo1xqY9cHOttl9nTBD7wOg2FsO0E9Qaq8oESWWyZec6CESXq/s1600/Mascots+175022079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAF3ktJZZL4UfytSyk4zU67GijaL_iRotafFMmjqpbGdvvfUkVD7wsRR-n_Si5n575RgsnbdpDuH389X5DjBt6HDWHD2Ajo1xqY9cHOttl9nTBD7wOg2FsO0E9Qaq8oESWWyZec6CESXq/s1600/Mascots+175022079.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the Phillie Phanatic has perfected the "Facebook Duckface" look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF7Hp8PHy8cfAJsXXOBhYQ4oBjIIM-I9ApmLHvs_rl2hSCzYeb6i24S9hlEyAycuBltQO_TZRsDKMLhgecQk2XszsEemrSrfjy_Roq5oOgjOEjZOa6mVcfd8hvjfG_IBJ2JO0tLbR0CI3/s1600/2014+Topps+Opening+Day+Mascots+%2523M-22+Swinging+Friar+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF7Hp8PHy8cfAJsXXOBhYQ4oBjIIM-I9ApmLHvs_rl2hSCzYeb6i24S9hlEyAycuBltQO_TZRsDKMLhgecQk2XszsEemrSrfjy_Roq5oOgjOEjZOa6mVcfd8hvjfG_IBJ2JO0tLbR0CI3/s1600/2014+Topps+Opening+Day+Mascots+%2523M-22+Swinging+Friar+back.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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There’s no Rookie Fact on these as it has been replaced by
the Identifying Feature.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Identifying Feature: Humble Attire</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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I guess <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsure"><b>tonsure</b></a> is too much for a “kids”
card? The blurb does refer to him as a holy man, but there aren’t any other
religious references. No history lesson from Topps here.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This was all I could find on the Friar on the Padres
official website and it was buried in the A-Z Guide:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(237, 237, 237); margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 44.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN" style="color: #05143f; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/fan_forum/scoreboard.jsp"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">SWINGING FRIAR</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #05143f; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: rgb(237, 237, 237); margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt 44.25pt;">
<a href="http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/fan_forum/scoreboard.jsp"><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">"The Swinging Friar" is the official mascot of
the San Diego Padres. This fun-loving character pre-dates the Major League
Padres, first serving as the mascot for the Pacific Coast League Padres. He was
chosen as the mascot in 1961 and has become a Padres fixture.</span></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #M-22<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Player Name:</b> Swinging
Friar<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Team:</b> San Diego
Padres<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Position:</b> Mascot<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Game Date:</b> July
14, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Stadium:</b> Citi
Field (but normally Petco Park)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Division: </b>National
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Away
(but almost always otherwise home)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
4-0, USA over World<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthdate:</b> Inanimately,
1961. Live action, 1996.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> San
Diego<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> Stadium
Staff, TC (Twins Mascot)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Photographer: </b>Tim
Clayton<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Cameos, Mascots, Awesome Hair<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Grade: </b>Although
you can’t see it in this picture, you know the awesome hair is there, so he
gets credit. I think Topps did pretty well with the photo selection, especially
given the lack of options. I wonder why there is a shortage of mascot photos on
Getty Images?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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I think 99% of the time you’ll see the mascot at their home
stadium. I think it’s kind of cool that the Friar made the cross country trip
for a special occasion. I’m going to give this card an A. <o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-33907506702946752462014-05-08T16:00:00.000-04:002014-05-08T16:14:05.262-04:00#CHC-16 Jose Veras<div class="MsoNormal">
For the most part, I’m going to slowly add the Factory Team
sets to my collection but wait and see which cards actually make Series 2 and
the Update set before writing about them. With that said, I picked up the Cubs
set for my team collection and did a brief write up on my other blog, <a href="http://onceacub.blogspot.com/2014/05/2014-topps-cubs-factory-team-set.html"><b>Once a Cub</b></a>, where I briefly touched
on this card. I don’t want this card to show up in Series 2 or the Update
series and I’m pretty sure Topps doesn’t either.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjU4jj4e98yNJwm9FMnzfupUi0mcJvB570zWTwzDZoIY1R3VUDOdcqYyAaUKlhb3sQ7AsXa0HOlf6pp9O7CeHm23n1aNZzHZN58mOKyYsoIV1J09LN9hlT4UX3ytIoTfIaYbpG72m8lcO/s1600/2014+Topps+Cubs+Factory+Team+Set+%2523CHC-16+Jose+Veras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjU4jj4e98yNJwm9FMnzfupUi0mcJvB570zWTwzDZoIY1R3VUDOdcqYyAaUKlhb3sQ7AsXa0HOlf6pp9O7CeHm23n1aNZzHZN58mOKyYsoIV1J09LN9hlT4UX3ytIoTfIaYbpG72m8lcO/s1600/2014+Topps+Cubs+Factory+Team+Set+%2523CHC-16+Jose+Veras.jpg" height="288" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#CHC-16 Jose Veras</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>To a non-Cubs fan, this might look like a pretty good
card. Jose Veras is making a goofy face. The card is horizontal (one of my
favorite attributes) and is framed well. We get to see a nice grip on his
breaking ball. In fact, if Topps keeps this card for Series 2 or Update, but
makes the correction, this might be one of my favorite Cubs cards of the year.
What correction am I talking about?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl4PFpU0WMd5Kggbz65EkVAnb-AHR_1B7mi74ir-aZCPGeLMnCweSWqfdd5oELDyD-dCW5lm56howHy5fFnWl4Cas_lhPw64weBBnPk8Msxc6IGYg7ioGKhMOR9putWO5Byv8iReknpD9/s1600/veras7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUl4PFpU0WMd5Kggbz65EkVAnb-AHR_1B7mi74ir-aZCPGeLMnCweSWqfdd5oELDyD-dCW5lm56howHy5fFnWl4Cas_lhPw64weBBnPk8Msxc6IGYg7ioGKhMOR9putWO5Byv8iReknpD9/s1600/veras7.JPG" height="200" width="175" /></a></div>
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THIS!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Any respectable Cubs fan and even a lot of good
baseball-in-general fans can tell you that the Cubs retired the #31 in honors
of Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins and Greg Maddux. For you non-Cubs fans, this
happened five years ago, May 3, 2009 in a joint number retirement ceremony.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The problem begins with the source photo.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzBIWeQ0DXPLd6IjmjWyc-MNXDRBl9xqn7mnG_Ie3vhzHhCp-B9AI89qxKnSjH7B-ZDnpe-Mb9Zq9gqHEfk_ext7MD3vJZ8FuD4Jl2cYeeFcKV4_K4Sw_1P_uBXLh2Ut_vDJ6FulQA7cy/s1600/Jose+Veras+176446006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzBIWeQ0DXPLd6IjmjWyc-MNXDRBl9xqn7mnG_Ie3vhzHhCp-B9AI89qxKnSjH7B-ZDnpe-Mb9Zq9gqHEfk_ext7MD3vJZ8FuD4Jl2cYeeFcKV4_K4Sw_1P_uBXLh2Ut_vDJ6FulQA7cy/s1600/Jose+Veras+176446006.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Getty Images</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;">NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 11: Jose Veras #31 of the Detroit Tigers
in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2013 in
the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Tigers 5-4. (Photo
by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Veras signed with the Cubs as a Free Agent during the off season so
Topps does what it normally does and uses a photo from the player's previous
team but touches it up a bit. As you can see, Veras wore #31 with the Tigers
last season and Topps just carried over that number to the Cubs, regardless of
the fact that it is retired.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For what it’s worth, Topps did an otherwise pretty good converting the
Tigers road jersey to the Cubs road jersey. They even added the logoed sleeve
patch to his left arm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY8ofUYmw_JnGDxcka4fwOy3-SDgs6c0-6VNgWeC_dxB7RqiUWv69g11Aj15BspEmeaFOADc09K13QNYCqNHYrACFL0gCOAMmNP_kZdKbt-wTycRazWh0iQMWA7B2BP5jSVeKInkXv5nc/s1600/cubs+road+jersey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrY8ofUYmw_JnGDxcka4fwOy3-SDgs6c0-6VNgWeC_dxB7RqiUWv69g11Aj15BspEmeaFOADc09K13QNYCqNHYrACFL0gCOAMmNP_kZdKbt-wTycRazWh0iQMWA7B2BP5jSVeKInkXv5nc/s1600/cubs+road+jersey.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Enough with the “error” and let’s go to the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201308110.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a> to see how Veras did in
his game against the Yankees when the photo was taken.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qvdvGYOtW_PFavoZSFHzm8mDGvcKxdcM2Sw34WTwhYuETrk-_zl4YeCeVbqjD_gYv_c5E1l5iMKbAbHuAz-C776ithuErtNmjpt8_Taw3aQJXPX6vS3v-thq3UoYVeSsA00WAVeEmWMz/s1600/veras.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qvdvGYOtW_PFavoZSFHzm8mDGvcKxdcM2Sw34WTwhYuETrk-_zl4YeCeVbqjD_gYv_c5E1l5iMKbAbHuAz-C776ithuErtNmjpt8_Taw3aQJXPX6vS3v-thq3UoYVeSsA00WAVeEmWMz/s1600/veras.JPG" height="63" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A walk off loss after coming from behind doesn’t look good.
Hopefully, Veras wasn’t the closer this game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfRQNtlGsfT83v6Dd4G2szkJbEdv8CCvQ1ev8W-nuzsMP7UA5tvlxP_heIUQg-m6b9MuyDfWF_7Iel7tRoXPfUsjeNzQqasZvsI7vnLhEPg1UuswHvxK-vRKu7ywE97tHXl57WaQv5twq/s1600/veras2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfRQNtlGsfT83v6Dd4G2szkJbEdv8CCvQ1ev8W-nuzsMP7UA5tvlxP_heIUQg-m6b9MuyDfWF_7Iel7tRoXPfUsjeNzQqasZvsI7vnLhEPg1UuswHvxK-vRKu7ywE97tHXl57WaQv5twq/s1600/veras2.JPG" height="150" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whoops! Veras got through two thirds of an inning but took
the loss, his fifth of the season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigutJUTjt0lDQR6_G348DkKlGyP_bDF09OyodroxgPUOWL_1c_HRafclAwRhqe-AwoPXLmg-aXHI3SlRp1N1y5BlK1IQkxDOl8jZULBj3TOKDqqt5l58bnUYZTblpprSafWGpycZyXknve/s1600/veras3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigutJUTjt0lDQR6_G348DkKlGyP_bDF09OyodroxgPUOWL_1c_HRafclAwRhqe-AwoPXLmg-aXHI3SlRp1N1y5BlK1IQkxDOl8jZULBj3TOKDqqt5l58bnUYZTblpprSafWGpycZyXknve/s1600/veras3.JPG" height="81" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It took 13 pitches to get the first two out, but the 15th ended
the game with a solo home run from Brett Gardner. As Yankee biased as Topps can
be, I wonder if this was a subtle dig on Veras with the photo selection. But
Veras is a former Yankee so I’m probably just reading too much into it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We do get the Nike swoosh on Veras’ undershirt for a little
Free Advertising credit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXnfnH9Tb5sSp9uPdUHGtTDpuPrJDWt7kpaLYnghEX9CW51_sN-AHXnSc54F4Jcalxi_Jv9zSjLVmjxAEsQaFCaMP6Ys7xTEI8KfJ-Htz48KE5fP6SuAtOSbPrGFLAzoTRLzAMPZGeJ1j/s1600/veras6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXnfnH9Tb5sSp9uPdUHGtTDpuPrJDWt7kpaLYnghEX9CW51_sN-AHXnSc54F4Jcalxi_Jv9zSjLVmjxAEsQaFCaMP6Ys7xTEI8KfJ-Htz48KE5fP6SuAtOSbPrGFLAzoTRLzAMPZGeJ1j/s1600/veras6.JPG" height="147" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOKfRWXENlMVpfyEXOYoWMeg-5TZ30lWImv7nDM46G5Tdfn7J36v9jsEWJvYdJ9IcvlhcdHVt-Ydl58y48uNhN0IuNx__bSB1unc3iM5fxHqRZLLhlAlbfI0JgXOvEOcdY4qxbmaLfQkq/s1600/2014+Topps+Cubs+Factory+Team+Set+%2523CHC-16+Jose+Veras+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiOKfRWXENlMVpfyEXOYoWMeg-5TZ30lWImv7nDM46G5Tdfn7J36v9jsEWJvYdJ9IcvlhcdHVt-Ydl58y48uNhN0IuNx__bSB1unc3iM5fxHqRZLLhlAlbfI0JgXOvEOcdY4qxbmaLfQkq/s1600/2014+Topps+Cubs+Factory+Team+Set+%2523CHC-16+Jose+Veras+back.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Jose retired the only batter he faced in a
1-run game for his 1st save.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I like the fact that Topps carried over the Rookie Facts to
the Factory Team sets. As I mentioned, Veras is a former Yankee, making his MLB
debut with them in 2006. His first Save came on <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TOR/TOR200609180.shtml"><b>September 18<sup>th</sup></b></a> that year
against the Toronto Blue Jays. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9lq0lNWzqMIt7ddMyG2ofaM08mmuK8aNwIDaiwK_m0FV6Dt4SYqLVGkHgPjgzZ-eLIMoFNS8PI2qcutOfpXTEA18qQQOo4oMsycMcGhTkGu8BkQqv6gbldoMci8cRAmfUzkFbTZqV1tu/s1600/veras4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9lq0lNWzqMIt7ddMyG2ofaM08mmuK8aNwIDaiwK_m0FV6Dt4SYqLVGkHgPjgzZ-eLIMoFNS8PI2qcutOfpXTEA18qQQOo4oMsycMcGhTkGu8BkQqv6gbldoMci8cRAmfUzkFbTZqV1tu/s1600/veras4.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the Yankees extended their lead with three runs in the
top of the 9<sup>th</sup>, the Troy Glaus brought the Blue Jays back to within
one run with a three-run home run.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXdSn0VosvM3k8xluqpE9w84Vc6qLqOIWeCvEk4He5jgGP9AEc4zcpJpKE8FQs2qXyXpaK8aEJV7xKivessoOHrlBOof1aRhmaeYCGt2pZv_qJPn4EUlkP7SWuk0PCFShBFFQ5Aeajkk9/s1600/veras5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNXdSn0VosvM3k8xluqpE9w84Vc6qLqOIWeCvEk4He5jgGP9AEc4zcpJpKE8FQs2qXyXpaK8aEJV7xKivessoOHrlBOof1aRhmaeYCGt2pZv_qJPn4EUlkP7SWuk0PCFShBFFQ5Aeajkk9/s1600/veras5.JPG" height="161" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screen grab courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A single by pinch-hitter JasonPhillips chased reliever Mike
Meyers and Jose Veras was able to induce a fly ball from Aaron Hill to end the
game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #CHC-16
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Jose
Veras<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Detroit
Tigers (Chicago Cubs)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
11, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> New
York Yankees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Yankee
Stadium<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
5-4, Yankees over the Tigers, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 10/20/1980<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Dominican
Republic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Greg
Maddux, Fergie Jenkins<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jim
McIsaac<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Cubs, Horizontal, Photoshopped, Error, Free
Advertising<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I
really wanted to like this card. As I already said, it’s horizontal, it’s
cropped well, Veras is making a funny face. This card was destined for an A+
grade, but with one Topps oversight, it goes straight to an F. No offense to
Veras or the photographer, Jim McIsaac. They did their parts. This one rests
solely on Topps.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Normally, if a card gets a failing grade, I'll look for some photos that would have worked better. But I really like this photo and just want them to correct the number, not change the photo. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hopefully this was caught early enough that someone at Topps
can change the “3” to a “4” before it goes to print in Series 2 or the Update
series. As I mentioned in my other post about the team set as a whole, last
year Edwin Jackson was a National in Series 1, a Photoshopped Cub in the
factory team set and had a different third card altogether in the Update
series. So it can be done. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I tweeted Topps earlier today from my Once a Cub twitter
account pointing out the error, but haven’t heard anything back yet. I've never
been a “rally the troops” kind of guy but do we bloggers and collectors have
any power here? Can this oversight be corrected in time? I don’t ask for much
from this tiny blog, but let’s see what the power of the people can do!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a <b><a href="https://twitter.com/OnceaCub/status/464410543626141696">link to my tweet</a></b>. Please retweet that or this post
to <b><a href="https://twitter.com/toppscards">@Toppscards</a></b> and make our voices heard!<br />
<br />
Hopefully, this doesn't come off as too whiny. I don't want anything but a fixed card!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-447690412370812592014-05-06T19:00:00.000-04:002014-05-06T19:00:00.312-04:00#34 Buddy Boshers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3q6Ejfm5A3bf5_rcRovo4t_RYfxs3ko2xN6qaa1Fq0rv7cDuZ1G6g8Z-B_0nUrGhKA_lognn5qVlH4BmjL0V0dJnyjJ402H55Oy0RGCibree7RqXcSZQlmVFWPMDLLz_3plCe7UbKH-L/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523034+Buddy+Boshers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3q6Ejfm5A3bf5_rcRovo4t_RYfxs3ko2xN6qaa1Fq0rv7cDuZ1G6g8Z-B_0nUrGhKA_lognn5qVlH4BmjL0V0dJnyjJ402H55Oy0RGCibree7RqXcSZQlmVFWPMDLLz_3plCe7UbKH-L/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523034+Buddy+Boshers.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#34 Buddy Boshers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Buddy Boshers just closed out a game and is getting a
congratulatory “good doggy” pat on the head from his catcher. I think battery
shots like this would make a good insert along with double play combos. Maybe
for Gypsy Queen like they do for Sliding Stars or Glove Stories. Unfortunately,
a lot of mound conferences are negative as they’re usually calming the pitcher
down or pulling him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWMP4YOOBCNAPW_mem9Fe0sk92xvTrtZFtpdsMB0VapJDorJYyJhDm94IIFtuJpnAEvmqPRKTEDbBEjetLd2pJin3FNz7CNWlXqsNr8GHDDh1r2D08rB5nfKHAKA7eZtYXP12bhjCcewi/s1600/Buddy+Boshers+177613814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAWMP4YOOBCNAPW_mem9Fe0sk92xvTrtZFtpdsMB0VapJDorJYyJhDm94IIFtuJpnAEvmqPRKTEDbBEjetLd2pJin3FNz7CNWlXqsNr8GHDDh1r2D08rB5nfKHAKA7eZtYXP12bhjCcewi/s1600/Buddy+Boshers+177613814.jpg" height="400" width="305" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 18pt;">SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 24: Relief pitcher Buddy Boshers #54 (L) of
the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is congratulated by catcher Hank Conger #16
after defeating the Seattle Mariners 5-1 at Safeco Field on August 24, 2013 in
Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Like I thought, this photo is pretty self-explanatory. We can see
from the caption that it wasn’t a save situation and I’m not even sure that
Boshers is the Angels official closer. American League. Pfffft. Anyway, let’s
take a look at the BOXSCORE and see if Boshers was in any kind of trouble at
all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD6VO1MHBI6P38EPnRRFookhE0-pk5VQ7YdkhhWkWUTZBkLLPiexiHwU1fmW1fyQRHoYQKxjAPBOFdw0iYCbeF0-BctPBNzfiXabbWnTSiU-CDVA5W72h0kuqWRL8PJvALvjkul1puqDg/s1600/boshers7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizD6VO1MHBI6P38EPnRRFookhE0-pk5VQ7YdkhhWkWUTZBkLLPiexiHwU1fmW1fyQRHoYQKxjAPBOFdw0iYCbeF0-BctPBNzfiXabbWnTSiU-CDVA5W72h0kuqWRL8PJvALvjkul1puqDg/s1600/boshers7.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Doesn’t look like much trouble unless he pitched the 7<sup>th</sup>
inning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiik2oepKxGI9Dlz3gCiegl3unZQ4F00t_ouYh1jJxl_q1tltVCIHN3h9T8Ru9x1ohTIyzMNpW3V29LqFgRFWC9TXy6-AYtkB1ke7-JPvqRUP47MkX12lpecSQC-cEq7G3N-Li-u6NOj6R/s1600/boshers8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiik2oepKxGI9Dlz3gCiegl3unZQ4F00t_ouYh1jJxl_q1tltVCIHN3h9T8Ru9x1ohTIyzMNpW3V29LqFgRFWC9TXy6-AYtkB1ke7-JPvqRUP47MkX12lpecSQC-cEq7G3N-Li-u6NOj6R/s1600/boshers8.JPG" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nope, just the 9<sup>th</sup>. And two strikeouts to
boot. Let’s see who he got.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobtJu-8DRVCMD_nGCnlTIZNTBjxQ_Z-F23JP1w2vG_2yqTHqmpQRrC1nCYqFJKm22ixldAKJcYha2UWKiMjdV_fZmjcX-uh3UdIkCpqcXE_S9xKcXdSWHCAvX3YrqT-2N3oGgouT9846L/s1600/boshers9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobtJu-8DRVCMD_nGCnlTIZNTBjxQ_Z-F23JP1w2vG_2yqTHqmpQRrC1nCYqFJKm22ixldAKJcYha2UWKiMjdV_fZmjcX-uh3UdIkCpqcXE_S9xKcXdSWHCAvX3YrqT-2N3oGgouT9846L/s1600/boshers9.JPG" height="68" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dustin Ackley fly ball. Nick Franklin for the backwards K.
And finally Brad Miller for the swinging K. Not a bad day’s work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But let’s play I Spy for a minute back on the picture. With
two players being featured, there’s a lot going on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6KfHyxhEyeG81NvcO4kqtKqgAlEOe2tNS-30Mh-FGuESshxlMap9LhMbbWk8kFF_PgmO2iyYxGAShnBJt_0lR-elu3NL7wqxmV2Ebct21g7PL3Y8mdm15RguNv8_lA2A9zX8ncz422wg/s1600/boshers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6KfHyxhEyeG81NvcO4kqtKqgAlEOe2tNS-30Mh-FGuESshxlMap9LhMbbWk8kFF_PgmO2iyYxGAShnBJt_0lR-elu3NL7wqxmV2Ebct21g7PL3Y8mdm15RguNv8_lA2A9zX8ncz422wg/s1600/boshers.JPG" height="110" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Boshers, we have a Nike logo on his undershirt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrhFIZT_mLWQ7kTtJJwSp6gvdGgWteATHIVBOIo-IYWyDJg5VE3x_BXNseh1nfy4dSjCkyXbiwbEPx1KAS2SoBKZz8XBh3hZM70oe7XjMpjxJTGAWm1k70IeujeLouoGzYXrshIezLrpj/s1600/boshers2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHrhFIZT_mLWQ7kTtJJwSp6gvdGgWteATHIVBOIo-IYWyDJg5VE3x_BXNseh1nfy4dSjCkyXbiwbEPx1KAS2SoBKZz8XBh3hZM70oe7XjMpjxJTGAWm1k70IeujeLouoGzYXrshIezLrpj/s1600/boshers2.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And his clearly marked (twice) Rawlings glove.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdw6DaekV5hxhNcceKu9tk2BFgoSDMrdleBp14z89Li62ZwQb812_bOPUlOPmMcdz5r1JkGfhGAZNud9buwUwSSjO0Lr6Trnx_EugC46H30ruE0KB-W6wcURgRCsopRD7M2jJ9MYZDMR5R/s1600/boshers5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdw6DaekV5hxhNcceKu9tk2BFgoSDMrdleBp14z89Li62ZwQb812_bOPUlOPmMcdz5r1JkGfhGAZNud9buwUwSSjO0Lr6Trnx_EugC46H30ruE0KB-W6wcURgRCsopRD7M2jJ9MYZDMR5R/s1600/boshers5.JPG" height="200" width="196" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, on his chest, he is wearing the LEW patch. The patch
is in memory of team doctor, <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130528&content_id=48865258&c_id=ana"><b>Dr. Lewis Yocum</b></a>. But his influence
wasn’t limited to the Angels as some other players wore the patch as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLgSNnz5MMsYjpyg_Y-P08bidTJ122zYF5TTC_dWhj8gG8a0ZH7XMf4J3WJLpGk057mJ-AK-GDmLxM6JKrYXWHhWzrLfBYhGwrqm9mpgRn5zvtKwss3O0XMtb7vDHwMXw_3je5u_hgdhg/s1600/boshers10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLgSNnz5MMsYjpyg_Y-P08bidTJ122zYF5TTC_dWhj8gG8a0ZH7XMf4J3WJLpGk057mJ-AK-GDmLxM6JKrYXWHhWzrLfBYhGwrqm9mpgRn5zvtKwss3O0XMtb7vDHwMXw_3je5u_hgdhg/s1600/boshers10.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moving over to catcher, Hank Conger, we see the Mizuno logo
on his glove and juuuust barely on his catcher’s mask.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QPNT2qvoDQZTbjDani-SD0ViYwI2YpL2IERTO_lshPw60TjaUKHs1Zd7Gg_ILGdLFi-VXje3y10yXkAP5z3-rj3BEKjWSdWMJHyOmBIPhx4rx7v4RttBXMWXGH0e-mrIRSYVKJbtYdVq/s1600/boshers3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4QPNT2qvoDQZTbjDani-SD0ViYwI2YpL2IERTO_lshPw60TjaUKHs1Zd7Gg_ILGdLFi-VXje3y10yXkAP5z3-rj3BEKjWSdWMJHyOmBIPhx4rx7v4RttBXMWXGH0e-mrIRSYVKJbtYdVq/s1600/boshers3.JPG" height="200" width="166" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7msBwJwl1PPmX0zmveHP7HifNB3zTDrh-h87-z2IcIrpo8h2dvkKHzkEVzmsQWXydk6KQYsbzMAWMKTVnWcFgInBM-kn-2aXL0xWsVleP1MNUhOqA9pPmJk1wTi-xOyyMQdmkLAvvusQD/s1600/boshers6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7msBwJwl1PPmX0zmveHP7HifNB3zTDrh-h87-z2IcIrpo8h2dvkKHzkEVzmsQWXydk6KQYsbzMAWMKTVnWcFgInBM-kn-2aXL0xWsVleP1MNUhOqA9pPmJk1wTi-xOyyMQdmkLAvvusQD/s1600/boshers6.JPG" height="141" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And a new one that I’ve either missed a dozen times already
or just didn’t get a clear enough shot, under the Angels patch on Conger’s
sleeve, we see the Majestic Athletic logo. Majestic Athletic is the current
official provider of MLB uniforms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uHWkqZCOrIwah2emvUAcv4BKfw-uaNFyt4qVUJCnJ6Q1woUTcnbkjLWzL_cEcMTy0-4F3vg1ypEYRIkG_zOsjAZTc7B8d9TRdMQFFipEN_BOWr3KqO_vKoRjmwjnT0_HfK2sHl4SYtI-/s1600/boshers4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uHWkqZCOrIwah2emvUAcv4BKfw-uaNFyt4qVUJCnJ6Q1woUTcnbkjLWzL_cEcMTy0-4F3vg1ypEYRIkG_zOsjAZTc7B8d9TRdMQFFipEN_BOWr3KqO_vKoRjmwjnT0_HfK2sHl4SYtI-/s1600/boshers4.JPG" height="145" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFDvbj8pudcN9FRW6qMHzwtEKLZ8o3UgF-VxD2a50yEdjMTVn5ZpGQZjL3Igf919W3PiYRYXHf6MxSWet20_9w-lNKjJdVj5RchVsi_lg09eBt1Ghck0YJJSnIINWl7OnAmRKxM1kk-zh/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523034+Buddy+Boshers+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFDvbj8pudcN9FRW6qMHzwtEKLZ8o3UgF-VxD2a50yEdjMTVn5ZpGQZjL3Igf919W3PiYRYXHf6MxSWet20_9w-lNKjJdVj5RchVsi_lg09eBt1Ghck0YJJSnIINWl7OnAmRKxM1kk-zh/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523034+Buddy+Boshers+back.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Buddy held lefties to a .158 average as a
rookie.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is one of those facts that I’ll trust Topps to get
right because I’m too lazy to actually do the digging myself. If anybody has a
quick and easy way for me to verify this kind of information, please let me
know!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #34<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Buddy
Boshers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Los Angeles
Angels of Anaheim<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
24, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> Seattle
Mariners<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Safeco
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
5-1, Angels over the Mariners, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Left<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 5/9/1988<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Alabama<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Hank
Conger<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Otto
Greule Jr<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Southpaw, Cameo, Free Advertising, Patch<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I like
this card. Probably more than I should considering I’m not an American League
fan and it is not horizontal. It <i>does</i>
fill quite a few niches though and I like that it shows a congratulatory mound
conference instead of one of the negative ones. The crop and centering is
really good and the only drawback that I can think of is that Boshers isn’t the
one front and center. Not that Hank Conger is, but they kind of co-share the
space. Like I said earlier if this was a “Battery” themed insert, this photo
would have been perfect. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It still gets an A+ from me though
and as you can see by the grades in the left hand column, I don’t give those
out willy-nilly like!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-6166079548928288072014-05-05T17:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T17:00:00.345-04:00#M-10 Dinger (Colorado Rockies)
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know my posting schedule here has
been a little out of whack but I’m trying to find my groove again. I’m back
today with another Mascot from 2014 Topps Opening Day. </span><br />
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7JQEftxLvKBVDexiQbLpikm_N68iwr7L6OwvNFQH44KJ8trazMhOjf4ZIafebzFI3NyNTnyI8jZXmGXjfbgwWG1fzwSXPM8ejgvoppcL-VbYFBAVi4h_MinzV6SOB4aQ9v-DbiumxYQU/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Colorado+Rockies+Mascot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7JQEftxLvKBVDexiQbLpikm_N68iwr7L6OwvNFQH44KJ8trazMhOjf4ZIafebzFI3NyNTnyI8jZXmGXjfbgwWG1fzwSXPM8ejgvoppcL-VbYFBAVi4h_MinzV6SOB4aQ9v-DbiumxYQU/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Colorado+Rockies+Mascot.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">#M-10 Dinger (Colorado Rockies)<o:p></o:p></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">First impression of what’s going on:
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unlike the Orioles Mascot, the Colorado
Rockies mascot gets a name on the card, Dinger. There isn’t much “mascotting”
going on here as Dinger looks more like a deer caught in the headlights. I have
no idea if Dinger is male or female so I’ll say “it” until my research tells me
otherwise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dinger is a purple triceratops with
some multi-colored freckles(?) on it’s head. No pants, just a too short jersey.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn91emcF2K2ZPm8hDSdH-qgjVsXgbYDZRTXBePTb-L3m-YZjnhuVUxpqaSl1GOesWv_TZpLu0UUahGZN9EvjLt6sIYWOtWQnK2qyCShud67_j5co7LahIGbVI7Elc2b5m9xzHsgoVmcip/s1600/Dinger+182073803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGn91emcF2K2ZPm8hDSdH-qgjVsXgbYDZRTXBePTb-L3m-YZjnhuVUxpqaSl1GOesWv_TZpLu0UUahGZN9EvjLt6sIYWOtWQnK2qyCShud67_j5co7LahIGbVI7Elc2b5m9xzHsgoVmcip/s1600/Dinger+182073803.jpg" height="400" width="270" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><blockquote class="tr_bq">
DENVER, CO - SEPTEMBER
25: Dinger the mascot of the Colorado Rockies adorns a beard to commemorate
Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies as he plays his last home game at Coors
Field on September 25, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty
Images) </blockquote>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Reality of the Photo:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> The caption didn’t help much for Dinger’s gender because
anybody can sport a fake beard to honor longtime Rockie, Todd Helton. I noticed
the black around the mouth but I had no idea what it was supposed to be. Let’s
take a look at the <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL201309250.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></strong> and see if Dinger did its job of cheering the Rockies
to victory.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUS3nsJb5alN4IVmIW_T0MzuqwtUsURw2ziOO0kuKkxPZARbSEAbIfPlAW3A2S3vFMbl5boQMQMWyazZugAGjbMSmi94OgMQa3gD97S95KLrQDhd3NVYaUp0WJYc0BOgDFKo0XTL87gYx/s1600/dinger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUS3nsJb5alN4IVmIW_T0MzuqwtUsURw2ziOO0kuKkxPZARbSEAbIfPlAW3A2S3vFMbl5boQMQMWyazZugAGjbMSmi94OgMQa3gD97S95KLrQDhd3NVYaUp0WJYc0BOgDFKo0XTL87gYx/s1600/dinger.JPG" height="57" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yikes! Nope. Well it didn’t help the
team, but maybe sporting that honorary fake beard helped Helton.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2UxjuY7Ox8Q9CTQIgHgG9ecnJk9unVu5n9OT8XbJbLvpn_ZO6FzuemHX7JfKLPmmjrf7JuVR5pZ6yEbVcoCdp09A0dvrIB8Gxoe8PgtzGr8JJ1eHNFaQaaC8xC_qp7GhrAzXev6e4o51/s1600/dinger2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2UxjuY7Ox8Q9CTQIgHgG9ecnJk9unVu5n9OT8XbJbLvpn_ZO6FzuemHX7JfKLPmmjrf7JuVR5pZ6yEbVcoCdp09A0dvrIB8Gxoe8PgtzGr8JJ1eHNFaQaaC8xC_qp7GhrAzXev6e4o51/s1600/dinger2.JPG" height="400" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yes! In his Coors Field swan song,
Helton went 2-3 with a double, home run and a sacrifice fly.</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On to the back: </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf2lCJnuRMLgJx9eE7g8xrV_-rbhvTI6ULxY-UaQeBrR0mG0KBN5NfjiF0td46Q2F5ap3iLynm4Pf97t2ibbo1wXQJnw2sDVTgsBGSuQIPgnOmMe3fJ6dgJx26qjIqqx5ejHSlWn2q6ni/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Colorado+Rockies+Mascot+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixf2lCJnuRMLgJx9eE7g8xrV_-rbhvTI6ULxY-UaQeBrR0mG0KBN5NfjiF0td46Q2F5ap3iLynm4Pf97t2ibbo1wXQJnw2sDVTgsBGSuQIPgnOmMe3fJ6dgJx26qjIqqx5ejHSlWn2q6ni/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Colorado+Rockies+Mascot+back.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There’s no Rookie Fact on these as
it has been replaced by the Identifying Feature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Identifying
Feature: Colorful Dots on His Head</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nice! I identified his identifying
feature in my first impressions. Score! And in case you missed it, </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">his</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> head.
Dinger is male!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The write up on the back provides Dinger’s origin story. Apparently, during contruction for the stadium, the construction crew found dinosaur bones. Maybe it did, but I’m surprised this didn’t cause some kind of delay or even relocation of the facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I couldn’t find much information on Dinger through the Rockies website (just his rates for private appearances) and it appears he doesn’t even have his own Wikipedia page. There does appear to be a lot of anti-Dinger propaganda out there though. It’s a hard </span>knock life for a
mascot.<o:p></o:p></div>
</span><br />
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Information I’ll be tracking:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<strong>Card Number</strong>: #M-10<br />
<strong>Player Name</strong>: Dinger<br />
<strong>Team</strong>: Colorado Rockies<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Position:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Mascot<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Game Date:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> September 25, 2013<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Opponent:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Boston Red Sox<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stadium:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Coors Field<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Division: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">National League West<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Home/Away:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Home<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Outcome of the game:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 15-5, Red Sox over the Rockies<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Alternate/Throwback Jersey: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">N/A<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bats/Throws:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> N/A<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><s><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Birthdate</span></s></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <b>Hatched</b>: N/A<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Birthplace:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Colorado<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cameos by:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> N/A<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Photographer: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Doug Pensinger<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Niche collections this card could
fit into</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: Awesome Hair, Mascots<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My Grade: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I mentioned at the beginning that Dinger didn’t seem to be
doing any “mascotting” in this photo and that, to me is kind of a detractor for
a mascot card. He should be hooting and hollering and pumping up the crowd. I
know there are some mixed feelings on mascots and their place in the game, but
I think they’re fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To be fair to Topps, there wasn’t
much of a selection to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&p=dinger+mascot+2013"><span style="color: blue;">choose
from though</span></a></b>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This card is getting a C.</span></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-55077456914160456452014-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:34:30.606-04:00#301 Shane Victorino<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT1dakQAr6G1SkmPovqQAu6lyjIAR8fMutL2CPZj7dik1GL5CzmkOFmrta_1OQFTh0ZyQHgZ6U9P7kKH9ETwp99vP0pSlWmgS4V1jAMIxaPY2NJjCaVYw6ABNZ16BYQz7isHctaERFSf-/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523301+Shane+Victorino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpT1dakQAr6G1SkmPovqQAu6lyjIAR8fMutL2CPZj7dik1GL5CzmkOFmrta_1OQFTh0ZyQHgZ6U9P7kKH9ETwp99vP0pSlWmgS4V1jAMIxaPY2NJjCaVYw6ABNZ16BYQz7isHctaERFSf-/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523301+Shane+Victorino.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;">#301 Shane Victorino</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>At first glance you might think Shane Victorino is trying
to steal a home run. But that yellow line on the wall behind him is the foul
marker and he’s going a ball that pushed foul. It doesn’t look good as far as
making the catch because he is out of room and the ball is not in the picture. I
like how none of the Boston fans are interfering with the play. That home team
crowd knows what’s up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1e8acebTLYgzfSgBQP_yPL9EILEcEYkC-QvbfmRG1PXxEjs4rhMqAjmMiLOPaYN__qihR53avFz2cDStohfytidCkTTYTl5qg5_fgClTtE5JG7g1KZzzcPErM3pv3CpaHtuvn6IyQdPz/s1600/Shane+Victorino+175573423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1e8acebTLYgzfSgBQP_yPL9EILEcEYkC-QvbfmRG1PXxEjs4rhMqAjmMiLOPaYN__qihR53avFz2cDStohfytidCkTTYTl5qg5_fgClTtE5JG7g1KZzzcPErM3pv3CpaHtuvn6IyQdPz/s1600/Shane+Victorino+175573423.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 4:
Shane Victorino #18 of the Boston Red Sox leaps over the right field wall in
foul territory while missing a pop fly in front of a young fan during the game
against the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 4, 2013 at Fenway Park in Boston,
Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> After looking at the source photo, the ball does look catchable but
the caption claims it was not caught. And after zooming a bit out, we do see a
young Red Sox fan sticking his cap out to try and catch the ball too, but I’m
not sure how much he would have actually interfered. With no out recorded,
the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS201308040.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a> won’t be much help but
let’s see how Victorino did overall anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUCqy7V47A-n8P680GFnFjxezvL6Rbovap2ptgtFQqg0bhAXOa_9g3Ze5oFrQS3lsLpWhKoz9jB1bLsNX_dL7KG6zTDiGeGHQxOlIaucLLNWvOY9kDsEH1Pp92w7WKoKIa_0e-xaph3MJ/s1600/victorino.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUCqy7V47A-n8P680GFnFjxezvL6Rbovap2ptgtFQqg0bhAXOa_9g3Ze5oFrQS3lsLpWhKoz9jB1bLsNX_dL7KG6zTDiGeGHQxOlIaucLLNWvOY9kDsEH1Pp92w7WKoKIa_0e-xaph3MJ/s1600/victorino.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Red Sox came away winners, 4-0.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJnNUigBgVlBL8PS3InjEzWijgrPhdJFA8WjFtz0JBodUfU5648AejN3AJlQ9PTZRUnkkGS6V7QEeh6w8Y6ovrqfkinrKG-Lo4l0ZzjVyzRTICPPRcp0cWGk4hY0HoRW-pbouvGge8MM2/s1600/victorino2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJnNUigBgVlBL8PS3InjEzWijgrPhdJFA8WjFtz0JBodUfU5648AejN3AJlQ9PTZRUnkkGS6V7QEeh6w8Y6ovrqfkinrKG-Lo4l0ZzjVyzRTICPPRcp0cWGk4hY0HoRW-pbouvGge8MM2/s1600/victorino2.JPG" height="348" width="400" /></a></div>
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Victorino had two hits, including an RBI single in the 6<sup>th</sup>
inning.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVE6d6M5fSGjzJwjl4SY-WxZfYyVyvnJjexQAc8CWZjJazUTOUq464OgqkLWyCDyEIyPPeOcpgoS6R2MDI0crcnbnQlWC-jZ8f6oZni6Rw0fobF_566QTw1agvHwoaJpHX6u2ycrrYZuBL/s1600/victorino3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVE6d6M5fSGjzJwjl4SY-WxZfYyVyvnJjexQAc8CWZjJazUTOUq464OgqkLWyCDyEIyPPeOcpgoS6R2MDI0crcnbnQlWC-jZ8f6oZni6Rw0fobF_566QTw1agvHwoaJpHX6u2ycrrYZuBL/s1600/victorino3.JPG" height="96" width="400" /></a></div>
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We do see most of the Nike swooshes on his shoes as he’s
flying through the air.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FIeGsjnPmQfFQJxTvPbYHJPaFDIqAM2AHIX2rKOBZTwEirzS2vqnWb_9SAzp7E9LGz7q2Wc4ZMqhPRM641qwyJOUT0M2yyl1rvUgBnOrmXIoZrSj7cOTmiPhyJxGxOSp1yKbIDRaeuvA/s1600/victorino5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FIeGsjnPmQfFQJxTvPbYHJPaFDIqAM2AHIX2rKOBZTwEirzS2vqnWb_9SAzp7E9LGz7q2Wc4ZMqhPRM641qwyJOUT0M2yyl1rvUgBnOrmXIoZrSj7cOTmiPhyJxGxOSp1yKbIDRaeuvA/s1600/victorino5.JPG" height="151" width="320" /></a></div>
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And I’m pretty sure these are sunglasses.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxrZ94p-3on-axrtjQGtplx9Ej8amMSeUIzjhayLRiqPF8i3vRI1aA_37EdNS90p9c8O9Fjgoqu52Lo33NK4LeQLC_AanGOuQzJ2jYJ-GazQ8xxZN2kEL-5JgGwBBJHlFxTMda9F6f3Fb/s1600/victorino6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxrZ94p-3on-axrtjQGtplx9Ej8amMSeUIzjhayLRiqPF8i3vRI1aA_37EdNS90p9c8O9Fjgoqu52Lo33NK4LeQLC_AanGOuQzJ2jYJ-GazQ8xxZN2kEL-5JgGwBBJHlFxTMda9F6f3Fb/s1600/victorino6.JPG" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
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There are several fans although I wouldn't call any of them
notable. Maybe if that kid reaching out his hat had made the card and not just
his hat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwfFxbmAgY_FwywWfgYzBwQaH81e8xlNpMCewsn2KpkQGz2q1_krCGs8hHqDNEAE4lSdjSsCZB7UImCEmIz9WWq1MomWSY3xtJy8XkzoZObtADIb9ehxycBji4SsJ8owVe7Oo0fii99oQ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523301+Shane+Victorino+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwfFxbmAgY_FwywWfgYzBwQaH81e8xlNpMCewsn2KpkQGz2q1_krCGs8hHqDNEAE4lSdjSsCZB7UImCEmIz9WWq1MomWSY3xtJy8XkzoZObtADIb9ehxycBji4SsJ8owVe7Oo0fii99oQ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523301+Shane+Victorino+back.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Rookie Fact: On 5/11/2003, Shane entered as a pinch-runner,
and stole second and third.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Victorino was a rookie with the San Diego Padres. I don't
think I knew that. I've mostly associated him with the Phillies. That <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN200305110.shtml">May 11<sup>th</sup></a></b>
game was the 30<sup>th</sup> of Victorino's career and up to that point had
only a few meaningless hits and RBIs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrvrqbmCP0ZadEHUTUzngb4dMsevgv7WTPNDpuaRcZIf4fVQbexlIL-fy109zBJL6RKbF-teQ4uQla-p-1Yko6DmqX5-M2YkgScvuIAueo32qZ4HOOemHXu6kUpmyA7GVyFBRdRFnjtNq/s1600/victorino4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtrvrqbmCP0ZadEHUTUzngb4dMsevgv7WTPNDpuaRcZIf4fVQbexlIL-fy109zBJL6RKbF-teQ4uQla-p-1Yko6DmqX5-M2YkgScvuIAueo32qZ4HOOemHXu6kUpmyA7GVyFBRdRFnjtNq/s1600/victorino4.JPG" height="138" width="400" /></a></div>
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With the Padres down by one with one out in the top of the 9<sup>th</sup>,
Victorino entered as a pinch runner when pinch-hitter Dave Hansen drew a walk.
As noted in the rookie fact, he steals second and third, still with one out. Unfortunately, Victorino gets
stranded there as the game ends when the next two batters can't drive him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #301<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Shane
Victorino<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Team:</b> Boston Red
Sox<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Position:</b> Outfield<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
4, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Arizona
Diamondbacks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Fenway Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League East<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
4-0, Red Sox over the Diamondbacks, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Both/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 11/30/1980<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Hawaii<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jared Wickerham<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Free Advertising, League Leader in Italics, Sunglasses<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>When I
first saw the card I thought it was pretty cool. Then I thought it may be coasting
on the Victorino’s attempt. I have nothing against the Red Sox but I seemed to
be looking for ways to give this card less than an A. I almost missed the Nike
logos and sunglasses. Despite not making the catch, it is an amazing shot, so
it gets it’s A.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-31621702957120198972014-04-29T19:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:33:04.894-04:00#26 Josh Phegley<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpE0GcKBkA5SQsu4F79YM_6lijmAU3HYZUzj2oQLlttaCJ4qIlv3IRITL5T7sajhnbOW2d5vRoHM7PKldnnEvhEygYhPwiktL8uW8uQp9VkzusQfBtrAnV7mbKeXxNDbDcL9uK-xnJbXb/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523026+Josh+Phegley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTpE0GcKBkA5SQsu4F79YM_6lijmAU3HYZUzj2oQLlttaCJ4qIlv3IRITL5T7sajhnbOW2d5vRoHM7PKldnnEvhEygYhPwiktL8uW8uQp9VkzusQfBtrAnV7mbKeXxNDbDcL9uK-xnJbXb/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523026+Josh+Phegley.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#26 Josh Phegley</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Here’s a guy I have never heard of outside of baseball
cards. Granted I’m not a big American League guy but I've seen a few White Sox
games on WGN when the Cubs aren't on. Phegley’s rookie card is in last year’s Update series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On this card, he could be launching a bomb or merely flying
out, but either way, his eye line looks like it’s headed towards the outfield.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugLIJjOuve_0m9NM_io5kf-6QD44oC3bj49Ounbb8Sz-AhpkAgOW2TSD9zXUINQcLBcUaIZ6vZf8YwW9DDq-XUBnQ1UQk9IdiHFOKyhrup2RPsZ3XmKzSxyZJBOT8Z4ByhWCCvs6zqpwL/s1600/Josh+Phegley+178329745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugLIJjOuve_0m9NM_io5kf-6QD44oC3bj49Ounbb8Sz-AhpkAgOW2TSD9zXUINQcLBcUaIZ6vZf8YwW9DDq-XUBnQ1UQk9IdiHFOKyhrup2RPsZ3XmKzSxyZJBOT8Z4ByhWCCvs6zqpwL/s1600/Josh+Phegley+178329745.jpg" height="400" width="325" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 26: Josh Phegley #36 of the Chicago White
Sox bats against the Houston Astros at U.S. Cellular Field on August 26, 2013
in Chicago, Illinois. The Astros defeated the White Sox 10-8. (Photo by
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Cropping bats is ok with me, but it’s a little tight at Phegley’s
elbow. The caption didn't give much detail about the at bat but let’s see if we
can narrow it down with a little help from the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHA/CHA201308260.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0rFeZZTjiSdQwDyu2Hd39vDr7sO2DvdjgpWHzG-n1BM-VeY0YOhe6Vs59KiKCgDW-qHUSPcvQpi7q5MP5qiq5xJCtrH5ypJexwb8HKbKXGNXOefNn5ed49A0lRX04tJDb5M85Aa90pxv/s1600/phegley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0rFeZZTjiSdQwDyu2Hd39vDr7sO2DvdjgpWHzG-n1BM-VeY0YOhe6Vs59KiKCgDW-qHUSPcvQpi7q5MP5qiq5xJCtrH5ypJexwb8HKbKXGNXOefNn5ed49A0lRX04tJDb5M85Aa90pxv/s1600/phegley.JPG" height="67" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We knew the White Sox lost from the caption, but maybe
Phegley had a good game?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhiPbVbb-rimssEXowHiAvj30DVBToNICcBRDDm6jlLFmq5rHVl-LqIBbAyr1m9Txb4ZNjW1ISYyt1LCDpmZ1-4ZsljNt6qu7WJ8nfNiue5wi0cz_qfMeZ6aIAZRx0UTCmuIVdLnyn_MI/s1600/phegley2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhiPbVbb-rimssEXowHiAvj30DVBToNICcBRDDm6jlLFmq5rHVl-LqIBbAyr1m9Txb4ZNjW1ISYyt1LCDpmZ1-4ZsljNt6qu7WJ8nfNiue5wi0cz_qfMeZ6aIAZRx0UTCmuIVdLnyn_MI/s1600/phegley2.JPG" height="318" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pretty good actually. Two hits, two runs, an RBI. Let’s see
if we can pin down the photo.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgsUHI08hcpNl4TkH94ukd5fgJEGAEBTzpOPokyHbmtLrfwKtEIk0P-jfyckJ2w20XjSIL9B2hnIt4oWQJcwy5wUvhGaBtPqDPTVkEG9s6ccnNr0BdyBDI93_nrDwOsWHLHgzLnlfa9AR/s1600/phegley3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgsUHI08hcpNl4TkH94ukd5fgJEGAEBTzpOPokyHbmtLrfwKtEIk0P-jfyckJ2w20XjSIL9B2hnIt4oWQJcwy5wUvhGaBtPqDPTVkEG9s6ccnNr0BdyBDI93_nrDwOsWHLHgzLnlfa9AR/s1600/phegley3.JPG" height="48" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A single to center in the third. That’s a possibility. And
he came around to score. What else?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A groundout to shortstop in the fifth. Probably not.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVfdZv1qmTLDhCk26Mr4J3FJkCdQqB6u_A5L6oPbePDvRI02uAsDbOAknUNYQ9DVZQ_ruRbBPjF6bYtH4cFUMn-0p2EZarRi7ETB1pZsX6d4YUiQpHLTuyZLjwqxqfaO8De8__sWzdRdf/s1600/phegley4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguVfdZv1qmTLDhCk26Mr4J3FJkCdQqB6u_A5L6oPbePDvRI02uAsDbOAknUNYQ9DVZQ_ruRbBPjF6bYtH4cFUMn-0p2EZarRi7ETB1pZsX6d4YUiQpHLTuyZLjwqxqfaO8De8__sWzdRdf/s1600/phegley4.JPG" height="81" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An RBI single to center in the 5-run sixth that led to
Phegley scoring another run too.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspwMhXhpZ06oRt-moYYU5m5VnnVQrK8jlP8OLj0K3mKrq8BBCgz8XiczfK2HW4K5AR-P72giBBg2J6TF1E6jbL1jO7X0q2pkPaPxw4_JdSxwxqfCVgeXVhr_FPj6AdJx2tV5lAKYfRPvn/s1600/phegley5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspwMhXhpZ06oRt-moYYU5m5VnnVQrK8jlP8OLj0K3mKrq8BBCgz8XiczfK2HW4K5AR-P72giBBg2J6TF1E6jbL1jO7X0q2pkPaPxw4_JdSxwxqfCVgeXVhr_FPj6AdJx2tV5lAKYfRPvn/s1600/phegley5.JPG" height="53" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And finally a flyball to left field. If this was left
center, I’d call it a maybe, but his eye line doesn’t say “left field line” to
me. So the photo probably comes from one of those two singles from earlier.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phegley was also involved in what seems to be an interesting
double play in that game too, although its hard to tell from just a boxscore interpretation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxStFdZLb_3pOUJRE4X4ArevJuLMVB83FscO-Lg8AKNGkNvuBNiRHx0_1_FLdLuk6dNa39Rq3e3WWDwJi-CApYQjYKmKHDsSExbjykxQaKpK0JjXcsW9IbpfuBteP9x0r1tEafm2Xtj2T/s1600/phegley6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXxStFdZLb_3pOUJRE4X4ArevJuLMVB83FscO-Lg8AKNGkNvuBNiRHx0_1_FLdLuk6dNa39Rq3e3WWDwJi-CApYQjYKmKHDsSExbjykxQaKpK0JjXcsW9IbpfuBteP9x0r1tEafm2Xtj2T/s1600/phegley6.JPG" height="80" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It looks like a squeeze play gone wrong for the Astros. With
a runner at third and one out, Phegley fields the ball (bunt attempt?), throws
to first for the second out. The first baseman, Paul Konerko, then fires home
to the pitcher, Andre Rienzo for the third out for the uncommon, 2-3-1 double
play.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*EDIT*</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a little search, I found the play on MLB.com. I can't figure out how to embed it but here's the link:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://m.mlb.com/video/v30061401/houcws-white-sox-turn-two-to-escape-second-inning/?c_id=mlb">Double Play started by Josh Phegley</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
So it wasn't a sacrifice attempt, just a weak hit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately for Phegley, there isn’t much to latch onto
with this card. No real niches. There’s a partial Astros cameo in the
background, but the photo is too blurry to make out who the player is.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq9fhyF9BektEhZNT00fxMDyH58njnzDyjudtnsqUtA1AK9s96EtCDSA_Nflvb6u_CoCu4qyYpQZ_YBT9jll0NBGhm7e3FObqwrZylj133pRYAip7Am0I-iWhHwWuCIsHl_fGp82dlryJ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523026+Josh+Phegley+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq9fhyF9BektEhZNT00fxMDyH58njnzDyjudtnsqUtA1AK9s96EtCDSA_Nflvb6u_CoCu4qyYpQZ_YBT9jll0NBGhm7e3FObqwrZylj133pRYAip7Am0I-iWhHwWuCIsHl_fGp82dlryJ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523026+Josh+Phegley+back.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Josh threw out 13 runners and picked off two in
64 defensive games.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I couldn’t figure out if Topps was underselling Phegley
behind the plate or overselling him so I decided to do a little research
myself. How many innings was he behind the plate in these defensive games? Was
he a pinch hitter who stayed in for one defensive inning with no runners? Did
the White Sox pitchers give up tons of singles and walks last year?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJZBegZTfVmtWl9CWLMTtUUJ_ouFh50g1UWm4S324njdgURWCNw47JeLD1hXEh7k12SltYohklgxs1mw8fBC2_OHRh5x__7fQbcsSsjKu7tEwMMy3zK3dNj5JbwPiPMP2UH914FRTCQV9/s1600/phegley7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJZBegZTfVmtWl9CWLMTtUUJ_ouFh50g1UWm4S324njdgURWCNw47JeLD1hXEh7k12SltYohklgxs1mw8fBC2_OHRh5x__7fQbcsSsjKu7tEwMMy3zK3dNj5JbwPiPMP2UH914FRTCQV9/s1600/phegley7.JPG" height="40" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was actually a little surprised by these numbers. Of his
64 defensive appearances, 47 of them were complete games. That seems like a lot
for a backup, but what do I know? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPTyH6l8Dvq4zDyJv3MM63GCzZEtMPTJL6BhwEtQoW_kcwz4JdAdediE86IyHO0nDe3Ml-u5L-GMnxBsxv2rE2gBZF6cnpEcubIViTcbSlayVTOzfgr1k9cz8WDHuQtToM9KBYxUvo-9Z/s1600/phegley8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPTyH6l8Dvq4zDyJv3MM63GCzZEtMPTJL6BhwEtQoW_kcwz4JdAdediE86IyHO0nDe3Ml-u5L-GMnxBsxv2rE2gBZF6cnpEcubIViTcbSlayVTOzfgr1k9cz8WDHuQtToM9KBYxUvo-9Z/s1600/phegley8.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Phegley’s 13 thrown out base runners was good for 30% of the
attempts. That seems like a pretty high, or at least decent, percentage to me.
Nearly one in three. But again, I’m no expert on the catcher position, so what
do I know. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This blurb actually gave a fact and followed up with the
others who have done it so I didn’t have to do the research myself. Yay!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #26<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Josh
Phegley<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Chicago
White Sox<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Catcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
26, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Houston
Astros<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> US Cellular
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
10-8, Astros over the White Sox, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 2/12/1988<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Indiana<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Unknown
(Astros)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jonathan
Daniel<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Former 1<sup>st</sup> Round Draft Pick,<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>This
card isn’t bad. There isn’t much wrong with it at all, just some slight
mis-cropping. But there isn’t much great about it either. It is the definition
of average. Other than him being a younger player and no options, I don’t know
why card manufacturers wouldn’t always showcase a catcher in their gear and/or
a play at the plate. And I’m not even a catcher guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This card gets a C.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although not a failing grade, here are some photos from
earlier in the season than this one that could have been used to improve it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ9SQqJLaCB8-bjXOkNif_mHGSf7ATBIY4Yby_EPti3uAFxntIZdmZyuB0rxMWVSHJylcVF5Z__D6Wjw-ePbCZtbQRZNxQGINeSLgL6p269mYhRV8_LtsnHj8DDgtMN1DpNkQjCT3vKct/s1600/Phegley+173157167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ9SQqJLaCB8-bjXOkNif_mHGSf7ATBIY4Yby_EPti3uAFxntIZdmZyuB0rxMWVSHJylcVF5Z__D6Wjw-ePbCZtbQRZNxQGINeSLgL6p269mYhRV8_LtsnHj8DDgtMN1DpNkQjCT3vKct/s1600/Phegley+173157167.jpg" height="371" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A play at the plate where a Cub is safe? Yes!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBmG4QDl9-iqK18dk9I0jgweH_NR1gt4HglB4rJcmPZKW0uQVxrNTGTa70iTDEsKRuplRIzEIXG0YDFG-JL6jrMF6-zIYBpDmX7i9yxICG1CchAXkDkUVGAOCzZ-I10dMvzeY9hlCekP3/s1600/Phegley+173308724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBmG4QDl9-iqK18dk9I0jgweH_NR1gt4HglB4rJcmPZKW0uQVxrNTGTa70iTDEsKRuplRIzEIXG0YDFG-JL6jrMF6-zIYBpDmX7i9yxICG1CchAXkDkUVGAOCzZ-I10dMvzeY9hlCekP3/s1600/Phegley+173308724.jpg" height="400" width="332" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A double high five with cameos?</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GLiF2HHEI5W-ewFrYEXkNRo6KbzY5BlhyA_atbxWkJAaY8Hj08vD4KDs2IE3v4ek9aE_x-TjhUq_m9rfBufQSUPqUKrNJmAmMhZoFsAsoSJzxaF8QtMRT8TRpvaZKcZTrFdmFQN3UIzQ/s1600/Phegley+175024590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9GLiF2HHEI5W-ewFrYEXkNRo6KbzY5BlhyA_atbxWkJAaY8Hj08vD4KDs2IE3v4ek9aE_x-TjhUq_m9rfBufQSUPqUKrNJmAmMhZoFsAsoSJzxaF8QtMRT8TRpvaZKcZTrFdmFQN3UIzQ/s1600/Phegley+175024590.jpg" height="400" width="370" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Throwbacks?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcpgreQdP5dh2bjwqm5xNEa8ENoOw91U8ANv8-mVGgHlAr-ja5w_hj2lDgb1I39zjvXHVxfBhjNqF5Fngw2Lq-w-PhyQBwdZWfr1wIqIkR1qiMjLN6b0Xtve2iFiEZq1THTNhZ-Y_RAtg/s1600/Phegley+176428636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNcpgreQdP5dh2bjwqm5xNEa8ENoOw91U8ANv8-mVGgHlAr-ja5w_hj2lDgb1I39zjvXHVxfBhjNqF5Fngw2Lq-w-PhyQBwdZWfr1wIqIkR1qiMjLN6b0Xtve2iFiEZq1THTNhZ-Y_RAtg/s1600/Phegley+176428636.jpg" height="400" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broken Bat?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3yvvcV1NDC4flOyPOOPi0Zwah_PGwqujLQtc_bx0uOr2DtJl1YuAMs1IuK60JPOe5YNePCFjUw9H5YeCZMgg9xJrNCGYUzu-YNnWG2n1BxcLgzpRdMqcSgVGblcN9jlbPLveyS3x8_vd/s1600/Phegley+179433861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-3yvvcV1NDC4flOyPOOPi0Zwah_PGwqujLQtc_bx0uOr2DtJl1YuAMs1IuK60JPOe5YNePCFjUw9H5YeCZMgg9xJrNCGYUzu-YNnWG2n1BxcLgzpRdMqcSgVGblcN9jlbPLveyS3x8_vd/s1600/Phegley+179433861.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrations <i>and</i> throwbacks? <i>And</i> a potential horizontal layout ? Ding! Ding! Ding!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whoops, too many more and Topps might start to feel bad.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-50596154658190785962014-04-25T18:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:31:26.713-04:00#46 Kolten Wong<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssAqh1BCmnx7spnMfGGkNWIvQc0Q6_8WlPVKfbtb7NvcB5ggRiwmvr2ljqd4x1UoHItP61_CsPiaOndsPrgdxs_t2a4oXeziDHyAiwsQVAttlUs-WhFhc4bHV9j7MJhRrrUM_Ydp9EX1A/s1600/2014+Topps+%23046+Kolten+Wong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssAqh1BCmnx7spnMfGGkNWIvQc0Q6_8WlPVKfbtb7NvcB5ggRiwmvr2ljqd4x1UoHItP61_CsPiaOndsPrgdxs_t2a4oXeziDHyAiwsQVAttlUs-WhFhc4bHV9j7MJhRrrUM_Ydp9EX1A/s1600/2014+Topps+%23046+Kolten+Wong.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#46 Kolten Wong</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Well, this card has failure written all over it! Starting
with Kolten Wong being a Cardinal and then having him trying for a double play
against the Cubs? Blasphemy! All kidding aside though, this is a pretty sharp
looking card. Nicely framed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRafWGVguE8-xgN8qQhwEB4eRQDw_sQGMoUoxQYo_eKYvptGb3azMnwWh9DB_VegDevIvSZugf2EiXBy1iJ7v5iqKZJqK60FmfJMCberVQI7-dOo1PrOxQIci5PpoG4irjY96yi63t61BN/s1600/Kolten+Wong+178000617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRafWGVguE8-xgN8qQhwEB4eRQDw_sQGMoUoxQYo_eKYvptGb3azMnwWh9DB_VegDevIvSZugf2EiXBy1iJ7v5iqKZJqK60FmfJMCberVQI7-dOo1PrOxQIci5PpoG4irjY96yi63t61BN/s1600/Kolten+Wong+178000617.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 18pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST
16: Second baseman Kolten Wong #16 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws to first
base to complete a double play as Donnie Murphy #8 of the Chicago Cubs slides
into second base at Wrigley Field on August 16, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The
Cubs defeated the Cardinals 7-0. (Photo by Brian D. Kersey/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Wow, look at all that open space. And for once, Topps didn’t over
crop. The caption says that Wong is throwing to first base to “complete” a
double play but it also says the Cubs won 7-0 so how much do I believe
that? I’m going to have to verify that
by taking a look at the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201308160.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaKF1KwMPYzLP3IX2E22wsI-wYAQHtgRwwcL08tAb_zXwhH1g_qa7xZfwxyuDs5GfxsAROZLtheYayfONC4t98tq5gH-5wsqSfGTNDLpubWGNcHsr-NVFX0ONCCZ3dt7OuLiPkI4o7NDH/s1600/wong.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmaKF1KwMPYzLP3IX2E22wsI-wYAQHtgRwwcL08tAb_zXwhH1g_qa7xZfwxyuDs5GfxsAROZLtheYayfONC4t98tq5gH-5wsqSfGTNDLpubWGNcHsr-NVFX0ONCCZ3dt7OuLiPkI4o7NDH/s1600/wong.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The caption was right that the Cubs did indeed win 7-0 so I guess Murphy’s attempt to break up the double play doesn't
matter in the grand scheme of things though with that score.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Cubs grounded into three double plays that day, but only
one involved Murphy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBORMHj7aAU4c_TBuq51LZJLCoWb1jN99dxX_B38wp0NvzxqKHV1H-AULqnE71xcwoPTqWHfE0v2ulgyuswFvXo7306K3gTVNZDwIhffDhLUIhAhPllxpjdFxJ5v2TDMzADvYDKWcJvJJL/s1600/wong2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBORMHj7aAU4c_TBuq51LZJLCoWb1jN99dxX_B38wp0NvzxqKHV1H-AULqnE71xcwoPTqWHfE0v2ulgyuswFvXo7306K3gTVNZDwIhffDhLUIhAhPllxpjdFxJ5v2TDMzADvYDKWcJvJJL/s1600/wong2.JPG" height="63" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The culprit behind it in this case was shortstop Starlin
Castro.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This must have been sweet revenge for Wong as he himself
killed a rally by grounding into a double play in the top of the second inning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6dFYW4i9eBnjJZL86775QCwXAR7zKgiB607lcRoh48tTDK5MTW9IxvbpCaIXDMBgzZ-s7gBrdznl6xvLDEzLnuHWR9ia-SNojY90SL4Cv_ja9MlOOML2sirwTmVpgKNNlX8C1GTCcPoD/s1600/wong3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6dFYW4i9eBnjJZL86775QCwXAR7zKgiB607lcRoh48tTDK5MTW9IxvbpCaIXDMBgzZ-s7gBrdznl6xvLDEzLnuHWR9ia-SNojY90SL4Cv_ja9MlOOML2sirwTmVpgKNNlX8C1GTCcPoD/s1600/wong3.JPG" height="60" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t think the Rawlings logo on Wong’s glove is visible
enough to count it as Free Advertising. And I don’t remember if I counted any
previous MLB logos but there is a clear one between Murphy nameplate on the
back of his jersey and his helmet. I guess between the two, I can give him a
little credit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYhSNy20eAWO_sCxdZCKFDgugSclH2BhF15Ile3CWyIzqrAVzyFOex-6h48PbJ9nLpX2tUp4slp7B5NfYpueRDnWMyAbbJO020cIKD6fEbtDW-yTKM7rNCR5jPUByfCDf31JWeH02h0A6/s1600/wong5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYhSNy20eAWO_sCxdZCKFDgugSclH2BhF15Ile3CWyIzqrAVzyFOex-6h48PbJ9nLpX2tUp4slp7B5NfYpueRDnWMyAbbJO020cIKD6fEbtDW-yTKM7rNCR5jPUByfCDf31JWeH02h0A6/s1600/wong5.JPG" height="200" width="170" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqy8evad-Uh4ZogdMpvSeaCcch-OzOvzi_X62tAhhp-tsISXX4nEjn5bAzqsT7C7nCIq9tMfIU3JZfyJPb6wjycZC2hqyyDxxbYCD5qlRkcqXJefqWu_KbKvSVwBl4s9hKRpONx-eiBl-/s1600/wong6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTqy8evad-Uh4ZogdMpvSeaCcch-OzOvzi_X62tAhhp-tsISXX4nEjn5bAzqsT7C7nCIq9tMfIU3JZfyJPb6wjycZC2hqyyDxxbYCD5qlRkcqXJefqWu_KbKvSVwBl4s9hKRpONx-eiBl-/s1600/wong6.JPG" height="200" width="165" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wong is also sporting the Stan Musial Commemorative patch
that I briefly mentioned on <a href="http://2014topps.blogspot.com/2014/02/44-matt-carpenter.html"><b>Matt Carpenters’s post</b></a> a few weeks
back but didn't really go into.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrALuYcaT2LFmAJ51M48w_nkjB2mGs5qrujJ7okMwGcZMe8figMB7dRfAsDkCJTDDrLPeSXtVqDzsa5pWtKIVD2Gms8syxnAZ0o8TZuDX7SuqJRWkjvOk0j-qOyARsut3fjnMMbdW5hjk/s1600/musial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrALuYcaT2LFmAJ51M48w_nkjB2mGs5qrujJ7okMwGcZMe8figMB7dRfAsDkCJTDDrLPeSXtVqDzsa5pWtKIVD2Gms8syxnAZ0o8TZuDX7SuqJRWkjvOk0j-qOyARsut3fjnMMbdW5hjk/s1600/musial.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hall of Famer <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/musiast01.shtml"><b>Stan Musial</b></a> passed away in January
2013 and the Cardinals wore the patch all season. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHb9b8WxkfGjHN6A45LQ3u7m1iMgURE3_iTQTqE2Ie2LnLPoVRYYcsSLnm8nl9v_DoP7ek7eJFfKogWjvKh5jQrdj2M71diNLfmuH8dPX93f0I0XTj3cbszJ1PCBJMewOX4kps8FVGI-O-/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523046+Kolten+Wong+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHb9b8WxkfGjHN6A45LQ3u7m1iMgURE3_iTQTqE2Ie2LnLPoVRYYcsSLnm8nl9v_DoP7ek7eJFfKogWjvKh5jQrdj2M71diNLfmuH8dPX93f0I0XTj3cbszJ1PCBJMewOX4kps8FVGI-O-/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523046+Kolten+Wong+back.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Kolten was the 11<sup>th</sup> Cardinals player
to make his MLB debut in ’13.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s kind of crazy. He wasn’t even the last, as they had
one more debut in September.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxifBTEIkOITeoBbSh1egkA9jMLi7E8SXtdkGDpp7mlUD75GYMDthPCKBKXAoE5wgwe_MCreyp4WFcyHi7Bh56nq7eR0f4djOoOXOHZgAaEqUw6yEF3uBJgrNKbKEf6Hmtbqm7wMuN1Ou/s1600/wong4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxifBTEIkOITeoBbSh1egkA9jMLi7E8SXtdkGDpp7mlUD75GYMDthPCKBKXAoE5wgwe_MCreyp4WFcyHi7Bh56nq7eR0f4djOoOXOHZgAaEqUw6yEF3uBJgrNKbKEf6Hmtbqm7wMuN1Ou/s1600/wong4.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By comparison, the Cubs, who used a team record 56 players
in 2013, only had 6 make their MLB debut. Houston led the Majors with 15 MLB
debuts while Colorado, Kansas City and Toronto all had the least with 3. Here’s
a link to <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2013-debuts.shtml"><b>all 230 players</b></a> who made their
dreams come true last year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The other two Hilo players mentioned but not named in the
blurb are former Dodgers pitcher, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/masaoon01.shtml"><b>Onan Masaoka</b></a> (1999-2000) and former
Tigers, Rangers, Padres and Diamondbacks pitcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/villabr01.shtml"><b>Brandon Villafuerte</b></a> (2000-2004).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #46<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Kolten
Wong<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> St. Louis
Cardinals<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Second
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
16, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Chicago
Cubs<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Wrigley
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-0, Cubs over the Cardinals, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 10/10/1990<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Hawaii<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Donnie
Murphy (Cubs)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Brian
D. Kersey<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Double Play, Free Advertising, Patch, Former 1<sup>st</sup>
Round Draft Pick, Rookie Card, Cameo, Partial Southpaw<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>As I
mentioned, this is a pretty well laid out card. The crop is good. The action is
solid, if not unfavorable to the Cubs. And despite being shown in a poor light
here, the Cubs came out victors in the game from which this photo originated.
Not every rookie has a decent photo for a card so Wong lucked out here. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It pains me to do this, but I’ll give this card an A. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-16232072171012206422014-04-24T19:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:29:53.206-04:00#223 Joaquin Benoit<div class="MsoNormal">
Ok, so I took a much longer than intended break from
posting. The season is under way. If you follow my other blog, <a href="file:///E:/onceacub.blogspot.com"><b>Once a Cub</b></a>,
you ‘ll know there were a few new collection pickup s that needed sorting
through. I should be back to posting fairly regularly now but I think going
forward, this will be an evening time posting instead of earlier like my other blog.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06oXe5ZqIAr6uVVIvKxVMVKix3TLtQg0j3YUOacmyyb9gBewcwKn93boWjzNRkxwBZcN02DGPlNHLTZfHEDeQoxZK3tXo9DfjNwJB2xH73ownUibzBMnuqqWY7hhd79sQabIYlHh0wRMS/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523223+Joaquin+Benoit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06oXe5ZqIAr6uVVIvKxVMVKix3TLtQg0j3YUOacmyyb9gBewcwKn93boWjzNRkxwBZcN02DGPlNHLTZfHEDeQoxZK3tXo9DfjNwJB2xH73ownUibzBMnuqqWY7hhd79sQabIYlHh0wRMS/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523223+Joaquin+Benoit.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#223 Joaquin Benoit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Another potentially great card almost ruined by a bad crop
job. Great throwback uniform. Joaquin Benoit is working the high socks but the
uniform seems a little too baggy to say it’s 100% accurate. But that could just
be my perception as I wasn’t around back then. I spy an umpire cameo that I’ll
be looking into as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwNifil_acxwfd_v2iMMrAf26AC7O3oMVvmpV2x9Jn-hK5LBm8oUCRJTbwpJpQlNNcTLxw_-djzrtarJYsZ_-wtNO8oUc_4xpjz0cVu_AfNTD8Qrc8EoxEo908p3IJH0MbTvbGiyP1Dw3/s1600/Joaquin+Benoit+167933343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOwNifil_acxwfd_v2iMMrAf26AC7O3oMVvmpV2x9Jn-hK5LBm8oUCRJTbwpJpQlNNcTLxw_-djzrtarJYsZ_-wtNO8oUc_4xpjz0cVu_AfNTD8Qrc8EoxEo908p3IJH0MbTvbGiyP1Dw3/s1600/Joaquin+Benoit+167933343.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18pt;">DETROIT, MI - APRIL
27: Joaquin Benoit #53 of the Detroit Tigers pitches while wearing a Detroit
Stars Negro League tribute uniform during the game against the Atlanta Braves
at Comerica Park on April 27, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated
the Braves 7-4. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> As usual, plenty of room to fit Benoit’s entire glove into the
frame. And I knew it going into this
post, but this photo is from the same game as my last post, Kris Medlen’s card.
So here’s the link again to the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET201304270.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a> and the same line score:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdefTBzohbqYTPWdHBDLqCevqMMGPtoYpJr4vNOuXfJJwZFvPTO1tfKnUZKCs1spjMBq0eZzIb3TBgcj5Dz5hwBz1rOlKS25aeH1TBAh3CzxxJKkj6HJfGyNlfqhIYYUU5FxPJy7GLXcm6/s1600/benoit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdefTBzohbqYTPWdHBDLqCevqMMGPtoYpJr4vNOuXfJJwZFvPTO1tfKnUZKCs1spjMBq0eZzIb3TBgcj5Dz5hwBz1rOlKS25aeH1TBAh3CzxxJKkj6HJfGyNlfqhIYYUU5FxPJy7GLXcm6/s1600/benoit.jpg" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But now let’s see it from the Tigers’ and Benoit’s
perspective.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfes9PYilKQ7Nci6vXk0-KhL-ZGjkWA-qB-5-Tz7SP_xbfoEJkrPRrsqTP-KUiCupPCsf35yIRmG0IvTx-cb5gKHiMc9eZibieLoPYWJGUqgfTQmdXKl4ChRFu-3_Xu63sw7Y76dlw__Pz/s1600/benoit2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfes9PYilKQ7Nci6vXk0-KhL-ZGjkWA-qB-5-Tz7SP_xbfoEJkrPRrsqTP-KUiCupPCsf35yIRmG0IvTx-cb5gKHiMc9eZibieLoPYWJGUqgfTQmdXKl4ChRFu-3_Xu63sw7Y76dlw__Pz/s1600/benoit2.JPG" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Luckily, the Tigers were up by two when Benoit entered the
game because he did end up giving up a home run to Justin Upton before the
Tigers tacked on two more in the bottom half of the inning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If Topps had cropped off Benoit’s feet, we would have missed
a shot at some Free Advertising. Instead we get the New Balance logo on the
tongue of Benoit’s cleat.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioH5BNSY9vwTiaiqAI0tUojlvwLQzPkoqgSL8D8TsEModGctaGSHgCEF5VYxJVsb9t8HWRcMT8Vd8hwP-cbAX6NYwlN7iB86aZfpEnvIIjlhA7JhsEDhYzOY8squ0DZ9IRBxzCOtDhesIB/s1600/benoit4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioH5BNSY9vwTiaiqAI0tUojlvwLQzPkoqgSL8D8TsEModGctaGSHgCEF5VYxJVsb9t8HWRcMT8Vd8hwP-cbAX6NYwlN7iB86aZfpEnvIIjlhA7JhsEDhYzOY8squ0DZ9IRBxzCOtDhesIB/s1600/benoit4.JPG" height="298" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The background is too blurry to make out the advertisments
on the outfield wall.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The umpire credited with working second base that game was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Carlson_(umpire)"><b>Mark Carlson</b></a>. According to his Wikipedia bio, Carlson has been
umpiring in the Majors since 1999.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIU87N5ORkbqlPlTFl90A9s3dd1Q1uX3Fxyn5IpRfzngvPsUA1UpsPvyHAZYbm7P7p-NBGgiUMdEAD1c6IiGCM4VO42kTb_5XSXEYcOLkJwKR-bzf3gUp0Ax_4q0gBDsl5lnFW-8wcgRKK/s1600/benoit10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIU87N5ORkbqlPlTFl90A9s3dd1Q1uX3Fxyn5IpRfzngvPsUA1UpsPvyHAZYbm7P7p-NBGgiUMdEAD1c6IiGCM4VO42kTb_5XSXEYcOLkJwKR-bzf3gUp0Ax_4q0gBDsl5lnFW-8wcgRKK/s1600/benoit10.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I mentioned in the Medlen post, last season, the Tigers
hosted the 11<sup>th</sup> Annual Negro League Weekend for their series against
the Braves. Here is a <a href="http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130425&content_id=45781466&vkey=pr_det&c_id=det"><b>link from the Tigers</b></a> website that
talks about the weekend festivities. The Saturday game was the only one that
featured the throwback uniforms though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I probably should have spread these posts out rather than do
them back to back since I’m using some of the same photos. Here again are the
uniforms worn that day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVSQD0GNfJMdKMLcS0Vrm54cS2LjluAmxb8atp8k5-oaZnuvG6dgkE4SSaJoLZZW9KC0W4_IzsZxnpU_0JEupdT_DdfzNgAizvrBWGLRO-Q4vdrtj2_aVZ8Moj8wplIioZrpiCSqhmZ_n/s1600/benoit5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwVSQD0GNfJMdKMLcS0Vrm54cS2LjluAmxb8atp8k5-oaZnuvG6dgkE4SSaJoLZZW9KC0W4_IzsZxnpU_0JEupdT_DdfzNgAizvrBWGLRO-Q4vdrtj2_aVZ8Moj8wplIioZrpiCSqhmZ_n/s1600/benoit5.jpg" height="320" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Braves represented the Atlanta Black Crackers and the
Tigers were the Detroit Stars.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And again, the high socks:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD8URUfrUWLNZSUebM7cxN60RPHiPo0joWZcx4MPn-RkoNikyeE0c8ocTv0IWDqupm4ujTHKsphtEiWBEr80CZF9HAu1LD0M5QjE1LoEKlOhqxu-cjZJXhjV5B_2IIlAH5_3BepZayTb8/s1600/benoit6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD8URUfrUWLNZSUebM7cxN60RPHiPo0joWZcx4MPn-RkoNikyeE0c8ocTv0IWDqupm4ujTHKsphtEiWBEr80CZF9HAu1LD0M5QjE1LoEKlOhqxu-cjZJXhjV5B_2IIlAH5_3BepZayTb8/s1600/benoit6.jpg" height="182" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Wmd80pe2vBC615fZ1okjkjc1n4AuZsLx3BHykzuEmDLMEaMu-MyZZ3UF33w4HwE8hoRfCOVqlDVDW4tLWSbGaYZCe1HVEdI-s37qcDAumlZ_dHd7xY19y9TCxvp6infS6ZUYAthOksrv/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523223+Joaquin+Benoit+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Wmd80pe2vBC615fZ1okjkjc1n4AuZsLx3BHykzuEmDLMEaMu-MyZZ3UF33w4HwE8hoRfCOVqlDVDW4tLWSbGaYZCe1HVEdI-s37qcDAumlZ_dHd7xY19y9TCxvp6infS6ZUYAthOksrv/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523223+Joaquin+Benoit+back.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Joaquin won his first game on the day he was
recalled, 5/9/2002.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That game went pretty well for Benoit. Six innings pitched,
just one run given up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1cmDDEXZV8TzjEU-Fuwzt3U5kktV3HDwaOOaWbQ0GLTSLaMLw1mCvBDb5homyoLAI7UiHR_WYurR8hKOwD5_3HOuTTAm9SKJsdzkskYEMRHRaBIURLkXa98ni27JpNEbyigWD3g26FtG/s1600/benoit9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1cmDDEXZV8TzjEU-Fuwzt3U5kktV3HDwaOOaWbQ0GLTSLaMLw1mCvBDb5homyoLAI7UiHR_WYurR8hKOwD5_3HOuTTAm9SKJsdzkskYEMRHRaBIURLkXa98ni27JpNEbyigWD3g26FtG/s1600/benoit9.JPG" height="158" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I want to go back to his first game, a season earlier. As
you can see on the back of his card, it doesn’t look like it went well. I did
notice that despite giving up six runs in five innings, Benoit didn’t suffer
the loss. Did his team rally and save him?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BVsA8N_MUiqdecYp1kUP7Dd6avTWkQRxBDEyKNdttXZzKbGY59GHXB_7D0QaJm-JQ3TkXOeH1SsKDhV2w2wyDYs2-C5HTR2YLx7Ay-uvjPwgYZTKYRBeEokaqUYjzbGkRnIH4yEF5Te5/s1600/benoit7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BVsA8N_MUiqdecYp1kUP7Dd6avTWkQRxBDEyKNdttXZzKbGY59GHXB_7D0QaJm-JQ3TkXOeH1SsKDhV2w2wyDYs2-C5HTR2YLx7Ay-uvjPwgYZTKYRBeEokaqUYjzbGkRnIH4yEF5Te5/s1600/benoit7.JPG" height="76" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nope. On the contrary. The Rangers gave up <b><i><u>13</u></i></b>
runs in the top of the 9<sup>th</sup> to Benoit’s future team, the Tigers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know if it’s a normal thing for players making their
MLB debut to give post-game press conferences, but Benoit would have had time
to hit the showers and wait…and wait…and wait…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this dream scenario, I wonder how long he would have
waited before starting to think it was part of his rookie hazing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #223<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Joaquin
Benoit<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Detroit
Tigers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> April
27, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Atlanta
Braves<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Comerica
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-4, Tigers over the Braves, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, throwback.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 7/26/1977<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Dominican
Republic<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Umpire
Mark Carlson<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Mark
Cunningham<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Throwback Uniform, Free Advertising, High Socks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>The
Kris Medlen card got a solid A. I do like the Stars uniform worn by Benoit
better but not more than I liked the horizontal layout of the Medlen. Since it
hit the same other niches, for that, it gets a slightly lower grade of A-.<o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-77334986560158658552014-03-31T12:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:37:44.331-04:00#M-3 Baltimore Orioles<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though I eventually found a connection from Friday's card to Saturday’s, I’m going to consider the streak over anyway. Monday, the beginning of the traditional work week is natural starting point and
with a fresh start, I thought I’d change things up a bit. As long as I can keep
adding them to my collection, the next bunch of Mondays will be “Mascot Monday”
and feature cards from 2014 Topps Opening Day's Mascot insert set. Since they
share the same front design aside from the added Opening Day logo, I don’t
think this is too much of a stretch to include them in my ultimate set.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih253hleubMagmUnFLdxv8BrQwkncwqZRlEkIqr5-2W6rDdtqvA7KyJ8FRWC_Ed6ZGg-yd4NkjP-AqziNIKrwYJl708HgIg5BRRnLhPaQkSSrW9Gr-FhRFiNZ1EjGwwaXEZ14MzlKtuzJP/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Baltimore+Orioles+Mascot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih253hleubMagmUnFLdxv8BrQwkncwqZRlEkIqr5-2W6rDdtqvA7KyJ8FRWC_Ed6ZGg-yd4NkjP-AqziNIKrwYJl708HgIg5BRRnLhPaQkSSrW9Gr-FhRFiNZ1EjGwwaXEZ14MzlKtuzJP/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Baltimore+Orioles+Mascot.jpg" height="400" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#M-3 Baltimore Orioles</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>These cards have been debated pretty much since their
inception and this card is a prime example. Some cards in the set actually have
the name of the mascot, while others, like this one, just have the team name.
Any fan of the team, and probably millions of others could tell you the name of
the Baltimore Orioles is simply <a href="http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/fan_forum/oriolebird.jsp"><b>The Oriole Bird</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As for the picture, Mr. Bird is standing atop a dugout. He
could be taunting an opposing player or just up to some general tomfoolery with
a member of the Orioles or ballpark staff. One thing I do find amusing is all
of the fans that have their phones/cameras pointed at the mascot’s backside.
Maybe he had just turned around, or they were waiting for him to turn back
around, but it’s still funny. Also of note, I don’t detect a single kid in that
crowd. Aside from the luxury suites, these are the priciest seats in the
ballpark so the kids have been priced out of front row shenanigans.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtLGq-6jL-EVF_jAPI55LxCYuBOnooEfXJOBEYbVZJquTP_sEPuwjpK4Z_VhDdFIW4ZeJVco_nMFw5Rzy3C5rhFhGFtJZY1X8UxmpaJTqD8rPKDa-KfUtTZ54BXpfQemA8okvK4GLN339/s1600/Oriole+Bird+175889215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtLGq-6jL-EVF_jAPI55LxCYuBOnooEfXJOBEYbVZJquTP_sEPuwjpK4Z_VhDdFIW4ZeJVco_nMFw5Rzy3C5rhFhGFtJZY1X8UxmpaJTqD8rPKDa-KfUtTZ54BXpfQemA8okvK4GLN339/s1600/Oriole+Bird+175889215.jpg" height="400" width="263" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 04: The Baltimore
Orioles mascot performs in the seventh inning of the game against the Seattle
Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 4, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> The caption says this came during the 7<sup>th</sup> inning stretch
which likes prime mascot time. But there’s no mention of how the Orioles fared
against the visiting Mariners so let’s check out the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL201308040.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUtkO9VsEJ_-waa3RSDlOYSEORz-yK4t75f5gCrbkRHedA9BAKNhGudW7z3Q3awlB5f6epkZlyBmkD3OAG0SUGA2yBd-q1ONZ7ZcoJqQeaA-nCxIhwIW6ivPlCewFt46Xa34OR2-NwIhP/s1600/orioles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUtkO9VsEJ_-waa3RSDlOYSEORz-yK4t75f5gCrbkRHedA9BAKNhGudW7z3Q3awlB5f6epkZlyBmkD3OAG0SUGA2yBd-q1ONZ7ZcoJqQeaA-nCxIhwIW6ivPlCewFt46Xa34OR2-NwIhP/s1600/orioles.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the Orioles took a 2-1 in the 6th but the a rally by the Mariners probably took some steam out of the crowd. Who to
call to get a little home team advantage back on your side? Queue the mascot!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, the Orioles went 9 up, 9 down the rest of the
game. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I do see a kid in the uncropped photo and looking back at
the card, you can see half his torso on the left side of the card.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxzNc_AExaQ6PvjTF_fN5IzjVQLQXtZqyqD1qOrNlB6ndF5rJLWtIQk_uXUzUMp8ecOLGG4LlHlQKsOPc-upXDw0W7p4JxoMKWEsVm7mYRxeFEa47E6It6ZQ9GoHkO-lf6lPauoc_VsPJ/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Baltimore+Orioles+Mascot+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLxzNc_AExaQ6PvjTF_fN5IzjVQLQXtZqyqD1qOrNlB6ndF5rJLWtIQk_uXUzUMp8ecOLGG4LlHlQKsOPc-upXDw0W7p4JxoMKWEsVm7mYRxeFEa47E6It6ZQ9GoHkO-lf6lPauoc_VsPJ/s1600/2014+Opening+Day+Baltimore+Orioles+Mascot+back.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s no Rookie Fact on these as it has been replaced by
the Identifying Feature.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Identifying Feature: Giant Orange Beak</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hatched in 1979, this will be the Oriole Bird’s 35<sup>th</sup>
year as the mascot although a cartoon head first appeared on the Orioles caps
in 1966. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aIYDp-Jrf2EjZYb3-8lfIoWnsjIGhtRxi9rGZwmqm2jlQvEQ08At6mdSZ5zNBT5k0IhQqW6iyJq7e8LwWoXX0gx-aiBLxOGJy-wziPFIjFFB6hAIwZMOvP4n1etLlBTFOvyJyjU8bHIo/s1600/9088_baltimore_orioles-cap-1966.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aIYDp-Jrf2EjZYb3-8lfIoWnsjIGhtRxi9rGZwmqm2jlQvEQ08At6mdSZ5zNBT5k0IhQqW6iyJq7e8LwWoXX0gx-aiBLxOGJy-wziPFIjFFB6hAIwZMOvP4n1etLlBTFOvyJyjU8bHIo/s1600/9088_baltimore_orioles-cap-1966.png" height="258" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy of Chris Creamer's Sportslogos.net</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The writeup on the back is good for a chuckle and great for
the kids with some fun facts and good breakdown of his antics.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's an interesting <a href="http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2010/07/day_in_the_life_being_the_orio.html"><b>article about being the Bird</b></a>. Don’t
tell the kids!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And an indication of the state of today’s journalism, <a href="http://baltimoresportsreport.com/creepy-thing-orioles-mascot-1950s-47819.html"><b>an article about a tweet</b></a> about the
Orioles mascot from the 1950’s.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #M-3<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> <s>Baltimore
Orioles</s> (The Oriole Bird)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Baltimore
Orioles<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Mascot<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
4, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Seattle
Mariners<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Oriole
Park at Camden Yards<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League East<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
3-2, Mariners over the Orioles<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> With
both wings! (According to the <a href="http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/fan_forum/oriolebird.jsp"><b>website</b></a>)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><s>Birthdate</s>:</b>
<b>Hatched</b>: 4/6/1979<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Baltimore<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>G
Fiume<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: High Socks/Stirrups, Mascots<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>While
fitting into a whole bunch of niches, this is a pretty good looking card. No
missing appendages, although this is one of the few that could have been
brought in a little tighter. Maybe crop him at the waist?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll give this card an B+ as the only detractor for me is
the lack of mascot name.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-89104747923532920892014-03-29T12:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:26:57.183-04:00#66 Kris Medlen<div class="MsoNormal">
After yesterday’s “uncorrected error” disappointment, I
wanted a palette cleanser. So the streak is over because as far as I can tell
this card isn’t connected in any way to the Andre Rienzo.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnu1Yxa-Gx77Uwu7mVCtI5z39TUGmBvXEdStDJEZ69WV2PjqWZ2UQT3Wbu3w_bjamSZdhBkWO40xaDTNZqqyMUVjuur1fcmx8r0FUA2QfsnZrXtQCxOLEarCWi3a6WP5kzTcYBK5vNZr1/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523066+Kris+Medlen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnu1Yxa-Gx77Uwu7mVCtI5z39TUGmBvXEdStDJEZ69WV2PjqWZ2UQT3Wbu3w_bjamSZdhBkWO40xaDTNZqqyMUVjuur1fcmx8r0FUA2QfsnZrXtQCxOLEarCWi3a6WP5kzTcYBK5vNZr1/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523066+Kris+Medlen.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#66 Kris Medlen</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>When I said palette cleanser, I meant something that I
looked at and immediately thought it was awesome. While this isn’t necessarily
the best of the remaining cards, it’ll probably be among them. The crop is a
bit too tight, cutting of his foot in the upper right, It doesn’t necessarily
take away from the photo but it will probably keep it from getting a A+.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBca4HThkdFlBycwat2_gpQsVT8-ss2mwRyVF0sjMFJ4dhSs9fbtg_SI6cBNLmAJTVptig_pDlMx1J79IDo5KqfdWvhqPbe8vEoDDDiUlGYYP9NvHZTje1u6Wsnk4vYJilp2x14_Tn22KV/s1600/Kris+Medlen+167933300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBca4HThkdFlBycwat2_gpQsVT8-ss2mwRyVF0sjMFJ4dhSs9fbtg_SI6cBNLmAJTVptig_pDlMx1J79IDo5KqfdWvhqPbe8vEoDDDiUlGYYP9NvHZTje1u6Wsnk4vYJilp2x14_Tn22KV/s1600/Kris+Medlen+167933300.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">DETROIT, MI - APRIL 27: Kris Medlen #54
of the Atlanta Braves pitches while wearing a Atlanta Black Crackers Negro
League Tribute uniform during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica
Park on April 27, 2013 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Braves
7-4. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> With all that extra space, there’s no reason the crop needed to be
that tight. This caption is actually pretty thorough as we get the teams
involved, the date of the game, score, and which throwback uniform Kris Medlen
is wearing. But let’s check out the BOXSCORE anyway.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UjJK2adCez3PCYwbu6jA3vTRC9BxvyDXx3tP1WC5oeafy6K2gV8-Xyo_Qrn_1eZ4A5QkRDH8gZXIpD8njP4OrEG2XULXISRhJDKT7nc5Ww-bbHedLOEhzP91AP1jeQ091t1e8XPEmgew/s1600/medlen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4UjJK2adCez3PCYwbu6jA3vTRC9BxvyDXx3tP1WC5oeafy6K2gV8-Xyo_Qrn_1eZ4A5QkRDH8gZXIpD8njP4OrEG2XULXISRhJDKT7nc5Ww-bbHedLOEhzP91AP1jeQ091t1e8XPEmgew/s1600/medlen.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the photo caption said, the Tigers won 7-4. It looks like
Medlen probably gave up the first five runs and ultimately suffered the loss.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2CdFSWYEErCMK8pm35yJOygLYlA3Gqv4mt_6oDmYCId7FCk6iR4adzIj4ZQn04SvGaEQk5PIvoWzpQf6VKGJsqFukahfmMc8x8wY7Itgk5o35S-vZMjUM3g5gxmbULa-p6Abwr-NlksP/s1600/medlen2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2CdFSWYEErCMK8pm35yJOygLYlA3Gqv4mt_6oDmYCId7FCk6iR4adzIj4ZQn04SvGaEQk5PIvoWzpQf6VKGJsqFukahfmMc8x8wY7Itgk5o35S-vZMjUM3g5gxmbULa-p6Abwr-NlksP/s1600/medlen2.JPG" height="205" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep. Giving up five runs is one of those things that could
go either way in the win/loss column. Some of the better teams can overcome
that but the perennial contender Detroit Tigers held the Braves off. Maybe I’m
just used to cubs pitching but the innings didn’t seem particularly bad for
Medlen; the Tigers just kept chipping away. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmuFPUxTwYXsXAImaCoELLtvZWoERAedM8UVUgKcxw_3Qtrlyfow_8ZHOevbmkBwiqk6xyjDeuSEdGTFwHiqyYGKrnGa1JAiVIOvOu9DsbTr6tOrlFWv1869bNVEjEqAUSpHJXSzz-bJS/s1600/medlen3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmuFPUxTwYXsXAImaCoELLtvZWoERAedM8UVUgKcxw_3Qtrlyfow_8ZHOevbmkBwiqk6xyjDeuSEdGTFwHiqyYGKrnGa1JAiVIOvOu9DsbTr6tOrlFWv1869bNVEjEqAUSpHJXSzz-bJS/s1600/medlen3.JPG" height="70" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A single followed by a home run accounts for two runs in the
bottom of the second.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUU9nJldVG_lPCmmy3oEjtm7AM-FLYa3tdDxoY28wvQqYqkePMI3O6zdnIMPmy4E1Iu72WcnbgESsp4U49onyuEK5f7Vh5Sf1sgZx-nq6GtwFAZGYAIw65yiQkZKtL2fuHRAr9wbyiM8U/s1600/medlen4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUU9nJldVG_lPCmmy3oEjtm7AM-FLYa3tdDxoY28wvQqYqkePMI3O6zdnIMPmy4E1Iu72WcnbgESsp4U49onyuEK5f7Vh5Sf1sgZx-nq6GtwFAZGYAIw65yiQkZKtL2fuHRAr9wbyiM8U/s1600/medlen4.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After the Braves battled back to take the lead, Medlen gave
up three consecutive singles that plated a run.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlPv_RfafwaFv7IWIlVSqZtUcxJz7KOzd0bg8QgiUGSEV7pNH8WEjxnDYg8woyXZgstR2pQzZP33xaTqo_Aaqa6y4x3ae5-WdxZxpbpsUnHr_3XFjNs5T-KO8ZpedujzK63p56-b9ngQe/s1600/medlen5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxlPv_RfafwaFv7IWIlVSqZtUcxJz7KOzd0bg8QgiUGSEV7pNH8WEjxnDYg8woyXZgstR2pQzZP33xaTqo_Aaqa6y4x3ae5-WdxZxpbpsUnHr_3XFjNs5T-KO8ZpedujzK63p56-b9ngQe/s1600/medlen5.JPG" height="91" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then one of those pesky walks was followed by another
home run in the bottom of the fourth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s get back to the positive stuff, the niches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Starting with the free advertising, we see two Nike
swooshes. One of his shoe and one on his undershirt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR06qRtq7oQ-95muFByzhrT1lfRH6CytTz213O_Uk9ZqWo2YCkM6Fn33GSnyCKwYJJswHsEJftG1gCR90a1jYnxLOhG2xhJi2Thjla2ydNDhp1tYNm0_QnsewsYM3JpatbzZ4YtitGmfn0/s1600/medlen7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR06qRtq7oQ-95muFByzhrT1lfRH6CytTz213O_Uk9ZqWo2YCkM6Fn33GSnyCKwYJJswHsEJftG1gCR90a1jYnxLOhG2xhJi2Thjla2ydNDhp1tYNm0_QnsewsYM3JpatbzZ4YtitGmfn0/s1600/medlen7.JPG" height="130" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqf3Wik_bYks-YGu2Ar-vo0Dz0avSbdddhv5gT-yEpyHtRm90psamThkiIQYxAtAWTL1emwWMvJ_5-fdIA7SP4OQDPRMF9JY5pEACHn6u-CxkXPqJVFOvFZYhT8W4gF1ESM6UP8tm_fNOs/s1600/medlen8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqf3Wik_bYks-YGu2Ar-vo0Dz0avSbdddhv5gT-yEpyHtRm90psamThkiIQYxAtAWTL1emwWMvJ_5-fdIA7SP4OQDPRMF9JY5pEACHn6u-CxkXPqJVFOvFZYhT8W4gF1ESM6UP8tm_fNOs/s1600/medlen8.JPG" height="118" width="200" /></a></div>
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We can also see a Rawling logo on Medlen’s glove.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46Ct7XCIi2kJ4K0FmVZltoBy9A9IA5ROyei09XW1JBTVOt3RR5hpuchCy2GUIq5bbeQS2RaKsEXRrhKRALRSsBIou19WjDKkgbEnKl9DJ-QkNacAQcGTHgjRfLYruzvuWgeYeHlBDTWts/s1600/medlen9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46Ct7XCIi2kJ4K0FmVZltoBy9A9IA5ROyei09XW1JBTVOt3RR5hpuchCy2GUIq5bbeQS2RaKsEXRrhKRALRSsBIou19WjDKkgbEnKl9DJ-QkNacAQcGTHgjRfLYruzvuWgeYeHlBDTWts/s1600/medlen9.JPG" height="200" width="198" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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On to the uniform. Last season, the Tigers hosted the 11<sup>th</sup>
Annual Negro League Weekend for their series against the Braves. Here is a <a href="http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130425&content_id=45781466&vkey=pr_det&c_id=det"><b>link from the Tigers</b></a> website that
talks about the weekend festivities. The Saturday game was the only one that
featured the throwback uniforms though.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitvjZebRpyXrhpy8vS2HEpxXp0Vj1mn2IANPEvNIA1p4nexlr4FGBWMl-O9NJVJfXnOaKXg-09vGk4BZE5u62RPtRs2kVjPLH8yMgYr7lb91B-BzaXnLpj-FEG3nzZDoBeY2FsRvrPpUY/s1600/medlen6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitvjZebRpyXrhpy8vS2HEpxXp0Vj1mn2IANPEvNIA1p4nexlr4FGBWMl-O9NJVJfXnOaKXg-09vGk4BZE5u62RPtRs2kVjPLH8yMgYr7lb91B-BzaXnLpj-FEG3nzZDoBeY2FsRvrPpUY/s1600/medlen6.JPG" height="400" width="375" /></a></div>
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I’ll admit I’m way undereducated about the Negro Leagues but
here’s a link I found interesting regarding the <a href="http://sabr.org/research/atlanta-black-crackers"><b>Atlanta Black Crackers</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And done properly are the high socks. Nice!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MRSBmow2Y4a3o6zpSFIsK-742s4OMvVhCaCwpKeNFGi5aTwcxjjTgWsaPttLTNtKPnzLYDRh4qiMPSgrZyQWg87O5n31nFVYcpWPMbXbsRz72vH4DCtrAAJmfiw3UId47R7nUcUfdeAY/s1600/medlen10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MRSBmow2Y4a3o6zpSFIsK-742s4OMvVhCaCwpKeNFGi5aTwcxjjTgWsaPttLTNtKPnzLYDRh4qiMPSgrZyQWg87O5n31nFVYcpWPMbXbsRz72vH4DCtrAAJmfiw3UId47R7nUcUfdeAY/s1600/medlen10.JPG" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWAKN1nk97lBPm6BSaNFboMY69Uuo0YiEOzTTJHZXwRiEVpRgAJ5AoNBmipEFDfU8E_kfkU5C0jKrH_zcvDTI79fIfGA1NnqdYnqt_-VD2-Nb8rA6gVBfH78XmupnNXK-MwiS56_8eJBp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523066+Kris+Medlen+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWAKN1nk97lBPm6BSaNFboMY69Uuo0YiEOzTTJHZXwRiEVpRgAJ5AoNBmipEFDfU8E_kfkU5C0jKrH_zcvDTI79fIfGA1NnqdYnqt_-VD2-Nb8rA6gVBfH78XmupnNXK-MwiS56_8eJBp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523066+Kris+Medlen+back.jpg" height="282" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Kris, a righty, held left-handed hitters to a
.183 Batting Average.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I couldn’t find anything (with minimal effort) that broke it
down but holding any group to a .183 batting average is pretty impressive,
depending on the sample size.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Unfortunately for Medlen, it looks like he’ll be out for the
entire 2014 campaign.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #66<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Kris
Medlen<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Atlanta
Braves<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> April
27, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Detroit
Tigers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Comerica
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-4, Tigers over the Braves, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, throwback.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 10/7/1985<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> California<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Mark
Cunningham<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Horizontal, Throwback Uniform, Free Advertising, High
Socks<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>My Grade: </b>After
filling in the Information I’ll Be Tracking portion of this card, I did find a
link to Andre Rienzo from yesterday. Both pitchers were on the losing end of a
7-4 game. But I am officially done with the streak. Going random for a little
while.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also really wanted to like both cards, but what separates
today’s card are the niches it fits into. The throwbacks are awesome. While
researching them, I learned a little about the Negro Leagues which is an
intangible part of this grading system. And I've already express my love of
horizontal card and in spite of the crop, this was an excellent use of the
format.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This card gets a solid A.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-8460295006295949672014-03-28T12:00:00.000-04:002014-05-05T15:24:42.017-04:00#230 Andre Rienzo<div class="MsoNormal">
One more link to a rookie. Yes, I know that’s three in a row
but this gimmick is running a bit thin for me. I’ll probably go back to random
soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtrLJhV3wGR4BuK67mzjcm7GyWQRB4OJeNf82JRc2MWK8HD8_Lln7PxUI5QoA6zHCU24qwqf2_jSjRfZ0PeV9H3YyC1OTn7wBc05vVz8SCmRNWdzxf6TdBAU7AZSBjdXsHhsy3G_EZGjd/s1600/2014+Topps+%23230+Andre+Rienzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtrLJhV3wGR4BuK67mzjcm7GyWQRB4OJeNf82JRc2MWK8HD8_Lln7PxUI5QoA6zHCU24qwqf2_jSjRfZ0PeV9H3YyC1OTn7wBc05vVz8SCmRNWdzxf6TdBAU7AZSBjdXsHhsy3G_EZGjd/s1600/2014+Topps+%23230+Andre+Rienzo.jpg" height="400" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#230 Andre Rienzo</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>I mentioned yesterday that my expectations were a little
lower for Rookies since they probably have a fewer photo opportunities compared
to the veterans. And being a rookie pitcher is probably even tougher since you
don’t even really have an opportunity to play every day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With that said, and aside from the bad crop along the top,
this card isn’t bad. There’s a little Free Advertising I’ll touch on a bit
later and some interesting pitching mechanics. There’s been thousands of
pitchers and thousands of different ways to through the ball. I’m sure there are
a lot of pitchers whose upper body goes perpendicular to the ground but I don’t
think it shows up on cards that often. Maybe this is the fastest part of the
pitching process? Or I could be making that up. But it sounds good, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWminc6X-dNwFzqNEKDyg9BoO5-gA9dTKp3MPWi4e_6YtO_uuAqT_HA21cXm9HgQx2qoF9YuvLOq6zYZ5SidlWaEZ8pStmAMvNS9Rt_JNOK5L7pyGdXY7_r_glvMZwrsTMgNeP81UFQ9M1/s1600/Andre+Rienzo+175059252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWminc6X-dNwFzqNEKDyg9BoO5-gA9dTKp3MPWi4e_6YtO_uuAqT_HA21cXm9HgQx2qoF9YuvLOq6zYZ5SidlWaEZ8pStmAMvNS9Rt_JNOK5L7pyGdXY7_r_glvMZwrsTMgNeP81UFQ9M1/s1600/Andre+Rienzo+175059252.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 30: Starting pitcher
Andre Rienzo #64 of the Chicago White Sox pitches during the first inning
against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on July 30, 2013 in
Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the Photo:</b> One thing I
didn’t see in the photo but is mentioned in the caption is that Andre Rienzo
wears #64 as a starting pitcher. That’s a Spring Training number if I’ve ever
heard one. Rookies, man. I wonder if that number is special to him for some
reason or if he was just happy to get one handed to him by the clubbie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Other than that, the caption doesn’t say much about the
game, so let’s go to the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE201307300.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a> and see how he did.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGz9vCUHOyAGwb5aBIVwX414kkvZPWXLw9Vuc5VlAEYbVi7FZ4UmagIGsB2la5VKM7uC0Kxc6EPu7mECxvLYFWfc2WHwbzqWxJAK9NxH8ih13HWuSj653kz3mD-Y_G9INupyXYlj-rq8Q/s1600/rienzo+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGz9vCUHOyAGwb5aBIVwX414kkvZPWXLw9Vuc5VlAEYbVi7FZ4UmagIGsB2la5VKM7uC0Kxc6EPu7mECxvLYFWfc2WHwbzqWxJAK9NxH8ih13HWuSj653kz3mD-Y_G9INupyXYlj-rq8Q/s1600/rienzo+-+Copy.JPG" height="75" width="400" /></a></div>
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It looks like he may have been roughed up a little in the 5<sup>th</sup>
and shouldn’t have taken the loss, even though his team did lose. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYZ6nYThMFsHdCKTiELjnf27bTQ7ufh8ePSVOBqcnBHEWYdrRx3skRIiDXFCZrnsoWee8I8lpRW1E6fZ2vIapcY4HGQZYd0KFU3i8DxMmTAXqW9wVB24RkOu6cHyio2kH0yFbnXM_hFGo/s1600/rienzo2+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNYZ6nYThMFsHdCKTiELjnf27bTQ7ufh8ePSVOBqcnBHEWYdrRx3skRIiDXFCZrnsoWee8I8lpRW1E6fZ2vIapcY4HGQZYd0KFU3i8DxMmTAXqW9wVB24RkOu6cHyio2kH0yFbnXM_hFGo/s1600/rienzo2+-+Copy.JPG" height="172" width="400" /></a></div>
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No loss for Rienzo. Holds is a category that's new to me, so
I’m not sure how you can get credit for a hold and the loss. Seems shady,
Donnie Veal. Reeeaaaal shady.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One more company and I’d have to give Rienzo the “Nascar
Award” for advertisements. But he sneaks by with just two, the Nike swoosh on
his undershirt and his Rawlings glove.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DeS-B8dleI4SSwjE4Y1tQB_849yXtJNoGgDEAR04crYKZ03dBwxfl9JaqWRkEEZS6VjxfDL4ihc5L0OQpTo9yXPG-I-8d04_MmVpfQYfs0DwasNwmpzeI7M4JM33oRO8H1uJKRyi2X_d/s1600/rienzo4+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5DeS-B8dleI4SSwjE4Y1tQB_849yXtJNoGgDEAR04crYKZ03dBwxfl9JaqWRkEEZS6VjxfDL4ihc5L0OQpTo9yXPG-I-8d04_MmVpfQYfs0DwasNwmpzeI7M4JM33oRO8H1uJKRyi2X_d/s1600/rienzo4+-+Copy.JPG" height="192" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wbScSwtez_90aeKuGuxEivJeA__B7b5OIVu3kXnCqs1BWXXsaFRq0Zezug3Jz-QmNOXt0ukKI5yMI8DVYvLt5JQg-lwYVjZvog9w0PxRZPKuuaQAYqpzaCE-gxtTORHntSjOt7Sx1vKw/s1600/rienzo5+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_wbScSwtez_90aeKuGuxEivJeA__B7b5OIVu3kXnCqs1BWXXsaFRq0Zezug3Jz-QmNOXt0ukKI5yMI8DVYvLt5JQg-lwYVjZvog9w0PxRZPKuuaQAYqpzaCE-gxtTORHntSjOt7Sx1vKw/s1600/rienzo5+-+Copy.JPG" height="200" width="179" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu4wtdJ4-rJSMstx2TO9ajWJiF2KN0Fx8Cgf6khwkjAaMulndB34IQJAjLIi349WKclSabq4z-fcqjX0q6BerGvK8Fsn5emrN7T-mIawvrJYdCi8ddJ18DJb97LfLA_IYVPdgn5p57q0z/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523230+Andre+Rienzo+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu4wtdJ4-rJSMstx2TO9ajWJiF2KN0Fx8Cgf6khwkjAaMulndB34IQJAjLIi349WKclSabq4z-fcqjX0q6BerGvK8Fsn5emrN7T-mIawvrJYdCi8ddJ18DJb97LfLA_IYVPdgn5p57q0z/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523230+Andre+Rienzo+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Andre’s 7-IP, 0-ER debut was a first for a
White Sox hurler since 1989.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s cool, as that’s about a quarter century. But wait a
minute… </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnAOTxUz2fSN-1tnuO-A0ZP0DiBnd2OacRMnq4nUmSKPnpg7ZHkTVOKaC-wcBH6vObox7GTwqGt4Tc1CpGAqWtdpzJ6plR-w435MqFp4xU6L7TooDhXhsnIvpiF1DRq2X5_fqBxTbT1TT/s1600/rienzo3+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOnAOTxUz2fSN-1tnuO-A0ZP0DiBnd2OacRMnq4nUmSKPnpg7ZHkTVOKaC-wcBH6vObox7GTwqGt4Tc1CpGAqWtdpzJ6plR-w435MqFp4xU6L7TooDhXhsnIvpiF1DRq2X5_fqBxTbT1TT/s1600/rienzo3+-+Copy.JPG" height="198" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s Rienzo’s entire MLB career in one screenshot. The
game pictured on the front was his MLB debut and we just talked about how he
gave up three runs in the 5<sup>th</sup> inning. All earned. And if you look at
the rest of the chart, he had no other 7-IP appearances and in every appearance
he gave up at least one Earned Run. Uh-oh, Topps. Busted!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It didn’t say it on the back of the card but after the talk
about Brazil in the blurb, I decided to look it up. Rienzo is just the second
MLB player born in Brazil. Here’s a staggering chart from <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/birthplace.php?loc=Brazil"><b>Baseball-Almanac.com</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NpcECYgJpBQcUhzLKdOEatgya7OyMrAicljGDEImTAvAVqoCwAb0ZivJzyKjicchD0edvPE8zx1Li1xrIBBlt5ZctUB2cax63UCtYQqjT14zzn50MIxXRlk2wu8Rk1ql7mowwcWyrEAg/s1600/rienzo6+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NpcECYgJpBQcUhzLKdOEatgya7OyMrAicljGDEImTAvAVqoCwAb0ZivJzyKjicchD0edvPE8zx1Li1xrIBBlt5ZctUB2cax63UCtYQqjT14zzn50MIxXRlk2wu8Rk1ql7mowwcWyrEAg/s1600/rienzo6+-+Copy.JPG" height="131" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #230<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Andre
Rienzo<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Chicago
White Sox<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> July
30, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Indians<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Progressive
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-4, Indians over the White Sox, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 6/5/1988<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Brazil<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jason
Miller<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Rookie Card, Free Advertising<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I
wanted to like this card. I saw Andre Rienzo when he came through and played
against my local minor league team in 2011. He, and many of the other Winston
Salem Dash signed autographs for my kids so I’m a little partial. The photo
itself is pretty cool and it’s a rookie card. But the bad fact on the back kind
of sours it for me. I remember when Error cards were “cool” to collect and some
companies even issued corrected versions. But bad facts are just lazy. This
card gets a C-.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-82153665966521952252014-03-26T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-27T11:17:49.274-04:00#86 Wilmer Flores<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today, I’m following up a rookie with another. This time
we’re going all the way back to the the east coast.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhkRU5XKNXJO9IPqHcXxP2TOrbEDWdht1ER8o7SsVXeuOXYpUbJpXKD8PalJy0jwFnrjgD2d5fW62CFg0rFjFN3mnbDeUu8R83PPFu5SPStFKmWMdKU52mj44krz9p8_oVGbQamM7AAgT/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523086+Wilmer+Flores.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhkRU5XKNXJO9IPqHcXxP2TOrbEDWdht1ER8o7SsVXeuOXYpUbJpXKD8PalJy0jwFnrjgD2d5fW62CFg0rFjFN3mnbDeUu8R83PPFu5SPStFKmWMdKU52mj44krz9p8_oVGbQamM7AAgT/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523086+Wilmer+Flores.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#86 Wilmer Flores</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>This is kind of a generic shot of a swinging batter but I
don’t know that you can expect more than that for a rookie card. Sure, you
might get lucky like we did yesterday with Michael Choice, but I think he was
an outlier. There are probably only a couple dozens shots to choose from for most rookies. The crop is too tight but Flores does have a few niches at first
glance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46mO3FsGxruxBkAFRNxd3jCT3nBqOk60ACJId-Hw1PrfrG91Vei8t6HIiWtGNfXeQsooBbI-LJICPuIiFat0rsHm6F70wZ22twy1F-aHxId797GeaF8tRoKyYGLomBBYKObWKLhEGMzZb/s1600/Wilmer+Flores+175871344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46mO3FsGxruxBkAFRNxd3jCT3nBqOk60ACJId-Hw1PrfrG91Vei8t6HIiWtGNfXeQsooBbI-LJICPuIiFat0rsHm6F70wZ22twy1F-aHxId797GeaF8tRoKyYGLomBBYKObWKLhEGMzZb/s1600/Wilmer+Flores+175871344.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 08: Wilmer Flores
#4 of the New York Mets in action against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on
August 8, 2013 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York
City. The Mets defeated the Rockies 2-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><b>The Reality of the Photo:</b> Definitely
too tight of a crop. I can’t believe the Rockies are making another appearance,
in spirit, if not on the actual card. The caption isn’t much help in
identifying a particular pitch or even at-bat so let’s go to the BOXSCORE and
see what we can find out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5HTxXxVbzPVar6kttivem-7WA5tbn6AGtfWw-SXERWdgTruyeIDRiFfjQAz1eptVaf_3DF37QPQ2ivVIV54DioFTS4saTD4G7daD-zRvQ_SHpAbAELlKPDx22KyFwAHU2CcX6uAyR5f5/s1600/flores.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5HTxXxVbzPVar6kttivem-7WA5tbn6AGtfWw-SXERWdgTruyeIDRiFfjQAz1eptVaf_3DF37QPQ2ivVIV54DioFTS4saTD4G7daD-zRvQ_SHpAbAELlKPDx22KyFwAHU2CcX6uAyR5f5/s1600/flores.JPG" height="80" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A win is a win, whether you score two or twelve. Let’s see
if the rookie had a hand in it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoA26_RvFK7el74KwIt0SoNmCG_z4pedDmtkPVuRt6CGzpt-_vYcjl6hqfzSqP4ld5AoCrqDwiU3qBfkxSrFkTJ0PmGJ4nUobpIb7E_7FIeeli0l3kICd-RYc4_FmRaw3A2umxmDKcQRxW/s1600/flores2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoA26_RvFK7el74KwIt0SoNmCG_z4pedDmtkPVuRt6CGzpt-_vYcjl6hqfzSqP4ld5AoCrqDwiU3qBfkxSrFkTJ0PmGJ4nUobpIb7E_7FIeeli0l3kICd-RYc4_FmRaw3A2umxmDKcQRxW/s1600/flores2.JPG" height="320" width="271" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No hits, but Flores did draw a walk and drive in a run.
Fielder’s choice? Or maybe his walk was of the bases loaded variety?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNq-XUt-4SyMKbZsuqPoBqVhBLy71HdpugDpFWUg25Fz3xXe1AseVX0uaRrZjYtLK5JQ_GQT9LRXxen0qm6E04PcXGKNeZTMxZ8o4rpUimbXoAxQvmfNX2xNvKa3Lz7OwLjS_M07ryIrQR/s1600/flores4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNq-XUt-4SyMKbZsuqPoBqVhBLy71HdpugDpFWUg25Fz3xXe1AseVX0uaRrZjYtLK5JQ_GQT9LRXxen0qm6E04PcXGKNeZTMxZ8o4rpUimbXoAxQvmfNX2xNvKa3Lz7OwLjS_M07ryIrQR/s1600/flores4.JPG" height="76" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He drew his walk in the bottom of the second, but nothing
came of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIs5WIThXIpfVLbYzTA6Wr123eh5c7X5p2W9N82u89bMJW3gcrMApqWy5goftt9XE4apqspCshyphenhyphenm5B-HAS5bf-ILwYxPg8y-ayluHq0tYilFuoE8VmgOB9nD77nYeQ77uUmNaKxLN3UZ8c/s1600/flores3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIs5WIThXIpfVLbYzTA6Wr123eh5c7X5p2W9N82u89bMJW3gcrMApqWy5goftt9XE4apqspCshyphenhyphenm5B-HAS5bf-ILwYxPg8y-ayluHq0tYilFuoE8VmgOB9nD77nYeQ77uUmNaKxLN3UZ8c/s1600/flores3.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the fourth he did come up with the bases loaded but as I
said, his walk already happened. This time, it sounds like he hit a dribbler to
shortstop and the only play was for Flores at first, but allowing Daniel Murphy
to score from third.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wonder if, with no outs and the bases loaded, the infield
was playing back for double play depth or in, for a play at the plate. My guess
would be, that early in the game, play for the double play, sacrificing a run
but putting a damper on an even bigger inning. If they were playing back, that
could be the reason why the only play was at first on the dribbler.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This run tied the game at 1 apiece, which was followed by
the game winning sacrifice fly by former Cub Anthony Recker. Had Flores
grounded into a double play, the sac fly would have been an inning ending out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Mets were wearing their home alternates that day, as the
regular home uniform involves pinstripes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FmhxY10Ojln_6fdbVljf66Ev9101VQuuGnB79r5yzKIsTNkZy-RkuIW2J-uI21C-H8clu1owjVA8mxvwnlUDKll7pPNrXnfYfFEqj-7f9lxQjxAmNCEBK-i9nWgHS0tCowX1fffNs31H/s1600/flores9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FmhxY10Ojln_6fdbVljf66Ev9101VQuuGnB79r5yzKIsTNkZy-RkuIW2J-uI21C-H8clu1owjVA8mxvwnlUDKll7pPNrXnfYfFEqj-7f9lxQjxAmNCEBK-i9nWgHS0tCowX1fffNs31H/s1600/flores9.JPG" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking a little closer, we can see the All-Star patch because
the Mets hosted the game in 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1lb8wQh_Auuhyv4pIgmOdNVe2UqEPCGQ1vzKRW-siUr3VpxGs0RSq9hefPgHHJLrO3lBmJAbbdv2xJV3sPuZLXSlEmqPP2qHVbPKybgM9SxXgynSacp9p3ObOKVoFugSB0jxb6hDdEZT/s1600/flores7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1lb8wQh_Auuhyv4pIgmOdNVe2UqEPCGQ1vzKRW-siUr3VpxGs0RSq9hefPgHHJLrO3lBmJAbbdv2xJV3sPuZLXSlEmqPP2qHVbPKybgM9SxXgynSacp9p3ObOKVoFugSB0jxb6hDdEZT/s1600/flores7.JPG" height="166" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtP2NlaVQpMlGN4F4RL5EYUlY3nmATQKfGZOfjcE2jj6E8n_qRhTjn-iLdCtwuIjDwbOws1aYn5JxONWW-k9glX2P91uoorF8AQk_fI_bDAxY5NXNTHNijf7ZDom8wh8cT3lHZGIq17kB/s1600/721_-mlb_all-star_game-primary-2013.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdtP2NlaVQpMlGN4F4RL5EYUlY3nmATQKfGZOfjcE2jj6E8n_qRhTjn-iLdCtwuIjDwbOws1aYn5JxONWW-k9glX2P91uoorF8AQk_fI_bDAxY5NXNTHNijf7ZDom8wh8cT3lHZGIq17kB/s1600/721_-mlb_all-star_game-primary-2013.gif" height="299" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Better View </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And a little more subtle than that, we get a glimpse of an
Under Armour logo from Flores’ undershirt on his elbow, for some Free
Advertising.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMC0Mrzx4DZ2M_H9LtKRbV_vgExls4l9PQDWXZ_VSaNVTU8TorvqCJkQC2Gz5QDuUWG-_CeL-mC4tSNJzn8HlTU-BnyHcKPoJl8Uu9_0QdGtxETjYGqhH39O9mN0Lm6H3AkQ-oD_nSfmOU/s1600/flores6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMC0Mrzx4DZ2M_H9LtKRbV_vgExls4l9PQDWXZ_VSaNVTU8TorvqCJkQC2Gz5QDuUWG-_CeL-mC4tSNJzn8HlTU-BnyHcKPoJl8Uu9_0QdGtxETjYGqhH39O9mN0Lm6H3AkQ-oD_nSfmOU/s1600/flores6.JPG" height="200" width="187" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnPzaHZg_NJ5tt9lC0RfvRrDLF4Hwm6Vt2uX6y5I-J-OVLZT0Lc3Rxg9UwLivCB7V9dJ1RIvxXiWYtGOrD2DDqcAkLDRBngbQOq2Cvhw-D3e5JnumdQI9IzI2vkah2KFfafUCb-pgGePn/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523086+Wilmer+Flores+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnPzaHZg_NJ5tt9lC0RfvRrDLF4Hwm6Vt2uX6y5I-J-OVLZT0Lc3Rxg9UwLivCB7V9dJ1RIvxXiWYtGOrD2DDqcAkLDRBngbQOq2Cvhw-D3e5JnumdQI9IzI2vkah2KFfafUCb-pgGePn/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523086+Wilmer+Flores+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Wilmer tied a Mets record with 9 RBI in his
first six MLB games.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, I want to go off on a tangent about the plurality of
Runs Batted In. I think they are commonly referred to as RBIs even though that
would translate to Runs Batted Ins. Maybe they should be RsBI, but that sounds
ridiculous. So even though RBI, as used by Topps in the Rookie Fact, seems odd,
it is technically correct. Weird.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back to the fact at hand. Among Flores’ 9 RBI, he had a pair
of 3 RBI games and one in at least five of the six games. Not to mention that
the Mets as a team went 5-1 in that stretch. Good way to start a career.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoziGAt5LurVFB49E4Q_-kTcsbHJICeQxjzSeG110DDdLaBI1GVoGEGNncr90XR2Ts-TZ-0HThAakJQ4F1orA_nfBAtO3v8WERgtCvocGuja-9s1t5DC0AONB07z3fLMu2YkGGrhIaNDW/s1600/flores8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoziGAt5LurVFB49E4Q_-kTcsbHJICeQxjzSeG110DDdLaBI1GVoGEGNncr90XR2Ts-TZ-0HThAakJQ4F1orA_nfBAtO3v8WERgtCvocGuja-9s1t5DC0AONB07z3fLMu2YkGGrhIaNDW/s1600/flores8.JPG" height="95" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #86<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Wilmer
Flores<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> New York
Mets<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Position:</b> Shortstop<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
8, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> Colorado
Rockies<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Stadium:</b> Citi
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Division: </b>National
League East<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
2-1, Mets over Rockies, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthdate:</b> 8/6/1991<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> Venezuela<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Photographer: </b>Jim
McIsaac<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Alternate Jersey, Free Advertising, Patch, Rookie
Card<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Grade: </b>This
one hits a lot of the same niches as yesterday’s A+ rookie, but somehow it
still falls a little flat. Maybe if the crop wasn’t so tight or if Flores had a
bigger day at the plate. I’m still going to give this card a B though.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Usually I save the “what could have been” photos for cards
with failing grades, but when looking for the source photo, I saw two photos
that would have put Flores into “no doubter” A+ status. Both are perfectly
timed photos that shine a good light on Flores and they’re both from the same
game on September 15, 2013. Maybe that was a little too late in the season to
get these made on time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtU4o_keCgaUFYRE1uWyy3kbmuTLwtcLlu5jZBjtWSvSzr8SXsZotXUbMaBZhxmoiUCnAJpytKQ_quu2SdcmnxEn-tT64aVXugNlHbNtwpZSBE0NC4qrHPta_kmi94MGDQGHiWKoS_SKu/s1600/180650894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtU4o_keCgaUFYRE1uWyy3kbmuTLwtcLlu5jZBjtWSvSzr8SXsZotXUbMaBZhxmoiUCnAJpytKQ_quu2SdcmnxEn-tT64aVXugNlHbNtwpZSBE0NC4qrHPta_kmi94MGDQGHiWKoS_SKu/s1600/180650894.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JKnsOMmuJYPZI1W8wKt7iNy9sqYDRgWDrXVoN6TnhdaFg36C-JeW8wXzEDUBLMfPVck8yqUyPu6ObxdHvnt5awrSgD5Aujfqw3cux9jz2tEpCH9bSbpElyUUkzvDHUTUvRLsmNJP8ZpV/s1600/180648506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JKnsOMmuJYPZI1W8wKt7iNy9sqYDRgWDrXVoN6TnhdaFg36C-JeW8wXzEDUBLMfPVck8yqUyPu6ObxdHvnt5awrSgD5Aujfqw3cux9jz2tEpCH9bSbpElyUUkzvDHUTUvRLsmNJP8ZpV/s1600/180648506.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lesson learned for the Marlins. Don't try to get to third if Flores is guarding it!</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-68070889943097211732014-03-25T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-25T12:03:44.058-04:00#27 Michael Choice<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqrnkCNFGd5jWxwA5czkvBy4faV3ejscEnadMh7g3jUrmtIgGiQmJ9u7RZpfqNjKW6XyNEIyoLiNuRpczNU3uINHei7BVAJJszsqxJ-nfBxVCwG0dmIYBR2eSjhkMdgoBROIdKKvpjz6x/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523027+Michael+Choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqrnkCNFGd5jWxwA5czkvBy4faV3ejscEnadMh7g3jUrmtIgGiQmJ9u7RZpfqNjKW6XyNEIyoLiNuRpczNU3uINHei7BVAJJszsqxJ-nfBxVCwG0dmIYBR2eSjhkMdgoBROIdKKvpjz6x/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523027+Michael+Choice.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#27 Michael Choice</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>I don’t know if the Topps photo selector is from Oakland
or what, but it’s going to be hard to argue that the A’s don’t have the best
cards in the set this year. Even something as simple as running the bases looks
pretty cool in those bright yellow jerseys. This card might not crack the top
three from Oakland’s team set but could still beat several of the best cards
from other teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1YTu-Ow6BS-hCqlgLkzfto_lKLOotI7mJaKEjgnsmCJdbYok91o3LGo4gSxFv0OmZjU9PG9PJdR3J0HqzXE_mABPEOvXiGLq7on1_xJ3XnekOp46cTSHUHY0ObNTFoZkSBqscX6fTU6h/s1600/Michael+Choice+179394713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1YTu-Ow6BS-hCqlgLkzfto_lKLOotI7mJaKEjgnsmCJdbYok91o3LGo4gSxFv0OmZjU9PG9PJdR3J0HqzXE_mABPEOvXiGLq7on1_xJ3XnekOp46cTSHUHY0ObNTFoZkSBqscX6fTU6h/s1600/Michael+Choice+179394713.jpg" height="400" width="270" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: Michael
Choice #35 of the Oakland Athletics runs the bases against the Texas Rangers at
O.co Coliseum on September 2, 2013 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W.
Henderson/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
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<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> The crop on this one is pretty good. Choice’s entire upper body is
in the fram eand Topps made a good choice on where to crop along the bottom. The
expression isn't one of exertion so I wonder if this is a home run trot? He is
leaning but I don’t know if that means he is running hard or if he’s just about
to round third. Let’s go to the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK201309020.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg88S9VJW39H8LoCyX4b-K1jaxPBHFdpuouEWvmK1k9VNGdrnJq80Huagl5ebbBfzHhrfTwJ5hQFQUL8HbH0z1U7z1-JXvxu8UMZYL6IML3x9qycVMig02peayC1cl035cJOYNN1sv0Yv/s1600/choice4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg88S9VJW39H8LoCyX4b-K1jaxPBHFdpuouEWvmK1k9VNGdrnJq80Huagl5ebbBfzHhrfTwJ5hQFQUL8HbH0z1U7z1-JXvxu8UMZYL6IML3x9qycVMig02peayC1cl035cJOYNN1sv0Yv/s1600/choice4.JPG" height="77" width="400" /></a></div>
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An A’s victory is a good sign for Choice. Let’s see how he
did at the plate and on the base paths.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGYoniJNZPzC3o_lsqJC_40XbNlqV5cF3-xA-6yDSZeG0eZJ2MDu3Y-_jnRCc8ot-TLepvlZbJV8-hnVpVal4Su5ljDZ0vJgnIpxmCKV-5Chbl7Eh6Y6JaxAexwhQyFYNANrtc0QHxvDa/s1600/choice3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGYoniJNZPzC3o_lsqJC_40XbNlqV5cF3-xA-6yDSZeG0eZJ2MDu3Y-_jnRCc8ot-TLepvlZbJV8-hnVpVal4Su5ljDZ0vJgnIpxmCKV-5Chbl7Eh6Y6JaxAexwhQyFYNANrtc0QHxvDa/s1600/choice3.JPG" height="311" width="320" /></a></div>
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Interesting. How often do you see the the DH batting last in
the lineup? And batting .000 in a game in September? I know the card says he’s
a rookie but I wonder how far into his career this is?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K-Vu8jMV2Gg0_7MHspk9Qpa_eBQF8tI9_ZmAy2tCy7_ZB8Z3PNyCwZdaGAaQqFusSyq-lUdmEru3zl6otvUPFSSlvobV7yeuc4c62-dXuv1ea5pyrbtMRaIfF3By2QH9c_aDLITVoyCr/s1600/choice5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K-Vu8jMV2Gg0_7MHspk9Qpa_eBQF8tI9_ZmAy2tCy7_ZB8Z3PNyCwZdaGAaQqFusSyq-lUdmEru3zl6otvUPFSSlvobV7yeuc4c62-dXuv1ea5pyrbtMRaIfF3By2QH9c_aDLITVoyCr/s1600/choice5.JPG" height="63" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the bottom of the third, Choice walked but didn't make it
past first base.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_t7JJCc2YAR0gsWTl2ru8L_oU4SiYVTmxTCFyekDi2OAFzmeBbZfugiRxgspPe0hfu1DbvdOy8hIen725-QJd2cCJcJjZHtRfYBb_-f_YPPC8KZpqcLJmuSe_H8YJXmdS0gFvANDFD92/s1600/choice6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_t7JJCc2YAR0gsWTl2ru8L_oU4SiYVTmxTCFyekDi2OAFzmeBbZfugiRxgspPe0hfu1DbvdOy8hIen725-QJd2cCJcJjZHtRfYBb_-f_YPPC8KZpqcLJmuSe_H8YJXmdS0gFvANDFD92/s1600/choice6.JPG" height="87" width="400" /></a></div>
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Choice led off the bottom of the fifth by beating out a
ground ball and errant throw from the third baseman. Coco Crisp followed that
up with a home run, with Choice being the eventual game winning run. Nice! I’m
guessing this is what the photo shows. So I was half right. It was a home run
trot, just not Choice’s home run. He would line out in his final at bat.</div>
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I already
mentioned the A’s bright yellow jerseys, but here is where I confirm they are
in fact alternates.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MM7hMn8KNkVhOCZpm_9EHJIhDQHZYzWLXxsk4d0R2byjEZ0JkQPshM4WfsN5kKoAnWpJmmpPtQspB7POk21hdw4uv9l-zvnwQ2XuqBAhb3R8Y-Glwh2QBxUh-kZMiPFIwFAbUNGJRpeL/s1600/choice9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MM7hMn8KNkVhOCZpm_9EHJIhDQHZYzWLXxsk4d0R2byjEZ0JkQPshM4WfsN5kKoAnWpJmmpPtQspB7POk21hdw4uv9l-zvnwQ2XuqBAhb3R8Y-Glwh2QBxUh-kZMiPFIwFAbUNGJRpeL/s1600/choice9.JPG" height="309" width="320" /></a></div>
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Choice will also get credit for a little Free Advertising by
showing off his Mizuno batting gloves and wrist band.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBQH9NUheXe0ruZEZyWqfR0T7AMWB5x0E68pvDCAgb7WmnwXmOMlMlNmqSQpXIlcIEBrz7t4pzwsHsGUhNSGzAHGzkwSauuqjJqB_Nj33oTOYJ4fZSmSFPlY5XGYaEeUIlW5a1wBJWOiY/s1600/choice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbBQH9NUheXe0ruZEZyWqfR0T7AMWB5x0E68pvDCAgb7WmnwXmOMlMlNmqSQpXIlcIEBrz7t4pzwsHsGUhNSGzAHGzkwSauuqjJqB_Nj33oTOYJ4fZSmSFPlY5XGYaEeUIlW5a1wBJWOiY/s1600/choice.JPG" height="200" width="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYdkxhyXIHl6Jp42LqfGDgwIebv0RBlD45Q22ZZDdopDcI3kxk7e_xgUfJqvKTIkuHZ5IX1FP5Ioo_etSHxsjNDBpSXLFjfQ1enGZ-Ze3i8NTXnSokGVS5IRZjvq1lPVlel5VbQkPuw05/s1600/choice2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcYdkxhyXIHl6Jp42LqfGDgwIebv0RBlD45Q22ZZDdopDcI3kxk7e_xgUfJqvKTIkuHZ5IX1FP5Ioo_etSHxsjNDBpSXLFjfQ1enGZ-Ze3i8NTXnSokGVS5IRZjvq1lPVlel5VbQkPuw05/s1600/choice2.JPG" height="200" width="188" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Another niche we haven’t seen in a while that will probably
become more prevalent are Tattoos.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoAn7bTCO2NQR3adXB7xdr_b_HMnjSv-k1dVSO8cNvWAuIQaOTQTGuqTjDVIzY96ECh9loU0K2ab02AV3kqSjX-CVs_cRuL2tys1RePuI_51HlzkPS3X0F5AxyCMQ2VPssv3AVa1nHU5i/s1600/choice11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdoAn7bTCO2NQR3adXB7xdr_b_HMnjSv-k1dVSO8cNvWAuIQaOTQTGuqTjDVIzY96ECh9loU0K2ab02AV3kqSjX-CVs_cRuL2tys1RePuI_51HlzkPS3X0F5AxyCMQ2VPssv3AVa1nHU5i/s1600/choice11.JPG" height="200" width="191" /></a></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZqz5fj-f0QvA-y_0q-73Nps4_8tPx2VXmJPMQHiYGDM1pDAnzY6L3fX1IdoKtekZntxY6vsR2yf1Juf6oXQXQ6_EXvtKSZg53cgZKhpX87hSM1PAITBNR7ixTUz0N1qwewfxqHCEidAw/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523027+Michael+Choice+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZqz5fj-f0QvA-y_0q-73Nps4_8tPx2VXmJPMQHiYGDM1pDAnzY6L3fX1IdoKtekZntxY6vsR2yf1Juf6oXQXQ6_EXvtKSZg53cgZKhpX87hSM1PAITBNR7ixTUz0N1qwewfxqHCEidAw/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523027+Michael+Choice+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Rookie Fact: Michael was one of 7 UT-Arlington alums to play
in the Majors in ’13.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t know what the record would be, but that sounds like
a lot. I found an all-time list on Baseball-Reference.com and sorted it by the
last year played and came up with 18 players somewhere in pro-ball that came
from UT-Arlington. The bolded players below are the seven that played in the
Majors.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FJXV3enLAYvYYxorvIDHX2crLlOwezbPG4BT39qGb0tzs8627bqmq6g9HG54iNWnfOxSCse9S2Q7L9dtuepho4STkEZC5gQhXD3LxYZkJ3i_xogkEjvZxss7OG7C7r1Pg_Ayur2jM3ZM/s1600/choice10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1FJXV3enLAYvYYxorvIDHX2crLlOwezbPG4BT39qGb0tzs8627bqmq6g9HG54iNWnfOxSCse9S2Q7L9dtuepho4STkEZC5gQhXD3LxYZkJ3i_xogkEjvZxss7OG7C7r1Pg_Ayur2jM3ZM/s1600/choice10.JPG" height="400" width="398" /></a></div>
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And then we get to the blurb where it confirms that this
September 2, 2013 game featured on the front was indeed his MLB debut, in front
of his friends and family. So to recap, in his MLB debut, he walked, hustled on
a ground ball which might have caused a hurried, errant throw and would score
the game winning run. Not a bad day at the office on any day, let alone a
debut.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #27<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Michael
Choice<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Oakland A’s<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Outfield<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> September
2, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Texas
Rangers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> O.co
Coliseum<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
4-2, A’s over the Rangers, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 11/10/1989<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Texas<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Thearon
W. Henderson<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Former 1<sup>st</sup> Round Draft Pick, Alternate
Jersey, Free Advertising, Tattoos, MLB Debut, Rookie Card<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>Usually
I reserve my A+ grade for “no doubters” where you instantly look at a card and
know it’s awesome. For me, this one was an A at first glance. The crop is good,
the alternate jersey is cool. The running “pose” is one that isn't quite
overdone yet. I even said it would be
the best card on another team. But learning more about it made me like it even
more and there’s only one grade higher, an A+.<o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-27274381397742738082014-03-24T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-25T10:18:07.061-04:00#289 Matt Thornton<div class="MsoNormal">
After taking my normal Sunday off from posting to do a
little blog maintenance by updating links and such, I’m back today connecting
Saturday’s card to today’s through the Players Named Matt Niche. It’s also been
a while since I posted anything about the Red Sox. One Jonny Gomes card early
on and they haven’t even been an opponent on any of the other cards.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTScxakviqTTCHVk7ujj5c00f9h0e5Dt-gcYRrDfgNPzMqx7rMMaR8WnSU8noSK3VG2NzJrxBh-pnHbQ_NctPXdLxVqKWAjwqvvp1Z8HaglbjwATEDA8jR_iPXPtvhfifV1vZ2R-lG19iP/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523289+Matt+Thornton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTScxakviqTTCHVk7ujj5c00f9h0e5Dt-gcYRrDfgNPzMqx7rMMaR8WnSU8noSK3VG2NzJrxBh-pnHbQ_NctPXdLxVqKWAjwqvvp1Z8HaglbjwATEDA8jR_iPXPtvhfifV1vZ2R-lG19iP/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523289+Matt+Thornton.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#289 Matt Thornton</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>This seems to be a candid shot, taken between pitches. I
don’t know if he's getting signs, waiting for the next batter or what. He looks
a little tense though. The crop is, as usual, a little too tight.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeXoskfe7l_v6CWhNZ3DUse7JBl3xThs1peTosp8gMRk4hXrJ7G_w5cDl4VMdCHCipEarq2ManGuyQ9nN1CQig7FmP9uVLEprBPNAFRRfrjykqjsjMveHIamtukU6rKfGU1NvE-7RE3PA/s1600/Matt+Thornton+175024203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeXoskfe7l_v6CWhNZ3DUse7JBl3xThs1peTosp8gMRk4hXrJ7G_w5cDl4VMdCHCipEarq2ManGuyQ9nN1CQig7FmP9uVLEprBPNAFRRfrjykqjsjMveHIamtukU6rKfGU1NvE-7RE3PA/s1600/Matt+Thornton+175024203.jpg" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">BOSTON, MA - JULY 20: Matt Thornton #38
of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees during the game on
July 20, 2013 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared
Wickerham/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Ah, a Red Sox-Yankees rivalry game. That’s probably enough to make
you tense. And as a relief pitcher, it’s probably even more pressure. Let’s
take a look at the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS201307200.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew5_OmnA7BQUL-fJSg6ffBeyozwPAuQNxXR3y0a-HePyv1_6QCO6Ww1ewG1v7WCrp8A1Z4JSQSeuDS6pIdlcS7_68ZsklSmZ6bIhYsrPOjLRQ09Yd0599q1CXvbZsZdTtAgi7QJ7u9-K3/s1600/thornton4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew5_OmnA7BQUL-fJSg6ffBeyozwPAuQNxXR3y0a-HePyv1_6QCO6Ww1ewG1v7WCrp8A1Z4JSQSeuDS6pIdlcS7_68ZsklSmZ6bIhYsrPOjLRQ09Yd0599q1CXvbZsZdTtAgi7QJ7u9-K3/s1600/thornton4.JPG" height="68" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uh-oh. I don’t know when Thornton came into the game, but it
looks like the Red Sox bullpen may have blown this game. Or they left the
starter in too long.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEyDsEUucff36iS_pVZeeRshdio-cxqvp2g83OfpK4np3BlyO9sIXwyPe__zAptudyYUrXHVVTkhIXEXo5FtQSOB0exMKg1B43AaLj5LeenVD2mlC8yWUzEbtXAL3nRs5EsbJeyKZ6isD/s1600/thornton5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEyDsEUucff36iS_pVZeeRshdio-cxqvp2g83OfpK4np3BlyO9sIXwyPe__zAptudyYUrXHVVTkhIXEXo5FtQSOB0exMKg1B43AaLj5LeenVD2mlC8yWUzEbtXAL3nRs5EsbJeyKZ6isD/s1600/thornton5.JPG" height="181" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, Thornton gave up two hits but no runs so that’s good
for him.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHowpCif_HIXRuPyhRLxAvAqT3hewiKzSTOTw-Gc0_l7-HqcCIeL2TpSv0dN_UofhsFDsvjaB7wOJikEOfb2ccx48zbJiJ0LwCcZVvGX7tJXxXTQIG6TcJuIQwJ8JnCEDHRC6AAhZpYZrk/s1600/thornton6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHowpCif_HIXRuPyhRLxAvAqT3hewiKzSTOTw-Gc0_l7-HqcCIeL2TpSv0dN_UofhsFDsvjaB7wOJikEOfb2ccx48zbJiJ0LwCcZVvGX7tJXxXTQIG6TcJuIQwJ8JnCEDHRC6AAhZpYZrk/s1600/thornton6.JPG" height="90" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh. Whoops. Looks like he inherited a couple of runners who
scored on the two hits that Thornton gave up. And one of them was the eventual
game winner. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite the not-so-good appearance, Thornton does have a
couple of niches going for him, including two instances of free advertising.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC-J1PmvjNURIj7XjaemHJsBQ20CBD3rd-LDwhWBYvr6w48yMsilnIE1ECbNk1LQNMa0vi4TMb_9uGMrCdOueRvhYdmBF2rb8IFt3oknuiUjQuXbt0yQt9fHBn7D6-vl3IhOwzC7liVss/s1600/thornton.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcC-J1PmvjNURIj7XjaemHJsBQ20CBD3rd-LDwhWBYvr6w48yMsilnIE1ECbNk1LQNMa0vi4TMb_9uGMrCdOueRvhYdmBF2rb8IFt3oknuiUjQuXbt0yQt9fHBn7D6-vl3IhOwzC7liVss/s1600/thornton.JPG" height="125" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fN2YP7ptL_JGc1NI4pRA_RlqPAZ40eiviy8-RKLyQsuOy36PuEP3J6DR1qbUx35TMGEheHh_o05YuF0x1h-XLg6Ur6m-5UBV_EOQ_0rlOymaI9_bimTeDF99WG64TqK7Lp1FzmlU8cU8/s1600/thornton3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fN2YP7ptL_JGc1NI4pRA_RlqPAZ40eiviy8-RKLyQsuOy36PuEP3J6DR1qbUx35TMGEheHh_o05YuF0x1h-XLg6Ur6m-5UBV_EOQ_0rlOymaI9_bimTeDF99WG64TqK7Lp1FzmlU8cU8/s1600/thornton3.JPG" height="158" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He sports the all too common Nike undershirt with the swoosh
by his neck. And in the lower left corner we see a pair of Rawlings logos on
his glove.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcoeYQ1dUeuI-R6iNfZQqlBn5dvhxvVl0aj42L-tn__ysuA-xuwGGs5i_bg_gLVJaR4OktHaosCyx9SGmbUK9bdzcatmJ2Fix0bsfS8iGvp7z0Hixgdltcuu0nZQtCtWJ9m2eUyg71NZv/s1600/thornton2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcoeYQ1dUeuI-R6iNfZQqlBn5dvhxvVl0aj42L-tn__ysuA-xuwGGs5i_bg_gLVJaR4OktHaosCyx9SGmbUK9bdzcatmJ2Fix0bsfS8iGvp7z0Hixgdltcuu0nZQtCtWJ9m2eUyg71NZv/s1600/thornton2.JPG" height="193" width="200" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And while the reasons behind a commemorative patch are
always sad, Thornton has the Boston Strong patch on his left sleeve.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35TIElxq50MXtDkNYcdAxHqHBI2PtTPtEakglQ394KFW_xIbBsWW4TITrF9IGf74xGH9vj3vAKuI5cf1ITGVbPmObzNcjgGzT3wjfvdvfo_rtzPsqy0Wa4aCMmvPEiiac6xyPApySU0_b/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523289+Matt+Thornton+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg35TIElxq50MXtDkNYcdAxHqHBI2PtTPtEakglQ394KFW_xIbBsWW4TITrF9IGf74xGH9vj3vAKuI5cf1ITGVbPmObzNcjgGzT3wjfvdvfo_rtzPsqy0Wa4aCMmvPEiiac6xyPApySU0_b/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523289+Matt+Thornton+back.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Matt made his only start, then began a streak
of 603 relief outings.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I took this to mean his first appearance was a start and
then he was permanently moved to the bullpen. But after seeing this chart on Baseball-Reference
I was confused when I saw the total games played.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnX_qPOyFoK6kyrQwbkH1rET3V44GJNnvww8D25VSjYYqzw0mFttkUyEVXaAPRpYxGd4LpuNdeLUtSL_zokvrtrfHyruqzHQI1PyWdzU5iIiescy11QR1EmW9C9uos_1Mra8K4qgiXR61/s1600/thornton8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnX_qPOyFoK6kyrQwbkH1rET3V44GJNnvww8D25VSjYYqzw0mFttkUyEVXaAPRpYxGd4LpuNdeLUtSL_zokvrtrfHyruqzHQI1PyWdzU5iIiescy11QR1EmW9C9uos_1Mra8K4qgiXR61/s1600/thornton8.JPG" height="320" width="60" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although the wording is technically correct in the Rookie
Fact, apparently Thornton made two relief appearances <i>before</i> making a start and
<i>then</i> moving to the bullpen for good. Not a big deal, just walking you through
my process.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnFfPB6JiRBiHw9gCYPfp0XMUmUu0aeknMEQWL7BsNW2gbAmgrVP15O1SqyhHA2RzYUc2OmgwmZJEeHwlUcuX7VmXKN-qfSj63UPYOvsJtoQOoHVZUyfE0k5k5tqgQ8GbKAQtrqKwCm7G/s1600/thornton9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtnFfPB6JiRBiHw9gCYPfp0XMUmUu0aeknMEQWL7BsNW2gbAmgrVP15O1SqyhHA2RzYUc2OmgwmZJEeHwlUcuX7VmXKN-qfSj63UPYOvsJtoQOoHVZUyfE0k5k5tqgQ8GbKAQtrqKwCm7G/s1600/thornton9.JPG" height="87" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
And the number 603 stuck out at me because I know it’s right around
Mariano Rivera’s record breaking Save total, which made me wonder how many
appearances he had to make to get there. Guess I’ll have to wait until I get to
his card…<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #289<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Matt
Thornton<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Boston Red
Sox<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> July 20,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> New
York Yankees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Fenway
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League East<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
5-2, Yankees over the Red Sox, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Left<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 9/15/1976<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b>
Michigan<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jared
Wickerham<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Former 1<sup>st</sup> Round Draft Pick, Free
Advertising, Commemorative Patch, Southpaw, Players Named Matt<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>This
card hit a couple of niches to give it the collectability factor, but as far as
the picture and the story behind it, they’re a little lackluster. I like
pictures where the batter isn’t just swinging and the pitcher isn’t just going
through the motion, but just standing there isn’t that great either.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll give this one a C+.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-60733655052769241172014-03-22T13:00:00.000-04:002014-03-22T15:24:08.458-04:00#329 Matt Holliday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghc9WA95-ztB4cBd3KyMMfcvAZMJc0ti5pRKxFBeqXYOiFyxWg9yvVVMVMTpfj0sWDtuFOxK3yY85032ThZ7Qe_sRIIHHG-uyjSm-8BVFIKWziepgpMVZlcl94_29-VPSBZ_x9X7ZM0MYB/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523329+Matt+Holliday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghc9WA95-ztB4cBd3KyMMfcvAZMJc0ti5pRKxFBeqXYOiFyxWg9yvVVMVMTpfj0sWDtuFOxK3yY85032ThZ7Qe_sRIIHHG-uyjSm-8BVFIKWziepgpMVZlcl94_29-VPSBZ_x9X7ZM0MYB/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523329+Matt+Holliday.jpg" height="400" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#329 Matt Holliday</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Looks like Matt Holliday has the beat on a fly ball hit
his way. I don’t know much about photography, but I can only imagine the lens
needed to get an image that clear from the distance this had to be taken from.
Probably one of those that are the size of Prince Fielder’s thigh. Holliday is
listed as an outfielder but I believe he plays left field more often than not.
So the photographer was probably in/near the first base dugout. Crazy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRyB3HqvtVIZ3h-noYfRx3OOd4BjnwEkE8Ez9slR5J-AdHixsaDpktB4dkX6QCwXkR33yJilsG-ydy0OzuLuQNk31oh-sRFA8isqXqDiw-bjLNP_8klEsE0iiWAz15HvlAXMxxegalaHT/s1600/Matt+Holliday+169780168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRyB3HqvtVIZ3h-noYfRx3OOd4BjnwEkE8Ez9slR5J-AdHixsaDpktB4dkX6QCwXkR33yJilsG-ydy0OzuLuQNk31oh-sRFA8isqXqDiw-bjLNP_8klEsE0iiWAz15HvlAXMxxegalaHT/s1600/Matt+Holliday+169780168.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 1: Matt Holliday #7
of the St. Louis Cardinals catches a fly ball against the San Francisco Giants
in the seventh inning during game one of a doubleheader at Busch Stadium on
June 1, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals beat the Giants 8-0. (Photo
by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> The caption gives us just about every piece of information we’d need
about the play. The only thing missing is the batter, but hopefully narrowing
it down to the 7<sup>th</sup> inning is enough help. Let’s go to the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN201306011.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbezWVN63j6J7OgqYty16bHWRdqUlZG8EfcMKa7Dh1PWcRI3c25s4k7tjB8MWrTehI4BiMF9ulPkk5QmAOc9K2bvI5-NUyJlGMqL0_YmcI3pPuv2b0i3cJ8hgrkCq6dA4TY2VcEuUgMfD/s1600/holliday5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMbezWVN63j6J7OgqYty16bHWRdqUlZG8EfcMKa7Dh1PWcRI3c25s4k7tjB8MWrTehI4BiMF9ulPkk5QmAOc9K2bvI5-NUyJlGMqL0_YmcI3pPuv2b0i3cJ8hgrkCq6dA4TY2VcEuUgMfD/s1600/holliday5.JPG" height="77" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Always nice to shutout the
defending World Champions. And for the record, the Cardinals swept the double
header by beating the Giants in Game 2, 7-1.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9_Kg04K-oLW9MjhGm8NFouE0Kp5WEU1QQIGaVo00IwY5se4O1LLmYn3pjZFwOzS8spitHa82bQjPjgbO35dmLV5vBSN2fb7mh05U_bFopfpqWrWc7g19-h2EQB1kj3Ir46eIDbl7zl_b/s1600/holliday4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9_Kg04K-oLW9MjhGm8NFouE0Kp5WEU1QQIGaVo00IwY5se4O1LLmYn3pjZFwOzS8spitHa82bQjPjgbO35dmLV5vBSN2fb7mh05U_bFopfpqWrWc7g19-h2EQB1kj3Ir46eIDbl7zl_b/s1600/holliday4.JPG" height="77" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Luckily, there was only one flyball
to left field in the 7<sup>th</sup> inning and the batter was Nick Noonan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">In addition to being a good photo,
the card fits into a couple of niches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">First up, Holliday is another one
wearing sunglasses as an accessory instead of eye protection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrlIxVpw0JI-D6SCqW6qhp0h_Q3_RNlEbueCUzNK9pW5ifecJIADLUT5QJ5sRILIlecRu7OCjUZNbGcL8HAqLLG94OKa0GuTOXUTEnVAYsNwcJ4sM1Quf8-oUz9EC8_UZA2YoeNZ_kvqO/s1600/holliday3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQrlIxVpw0JI-D6SCqW6qhp0h_Q3_RNlEbueCUzNK9pW5ifecJIADLUT5QJ5sRILIlecRu7OCjUZNbGcL8HAqLLG94OKa0GuTOXUTEnVAYsNwcJ4sM1Quf8-oUz9EC8_UZA2YoeNZ_kvqO/s1600/holliday3.JPG" height="139" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">We get a sneak peak at a Nike logo
on his shoe for some Free Advertising.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ6_5A8W6W0_czaaE_i0XDuEK8FkJ6gP8orMh5JrXgY2HQIbRs4W0QM-n4L_sW-WpW7mC-tZVwk4bcz7fcl7yCUTfcO-w5JiIOi_w3mEgYVKbrcPdde76FkFakz4pNz2TOSuH9oeQC_1m/s1600/holliday2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJ6_5A8W6W0_czaaE_i0XDuEK8FkJ6gP8orMh5JrXgY2HQIbRs4W0QM-n4L_sW-WpW7mC-tZVwk4bcz7fcl7yCUTfcO-w5JiIOi_w3mEgYVKbrcPdde76FkFakz4pNz2TOSuH9oeQC_1m/s1600/holliday2.JPG" height="176" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">The Cardinals wore alternate
jerseys for both games in the double header. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDMlkZv0CymPy0xu3pr3QJsNkmdumrIYSDEz15nJ0goTiF-jW-bHQ3wHzawl8RWVZmTCkioVXE0BCnIWDIIzRtMhkqn_Y_NWfn4YP6WdxDkQcK6LPcWhWXMsp322WLufLcpCqJXOAFeEg/s1600/holliday.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDMlkZv0CymPy0xu3pr3QJsNkmdumrIYSDEz15nJ0goTiF-jW-bHQ3wHzawl8RWVZmTCkioVXE0BCnIWDIIzRtMhkqn_Y_NWfn4YP6WdxDkQcK6LPcWhWXMsp322WLufLcpCqJXOAFeEg/s1600/holliday.JPG" height="320" width="308" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">And lastly, I don’t actually collect
cards of guys named Matt (my name), but I know some people collect cards of
people with their names. Holliday is the second player to join the Players
Named Matt niche.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">I see Bob Gibson peaking but he doesn’t get a cameo
appearance.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1LxjH_DcJRjVluwWzSnM82GOdpbWxBcwteAv8_34VrQg7rAKYEzciqbIi8vVRcRdqHlNBZo0CQP7_4bIcwfVsblWk2e4QAI37PeBEMu-fGk_7impPHs1VBj3QjvoJqYJL_bvYgCroL2g/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523329+Matt+Holliday+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1LxjH_DcJRjVluwWzSnM82GOdpbWxBcwteAv8_34VrQg7rAKYEzciqbIi8vVRcRdqHlNBZo0CQP7_4bIcwfVsblWk2e4QAI37PeBEMu-fGk_7impPHs1VBj3QjvoJqYJL_bvYgCroL2g/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523329+Matt+Holliday+back.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Matt was the third Colorado Rockies rookie ever
to hit a grand slam, 6/12/2004.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did a quick search but aside from searching every rookie
from every season to see if they hit
grand slam, I couldn't find the other two. I did find a game recap where
Nolan Arenado hit one as a rookie last season. There was no mention in the
article that he was the first Rockies rookie to do it since…so and so did it.
Oh well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before I forget, tying this card to A-Rod’s card from
yesterday is the red text designating a league leader. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #329<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Matt
Holliday<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> St. Louis
Cardinals<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Outfield<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> June 1,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> San
Francisco Giants<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Busch
Stadium<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
8-0, Cardinals over the Giants, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 1/15/1980<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Dilip
Vishnawat<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: League Leader in Italics, Alternate Jersey,
Sunglasses, Free Advertising, Players Named Matt, Unnecessary Censorship<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I don’t
really hate the Cardinals, but I toe the company line when it comes to the
Cubs-Cardinals rivalry. Holliday, however, has been on my s-list since <b><a href="http://m.mlb.com/video/v17460093/chcstl-freese-ties-the-game-with-an-rbi-grounder">this
incident</a></b> a couple years back.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, this is pretty nice card. Despite the miscrop by
Topps, it hit several niches. I can’t justify giving it any lower than an A
aside from my bias.<o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-90636179837849494122014-03-21T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-21T12:00:00.955-04:00#168 Alex Rodriguez<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxBza2Vjz8TcTKCiPzoXiaOo2hHnqWevuyChtYpgGXuk47By7Qai2zPZKV1cuiqtOs5m-XISQ7gwYNN7XqL5XdhY2V9D6x0omajDZgJNRM0QJiJX_OZgVp6nYPUHmpWCv9el8qjBc-pli/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523168+Alex+Rodriguez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxBza2Vjz8TcTKCiPzoXiaOo2hHnqWevuyChtYpgGXuk47By7Qai2zPZKV1cuiqtOs5m-XISQ7gwYNN7XqL5XdhY2V9D6x0omajDZgJNRM0QJiJX_OZgVp6nYPUHmpWCv9el8qjBc-pli/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523168+Alex+Rodriguez.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#168 Alex Rodriguez</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Personal feeling about Alex Rodriguez aside, this card is…eh.
I’m tying it together with yesterday’s Oswaldo Arcia card through the fist
pumping celebration they showcase. But unlike Arcia's, Rodriguez’s card takes
place on the defensive side of the ball. He could have just made a play himself
or it could be one of those where the game just ended and everybody’s happy. He
could have found out he just “passed” another drug test. Without any context
from a wider angle shot, I have no clue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07Cp7FZ1U5X8Y82S5TR2eU6fNAEfzeK97NUu5MFTrxwFHzuUH5xM1WeTKBl5VTKvryck80oCA_hnqzcPxlxEkGjtArKROporQZ9qyIgLoaLQ1s1C2-B5YsPNk43mON-TrPJZ6I0NHA0_r/s1600/Alex+Rodriguez+177220842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07Cp7FZ1U5X8Y82S5TR2eU6fNAEfzeK97NUu5MFTrxwFHzuUH5xM1WeTKBl5VTKvryck80oCA_hnqzcPxlxEkGjtArKROporQZ9qyIgLoaLQ1s1C2-B5YsPNk43mON-TrPJZ6I0NHA0_r/s1600/Alex+Rodriguez+177220842.jpg" height="272" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 22: Alex Rodriguez
#13 of the New York Yankees reacts after throwing out Brett Lawrie #13 of the
Toronto Blue Jays to end the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium on August 22, 2013
in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Wow! We actually get the exact play from the caption. I thought this
was going to be an inconclusive photo with a generic caption. Topps did have
more room on the right to not crop out A-Rod’s arm but do we expect anything
less by now?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An inning ending ground out isn't something normally
celebrated like that so let’s check out the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA201308220.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>
and see if it was a close game or a clutch play.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtEAc3idATvF_oKLc_zQc0x7QTMGdhnFnJNQtV_L3Aehy6GhsPRA91YFZSkQH12CfPWR0IBgBBgbPSoGHRBOeFBwgu9fZbCd0qVaKaNDs85WrOaHqtC_4CyTElA_gggDLXrppgesn5mT9/s1600/rodriguez2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtEAc3idATvF_oKLc_zQc0x7QTMGdhnFnJNQtV_L3Aehy6GhsPRA91YFZSkQH12CfPWR0IBgBBgbPSoGHRBOeFBwgu9fZbCd0qVaKaNDs85WrOaHqtC_4CyTElA_gggDLXrppgesn5mT9/s1600/rodriguez2.JPG" height="80" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was still scoreless and only the fourth inning. Maybe
A-Rod really didn't have a lot to celebrate in his life so a ground ball is
that important.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkqziLRG-6ZYAR__TaSlgG1UM6ruVrxKKq0CbUKoyd4rfOuHw9HA5_uy8tQHljpTpVUjHfgdViwMbokxAarLTt_Vhfm-vJOk3OOCkuHKsux3lz-IIZvtU__2QadpLQfOhWN31D80GJPvb/s1600/rodriguez3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkqziLRG-6ZYAR__TaSlgG1UM6ruVrxKKq0CbUKoyd4rfOuHw9HA5_uy8tQHljpTpVUjHfgdViwMbokxAarLTt_Vhfm-vJOk3OOCkuHKsux3lz-IIZvtU__2QadpLQfOhWN31D80GJPvb/s1600/rodriguez3.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to the inning summary, the Blue Jays had a runner on
third and A-Rod’s 3B counterpart, Brett Lawrie hit the ball to weak third base.
I guess I can cut A-Rod some slack for celebrating a little because it was a
play that if he doesn't make, the Blue Jays get a run and still have a runner
at first.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here’s a plot twist for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaK_A8sXOTgdtm5A0deSJIZdoLkgZzgYHV0raecrbGQDJ8zF7pTdXZ_yyYl_EVpys7Obxge1FbE8vqkq51Usm6_BGZMbGUi459a_MZVCpevhV9yIjUHjOogPomjFJ4_dEtncfY_ElPjpib/s1600/rodriguez4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaK_A8sXOTgdtm5A0deSJIZdoLkgZzgYHV0raecrbGQDJ8zF7pTdXZ_yyYl_EVpys7Obxge1FbE8vqkq51Usm6_BGZMbGUi459a_MZVCpevhV9yIjUHjOogPomjFJ4_dEtncfY_ElPjpib/s1600/rodriguez4.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I’m interpreting the inning summary correctly, in the
bottom half of the inning, A-Rod hits a ball that deflects off the pitcher to
Lawrie, who proceeds to throw A-Rod out at first. Without seeing videos of
either play, it kind of sounds like Lawrie one-upped him for a little karmic
payback. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s not much going on in the photo to qualify many other
niches. As classic as the Yankees pinstripes are, we don’t get to see anything else on
the uniform that make some of the other cards so interesting. Even A-Rod’s arm bands are logo-less, from this angle at least. We
do get to see that his glove preference is Rawlings with a small logo peeking
out.<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTeSPxFqPQUpA419ftE7IRBlP5kukkLn8hVXjOOtEe4v93u19I7upk-MBS849PeneoTWkRt8e_MwS1tmSd1_PtOsqKVJK3ScI0K-WHLp5Y8x-fyxpv3hoDQdcxCKMJUmbnXj5yKZIFSgo/s1600/rodriguez.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTeSPxFqPQUpA419ftE7IRBlP5kukkLn8hVXjOOtEe4v93u19I7upk-MBS849PeneoTWkRt8e_MwS1tmSd1_PtOsqKVJK3ScI0K-WHLp5Y8x-fyxpv3hoDQdcxCKMJUmbnXj5yKZIFSgo/s1600/rodriguez.JPG" height="200" width="171" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHyaUjZ7mpfytAoeFlbqxn7tdN86bMxjhPbYSsy8nF2GvbrdEsbNEEOM59wXG-lfOrZ98VP_xFYldFxxlCHCuead1IKw1ARkZFrrbbsgl-AOIfkDnraclr2Cusm98EtlcfldWWFJJIbTT/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523168+Alex+Rodriguez+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHyaUjZ7mpfytAoeFlbqxn7tdN86bMxjhPbYSsy8nF2GvbrdEsbNEEOM59wXG-lfOrZ98VP_xFYldFxxlCHCuead1IKw1ARkZFrrbbsgl-AOIfkDnraclr2Cusm98EtlcfldWWFJJIbTT/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523168+Alex+Rodriguez+back.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Alex was just the third 18-year-old since 1900 to
debut as a shortstop.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I found a <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Youngest_leagues.shtml">list of
the youngest player in the league</a></b> for each year, but it didn't list it
by position. And there could be an 18-year-old shortstop that wasn't the
youngest in the league so I’m not sure how helpful that is. I’m pretty sure
Robin Yount is one of the other two guys, but I’m a little too lazy to look any
further. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With A-Rod’s tenure, there's no room for a blurb. We get a
lot of red text which is usually pretty good. Unfortunately, most of it should
probably have an asterix. And in the words of Forrest Gump, “that’s all I have
to say about that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #168<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Alex
Rodriguez<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> New York
Yankees<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Third
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
22, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Toronto
Blue Jays<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Yankee
Stadium<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League East<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
5-3, Yankees over the Blue Jays, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 7/27/1975<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> New
York<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Jim
McIsaac<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Celebration, League Leader in Italics, Former 1<sup>st</sup>
Round Draft Pick<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>Even admitting
a slight bias against Alex Rodriguez, I’m not sure I can justify giving more
than a B- to this card. Nothing about it excites me. The photo is pretty good,
capturing what was probably a fairly quick fist pump after a bang bang play.
But the crop isn’t great. The back is full of gaudy stats but I don’t think I have
to explain why that’s not impressive either. Meh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-19557109009220101722014-03-20T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-20T15:02:15.489-04:00#88 Oswaldo Arcia<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not sure what happened to yesterday’s post but here it
is. I like to blame Blogger, but I think this one was my fault as I went in to
make a quick edit and didn’t republish it. Oh well. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhwYuYvu0_61wk1ckbWlDZ1FZpKOPwoMgFEyX-7QwOCLGGTDiUke1NwziaSV2uVxPRY2_57GNnDUOvl5nHKtRkryxm-wU1a6QQ-l_Okv-ebbhA13nLl0ZDC9Tp4-pC6HKjUCd8wDZvko0/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523088+Oswaldo+Arcia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhwYuYvu0_61wk1ckbWlDZ1FZpKOPwoMgFEyX-7QwOCLGGTDiUke1NwziaSV2uVxPRY2_57GNnDUOvl5nHKtRkryxm-wU1a6QQ-l_Okv-ebbhA13nLl0ZDC9Tp4-pC6HKjUCd8wDZvko0/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523088+Oswaldo+Arcia.jpg" height="400" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#88 Oswaldo Arcia</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>It looks like Oswaldo Arcia has just hit a home run and is
coming around second base. I might even go so far as to suggest it might be a
walk-off the way he is celebrating. Although as someone who didn’t break 100
pounds until my junior year of high school and was your typical small, leadoff
lefty that might bunt for a base hit, if I <i>ever</i>
hit a home run, it would be celebrated like that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all I know, it could just be a “regular” walk-off hit or
something else worth celebrating. Maybe Arcia isn’t a very good runner and just
<b><i>really</i></b>
needs some oxygen. But I digress. Let’s
stop the speculating and see what really happened. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSPxfQPrpu0Y3yoZT6LCP0TW_Z891DQaim78ZQuHAYSWItTN_K8U2C-e1JvHGuipN3df8MVBYlvfpxiku17s9Wo0xeIf08tGmkUlRc9mDN3cRkwOIdbc6Ihey0NUydouet892-T-iaCGg/s1600/Oswaldo+Arcia+175742199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSPxfQPrpu0Y3yoZT6LCP0TW_Z891DQaim78ZQuHAYSWItTN_K8U2C-e1JvHGuipN3df8MVBYlvfpxiku17s9Wo0xeIf08tGmkUlRc9mDN3cRkwOIdbc6Ihey0NUydouet892-T-iaCGg/s1600/Oswaldo+Arcia+175742199.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 4: Oswaldo Arcia
#31 of the Minnesota Twins rounds the bases after hitting a home run against
the Houston Astros during the game on August 4, 2013 at Target Field in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) </span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Ok, so it was a home run. But no mention of a walk-off or even the
final score. The umpire in the background looks like he is signaling an out and
if I hadn't read the caption, I could have speculated that Arcia was robbed on the play and that was his
“I can’t believe that just happened” face. But realistically, the umpire is
probably making the circular motion to signify the home run.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let’s check out the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN201308040.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"> </span><span class="MsoHyperlink">and see what
was worth celebrating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_IW8ZjUhqKUfXN9XQx3u8Ut4PiRI0h82uB3SKFgB4D1yHsszGBUEqDJ8xLEiudKETURxDPp7QM77qz_8NziOLmWJMHvBOXcsCbP5_KEycqULQwsJy8nEUtfskJtE7a-jtUD1twcCMCb1/s1600/arcia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_IW8ZjUhqKUfXN9XQx3u8Ut4PiRI0h82uB3SKFgB4D1yHsszGBUEqDJ8xLEiudKETURxDPp7QM77qz_8NziOLmWJMHvBOXcsCbP5_KEycqULQwsJy8nEUtfskJtE7a-jtUD1twcCMCb1/s1600/arcia.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">If it was one of the two early runs, the celebrating
might be excessive. If it was the tie breaker in the 7<sup>th</sup>, that’s
more acceptable. The win probability goes up significantly that late in the
game, even with just one run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINeWU6euXa3L0cIv2mEiwt55a5kBBUst1DN7-SUbfqotG79K1MLSvHWvkAFEjAm9V-CJ0owfvsCPLZbtYCEvAvClupkRGsu9ApwX5GQEIQpdaI76cgWlqqI4PHgNvk99WpKcfr2Q_2sdC/s1600/arcia3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINeWU6euXa3L0cIv2mEiwt55a5kBBUst1DN7-SUbfqotG79K1MLSvHWvkAFEjAm9V-CJ0owfvsCPLZbtYCEvAvClupkRGsu9ApwX5GQEIQpdaI76cgWlqqI4PHgNvk99WpKcfr2Q_2sdC/s1600/arcia3.JPG" height="76" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">So it was in the bottom of the 7<sup>th</sup>, giving the
visiting Astros just 6 more outs to come back. And if you know the Astros,
that’s not likely to happen any more than if it was my Cubbies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3afuW-instYN8Fj54Ov6wqziEGnAeQNTqmXe-E9yePzmNkoftDZYKRCHIV22bl42ApISYcTEx3KuAoRJS-0_0fmqblPDWNc7hNCxTSPO_QmZj9uZhqCaVdMu94FSu89fSflwDPP-SCip/s1600/arcia4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3afuW-instYN8Fj54Ov6wqziEGnAeQNTqmXe-E9yePzmNkoftDZYKRCHIV22bl42ApISYcTEx3KuAoRJS-0_0fmqblPDWNc7hNCxTSPO_QmZj9uZhqCaVdMu94FSu89fSflwDPP-SCip/s1600/arcia4.JPG" height="67" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">The home run was the top play of the game, changing the
probability by a game high 21%.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">Tying this card to yesterday’s is the Twins’ use of their
alternate jersey for this game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3U93ISJOxLG0DBRiZvah0Vl-SqENbroYRAMXGMiLeqo2o-otrnO5KDrfItatSDQ6rwLTOsli2eNBaji_IItlG4kgodebaBXIZ8zLX3zWN7nlEeCSP9ycVzK7dTCQVY_MMm2Tmdoahmc_/s1600/arcia5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3U93ISJOxLG0DBRiZvah0Vl-SqENbroYRAMXGMiLeqo2o-otrnO5KDrfItatSDQ6rwLTOsli2eNBaji_IItlG4kgodebaBXIZ8zLX3zWN7nlEeCSP9ycVzK7dTCQVY_MMm2Tmdoahmc_/s1600/arcia5.JPG" height="320" width="303" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="MsoHyperlink">I think I spy an Under Armour logo on Arcia’s batting glove but it’s too inconclusive to give
credit.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK2lhlrSHVT7Sh7dpWmCqtYQr71PqgUdf5l-dNTNTwl_FLNPw5HjS5ZbE8Cv0gq2P94wGV0gmXv2K9dlhoBKYcWE6YOKlDK1zRdfmBer2Z0YIdQEm7AVD0a_pHZKcXMVkfBjh9uGWyh-z/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523088+Oswaldo+Arcia+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK2lhlrSHVT7Sh7dpWmCqtYQr71PqgUdf5l-dNTNTwl_FLNPw5HjS5ZbE8Cv0gq2P94wGV0gmXv2K9dlhoBKYcWE6YOKlDK1zRdfmBer2Z0YIdQEm7AVD0a_pHZKcXMVkfBjh9uGWyh-z/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523088+Oswaldo+Arcia+back.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Oswaldo was the 1<sup>st</sup> under-22 Twins
player since Francisco Liriano in 2005.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought I remembered Joe Mauer being younger but when I
looked him up, he apparently started before that. Where the time gone that Joe
Mauer is 10-year veteran!? And if I had just read ahead to the blurb, I would
have seen Mauer mentioned as playing in 2004.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn't think Arcia being in the 2013 set so I was a
little confused that this wasn't his rookie card. But then I remembered I never
finished the Update set and sure enough, he’s one of the handful I need. (And <i>that’s</i> a great looking card, too!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #88<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Oswaldo
Arcia<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Minnesota
Twins<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Outfield<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
4, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Houston
Astros<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Target
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
3-2, Twins over the Astros, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, Alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 5/9/1991<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Venezuela<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Hannah
Foslien<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Alternate Jersey, Partial Southpaw, Celebration<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>This is
another one of those cards that I want to like a lot even though it doesn’t
fall into very many niches. I didn’t even mention the close crop and even
though that’s starting to become so normal, don’t think I didn’t notice. That
said, I’m going to give this card a B+. Solid photo with a good story behind
it. Plus, it reminded me to finish the 2013 Update set, haha.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-64715456677928925502014-03-18T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-21T10:11:37.517-04:00#326 Khris Davis<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday I had <b><i>C</i></b>hris Davis. Not to be confused with
today’s <b><i>K</i></b>hris Davis.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCaZceVZdx0rzl4lB1Wg0r4btqXOAL8SUw-HnCRtA0dWfj304SbFwvTdoFtR97RvosJvp5IpUdBtAHIgVzI4YVEG2rJrQ35BtrN0CyBIJf2fdp0sJak5-x-FxpIfO83qKJwrCdeP5nxHX/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523326+Khris+Davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCaZceVZdx0rzl4lB1Wg0r4btqXOAL8SUw-HnCRtA0dWfj304SbFwvTdoFtR97RvosJvp5IpUdBtAHIgVzI4YVEG2rJrQ35BtrN0CyBIJf2fdp0sJak5-x-FxpIfO83qKJwrCdeP5nxHX/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523326+Khris+Davis.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#326 Khris Davis</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>We've got a nice action shot here, leaping at the wall to
stop a home run, or at least an extra base hit. The slightly too tight crop
will keep it from a no doubter A+, but let's see if we can't find enough to
make sure he gets an A. If he ended up making the catch, there's not much to
stop it. Normally I root against the NL Central rival Brewers, but I’m kind of
hoping this one does well. A great card is a great card.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04kpVziM7GmRd9f_Ygv1RWBjQPpq8Kk3oKQd7p49sF2GdLSCuXDI0OZGDzbe-Zd9aIu6taNx0G09GKD2SFuEjnjPftA5eSJPaJn5-I-4v5cRiUCrtEwigXDLzK-4TcvMaQphJwjT56fRf/s1600/Khris+Davis+175466130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj04kpVziM7GmRd9f_Ygv1RWBjQPpq8Kk3oKQd7p49sF2GdLSCuXDI0OZGDzbe-Zd9aIu6taNx0G09GKD2SFuEjnjPftA5eSJPaJn5-I-4v5cRiUCrtEwigXDLzK-4TcvMaQphJwjT56fRf/s1600/Khris+Davis+175466130.jpg" height="377" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">MILWAUKEE, WI - AUGUST 3: Khris Davis #18
of the Milwaukee Brewers makes a catch at the wall on a ball hit by Ryan
Zimmerman #11 of the Washington Nationals, as teammate Carlos Gomez #27 looks
on in the third inning at Miller Park on August 3, 2013 in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. (Photo by Tom Lynn/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
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<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Well, according to the caption, he made the catch. So I can stop
now, right? Nah. It was only the third inning, but we might as well look at the
<b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL201308030.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>
to see if it was a close game and potentially one of those “game changer”
moments early in the game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWslYrkXWLtPmBy73eCavZbTFTDO2m9o033XsXB5AsWiCOt7hyphenhyphenoK7klS61fSGlCux6kVXR9rYy66IySzPiBMOEwFo8R6TqDpbDoYW5ozw6eCDqPvIEoN8VYjaN5Pk7Q86HumFJKABmqc4g/s1600/kdavis2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWslYrkXWLtPmBy73eCavZbTFTDO2m9o033XsXB5AsWiCOt7hyphenhyphenoK7klS61fSGlCux6kVXR9rYy66IySzPiBMOEwFo8R6TqDpbDoYW5ozw6eCDqPvIEoN8VYjaN5Pk7Q86HumFJKABmqc4g/s1600/kdavis2.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
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Nope, but I’m sure Brewers starting pitcher Donovan Hand is
happy to keep his ERA a little lower, despite taking the loss.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUAKfod5x6sFs7kYklp_47q9TQ8sB2exiIwi4SNHzY9pkBoeXIbfU2YzuDVc0ZIcYYRniz_peVY_kMwbZpsTm7yrgNYAgcTj93SD-drPoc9-3fhW25WJVom8l_5tg6gY47yzp3S-V6fS-/s1600/kdavis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUAKfod5x6sFs7kYklp_47q9TQ8sB2exiIwi4SNHzY9pkBoeXIbfU2YzuDVc0ZIcYYRniz_peVY_kMwbZpsTm7yrgNYAgcTj93SD-drPoc9-3fhW25WJVom8l_5tg6gY47yzp3S-V6fS-/s1600/kdavis.JPG" height="62" width="400" /></a></div>
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The inning ending catch saved two runs.</div>
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The Brewers were at home and not wearing white, so it appears
Davis is wearing an alternate jersey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXUMl_8CbykfoewCH5QdqV_4jTD6JcjylaUWR3DUf9Z7pPSHI0J97bgsRiKpf0Jp-wwNfOSrIWkF5Ipb1KODqAoZpNbvF-EeeoPhYdQXgdwOueBwKH-nUftXDvpAQGQz2u7-s1NrpYDwe/s1600/kdavis3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXUMl_8CbykfoewCH5QdqV_4jTD6JcjylaUWR3DUf9Z7pPSHI0J97bgsRiKpf0Jp-wwNfOSrIWkF5Ipb1KODqAoZpNbvF-EeeoPhYdQXgdwOueBwKH-nUftXDvpAQGQz2u7-s1NrpYDwe/s1600/kdavis3.JPG" height="320" width="290" /></a></div>
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With this record though, they may want to try something different
this year.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOnY55gw0vVJu1AityNLkJ9kepfNdHhrymITflo5JL1JyHOyPwGGBhKSgZnekOA2yySkLXXPwVyCR5lKDDshJjHhnb-i7guYWmR2yPnGiQtvjH1gcgZSIJCvzGhExzr6lA8xU3yJkwpK/s1600/kdavis5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEOnY55gw0vVJu1AityNLkJ9kepfNdHhrymITflo5JL1JyHOyPwGGBhKSgZnekOA2yySkLXXPwVyCR5lKDDshJjHhnb-i7guYWmR2yPnGiQtvjH1gcgZSIJCvzGhExzr6lA8xU3yJkwpK/s1600/kdavis5.JPG" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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Davis also makes into some collections with Eye Black and
Sunglasses (on his hat). No niches for the expression, sorry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteLxVvQrem8huGdrr3PZGUF7GCj65OCipDIsbxQ3pvXRThPlxKEva88EU6WMSyQSiU0W32Wpe4DtfT3NPMcpQSobKkE4ltShutYAiYybQ658d6l5yj70TGhGiHtUtrwl4cAD62mfA4AVj/s1600/kdavis4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiteLxVvQrem8huGdrr3PZGUF7GCj65OCipDIsbxQ3pvXRThPlxKEva88EU6WMSyQSiU0W32Wpe4DtfT3NPMcpQSobKkE4ltShutYAiYybQ658d6l5yj70TGhGiHtUtrwl4cAD62mfA4AVj/s1600/kdavis4.JPG" height="195" width="200" /></a></div>
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Also not making the final cut were Cameos and Free Advertising.
Teammate Carlos Gomez and a pair of bullpen guys were cropped out of the
original picture. The same goes for the Gatorade jug and cups.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5yqlI29xTpKEEF53O5lDpvx05nYZA4NbaeMMLX3alpE9PMEShBbVW0VsHfAH3fYH-l4wQp8UebbpE-jDgrsUx3_ptVUttTTYJhuvhm5U-X509ZWlkAh9OQoHa051oqD5lPEdIKO8Qd7P/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523326+Khris+Davis+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5yqlI29xTpKEEF53O5lDpvx05nYZA4NbaeMMLX3alpE9PMEShBbVW0VsHfAH3fYH-l4wQp8UebbpE-jDgrsUx3_ptVUttTTYJhuvhm5U-X509ZWlkAh9OQoHa051oqD5lPEdIKO8Qd7P/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523326+Khris+Davis+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Rookie Fact: Milwaukee went 18-14 in Khris’ starts, but
56-74 otherwise.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m not real impressed with this back. No real individual
statistic, although it’s always good to help your team. And actually, the
Brewers were 30-26 with him in the lineup, so it wasn’t just his ability to
start. According to Baseball-Reference, Davis had 6 “go-ahead” hits when the
game was either tied or the Brewers were behind. That seems pretty good for a
rookie. To have the confidence of your manager to hit in that situation and then actually come
through. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #326<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Khris
Davis<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Milwaukee
Brewers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Outfield<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> August
3, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> Washington
Nationals<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Stadium:</b> Miller
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
3-0, Nationals over the Brewers, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback Jersey:
</b>Yes, alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthdate:</b> 12/21/1987<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> California<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Photographer: </b>Tom
Lynn<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Alternate Jersey, Eye Black, Sunglasses<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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<b>My Grade: </b>I can
comfortably give this card an A. Those extra niches may have even helped it
overcome the cropping for an A+, but unfortunately not the lackluster backside.
The front has to carry a lot of weight and luckily, it does.<o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-19802504466998448912014-03-17T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-17T17:21:53.296-04:00#47 Baseball Highlights - Chris DavisThere are three active players in Series One alone that were born on St. Patrick's day, but only one that I could tie to the last card I did (Paul Goldschmidt) to keep the streak alive.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAqgDe5ssicy7NsQgkLvZTc1qHa6onKB8x9nn7WrXdYIS5EvxnJvkn_WAAgMmkk5kJkeuqyB2aELcZvHr8_12hl3glUdk5uMrmuladLuA8CMlYZbx02x7ROCVL1vsIg6j4cGQRBbjvCp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523047+Baseball+Highlights+Chris+Davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAqgDe5ssicy7NsQgkLvZTc1qHa6onKB8x9nn7WrXdYIS5EvxnJvkn_WAAgMmkk5kJkeuqyB2aELcZvHr8_12hl3glUdk5uMrmuladLuA8CMlYZbx02x7ROCVL1vsIg6j4cGQRBbjvCp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523047+Baseball+Highlights+Chris+Davis.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#47 Baseball Highlights - Chris Davis</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>There are five cards in this sub-series of Baseball Highlights, all of which are are horizontally oriented.If not for the long caption telling us what the highlight was, there really isn't a need for this photo to be used horizontally. <o:p></o:p>And I say that as an admitted fan of horizontal cards. It seems to match up with the theme of the card though, as it looks like Chris Davis has hit one of his pre-All-Star break home runs. There's just too much dead space on either side of him.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4DrEqndZtdxpz5PrH3o3y1Vy8QvXUc-ZDTPC0UzysgtxcxHdZgPYfBs6FM6G7kmkgL7DCSboqFSB-Nz4pCyVm5IqVmFsv5ea3Ljhj4RTqbuJ6vCw2qkyff72NuOlBWiLJQzQZkux8OoF/s1600/Chris+Davis+176770672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4DrEqndZtdxpz5PrH3o3y1Vy8QvXUc-ZDTPC0UzysgtxcxHdZgPYfBs6FM6G7kmkgL7DCSboqFSB-Nz4pCyVm5IqVmFsv5ea3Ljhj4RTqbuJ6vCw2qkyff72NuOlBWiLJQzQZkux8OoF/s1600/Chris+Davis+176770672.jpg" height="318" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Baltimore Orioles' Chris Davis (19) hits a 2-run homer against the Colorado Rockies at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Orioles won, 7-2. (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun/MCT via Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> This is the first caption I've had so far that didn't give me the actual date of the game. Luckily, it was an interleague game against the Colorado Rockies and not a divisional matchup. With a score, that should make it easier to find which game of the series it was.<br />
<br />
The Rockies came to town for a three game series from August 16th-18th. The 7-2 game was played on the 18th. Last time I checked, that was <i>after</i> the All-Star Break. So not only is the photo a bad selection for a horizontal card, it doesn't even depict any part of the highlight it is representing! Not good, Topps. Not good.<br />
<br />
Let's take a look at the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL201308180.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b> anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbdMjrTyadDYwtfmgZMJggtzm7ZKdvDNz2CM-Xof8AhnDwOQbOxuYFX1p2A_RVM_jrAoHhchwo4sxGLuce5BVwqWl3Enui9jkY_kqcD0W_vkfQPD-wRs7nkukeco78kArf5ekIKg15DuZ/s1600/davis2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbdMjrTyadDYwtfmgZMJggtzm7ZKdvDNz2CM-Xof8AhnDwOQbOxuYFX1p2A_RVM_jrAoHhchwo4sxGLuce5BVwqWl3Enui9jkY_kqcD0W_vkfQPD-wRs7nkukeco78kArf5ekIKg15DuZ/s1600/davis2.JPG" height="77" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
As we knew, the Orioles won 7-2, but let's see how Chris did. His two-run homer could have come in the third, seventh or eighth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UAeSXGA0VorFeRssT56-MKxILPn6-M3iQU63IvcFJlhaCsoHpkzkJKWA80xlYZOlnT_WC3LOTtXyppt3ucZF1pcYhA1LpXRmQDfjM7heRL0A9FEX8pmT2DUp8Mf1sPivezrrfhdVpUMT/s1600/davis3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UAeSXGA0VorFeRssT56-MKxILPn6-M3iQU63IvcFJlhaCsoHpkzkJKWA80xlYZOlnT_WC3LOTtXyppt3ucZF1pcYhA1LpXRmQDfjM7heRL0A9FEX8pmT2DUp8Mf1sPivezrrfhdVpUMT/s1600/davis3.JPG" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not a bad day at the plate, but that's kind of expected when you put up season long numbers by the All-Star Break. In fact, I'm happy if <i>any</i> of the Cubs hit <i>either</i> of those marks by the end of a season.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoh26bXNxqxwR7PLEsjrraAbt2FeY8JhswdIoj4mfvzkLQ4vtDi3HOxzRPalamtrGqbuIaHcdlLAW68pyOMrn8E8Y_wUcEUts4Zr4wnF_6cljrXJftDhSDivSQu6axmPKWxc1rNwByD9q/s1600/davis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoh26bXNxqxwR7PLEsjrraAbt2FeY8JhswdIoj4mfvzkLQ4vtDi3HOxzRPalamtrGqbuIaHcdlLAW68pyOMrn8E8Y_wUcEUts4Zr4wnF_6cljrXJftDhSDivSQu6axmPKWxc1rNwByD9q/s1600/davis.JPG" height="72" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Davis' home run came in the bottom of the 8th inning though and only added 2% to the Orioles win probability. Mainly because they were already at 97% with a 5-2 lead in the 8th.<br />
<br />
We do get some eye black, something we haven't seen much of yet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepJw44IFvKWmCBJN_Ece89rsf-idCjUUpYcNuN54om5S_8xFITO9YnFuGMaMpv8A7yy3phbplZqhl7n3oDKlFIyKtkiUMpHaj1Z4rhNSh-oFmmYA6qpjTBlniVb7e7ZnYbL6WYELtoaQh/s1600/davis4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjepJw44IFvKWmCBJN_Ece89rsf-idCjUUpYcNuN54om5S_8xFITO9YnFuGMaMpv8A7yy3phbplZqhl7n3oDKlFIyKtkiUMpHaj1Z4rhNSh-oFmmYA6qpjTBlniVb7e7ZnYbL6WYELtoaQh/s1600/davis4.JPG" height="200" width="175" /></a></div>
<br />
And Nike squeezes in yet another appearance with a swoosh on Davis' batting glove.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3HAxq2v2Go9wUC3qV0ezOvwp-iax6qY432ZmJ5mhcoYLyj3CERxPhXKf3usmUaRBz46EY-ABFAKt8K7iakWTdvhPSItFUZjjIMnebtVhESdy7wnftYYrKXU2_-C236Wf6o5drtN9hBY6/s1600/davis5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs3HAxq2v2Go9wUC3qV0ezOvwp-iax6qY432ZmJ5mhcoYLyj3CERxPhXKf3usmUaRBz46EY-ABFAKt8K7iakWTdvhPSItFUZjjIMnebtVhESdy7wnftYYrKXU2_-C236Wf6o5drtN9hBY6/s1600/davis5.JPG" height="177" width="200" /></a></div>
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We also get to see a glimpse of the Earl Weaver tribute patch.</div>
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Baltimore Orioles legend, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Weaver"><b>Earl Weaver</b></a> passed away before the season started and the Orioles wore this patch on their sleeve throughout the season.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI6emoI8Bw0meC6x54UX4j6ixCGSPc3p-gZh9_-WYUo-eVr874uMh7bKHwFCk9UDOFOM1NN-WChLQ-yOyaQ8h_H6t6Q2SYAn1sJvaX40mWr21pQlskL3Owj7Dpx9TVfs62cMVeCqBjQ2o/s1600/bal-earlpatch-20130222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCI6emoI8Bw0meC6x54UX4j6ixCGSPc3p-gZh9_-WYUo-eVr874uMh7bKHwFCk9UDOFOM1NN-WChLQ-yOyaQ8h_H6t6Q2SYAn1sJvaX40mWr21pQlskL3Owj7Dpx9TVfs62cMVeCqBjQ2o/s1600/bal-earlpatch-20130222.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C7xku7n30N3vcbuCEZoiHXxN5f6Ss1vYtiHz_n9xq3wOoLYFA34onwbFKT_GEfqMzLDLC8J_rugbA7qfWmFUHgyoptMxaYJigd9Q5vDJwvEUWRSEE4EnbT6Qd2bVTeoCvsbqJ7orV-om/s1600/2014+Topps+%23047+Baseball+Highlights+Chris+Davis+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C7xku7n30N3vcbuCEZoiHXxN5f6Ss1vYtiHz_n9xq3wOoLYFA34onwbFKT_GEfqMzLDLC8J_rugbA7qfWmFUHgyoptMxaYJigd9Q5vDJwvEUWRSEE4EnbT6Qd2bVTeoCvsbqJ7orV-om/s1600/2014+Topps+%23047+Baseball+Highlights+Chris+Davis+back.jpg" height="225" width="320" /></a></div>
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Well, there's not much to say about the back. There's no Rookie Fact to break down, or blurb or statistics. Chris Davis was left out of having a base card in Series One, but does appear on two League Leaders cards. I guess the back breakdown will be saved for a Series Two card later this year!<br />
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I will say, before I forget, that the small connection I made between this card and Paul Goldschmidt's is hidden here on the back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj763P35yginq_3jYPlbKtG6SOdbYvS7OlvJ-2uQ6IikI768o2iyMNGVsvah8dKDaPCFJR9OeYGlriJ9kDcjBpkGs2L6Tbr1OevpJI878RP1x9YhCLo2EVvCYxPREUmDyqXFV5b6hVhpZ7S/s1600/davis7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj763P35yginq_3jYPlbKtG6SOdbYvS7OlvJ-2uQ6IikI768o2iyMNGVsvah8dKDaPCFJR9OeYGlriJ9kDcjBpkGs2L6Tbr1OevpJI878RP1x9YhCLo2EVvCYxPREUmDyqXFV5b6hVhpZ7S/s1600/davis7.JPG" height="110" width="320" /></a></div>
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See, there's Goldschmidt's card listed as part of the checklist. Small connection just to get Chris Davis posted on his birthday, but it's there! The other two players I mentioned at the very beginning of the post with birthdays today and in Series One are Milwaukee's Jean Segura (#215) and the Mets' Juan Lagares (#304)</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #47<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Player Name:</b> Baseball Highlights - Chris Davis<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Team:</b> Baltimore Orioles<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Position:</b> First
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Game Date:</b> August 18, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> Colorado Rockies<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Stadium:</b> Oriole Park at Camden Yards<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Division: </b>American League East<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-2, Orioles over the Rockies, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback Jersey:
</b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthdate:</b> 3/17/1986<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> Texas<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Photographer: </b>Baltimore Sun<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Eye Black, Commemorative Patch, Free Advertising, Horiztonal, Checklist, Baseball Highlights, Partial Southpaw<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Grade: </b>This is a card that for all intents and purposes I should like. It hits a bunch of niche collections, is horizontal, the highlight is impressive. The photo itself isn't bad, but its use here is puzzling. If Topps wanted a horizontally oriented subset, they should have selected a better photo. And one that actually happened during the time frame of the highlight. This one gets my first D. Too many niches to actually fail it. As I usually do for low graded cards, here are a few suitable alternatives.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByntvw_s-q6TQpxFL51p9XHSr5ybEswIjxHvPV_jmkYaUHlqoeuSe0kGRU7tON4lBXVLke1D6nIi7dyZb4sq_be2Gx7OnALyHqWrQIEXFRymqq3lpQlVgQgs5jMF-ahFmkZt2gmZlOKao/s1600/162359127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByntvw_s-q6TQpxFL51p9XHSr5ybEswIjxHvPV_jmkYaUHlqoeuSe0kGRU7tON4lBXVLke1D6nIi7dyZb4sq_be2Gx7OnALyHqWrQIEXFRymqq3lpQlVgQgs5jMF-ahFmkZt2gmZlOKao/s1600/162359127.jpg" height="400" width="278" /></a></div>
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Ok, maybe not this test shot from photo day, but I thought it was too glorious not to share.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns9m2wID4Gd0E7x0VEkkHn1kQROuAeCGEd2ZIq7i97J3PLA2PGJ5cOKndLkl7r0am0meOmRfgdG9DAJz3j2gPf97XNpP4Z_5blDpDBte_Yq9H7IsSktFTgXEuuDFxJWNTlxxfvZMWdcLe/s1600/165732725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjns9m2wID4Gd0E7x0VEkkHn1kQROuAeCGEd2ZIq7i97J3PLA2PGJ5cOKndLkl7r0am0meOmRfgdG9DAJz3j2gPf97XNpP4Z_5blDpDBte_Yq9H7IsSktFTgXEuuDFxJWNTlxxfvZMWdcLe/s1600/165732725.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Home opener grand slam celebration? That'll do.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPD4r290Peh30J38J592msNlvHs7BeGHD3U5t15unltGq_152vjFug07QrFm22JVbYAeNVI9jjfCM_Jb95BnBSSYK-M0Fr61EMVKM83enqMaKHlTz7piY-uUWwuGSwnMtD-lye-_yHM0F/s1600/169365615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPD4r290Peh30J38J592msNlvHs7BeGHD3U5t15unltGq_152vjFug07QrFm22JVbYAeNVI9jjfCM_Jb95BnBSSYK-M0Fr61EMVKM83enqMaKHlTz7piY-uUWwuGSwnMtD-lye-_yHM0F/s1600/169365615.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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This picture may be a little generic, but I think it represents both home runs and RBIs pretty well (the theme of the card) and is better suited for a horizontal card than the one Topps chose.</div>
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Better luck in Series 2 with your base card, Chris, and Happy Birthday!</div>
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Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-49809999502759829212014-03-15T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-15T13:40:45.119-04:00#15 Paul Goldschmidt<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tkHjTuichSLFjfFL9VNTc6XyAWJ6OInRczA_FrLuhzgkIFoYFRjrzKA2mJcZOtZkUCQ3yuPt0A8Lu0brSA0YdrsfuQj1pO4fnrhOPPgtgUecyLNSZIAc9zy2hxV9NxjyWYsxJGXDg8tJ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523015+Paul+Goldschmidt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6tkHjTuichSLFjfFL9VNTc6XyAWJ6OInRczA_FrLuhzgkIFoYFRjrzKA2mJcZOtZkUCQ3yuPt0A8Lu0brSA0YdrsfuQj1pO4fnrhOPPgtgUecyLNSZIAc9zy2hxV9NxjyWYsxJGXDg8tJ/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523015+Paul+Goldschmidt.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#15 Paul Goldschmidt</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>It looks like Paul Goldschmidt definitely just hit a bomb, but it’s hard
to tell from his reaction whether it cleared the fence or is going to end up in
the outfielder's glove. It may look like a simple follow through, but I agree
with whoever collects the cards with nameplates and/or the jersey number from
the player’s back. This one is pretty cool looking. And not to mention, it is a
heck of an accomplishment by the photographer to capture it mid-action when you have a long
name like Goldschmidt.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIEAY7tDyH8g1iH06Lg0rOPsdtSGXbfRx-7_YTOqSBJvH_cRQQ9cIo7PWUVkALN-wMKhTfnEwG7J1EuQ01JmaxklfyAuma6fjIz8G2ESgd7AfYDYPdcyn79V69jR6fkuUbS38dAcPLNxQ/s1600/Paul+Goldschmidt+168315027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIEAY7tDyH8g1iH06Lg0rOPsdtSGXbfRx-7_YTOqSBJvH_cRQQ9cIo7PWUVkALN-wMKhTfnEwG7J1EuQ01JmaxklfyAuma6fjIz8G2ESgd7AfYDYPdcyn79V69jR6fkuUbS38dAcPLNxQ/s1600/Paul+Goldschmidt+168315027.jpg" height="400" width="272" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 03: Paul Goldschmidt
#44 of the Arizona Diamondbacks plays during a baseball game against the San
Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 3, 2013 in San Diego, California. (Photo by
Denis Poroy/Getty Images) </span></blockquote>
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<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Hmmm, another game at Petco Park. Between the Padres and Rockies,
they seem to be involved in a lot of the cards I’ve featured so far. But before
you think the Padres are what link yesterday's card to today's, I had no idea the
Padres were the opponent when I selected it. So stayed tuned for the
connection. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You know what? I was so impressed with the nameplate thing,
I didn’t even really notice the tight cropping on the photo for the card. I
don’t even mind that the right arm is missing as much as I could have used a
little bit more space to the left of the bat. Nitpicky, I know. Especially when
I’ve already praised the photo used.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s no clarification as to whether this was a home run
or even the outcome of the game, so let’s go to the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN201305030.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxQuyjFMP0wiFQhj1WQcOOh7mUUG236wHJ5hYHHIo0pzqgYBzaKQmEpXTXyVz-Kl9SU_CQojOFV4dY_b4BS94QE08J0UzmxFBWcnZnPWxD8DCw9uab1Kb6evZ5X1cE75-Fc9g0rpQMKga/s1600/goldschmidt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxQuyjFMP0wiFQhj1WQcOOh7mUUG236wHJ5hYHHIo0pzqgYBzaKQmEpXTXyVz-Kl9SU_CQojOFV4dY_b4BS94QE08J0UzmxFBWcnZnPWxD8DCw9uab1Kb6evZ5X1cE75-Fc9g0rpQMKga/s1600/goldschmidt.JPG" height="68" width="400" /></a></div>
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Looks like the Padres held off a late rally by the
Diamondbacks. Let’s see if Goldschmidt tried to play the one man hero like
Everth Cabrera did yesterday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZPYUsvJ7Yn6o5RnBQVm3dJsF5JUtyoAE0bGjrv-k6lPis20k00TkSMKcmn-XB3JxRoNkyhOtsQbImn0U5z1DqfVYog1OhY-O8pKK4_raHuO0GjAIMoF_IYs2rsNloey0waX6h4FsYXcO/s1600/goldschmidt6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKZPYUsvJ7Yn6o5RnBQVm3dJsF5JUtyoAE0bGjrv-k6lPis20k00TkSMKcmn-XB3JxRoNkyhOtsQbImn0U5z1DqfVYog1OhY-O8pKK4_raHuO0GjAIMoF_IYs2rsNloey0waX6h4FsYXcO/s1600/goldschmidt6.JPG" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
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Eh. No RBI’s or runs, so this photo wasn’t of a home run
like I originally thought. So it’s either his “regular” hit or his out, as its
unlikely with his eye line that it’s a foul ball during one of his walks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1w45552gqSyMIKYzRrfslx7NCuC0pb7_-yI3dKHjzhXqVPHOkeovefdEcJ2gHfdymZu0hgeuo3xXlCkaLBjAHU1TVGFRiTeasntLDHQlLLF7ldvYiZYjEND3C9dAzWus8xglGD_3e2dM/s1600/goldschmidt3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1w45552gqSyMIKYzRrfslx7NCuC0pb7_-yI3dKHjzhXqVPHOkeovefdEcJ2gHfdymZu0hgeuo3xXlCkaLBjAHU1TVGFRiTeasntLDHQlLLF7ldvYiZYjEND3C9dAzWus8xglGD_3e2dM/s1600/goldschmidt3.JPG" height="83" width="400" /></a></div>
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He walked in the first, stole second base but was stranded
there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaC3sFopwUJzwZqfC0aBEEtn2Is1uwxApoIGPIhn85-YbtoRyeY-HDAZ2ZQGy041rrAqOi5QAUV41HE7Qep2rf-L0nvV3NOFAF3MCZ-HHxPmdWWXx2hglqEXdGXUftejQMAyHfrdKVF2Np/s1600/goldschmidt2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaC3sFopwUJzwZqfC0aBEEtn2Is1uwxApoIGPIhn85-YbtoRyeY-HDAZ2ZQGy041rrAqOi5QAUV41HE7Qep2rf-L0nvV3NOFAF3MCZ-HHxPmdWWXx2hglqEXdGXUftejQMAyHfrdKVF2Np/s1600/goldschmidt2.JPG" height="37" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ouch. In third, he hit a bloop to right field that was
caught and then Martin Prado was doubled off first. That doesn’t look like the
eye line of a bloop. Or to right field. Hope that’s not it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He walked again in the fifth only to get caught in an inning
ending double play by the next batter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJEYA-nLfq-hjad7Z2Q0G4CiBoExQHL574Dd1b5iOgJ6whg0yaWCE6GaMWjgxmaLMnpSulIxZHkhlL0T74l1_roC4Q42lcEdoa-3ZHSdkWI3iqhGbX0o6c3mLjcuf-WgfP3b4QxjQsLlt/s1600/goldschmidt4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJEYA-nLfq-hjad7Z2Q0G4CiBoExQHL574Dd1b5iOgJ6whg0yaWCE6GaMWjgxmaLMnpSulIxZHkhlL0T74l1_roC4Q42lcEdoa-3ZHSdkWI3iqhGbX0o6c3mLjcuf-WgfP3b4QxjQsLlt/s1600/goldschmidt4.JPG" height="86" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally in the 8<sup>th</sup> inning, Goldschmidt singled
with a line drive to center field. It is still doesn’t look like the eye line
of a single, but it definitely looks like a center field shot. Guess it wasn’t
definitely a bomb like I declared earlier. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2RL1NdT2CjLMwnsQ5zAQxw9PDMYaIUhgtRwjyuE6bjqZp9PjtssToiJ29HLkKy-5DQlBeeKu2NVjdxTujHwd1aHk0c4TT7mbLOC9ZdRha8bGRAjdc8umDvCETuy6Ibi9x8gXmfhJM7tC/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523015+Paul+Goldschmidt+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2RL1NdT2CjLMwnsQ5zAQxw9PDMYaIUhgtRwjyuE6bjqZp9PjtssToiJ29HLkKy-5DQlBeeKu2NVjdxTujHwd1aHk0c4TT7mbLOC9ZdRha8bGRAjdc8umDvCETuy6Ibi9x8gXmfhJM7tC/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523015+Paul+Goldschmidt+back.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Paul’s late tie-breaking triple on 9/23/11
clinched the NL West Division.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On one hand, that’s kind of cool, especially for a rookie.
There was probably some champagne flowing the locker room and everybody was
having a good time. On the other, here are the standings before the game:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildLQSLsNgSxWhiqWoLv138QNvyUHPz6LcdAHw98rY5rnwo-oZz_5l_KlfXVCqERRtS-2lh-xiiUwV3r_eUQoGsjEpreDf1eCYpKNPAT9OOEY_w6bhajsPdEmqWdGVygOsBFQETAjOmO9I/s1600/goldschmidt5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildLQSLsNgSxWhiqWoLv138QNvyUHPz6LcdAHw98rY5rnwo-oZz_5l_KlfXVCqERRtS-2lh-xiiUwV3r_eUQoGsjEpreDf1eCYpKNPAT9OOEY_w6bhajsPdEmqWdGVygOsBFQETAjOmO9I/s1600/goldschmidt5.JPG" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Diamondbacks had a 6 game lead so it’s not like they
clinched on the last day of the season or against the second place Giants. And
the hit wasn’t a walk-off or anything. Maybe that’s just the jaded Cubs fan in
me, because I would certainly celebrate any time the Cubs clinched. I mean, it's not like the Giants were the defending World Series champions and future 2012 world champs.....oh....</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And Goldschmidt only played 48 games in 2011, so maybe that <i>was</i> the highlight of his rookie season.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As opposed to 2013. Finally we get to the connection to
yesterday’s card, the red font reading <i><span style="color: red;">League Leader in Italics, </span></i><i><span style="color: red; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">◊</span></i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only was Goldschmidt an All-Star and Silver Slugger
winner for 1<sup>st</sup> Base, he led the NL in RBIs, Slugging and OPS, while
tying for Home Runs. And he got exactly 0 first place MVP votes. <b><i>What?!?<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure, he ended up in second place (behind Andrew McCutchen),
but not a single 1<sup>st</sup> place vote? It’s not like McCutchen was a
unanimous selection. Yadier Molina got two first place votes and ended up in third
place. I live in Virginia, but even I’m shouting East Coast Bias on this one. The
Diamondbacks must have been worse as a team than I remembered last year. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #15<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Paul
Goldschmidt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Arizona Diamondbacks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> First
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> May 3,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> San
Diego Padres<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Petco
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Away<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
7-6, Padres over the Diamondbacks, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback Jersey:
</b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 9/10/1987<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Delaware<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Denis
Poroy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Nameplate, League Leader in Italics<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>There
aren't a lot of niches for this card but I’m still impressed by the nameplate
thing. Maybe I feel a little bad for him because he missed out on some MVP
voting too, because I going to give this card a B+.<o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-85163162458790132822014-03-14T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-14T12:00:00.621-04:00#280 Everth Cabrera<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday, I mentioned how much I appreciate a dirty jersey.
Playing hard and sacrificing the body to get the job done. I scrolled through
the file folder of 2014 Topps cards until I came upon this gem.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXogsyRw0iah_k_Y-bLpP0HtQuF8J3p2zClrghOdKBGr04RaFk8Wo-IWfL89Tnrj1MAz-z6zhKa6OlfAnRVUJG9zBYdeRYe6wuzlQ1fvPC9QIXIc5xmn5ceocZ9D_kHzn5aOb3DOclgah/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523280+Everth+Cabrera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxXogsyRw0iah_k_Y-bLpP0HtQuF8J3p2zClrghOdKBGr04RaFk8Wo-IWfL89Tnrj1MAz-z6zhKa6OlfAnRVUJG9zBYdeRYe6wuzlQ1fvPC9QIXIc5xmn5ceocZ9D_kHzn5aOb3DOclgah/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523280+Everth+Cabrera.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#280 Everth Cabrera</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>Everth Cabrera has just slid into, I’m pretty sure, third
base. He’s either arguing the call and telling the umpire how safe he was or he
is caught mid celebratory clap. It could be a stolen base or a triple or maybe
just a close play. The cropping is pretty good. Any tighter and we wouldn't
have been able to see the base and for all we know, it would have just been
Cabrera telling us how big the fish was he caught.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsuNP6jA-qWfO5SJlC0TP_YoHIV1DJx6IuURslprn49hamqyNMXGp4SCDeMuHhVTBEJRFoMMl841UU73ptpxZkbqOT7408ep1EwAEh30DZofxNzJ7VdRM_EXIzAD2uqfiHTLLreFSGI3C/s1600/Everth+Cabrera+166912794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsuNP6jA-qWfO5SJlC0TP_YoHIV1DJx6IuURslprn49hamqyNMXGp4SCDeMuHhVTBEJRFoMMl841UU73ptpxZkbqOT7408ep1EwAEh30DZofxNzJ7VdRM_EXIzAD2uqfiHTLLreFSGI3C/s1600/Everth+Cabrera+166912794.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">SAN DIEGO, CA-APRIL13: Everth Cabrera #2
of the San Diego Padres claps after sliding into third base with a triple
against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on April 13, 2013 in San Diego,
California. (Photo by Andy Hayt/SanDiego Padres/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> We have another early season photo, this one in mid-April. The
photographer didn't leave Topps much room to super crop, so the photo isn't
much different than the card. Like I tell my barber, just a little off the sides and top.
The caption confirms a triple but nothing of the score so let's head over to
the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN201304130.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn87OaKpv2ispSUMpdierg8zdYXLgiO4EBDfKgmlesjc7IVpMtKhyphenhyphennOPT3-9ULekms0Q4GjD8XrGFULP9EAWr-YYGq621jTNUlWZCM0DEfsmNPyCfPU-by5V_khPhAWfP9uQ7bIrPV7J9G/s1600/cabrera.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn87OaKpv2ispSUMpdierg8zdYXLgiO4EBDfKgmlesjc7IVpMtKhyphenhyphennOPT3-9ULekms0Q4GjD8XrGFULP9EAWr-YYGq621jTNUlWZCM0DEfsmNPyCfPU-by5V_khPhAWfP9uQ7bIrPV7J9G/s1600/cabrera.JPG" height="77" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looks like the Padres suffered a few rough innings early and
ran short of outs to catch up. But not for lack of trying on Cabrera part.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KJNVDiSB10yZhEdWFtIpROc4ZDTB8vpD_0fWNG6zf7Z6zleU0izALJbsKb_L6f5o2IsMyIJF3po_CreBI2jpVPJ5AZwzmP8oC1ddsWzINiglxunhBbhYmvYfkYE5SklCskcXUKdPSeXn/s1600/cabrera2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KJNVDiSB10yZhEdWFtIpROc4ZDTB8vpD_0fWNG6zf7Z6zleU0izALJbsKb_L6f5o2IsMyIJF3po_CreBI2jpVPJ5AZwzmP8oC1ddsWzINiglxunhBbhYmvYfkYE5SklCskcXUKdPSeXn/s1600/cabrera2.JPG" height="400" width="306" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>Four hits, two runs and two RBIs.</o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYaLZX33XCmqsxZypb_GOaEdhr2xB2kFnnqwyMIVYnL1mhzqGRfHe_JPK-0QDMcENHAnt7jk_aejJyOqeRkB9nIA-nUlHQvR1pOjs6h5LhxbE3I734dJ_h3sFR7p4sxO9HrC-v5r9fgiJ/s1600/cabrera3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYaLZX33XCmqsxZypb_GOaEdhr2xB2kFnnqwyMIVYnL1mhzqGRfHe_JPK-0QDMcENHAnt7jk_aejJyOqeRkB9nIA-nUlHQvR1pOjs6h5LhxbE3I734dJ_h3sFR7p4sxO9HrC-v5r9fgiJ/s1600/cabrera3.JPG" height="52" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He led off the bottom of the first the pictured triple and
later scored on a sacrifice fly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5WzQoQ6AEnKLdByfK71WWd3RSP6r397T6SvaKtGnthgzzfA5CdlT6HdB8WW-2Do6UyzaFsHTpbnO4ok9UG-k60Bt_xxh06m3aZ92jsbdvMME3NGNu05cUxX929nL10wNhyLxTyr8WOXT/s1600/cabrera4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5WzQoQ6AEnKLdByfK71WWd3RSP6r397T6SvaKtGnthgzzfA5CdlT6HdB8WW-2Do6UyzaFsHTpbnO4ok9UG-k60Bt_xxh06m3aZ92jsbdvMME3NGNu05cUxX929nL10wNhyLxTyr8WOXT/s1600/cabrera4.JPG" height="75" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the third, he had an RBI single. Too bad he ended the
inning by being caught stealing. Third base. I swear my theory on him
explaining to the umpire how far he was safe came before I looked at the
boxscore. I pretty much write these as I research them and always do my “first
impression” by just looking at the card. Luckily the caption already clarified
that this was after his triple or else we’d have a dilemma on our hands. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SH60ISDYWo-fPBQ6P390i3uMeLxcF-7tmi1QwwFVqjqbX1DXE30j9vpDioFUY-Fj2Y89_r0yLkEkLlFzeI4hRaNlEFtEsMz-Suxep6Hosgpn7JnsRw-rb3Cd8w9Dagj8fgFe6T0JeU7E/s1600/cabrera5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8SH60ISDYWo-fPBQ6P390i3uMeLxcF-7tmi1QwwFVqjqbX1DXE30j9vpDioFUY-Fj2Y89_r0yLkEkLlFzeI4hRaNlEFtEsMz-Suxep6Hosgpn7JnsRw-rb3Cd8w9Dagj8fgFe6T0JeU7E/s1600/cabrera5.JPG" height="82" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a ground out in the fifth, Cabrera bounced back with a
solo home run in the 7<sup>th</sup>. C’mon, teammates! He can only knock in
those of you who get on base! I guess I just been J. Baker because Venable already cleared the bases himself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRgEux1GZ4t9eqhnzZFsivpyxG2nvy9H4L-s_p8vHDZgb37Prsz_tpb4J40V1s8YgD71XrGuKJCV20YyPXVB39SjPHJ3OKuXMhJZFS0XrTaX1iy2gpn3l07pFLN3myzfq4q4OGsw8bpVD/s1600/cabrera6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJRgEux1GZ4t9eqhnzZFsivpyxG2nvy9H4L-s_p8vHDZgb37Prsz_tpb4J40V1s8YgD71XrGuKJCV20YyPXVB39SjPHJ3OKuXMhJZFS0XrTaX1iy2gpn3l07pFLN3myzfq4q4OGsw8bpVD/s1600/cabrera6.JPG" height="56" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And finally, in the 9<sup>th</sup>, he tried to start
another rally with a one out single before Chirs Denorfia ended the game with a
double play. For those of you keeping track, that’s a double short of the cycle
for Cabrera, something no Padre has ever done. How much did you miss it by,
Everth?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG50j1XbvVOaxSTL2SmnXJLaPsQDiqE0r7hHcUxbHj9Myfk7B5QX2SIzP3B2DhszUQqQpIlY_PPb9DPJZssPPpHuQNY_g4qREG_o35RD7aAQPj85k8hLzjoDP50vpOagjCPXVcp699ExP/s1600/cabrera9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJG50j1XbvVOaxSTL2SmnXJLaPsQDiqE0r7hHcUxbHj9Myfk7B5QX2SIzP3B2DhszUQqQpIlY_PPb9DPJZssPPpHuQNY_g4qREG_o35RD7aAQPj85k8hLzjoDP50vpOagjCPXVcp699ExP/s1600/cabrera9.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><i>That much.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I knew Petco Park a little better, I could probably tell
you what the sign behind Cabrera said. Fortunately for the Free Advertising
collectors, Cabrera is sporting a Nike swoosh on his undershirt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBr7KK5v3QuJeRaq4HdhtuQKjlT0KlKx1LjXzlBam1wnHhXbm127b68ln0aMuJ1Pvto5CRCez5wBVsqnX9RP2FraZ-rN1QsEMnqr2zqgFBr3UBLV0VtiHvJWgywOGw-g0oX9OMq1J9AiJ/s1600/cabrera10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBr7KK5v3QuJeRaq4HdhtuQKjlT0KlKx1LjXzlBam1wnHhXbm127b68ln0aMuJ1Pvto5CRCez5wBVsqnX9RP2FraZ-rN1QsEMnqr2zqgFBr3UBLV0VtiHvJWgywOGw-g0oX9OMq1J9AiJ/s1600/cabrera10.JPG" height="237" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And since we’re in Petco Park, and Cabrera is not wearing
the typical white colored jersey of the home team, this must be an alternate
jersey, correct?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfd86RolqsMMWce2ZnTfMHvwKbYjbpcQqpduNFQroq6orIKWYTjvSf82_6tT6_4M_9q4-XD2ESh952HYuGWh3rZ86SF9E0Xyl4jGZpGhwHWu4PC7PZk_nzcl6UNQ55R2tvFmn9XX352YL/s1600/cabrera7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfd86RolqsMMWce2ZnTfMHvwKbYjbpcQqpduNFQroq6orIKWYTjvSf82_6tT6_4M_9q4-XD2ESh952HYuGWh3rZ86SF9E0Xyl4jGZpGhwHWu4PC7PZk_nzcl6UNQ55R2tvFmn9XX352YL/s1600/cabrera7.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Correct. This is one of two alternate uniform the Padres
sported in 2013, along with their Sunday camo jerseys.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uktZ4b5-rtIRyyhvmPdRa_28mA2eZGelzexBf-Q5PRQebAspjyfj-45AsMGNiq0vDg86RYBi1QSinnppha3YqTf_7QmzCW9KpJuVcJgh5t0E0LUefgaELSGtOOArKV4V4URrD2zyXK72/s1600/cabrera8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uktZ4b5-rtIRyyhvmPdRa_28mA2eZGelzexBf-Q5PRQebAspjyfj-45AsMGNiq0vDg86RYBi1QSinnppha3YqTf_7QmzCW9KpJuVcJgh5t0E0LUefgaELSGtOOArKV4V4URrD2zyXK72/s1600/cabrera8.JPG" height="320" width="117" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd_trxWLhRbl8LemGEbV9GOvoDnkPARNsGlbe_-AiIk4QmlW2_ggN4v_DjdRlf3HfYOmFF1ck_OcqBGWwcfYFr7WzGYcctGyL7YL5C-NlzwkqIAV6sYhiY2bLb5_CiRh7rLFhcPZHlrJl/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523280+Everth+Cabrera+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNd_trxWLhRbl8LemGEbV9GOvoDnkPARNsGlbe_-AiIk4QmlW2_ggN4v_DjdRlf3HfYOmFF1ck_OcqBGWwcfYFr7WzGYcctGyL7YL5C-NlzwkqIAV6sYhiY2bLb5_CiRh7rLFhcPZHlrJl/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523280+Everth+Cabrera+back.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Everth was the first Padres rookie to hit a
walk-off grand slam.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just about every young ballplayer has pretended at one point
or another to be at the plate in the bottom of the 9<sup>th</sup>, two outs, down by
three and hitting a walk-off grand slam. On <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN200908070.shtml">August
7, 2009</a></b>, Everth Cabrera almost lived that dream. His Padres weren't
down by three and there weren't any outs but it's still pretty awesome to come
up that big, especially as a rookie. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As to the aforementioned “dream” feat (walk-off situation,
two outs, down by three), that has only happened fifteen times in the hundreds of thousands of games in MLB history. It has happened twelve
other times with either one or zero outs for a total of twenty seven walk-off
grand slams with the team down by three. Source: <b><a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/walk_off_grand_slams.shtml">Baseball
Almanac</a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Knowing that every team gets at least one player onto the
All-Star team, the first part of the last sentence in the blurb makes you think
he was the token Padre. But the second half lets you know he deserved it. Those
are some impressive half season stats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #280<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Everth
Cabrera<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> San Diego
Padres<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Shortstop<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> April 13,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Colorado
Rockies<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Petco
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
9-5, Rockies over Padres, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>Yes, alternate<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Both/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 11/17/1986<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Nicaragua<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Andy
Hayt<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: League Leader in Italics, Switch Hitter, Dirty
Jersey, Alternate Jersey, Free Advertising, Celebration</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>No
doubter, A+. Good photography, catching a great moment. Good crop. Lots of
niches. The player had a great game. The rookie fact was interesting. And I
didn't even go into the red text on the back touting his League Leader status.
Nice job all around.</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-34262331236567183162014-03-13T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-13T12:00:05.227-04:00#327 Pablo Sandoval<div class="MsoNormal">
We’ve got a couple of connections between yesterday’s card
(Dioner Navarro) and today’s. Both were born in Venezuela. Both are wearing
sunglasses. But the connection I was trying to make is they are both Switch
Hitters.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDtfyPw8AFI9ULmwdgGH7POHodsIjbc6Zi1G2bAa9I-89eELDLd5hsZZcg007OfZ6sgBHse6FCbR_3w4JfWk6rWqw_6pI99enNkhZ13Spgxti1vt-49KFT1qffhA2wypUI_UKQX9XPtf5/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523327+Pablo+Sandoval.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDtfyPw8AFI9ULmwdgGH7POHodsIjbc6Zi1G2bAa9I-89eELDLd5hsZZcg007OfZ6sgBHse6FCbR_3w4JfWk6rWqw_6pI99enNkhZ13Spgxti1vt-49KFT1qffhA2wypUI_UKQX9XPtf5/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523327+Pablo+Sandoval.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#327 Pablo Sandoval</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>This is another solid photo with a unfortunate crop. No
elbows for Pablo! I always like a dirty jersey so without a bunch of obvious
niches, the card has that going for it at least.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7p3YGmkgvTDqF5RNKaO-b7mJzhlY9bo6eFIrRY7IDsZPX432jJqVtERRdDBxmyrLVTGGsT-6gXiYz99qaQEiW6BOf3g3Ku7bOPeVUCOkqSSfDPuF9okx4dBEHL0Cc-WY__CSwcMx3xG_/s1600/Pablo+Sandoval+166356753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7p3YGmkgvTDqF5RNKaO-b7mJzhlY9bo6eFIrRY7IDsZPX432jJqVtERRdDBxmyrLVTGGsT-6gXiYz99qaQEiW6BOf3g3Ku7bOPeVUCOkqSSfDPuF9okx4dBEHL0Cc-WY__CSwcMx3xG_/s1600/Pablo+Sandoval+166356753.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 5: Pablo
Sandoval #48 of the San Francisco Giants fields during the game against the St.
Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park on April 5, 2013 in San Francisco, California.
The Giants defeated the Cardinals 1-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Look at all that elbow room Sandoval has! The caption doesn’t give
much to go on so let’s go to the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN201304050.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>
and see if we can’t figure something out ourselves.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHvNBWbQtir26ikvhYjZ4Oq8L87rAwAsDfK7xqHamY2V00vkC6c-7hh1ENCwEUFDKmi_IZFz-FDUfWdjg8dSbX3Y4tQ6YTlrOvcqgl9GsCpecjMuk3jI9RV1YVTSaagu-iDhT_50pbfIk/s1600/Sandoval.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHvNBWbQtir26ikvhYjZ4Oq8L87rAwAsDfK7xqHamY2V00vkC6c-7hh1ENCwEUFDKmi_IZFz-FDUfWdjg8dSbX3Y4tQ6YTlrOvcqgl9GsCpecjMuk3jI9RV1YVTSaagu-iDhT_50pbfIk/s1600/Sandoval.JPG" height="75" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We knew it was 1-0 from the caption, but only nine hits from
both teams combined probably puts it on the bubble for an actual pitchers’
duel, right? Throw in another combined 9 walks and the error you have 19 base runners.
I don’t know who to give credit (or blame) for on that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sandoval had a number of assists in this game and aside from
the two double plays he started, it would be tough to rule any of them out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlzg8Shbd1uqSqk6LT6CdjvRwLOMiWyePWLxd0mhO2FjGfkSXRzkXC0FndyFvna0sQSKSS-UvuccWIPFkQnDVFqBNpX4EVaThVWy8Rzlf4uYmV_FjRycBXQbrubwpvfjIOApP_UHb33Y8/s1600/sandoval2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlzg8Shbd1uqSqk6LT6CdjvRwLOMiWyePWLxd0mhO2FjGfkSXRzkXC0FndyFvna0sQSKSS-UvuccWIPFkQnDVFqBNpX4EVaThVWy8Rzlf4uYmV_FjRycBXQbrubwpvfjIOApP_UHb33Y8/s1600/sandoval2.JPG" height="57" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhuhwmD_HQ5Hf-4ScRwJYfI0njEk-07irOpQcSHvg_9-QyO4YGaHd1zTWYv-4pMZN5Fvi-vkdgq9E0vfpSZwluD6YQgYeHWjBWjoXuwq-OSaPRIolgwS_Cjdto5rTq6jWMBjPKrDjAqcZ/s1600/sandoval3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhuhwmD_HQ5Hf-4ScRwJYfI0njEk-07irOpQcSHvg_9-QyO4YGaHd1zTWYv-4pMZN5Fvi-vkdgq9E0vfpSZwluD6YQgYeHWjBWjoXuwq-OSaPRIolgwS_Cjdto5rTq6jWMBjPKrDjAqcZ/s1600/sandoval3.JPG" height="52" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPEdgtg4I8eaQvXQKrAW4vQ8ZgLqiPHPBMBlox6xrYoftQcm3lmNQTkvyhIJQJMFi5ah-wH0tMfB4w95RxtNkDYoZU_TpoYvGwYM2pYKxlYdx3QUnZkXBRyRb8ruFvos9OtyrfYzsvpH9/s1600/sandoval4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPEdgtg4I8eaQvXQKrAW4vQ8ZgLqiPHPBMBlox6xrYoftQcm3lmNQTkvyhIJQJMFi5ah-wH0tMfB4w95RxtNkDYoZU_TpoYvGwYM2pYKxlYdx3QUnZkXBRyRb8ruFvos9OtyrfYzsvpH9/s1600/sandoval4.JPG" height="43" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kind of a boring card to investigate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZefP7JbllNMnpZMtQ8DX_2p5hJj0S18FVAnQUoqEmcLXT6O5zjpQBlmVTIyUvup_kEhwq22sVBjXIlcq2NYUvW7R5nfvVHLkw8Q7RUxRTIvraD2N0wI-qSz5YkUM7GFflmSjWuw6Ddyp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523327+Pablo+Sandoval+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtZefP7JbllNMnpZMtQ8DX_2p5hJj0S18FVAnQUoqEmcLXT6O5zjpQBlmVTIyUvup_kEhwq22sVBjXIlcq2NYUvW7R5nfvVHLkw8Q7RUxRTIvraD2N0wI-qSz5YkUM7GFflmSjWuw6Ddyp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523327+Pablo+Sandoval+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Pablo hit .393 in August of 2008 – highest of
any MLB Rookie that month.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s impressive, but not necessarily that interesting. On
the other hand, mentioned in the blurb, is that Sandoval was a judge at the
2012 Miss Universe Pageant. Kind of random, but here are a couple of photos
from the event I found.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kung Fu Panda posing on the red carpet:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFX-3Vt6NDFzcp5WZjzGXU7di_1rmnogaKRmi1EZa31JEZLbh7YWELpwzzAmNck6PaDfIAV1xcrVyFGb0d-luBfsAR0IT-6QOBuuExh7w8hDshneuDlAK66dA5ddn_G10H7T_LE504Pd3/s1600/sandoval5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBFX-3Vt6NDFzcp5WZjzGXU7di_1rmnogaKRmi1EZa31JEZLbh7YWELpwzzAmNck6PaDfIAV1xcrVyFGb0d-luBfsAR0IT-6QOBuuExh7w8hDshneuDlAK66dA5ddn_G10H7T_LE504Pd3/s1600/sandoval5.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With what I’m assuming are some of the other judges:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsMRW0Y7z2om-TPQTEVkTmKJzHYk2_Xd1Y7LlU_Jw7qlesOf5aqUTM7nRVoC-XiggRQkVQxDHhZ_OdDnHPU9i1WeAPJCz1xdEdwOJqbi9LS4KhrdtYJNKAVtQARVknJtGodOtaaMaAAqy/s1600/sandoval6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsMRW0Y7z2om-TPQTEVkTmKJzHYk2_Xd1Y7LlU_Jw7qlesOf5aqUTM7nRVoC-XiggRQkVQxDHhZ_OdDnHPU9i1WeAPJCz1xdEdwOJqbi9LS4KhrdtYJNKAVtQARVknJtGodOtaaMaAAqy/s1600/sandoval6.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think Sandoval is second from the left</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #327<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Pablo
Sandoval<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> San
Francisco Giants<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Third
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> April
5, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> St.
Louis Cardinals<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> AT&T
Park<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
1-0 Giants over the Cardinals, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Both/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 8/11/1986<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Venezuela<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>Michael
Zagaris<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Sunglasses, Switch Hitter, Dirty Jersey<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I thought this one was going to be better when I picked it. The
photo is pretty standard for a fielding third baseman, but as I mentioned, I
like a dirty jersey and the extra effort that can be assumed from one. The
cropped elbows hurt it along with a lack of mini collections this would fit into. The back was also kind of boring too although it allowed me to Google image search the Miss Universe pageant so I’m
going to give this one a B-. <o:p></o:p></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-32863919739004325612014-03-12T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-12T12:00:01.125-04:00#211 Dioner Navarro<div class="MsoNormal">
Continuing my streak of connecting players, today I’m using
sunglasses. But unlike yesterday’s Mitch Moreland card, Dioner Navarro is
actually wearing his properly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHiQkmnKUJwtpKqFIFGfzH5crUI4qX45Q9lXp-G9zfeDZS9_PUk_cZqqMM_EZoBHm_Rv4vl26Ef-7bWUC85Eofagi7S4P5xyYu-mz0xwDqxnQWeuz2L4ECRrXYEOVRCKkg0-QdLoC_SGL/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523211+Dioner+Navarro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHiQkmnKUJwtpKqFIFGfzH5crUI4qX45Q9lXp-G9zfeDZS9_PUk_cZqqMM_EZoBHm_Rv4vl26Ef-7bWUC85Eofagi7S4P5xyYu-mz0xwDqxnQWeuz2L4ECRrXYEOVRCKkg0-QdLoC_SGL/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523211+Dioner+Navarro.jpg" height="400" width="283" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#211 Dioner Navarro</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>I know there are quite a few fans of the players that wear
the Tools of Ignorance, but as a lefty, it was never a position I gravitated
towards. I can appreciate them but as for collecting them specifically, I could
take ‘em or leave ‘em. But here we have a Cub so I would definitely be taking
this one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s a nicely cropped action shot. It could be a dropped third
strike or a bases loaded double play but with the player in the background,
it’s more likely to be a bunt. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s one of the
Cubs rotating third baseman in 2013, #1 Cody Ransom. The boxscore will probably
tell me definitively.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaFF4a4pj0s6-mgf8F253OXK1V7k-DSlyzummEX0GERsR9rZBjHGhRqdknf1FUg35jATyOBhTQAjWV34hFAut6HEH_RxNi_QsNBUTeiqJ0xbVyDe-GJQWj9QLD6Yl5c_-1KKqL7GCEM3t/s1600/Dioner+Navarro+170239961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaFF4a4pj0s6-mgf8F253OXK1V7k-DSlyzummEX0GERsR9rZBjHGhRqdknf1FUg35jATyOBhTQAjWV34hFAut6HEH_RxNi_QsNBUTeiqJ0xbVyDe-GJQWj9QLD6Yl5c_-1KKqL7GCEM3t/s1600/Dioner+Navarro+170239961.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 9: Dioner Navarro #30
of the Chicago Cubs fields a sacrifice bunt by Jeff Locke #49 of the Pittsburgh
Pirates during the third inning on June 9, 2013 at Wrigley Field in Chicago,
Illinois. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> The caption confirms a bunt attempt and while it doesn't mention
Ransom, the photo of him is much clearer than on the card. I assumed Topps does
some touch up work on cards to make the pictures show up better (lightening and
such) but never really thought about them blurring out backgrounds. It look
like Navarro beat Ransom to the ball so Ransom is racing back to cover third to
prevent runner(s) from advancing further. The original photo also shows the
bunter, Pirates starting pitcher, Jeff Locke.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The caption calls it a sacrifice bunt so Locke was out at
first. But did the sacrifice pay off? There’s no mention of the final score so
let’s check out the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201306090.shtml"><b>BOXSCORE</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh17F3VglX9mtRk3GahWwc0ul1539jSVZNVHl1xvuhQ0e4JeYvVKcQIkF9jeYFfC9Z1dua2pbVyk763GOUn5PNB4BnUnyITiFyaJK60h5W-TWN2jxI9KlUPTv2fi5Ox4dUrV1hFP9jiNm2/s1600/navarro.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh17F3VglX9mtRk3GahWwc0ul1539jSVZNVHl1xvuhQ0e4JeYvVKcQIkF9jeYFfC9Z1dua2pbVyk763GOUn5PNB4BnUnyITiFyaJK60h5W-TWN2jxI9KlUPTv2fi5Ox4dUrV1hFP9jiNm2/s1600/navarro.JPG" height="76" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Since the sacrifice happened in the
third inning and the Pirates did not end up scoring, let’s see how it all went
down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYaxbbkmbGryk15Vk8GQxzJzq7ul52AvUF1-LcABzsIT-sAhVHH9V7isdW8jPwSv9s8SeqgLKM8ofpiyt6EFf9nzpIz5eehip_Ix-LixIjIXXToytOnOfdnc04PvNFr61FI7A6O3FHvaR/s1600/navarro2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYaxbbkmbGryk15Vk8GQxzJzq7ul52AvUF1-LcABzsIT-sAhVHH9V7isdW8jPwSv9s8SeqgLKM8ofpiyt6EFf9nzpIz5eehip_Ix-LixIjIXXToytOnOfdnc04PvNFr61FI7A6O3FHvaR/s1600/navarro2.JPG" height="75" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clint Barmes was the lead runner on the sacrifice and only managed
to make it third base before the inning ended.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYmkgRqCS8RMozD4bRMW6HNeOs3IY4fqqkTvVk1We7kE1KXyF2brRKTSx_KMtv5PHjoYraCxu08wBWc4AgSLE-sVKNtUG9crxQ6R2QWkr6Uk7hSiRXDJIOwDqq13KStkTdaYhxl8myBAu/s1600/navarro3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYmkgRqCS8RMozD4bRMW6HNeOs3IY4fqqkTvVk1We7kE1KXyF2brRKTSx_KMtv5PHjoYraCxu08wBWc4AgSLE-sVKNtUG9crxQ6R2QWkr6Uk7hSiRXDJIOwDqq13KStkTdaYhxl8myBAu/s1600/navarro3.JPG" height="400" width="346" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the plate, Navarro went 2-for-2 with two walks.
Unfortunately, the Cubs weren't able to capitalize on his perfect day at the
plate but managed to win anyway. At this point in the year, Navarro was only batting .279 but by the end of the season, he finished with a nice round .300.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just above the Cubs logo on the card, the shoulder that’s
nearly cropped all of the way out belongs to pitching coach Chris Bosio. He can
be seen more clearly in the original photo. I can’t make out the other Cubs player
in the dugout though, just beyond Cody Ransom’s knee.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the Gatorade logos in the dugout are cropped out and
the State Farm insurance logo <i>on</i> the
dugout are blurred with the rest of the background, there is still a bit of
Free Advertising. Navarro is clearly using a Wilson catcher’s mitt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrL1HgEFHsWStFp7ri4yE_igfuhP_rHG68iNwBnxIrPGOh0Y9ZdXFPL3-1l4pVhp9LutBSg9CsAG9ZyRomPhNUm07R-0nMrKuYjq6W-KO9pcU9eVZb5dCNWmjRrFhIfCnSIksYfvX_mIB/s1600/navarro4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrL1HgEFHsWStFp7ri4yE_igfuhP_rHG68iNwBnxIrPGOh0Y9ZdXFPL3-1l4pVhp9LutBSg9CsAG9ZyRomPhNUm07R-0nMrKuYjq6W-KO9pcU9eVZb5dCNWmjRrFhIfCnSIksYfvX_mIB/s1600/navarro4.JPG" height="311" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And Nike swooshes make not one, not two, but three
appearances on Navarro’s catcher’s gear. He’s a walking billboard!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd0WXNLsUsaPKg9RTv-bStnQzIKk00TYPZwtnOlphhrN81pWZdztJxT0XLxjuOMXPg09MJ0UYkOr12J8TcyGqWN-fVP5JuinvkNvKqS81MVKpbDCjuQD4w2BXhh4iSHe9ZThNcDoo6Peh/s1600/navarro5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKd0WXNLsUsaPKg9RTv-bStnQzIKk00TYPZwtnOlphhrN81pWZdztJxT0XLxjuOMXPg09MJ0UYkOr12J8TcyGqWN-fVP5JuinvkNvKqS81MVKpbDCjuQD4w2BXhh4iSHe9ZThNcDoo6Peh/s1600/navarro5.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bdicBr1wN7K7HOuUiYIuCo-noegV2q_z9MR_VMdcq_mHrGzPNzNX6OsiO6xFhp5YP8JeLHphpP17DPJE3VOd5SGlvYYcggt5CEnHZav-yYdQvQ8lB5P3UHP4IJ_DYMtDRdV_dtPSeWqm/s1600/navarro6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7bdicBr1wN7K7HOuUiYIuCo-noegV2q_z9MR_VMdcq_mHrGzPNzNX6OsiO6xFhp5YP8JeLHphpP17DPJE3VOd5SGlvYYcggt5CEnHZav-yYdQvQ8lB5P3UHP4IJ_DYMtDRdV_dtPSeWqm/s1600/navarro6.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7zM6s6abogBfaKXnSaUfBwD1HltQJiENhyphenhyphen0CrvM3ny-Mrxf9jo1mBbKmX9U7icFTyP5lOnAq-NSP4HBXRFdsPhJnxGz0POz-XTu1VEPT7zi9KDv3EVjIyk_EGd6kGri76h_q7mf4v08B/s1600/navarro7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7zM6s6abogBfaKXnSaUfBwD1HltQJiENhyphenhyphen0CrvM3ny-Mrxf9jo1mBbKmX9U7icFTyP5lOnAq-NSP4HBXRFdsPhJnxGz0POz-XTu1VEPT7zi9KDv3EVjIyk_EGd6kGri76h_q7mf4v08B/s1600/navarro7.JPG" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRlmy8zsbF_tXA2DrHT9p1ecU0tTSV5HhkQWyyiwDtOA7JnRtiTusFTO7cErL6OItVe-MMhDfHM_fjAbGSm2fS87Nb0U_WX78tuCwFWDYjW2B90NWahaKOoii1ZrCLey1Ick2isT-ooCm/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523211+Dioner+Navarro+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRlmy8zsbF_tXA2DrHT9p1ecU0tTSV5HhkQWyyiwDtOA7JnRtiTusFTO7cErL6OItVe-MMhDfHM_fjAbGSm2fS87Nb0U_WX78tuCwFWDYjW2B90NWahaKOoii1ZrCLey1Ick2isT-ooCm/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523211+Dioner+Navarro+back.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Dioner’s first longball, on August 12, 2005,
was a 10<sup>th</sup>-inning walk-off.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here’s a link to the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN200508120.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>
of that game. While I didn’t see anything on Getty Images from that moment, here
are some photos from rival <b><a href="http://www.apimages.com/">APIMAGES.COM</a>.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Watching his shot:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5Q4Dco5-1tmIS5A2eZIASbHf-kSq3e3Aa3_LLnzwwTyK4_a2tIKP5R6bhp_grb09ovGvLJ-eC5ks6pVtDLzsqQXel2pNROEKNeynukSE79QmDYfTDPv_F8ILQKdPEx_Tpi0HDU_mwDKV/s1600/navarro+AP05081303429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5Q4Dco5-1tmIS5A2eZIASbHf-kSq3e3Aa3_LLnzwwTyK4_a2tIKP5R6bhp_grb09ovGvLJ-eC5ks6pVtDLzsqQXel2pNROEKNeynukSE79QmDYfTDPv_F8ILQKdPEx_Tpi0HDU_mwDKV/s1600/navarro+AP05081303429.jpg" height="400" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Number 05081303429, Photographer: Matt Sayles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lost in the crowd celebration as he scores:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbYjk-6LMW-C9oM8sKB2kv_aNcnzfFM-kBUA12INv10aH8bD95FnKOGawaqLnoxP8h7GZ1Ug7mS4VBG2k2Uy97HbpskfvQPlP_zSWZcu51ql-vJjAZcnHrBmS9495q-zDRs0ddKrxWLLm/s1600/navarro+AP0508130465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbYjk-6LMW-C9oM8sKB2kv_aNcnzfFM-kBUA12INv10aH8bD95FnKOGawaqLnoxP8h7GZ1Ug7mS4VBG2k2Uy97HbpskfvQPlP_zSWZcu51ql-vJjAZcnHrBmS9495q-zDRs0ddKrxWLLm/s1600/navarro+AP0508130465.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Number 0508130465, Photographer: Matt Sayles </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #211<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Dioner
Navarro<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Chicago
Cubs<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> Catcher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> June 9,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Pittsburgh
Pirates<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Wrigley
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>National
League Central<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
4-1, Cubs over the Pirates, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Both/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 2/9/1984<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Venezuela<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> Cody
Ransom, Chris Bosio’s shoulder<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>David
Banks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Sunglasses, Free Advertising, Switch Hitter,
Cameo<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>This
might be my Cubs bias coming through but I'm going to give this card an A-. The
cropping/framing is excellent. There's a good action shot with a cameo. If Ransom wasn't
intentionally blurred out, that might have helped the grade a little. The
runner is a bit too far away to justify trying to make it a horizontal card,
but that would have been pretty cool. Navarro is also the first switch hitter I've
come across.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The back blurb mentions his three home run performance
against the cross town White Sox. I'm not a Chicago native so I wasn't raised
with a love-the-Cubs-hate-the-Sox mentality and have no ill will towards the
Sox or their fans. But it is always nice to do well in as rivalry game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Good luck to Dioner in Toronto his season!</div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-76049723962390146892014-03-11T00:00:00.000-04:002014-03-12T01:18:27.006-04:00#94 Mitch Moreland<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday’s card didn’t leave me much wiggle room in finding
a connecting card. I could have gone Marlins but since I connected teams to get
to Nicasio, I decided to go with a palette cleansing horizontal card.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5JUzgAwNBjECEzMsS9lsX3qmQxGORmS1j1Se5FFN1PEc4DH-O4v7yAiDDk8_Cc_iIyQlr98e3HV3Oyl62D1aaUaBCeXrRCEFyCCR_2_29SghgOwUYwC178bvMkdK-11-LhXXuWKYno6x/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523094+Mitch+Moreland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij5JUzgAwNBjECEzMsS9lsX3qmQxGORmS1j1Se5FFN1PEc4DH-O4v7yAiDDk8_Cc_iIyQlr98e3HV3Oyl62D1aaUaBCeXrRCEFyCCR_2_29SghgOwUYwC178bvMkdK-11-LhXXuWKYno6x/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523094+Mitch+Moreland.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#94 Mitch Moreland</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>At first glance, this one might look like a generic first
baseman’s pose. And to many, it might be kind of boring. I like that you can see
the ball just before it arrives in the glove. Many times this would have been
vertical card and the ball cropped out.
This is a great example of how cards should be cropped/framed. I like it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjCJvGhKc5C9LgXU-Zpsw1FjsMRiNJE2Ug_kdGuOtPsGdOBW23bdFY2yFWKm9UBHKN9O7AqylLWVol3-jqXWgVQzfxAp7Kiyxcu6KP-tHq1_gEUJKYzsISFH5P-F2_1gGa9h_GWzaz5BB/s1600/Mitch+Moreland+170292356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjCJvGhKc5C9LgXU-Zpsw1FjsMRiNJE2Ug_kdGuOtPsGdOBW23bdFY2yFWKm9UBHKN9O7AqylLWVol3-jqXWgVQzfxAp7Kiyxcu6KP-tHq1_gEUJKYzsISFH5P-F2_1gGa9h_GWzaz5BB/s1600/Mitch+Moreland+170292356.jpg" height="273" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 30: Mitch Moreland
#18 of the Texas Rangers in action in the interleague game against the Arizona
Diamondbacks at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on May 30, 2013 in Arlington,
Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> Since the card was well-cropped, there isn't much I want to add
about the photo. As far as the selection goes, the only thing that could
have been better for the viewer is maybe a closer play where the runner
is coming into view. No big deal though, still a great shot. And since the
caption for the photo doesn't give any detailed information about the play or
the final score, let’s go to the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TEX/TEX201305300.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b> to find out more about the game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReMPNyH7AOnNEfbRaT0M6AbpBFNK_nBA1FEpqYNYLO2O54VeWzmYG1jvQ2PSeWOUZACmk1hBgn8J6-02yXpwuRyDbbvIrZaNsGyIveOMKe6wej6ooIiIk2h9MAZOu5qOCLk6L2yjfKtvO/s1600/moreland.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReMPNyH7AOnNEfbRaT0M6AbpBFNK_nBA1FEpqYNYLO2O54VeWzmYG1jvQ2PSeWOUZACmk1hBgn8J6-02yXpwuRyDbbvIrZaNsGyIveOMKe6wej6ooIiIk2h9MAZOu5qOCLk6L2yjfKtvO/s1600/moreland.JPG" height="80" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looks like the Rangers got off to an early big lead before
stamping out some late inning Diamondbacks rallies. Even though this card shows
Moreland on the defensive side of the ball, let's see if he helped offensively,
too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmpMQCVRxsF7hwLoABAx1w2LCyz-AqIMnM9NAPwpN0ObryHKOTfqKhtJ1_1JD7cG8d1HJhNqLG2mnTHFUOersBO8-vTLZLN9_NVRGltY1ikIyB55-JqZNWS7s-so6fOd73Yw2RDoJ01UP/s1600/moreland2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmpMQCVRxsF7hwLoABAx1w2LCyz-AqIMnM9NAPwpN0ObryHKOTfqKhtJ1_1JD7cG8d1HJhNqLG2mnTHFUOersBO8-vTLZLN9_NVRGltY1ikIyB55-JqZNWS7s-so6fOd73Yw2RDoJ01UP/s1600/moreland2.JPG" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not a bad day at the plate, a two run home run and he was
hit by a pitch and came around to score on that, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXG4nF72VRefA9Ds_79khPv1Hn9znYFEbsKaUfj2tD9QGdRn5PNI8c3QkRff6vKd2CmqqmZiZIlRxamjTmBYgXi_cZNXf0CJCdXWg0qDCaKeuzehzPaOu80Y26MAUfD7PeZXnRkI1AvXV/s1600/moreland3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXG4nF72VRefA9Ds_79khPv1Hn9znYFEbsKaUfj2tD9QGdRn5PNI8c3QkRff6vKd2CmqqmZiZIlRxamjTmBYgXi_cZNXf0CJCdXWg0qDCaKeuzehzPaOu80Y26MAUfD7PeZXnRkI1AvXV/s1600/moreland3.JPG" height="61" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And his home run was even one of the top five plays of the
game.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ive mentioned before that I don’t know too much about teams’
jerseys other than the Cubs. I thought Moreland might be wearing an alternate
jersey because they were obviously home (check out the Rangers Road Trip sign
in the background) but his jersey said Texas and not Rangers across the front.
I thought, for the most part, home jerseys said the team nickname while road
jerseys bore the name of the city/state from which the team hailed. Apparently,
the Texas Rangers are an exception to this rule of thumb.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BsPOhTvLFhZRuPtcuhrMswQR9sl7UhT318O8_TbJhUu6oPr3I1QQFo7TRI52-kz0gQbKVDPihkqirWs43MQ7ZcNnTOdasEaECk6Bslf9sgDagwILU6WqGwM-nclaDVvOZgBjIxZxjPEm/s1600/moreland4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BsPOhTvLFhZRuPtcuhrMswQR9sl7UhT318O8_TbJhUu6oPr3I1QQFo7TRI52-kz0gQbKVDPihkqirWs43MQ7ZcNnTOdasEaECk6Bslf9sgDagwILU6WqGwM-nclaDVvOZgBjIxZxjPEm/s1600/moreland4.JPG" height="320" width="292" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And speaking of the Rangers Road Trip, does that count
towards the Free Advertising niche?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA88NdipI8U-rwN4IzyZ3VFczFDLuvzIeNw_OrZVC3qwOuvLABiJ3E8lCae5AzgDbon4h85pC3hrNJZmWtCqwoGie4H7zAuoyary1rMHY7yKasb1o3r8sz9GnFzCKOAI9CTpdPheQxSo2Y/s1600/moreland7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA88NdipI8U-rwN4IzyZ3VFczFDLuvzIeNw_OrZVC3qwOuvLABiJ3E8lCae5AzgDbon4h85pC3hrNJZmWtCqwoGie4H7zAuoyary1rMHY7yKasb1o3r8sz9GnFzCKOAI9CTpdPheQxSo2Y/s1600/moreland7.JPG" height="160" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unfortunately, I’m leaning towards no.
Maybe if the website had been a little more in focus. What do you think? I
almost missed the subtlety of the Nike logo from his undershirt. Nike has gone
subliminal!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SotTDC5bypZVhLWUvAdTKgAJGKeLQYId0HjQvIdV4zGWkkTXqQoGmW8qeIIuOzLY1gZrd87_IPf8WeflaJ6pj_tmZSHc5e3BvEvV4Afu627YMJ62bvmKRsYZsI9E0l64wKQaQXlyopGR/s1600/moreland8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SotTDC5bypZVhLWUvAdTKgAJGKeLQYId0HjQvIdV4zGWkkTXqQoGmW8qeIIuOzLY1gZrd87_IPf8WeflaJ6pj_tmZSHc5e3BvEvV4Afu627YMJ62bvmKRsYZsI9E0l64wKQaQXlyopGR/s1600/moreland8.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moreland does get credit for wearing sunglasses, even though
they are being worn uselessly. And from the brightness of the original Getty
photo, it looks like he probably should have had them on his eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mfW3kYZ3zJmwt9Y0IFT5nBsO2_1AOL3z2F6o3QYHDZylWkM_Lg5HoQ_Kyebi0MLhk8nlDLJ4eyeYBXhWN4jzHfju4v-v4MvVAUBAQ9kst_QYrRgk-A_QSgRov1z-OUVD_s0ItsIyFMHt/s1600/moreland5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mfW3kYZ3zJmwt9Y0IFT5nBsO2_1AOL3z2F6o3QYHDZylWkM_Lg5HoQ_Kyebi0MLhk8nlDLJ4eyeYBXhWN4jzHfju4v-v4MvVAUBAQ9kst_QYrRgk-A_QSgRov1z-OUVD_s0ItsIyFMHt/s1600/moreland5.JPG" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv3tOhTnCxZxb3z7-wHI0IxmM1i9SQ4_2v3A159qwQA0znGSks5zGbnu9HKIjJv4GJwV22zWigMbqKVqJl92oRlFepMvU3MhKQ2B3mTf5hyphenhyphenhsLXAKYYiFRwDW_grcbVwurWdT-pwlCFPp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523094+Mitch+Moreland+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv3tOhTnCxZxb3z7-wHI0IxmM1i9SQ4_2v3A159qwQA0znGSks5zGbnu9HKIjJv4GJwV22zWigMbqKVqJl92oRlFepMvU3MhKQ2B3mTf5hyphenhyphenhsLXAKYYiFRwDW_grcbVwurWdT-pwlCFPp/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523094+Mitch+Moreland+back.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Rookie Fact: Mitch ranked fourth in the 2010 AL rookie class
with nine homers.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran a quick query over at Fangraphs.com and came up with
the list of rookie home run leaders in the AL in 2010.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FAFBsBv5cbvgpZ-HSN4LGtzaacGOLwhWeYYCdO9r2pvFeM8W6OHZnY1d9E-6w6QO4bubc6PFjJYwYWSEiN1TvcFOA0Jxu1EEfatKdfPvPmb1pqf2fvle35lbaAbsJn09diUihSUXPmmb/s1600/moreland6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FAFBsBv5cbvgpZ-HSN4LGtzaacGOLwhWeYYCdO9r2pvFeM8W6OHZnY1d9E-6w6QO4bubc6PFjJYwYWSEiN1TvcFOA0Jxu1EEfatKdfPvPmb1pqf2fvle35lbaAbsJn09diUihSUXPmmb/s1600/moreland6.JPG" height="230" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though he is listed as “5<sup>th</sup>” Moreland
clearly tied for fourth with the Detroit Tigers’ Don Kelly. But when you look
at how many fewer games and plate appearances it took Moreland to reach his
numbers than any of the other top players, it is much more impressive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Moreland’s blurb mentions her interest in pitching. I wonder
if we’ll ever get to see him as a late game, inning eater in a blow out or extra
inning affair.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Card Number:</b> #94<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Player Name:</b> Mitch
Moreland<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Team:</b> Texas
Rangers<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Position:</b> First
Base<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Game Date:</b> May 30,
2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Opponent:</b> Arizona
Diamondbacks<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Stadium:</b> Rangers
Ball Park in Arlington<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Division: </b>American
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
9-5, Rangers over the Diamondbacks, Win for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Left/Left<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthdate:</b> 9/6/1985<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Birthplace:</b> Mississippi<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Photographer: </b>R.
Yeatts</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Horizontal, Southpaws, Sunglasses, Free
Advertising<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My Grade: </b>I really
like this card. The look of concentration, great angle, ball in the photo,
great crop. All the makings of an A card. An alternate/throwback jersey or
maybe the runner as a cameo would have pushed it over the top to an A+. Still a
great card though.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5445210999218428493.post-76738745844175357342014-03-10T12:00:00.000-04:002014-03-10T12:00:08.950-04:00#13 Juan Nicasio<div class="MsoNormal">
Today’s card is connected to the last card through the Colorado
Rockies organization. A sliding Josh Rutledge appeared as a cameo on Mark Ellis' card and today I have Juan Nicasio, a pitcher with the Rockies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsYpYr5pd6VxE672uYsOpAAxSh-GGXSrgUjoWXhZFE2hyphenhyphenzZoayaV3BvK205dl0NYZqaawHA745Y6CJFpmDBJzmCPck3r40KXZYaKxFTZ_SVj4ynvIKrNFzB4l1bg2Uaxv9yfPjgwKNFZF/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523013+Juan+Nicasio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsYpYr5pd6VxE672uYsOpAAxSh-GGXSrgUjoWXhZFE2hyphenhyphenzZoayaV3BvK205dl0NYZqaawHA745Y6CJFpmDBJzmCPck3r40KXZYaKxFTZ_SVj4ynvIKrNFzB4l1bg2Uaxv9yfPjgwKNFZF/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523013+Juan+Nicasio.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">#13 Juan Nicasio</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>First impression of
what’s going on: </b>I don’t think even my love for horizontal cards can save
this monstrosity. This is a worse-than-usual crop job by Topps here. Right leg
in the upper left corner, cropped. Glove hand on the right side, cropped. Left
leg, cropped. Even the one appendage we can fully see, Topps managed to find a
photo where it looks like Nicasio’s thumb is missing! This card is very
synergetic with my Once a Cub post from today, Ugh.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh18DdXIA8LOEfWfXrlNN5C8Xokg3rDF45EDty87rNce50L14gHmg4M40rSdKwSDggBMCEfwovGVAXXGE8G-6I0xUB2V9H6XujuwXe-cThvQkgm3XfDqaD1doGsql0Un9Kn1XdivtD-6zR/s1600/Juan+Nicasio+174424560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh18DdXIA8LOEfWfXrlNN5C8Xokg3rDF45EDty87rNce50L14gHmg4M40rSdKwSDggBMCEfwovGVAXXGE8G-6I0xUB2V9H6XujuwXe-cThvQkgm3XfDqaD1doGsql0Un9Kn1XdivtD-6zR/s1600/Juan+Nicasio+174424560.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #3b3a26; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 115%;">DENVER, CO - JULY 25: Juan Nicasio #12 of
the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Miami Marlins during a game at Coors
Field on July 25, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. The game was delayed due to rain in
the middle of the seventh inning. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)</span></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Reality of the
Photo:</b> This photo by itself isn't bad at all, but on this particular
baseball card, Topps chose poorly. Nicasio's delivery is so spread out, it didn't really have a chance of being cropped properly. The caption is generic so we can’t pinpoint
to any particular play in the game. But let’s go to the <b><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/COL/COL201307250.shtml">BOXSCORE</a></b>
and see if they at least finished the game, since the caption says it was
delayed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaYgw8-qJcwSE17uHpUFCKWxfuHzZO5pkh55je9n2er69FPi0E4iks1vX3S6u9dTHgiedHKkUwkTSfz1OFQzCp3T_c0jFPv10OG8FEAAkV8qKeZ1KPJV6BrIE9LH_WdTs1_j8xfUC6URA/s1600/nicasio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvaYgw8-qJcwSE17uHpUFCKWxfuHzZO5pkh55je9n2er69FPi0E4iks1vX3S6u9dTHgiedHKkUwkTSfz1OFQzCp3T_c0jFPv10OG8FEAAkV8qKeZ1KPJV6BrIE9LH_WdTs1_j8xfUC6URA/s1600/nicasio.JPG" height="71" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looks like some solid starting pitching before the dam broke
for both bullpens. Is that literal since there was a rain delay between the
shutout and scoring?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be honest, I couldn't even tell you if Nicasio was a
starting pitcher or a reliever so I’ll have to further into the breakdown to
see what this means for today's subject.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpC6YUqKNnNFBNdIdiRDE9KQdb0DZa-56FJUfnkLs75xlcwz-Nq9ZUcWXeEfttyeT1KzjFws8Ru1kruCUjlz7KEIXArf5Oep3Ca3SSIqeeHwpPKnWfPKcoeqxPxL8Zg0hy1mDt2KdyBlMV/s1600/nicasio2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpC6YUqKNnNFBNdIdiRDE9KQdb0DZa-56FJUfnkLs75xlcwz-Nq9ZUcWXeEfttyeT1KzjFws8Ru1kruCUjlz7KEIXArf5Oep3Ca3SSIqeeHwpPKnWfPKcoeqxPxL8Zg0hy1mDt2KdyBlMV/s1600/nicasio2.JPG" height="151" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot from Baseball-Reference.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I guess the good news for Nicasio is that despite the crappy
card, he had a very nice day on the mound. Seven innings pitched while only
giving up two hits and a walk and striking out nine seems pretty good in the Mile High City. Who
knows how it would have turned out if there was no rain delay and Nicasio kept
pitching. According to this <b><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330725127">RECAP</a></b>, it
was 93 minute delay.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unlike during the Rutledge cameo, the Rockies weren't
wearing an alternate jersey on this day. But we do get to see a decent shot of
the Rockies 20<sup>th</sup> Anniversary patch that Nicasio is sporting on his
sleeve. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3SlYSG-7gcmXcWiu8xqjcZD0bBZqlGQR5r9tXNo4eXltqIxwQu4axIMHXivNqpGDF1TLcRPbofDUot9_OgLfzTCSoUKops9Xn7yzW9ZJjqmiRiFiG-m2uUc7tlVVjncmCnJ4GShl-dkS/s1600/nicasio4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp3SlYSG-7gcmXcWiu8xqjcZD0bBZqlGQR5r9tXNo4eXltqIxwQu4axIMHXivNqpGDF1TLcRPbofDUot9_OgLfzTCSoUKops9Xn7yzW9ZJjqmiRiFiG-m2uUc7tlVVjncmCnJ4GShl-dkS/s1600/nicasio4.JPG" height="320" width="229" /></a></div>
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Here’s a better look courtesy of Chris Creamer’s Sportslogos.net:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeRQG6o_y2V3XY8eMAFAlnGuBPOdhaU0-oOCOu5IHw1srUixNGj2wtGFK_xZctgCyMB4jzJ_vU3HbwVI0gjIX5S1bT1Qf5eLgfJg9Lbxgbrpm0jHHClwf-dEb2QWhO7I2hI9t33LaoLNZ/s1600/nicasio3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeRQG6o_y2V3XY8eMAFAlnGuBPOdhaU0-oOCOu5IHw1srUixNGj2wtGFK_xZctgCyMB4jzJ_vU3HbwVI0gjIX5S1bT1Qf5eLgfJg9Lbxgbrpm0jHHClwf-dEb2QWhO7I2hI9t33LaoLNZ/s1600/nicasio3.png" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
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On to the back: <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQ7EaOu7nnxWCASjC1LvtBkDkYhy-xG4_gnRikSBsQBwMLQRdG_RUcJ_XfjlHiLS9UaidYfG4VtagiUf5EbTyw5pfJekvtF3YdYqTbAC1w_l1BJ03lSmc07ZjvU0vWMVBCnvdTR5KMzDM/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523013+Juan+Nicasio+back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQ7EaOu7nnxWCASjC1LvtBkDkYhy-xG4_gnRikSBsQBwMLQRdG_RUcJ_XfjlHiLS9UaidYfG4VtagiUf5EbTyw5pfJekvtF3YdYqTbAC1w_l1BJ03lSmc07ZjvU0vWMVBCnvdTR5KMzDM/s1600/2014+Topps+%2523013+Juan+Nicasio+back.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Rookie Fact: The Colorado Rockies won six of Juan’s seven
starts at Coors Field in 2011.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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He must have gotten a little bit more run support than he
did in the game pictured on the front.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Turns out that while the Rockies were 6-1 when Nicasio
pitched at home, they were 1-5 when he pitched on the road. And that only home loss?
That was the game that Nicasio “broke his neck” as mentioned in the blurb.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For those that don’t remember, while pitching against the
Washington Nationals, Nicasio took a line drive to the head. When he fell, he
fractured a vertebrae in his neck. There is video online for those curious, but
I won’t be posting it here. Scary stuff.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Information I’ll be tracking:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b>Card Number:</b> #13<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Player Name:</b> Juan
Nicasio<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Team:</b> Colorado
Rockies<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Position:</b> Pitcher<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Game Date:</b> July
25, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Opponent:</b> Miami Marlins<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Stadium:</b> Coors
Field<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Division: </b>National
League West<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Home/Away:</b> Home<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Outcome of the game:</b>
5-3, Marlins over the Rockies, Loss for the player depicted<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Alternate/Throwback
Jersey: </b>No.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Bats/Throws:</b> Right/Right<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthdate:</b> 8/31/1986<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Birthplace:</b> Dominican
Republic<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Cameos by:</b> N/A<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Photographer: </b>Dustin
Bradford<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Niche collections
this card could fit into</b>: Horiztonal<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Grade: </b>When I
saw this card, I hated it. After the breakdown, and remembering/learning more
about Nicasio’s injury, I feel a little guilty about that but it is still a
horribly conceived card. The fact that it is horizontal can’t even carry it out
the doldrums. Sorry, Juan, but this card gets an F.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also apologies go out to photographer Dustin Bradford
because the photo itself is pretty good. Not his fault.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I did with the other “F” card, here are a couple of
photos that would have been better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TJ31EqT0mMX76uSyhvkJUDDpIpOPUBhh3pdCk0dO4U791YJhqVG0Pr_mWbPRHHkCZ_R7-2nYvdDnLXLZXBirgXmwdb4ra12ZsUjuDiJiT0b8XXTX_WfMVrOx2JYxAv13711HjSqz5vvG/s1600/nicasio9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-TJ31EqT0mMX76uSyhvkJUDDpIpOPUBhh3pdCk0dO4U791YJhqVG0Pr_mWbPRHHkCZ_R7-2nYvdDnLXLZXBirgXmwdb4ra12ZsUjuDiJiT0b8XXTX_WfMVrOx2JYxAv13711HjSqz5vvG/s1600/nicasio9.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is a slightly different angle of the one used but would have been much better as the only thing cropped would have been his left leg. Still nothing that would set it apart so I kept looking.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD1W_FSK1uIV4gM44LwvtRPv_xYZ1mQA-m7a4Zxl5nXFBBDnYzetHC9cUmwWjaSO0MfDw-JdC2V7OjsnMIKPs91aW8x4r51nr8xGgsVyZcLxP5PdIUbU1xR4caq4jpVHs0v3ldpBqKzvy/s1600/nicasio7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTD1W_FSK1uIV4gM44LwvtRPv_xYZ1mQA-m7a4Zxl5nXFBBDnYzetHC9cUmwWjaSO0MfDw-JdC2V7OjsnMIKPs91aW8x4r51nr8xGgsVyZcLxP5PdIUbU1xR4caq4jpVHs0v3ldpBqKzvy/s1600/nicasio7.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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Cropped at the waist, this one would have made for a good horizontal card too. We have an alternate jersey with a celebratory motion going on.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAUPsLoPuyEceB5Z4hIxle4q2o2prT3sCPECgTQFrAG5292_JVd04GRdgiPzss3ByFEh_vD5zOVYetSKxHz4YvJxhjh8fK3EkvPlcEjIapEptNU7vFHuabLcuKgsVlpj-ID8tCBLHB1tD/s1600/nicasio6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAUPsLoPuyEceB5Z4hIxle4q2o2prT3sCPECgTQFrAG5292_JVd04GRdgiPzss3ByFEh_vD5zOVYetSKxHz4YvJxhjh8fK3EkvPlcEjIapEptNU7vFHuabLcuKgsVlpj-ID8tCBLHB1tD/s1600/nicasio6.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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Can't go wrong with a pitcher at the plate. And laying down a bunt, too. The last three were also by the same photographer as the one that was used.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Fpk-jTA7iOIpKjhzx4bmurIFTXu4KagZpl3Ke_EZJaSBKuzeayY2qZZ8x1Sm6TSYeOfMreszkfeQwfk3-RzlDU8cOD-lRbPZt6NLgmGp6r09LIrnl7EWDEzhNQNjrd27QlXCgp3rZ2KK/s1600/nicasio8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Fpk-jTA7iOIpKjhzx4bmurIFTXu4KagZpl3Ke_EZJaSBKuzeayY2qZZ8x1Sm6TSYeOfMreszkfeQwfk3-RzlDU8cOD-lRbPZt6NLgmGp6r09LIrnl7EWDEzhNQNjrd27QlXCgp3rZ2KK/s1600/nicasio8.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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And last, we have what could be my favorite. We've got a cameo by the bat boy and the player most synonymous with the Rockies organization, Todd Helton. There's the pitcher's appreciative and congratulatory butt slap. And of course one of the rarest of locations for a card, the on deck circle. Photographer Doug Pensinger's work has already been used on other cards and the game is from May, well within Topps time frame for cards, so I see nothing that would have stopped the use of this photo.</div>
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Once a Cubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09335285038636911672noreply@blogger.com0