#168 Alex Rodriguez

#168 Alex Rodriguez

First impression of what’s going on: 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.

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)

The Reality of the Photo: 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?

An inning ending ground out isn't something normally celebrated like that so let’s check out the BOXSCORE and see if it was a close game or a clutch play.

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.

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.

But here’s a plot twist for you.

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.

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.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Alex was just the third 18-year-old since 1900 to debut as a shortstop.

So I found a list of the youngest player in the league 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.

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.”

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #168

Player Name: Alex Rodriguez

Team: New York Yankees

Position: Third Base

Game Date: August 22, 2013

Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays

Stadium: Yankee Stadium

Division: American League East

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 5-3, Yankees over the Blue Jays, Win for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: No

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Birthdate: 7/27/1975

Birthplace: New York

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Jim McIsaac

Niche collections this card could fit into: Celebration, League Leader in Italics, Former 1^st Round Draft Pick

My Grade: 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.

#88 Oswaldo Arcia

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.

#88 Oswaldo Arcia

First impression of what’s going on: 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 ever hit a home run, it would be celebrated like that.

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 really needs some oxygen.  But I digress. Let’s stop the speculating and see what really happened.

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)

The Reality of the Photo: 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.

Let’s check out the BOXSCORE and see what was worth celebrating.

If it was one of the two early runs, the celebrating might be excessive. If it was the tie breaker in the 7^th, that’s more acceptable. The win probability goes up significantly that late in the game, even with just one run.

So it was in the bottom of the 7^th, 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.

The home run was the top play of the game, changing the probability by a game high 21%.

Tying this card to yesterday’s is the Twins’ use of their alternate jersey for this game.

I think I spy an Under Armour logo on Arcia’s batting  glove but it’s too inconclusive to give credit.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Oswaldo was the 1^st under-22 Twins player since Francisco Liriano in 2005.

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.

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 that’s a great looking card, too!)

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #88

Player Name: Oswaldo Arcia

Team: Minnesota Twins

Position: Outfield

Game Date: August 4, 2013

Opponent: Houston Astros

Stadium: Target Field

Division: American League Central

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 3-2, Twins over the Astros, Win for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: Yes, Alternate

Bats/Throws: Left/Right

Birthdate: 5/9/1991

Birthplace: Venezuela

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Hannah Foslien

Niche collections this card could fit into: Alternate Jersey, Partial Southpaw, Celebration

My Grade: 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.

#280 Everth Cabrera

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.

#280 Everth Cabrera

First impression of what’s going on: 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.

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)

The Reality of the Photo: 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 BOXSCORE.

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.

Four hits, two runs and two RBIs.

He led off the bottom of the first the pictured triple and later scored on a sacrifice fly.

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.

After a ground out in the fifth, Cabrera bounced back with a solo home run in the 7^th. 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.

And finally, in the 9^th, 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?

That much.

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.

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?

Correct. This is one of two alternate uniform the Padres sported in 2013, along with their Sunday camo jerseys.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Everth was the first Padres rookie to hit a walk-off grand slam.

Just about every young ballplayer has pretended at one point or another to be at the plate in the bottom of the 9^th, two outs, down by three and hitting a walk-off grand slam. On August 7, 2009, 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.

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: Baseball Almanac

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.

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #280

Player Name: Everth Cabrera

Team: San Diego Padres

Position: Shortstop

Game Date: April 13, 2013

Opponent: Colorado Rockies

Stadium: Petco Park

Division: National League West

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 9-5, Rockies over Padres, Loss for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: Yes, alternate

Bats/Throws: Both/Right

Birthdate: 11/17/1986

Birthplace: Nicaragua

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Andy Hayt

Niche collections this card could fit into: League Leader in Italics, Switch Hitter, Dirty Jersey, Alternate Jersey, Free Advertising, Celebration

My Grade: 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.

#222 Vernon Wells

Randomizer finally got to the Yankees.

#222 Vernon Wells

First impression of what’s going on: Looks like a home run. Everybody seems pretty excited, including Wells, so maybe it’s a walk off.

I know Jimmy Kimmel does this as a skit on his show sometimes. I’ve heard DJs do it for songs. Now Topps is in on the act doing Unnecessary Censorship. The way Wells’ hand is cropped, you’d think he was flipping the bird. I posted another card earlier in this blog where it was cropped in this manner too, so I guess I’m going to have to go back and put it in the Censorship niche.

Here’s a funnier, video version of what Topps is essentially doing to Wells by cropping his fist:

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 05: Left fielder Vernon Wells #12 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a game-winning walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium on July 5, 2013 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images)

The Reality of the Photo: So it was a walk off, but just a single. But if that's all you need, I guess you don’t have to swing for the fences. Let’s take a look at the BOXSCORE and see how Vernon Wells got there.

Looks like a tight game, 2-1 heading into the 9^th inning. The Orioles brought in their closer, Jim Johnson, but it slowly fell apart after that.

It even made the top five plays of the game, which most walk offs should:

Wells’ previous hit of the game was a two out single where he later scored on a Luis Cruz line drive to left field.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Vernon threw out a runner at second base in his second MLB inning.

After this morning’s Rookie Fact debacle, I decided to double check this one too. Wells made his MLB debut on August 30, 1999 as the starting centerfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays.

As the inning recap shows, Todd Walker of the Minnesota Twins hit a line drive single to center to lead off the second inning. It must have been in the gap for him to think about going for two. But Wells got to it and threw Walker out. That has to rank up there as one of the better "Welcome to the Big Leagues" moments.

With 15 seasons in the books, the stats don’t leave room for a blurb on the back of the card. But there’s some red text, meaning Vernon Wells led the league in something! In 2003, Wells led all of Major League Baseball with 215 hits and tied for the American League lead with 49 doubles.

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #222

Player Name: Vernon Wells

Team: New York Yankees

Position: Outfield

Game Date: July 5, 2013

Opponent: Baltimore Orioles

Stadium: Yankee Stadium

Division: American League East

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 3-2, Yankees over Orioles, Win for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: No

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Birthdate: 12/8/1978

Birthplace: Louisiana

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Andy Marlin

Niche collections this card could fit into: Walk Off, Celebration, Unnecessary Censorship, League Leader in Italics

My Grade: The card had all the trademarks of a top notch card. Celebrating a walk off hit by a former league leader but Topps had to ruin it with its censorship. Overall though it is a pretty decent card so it gets a B+.

#274 Jonny Gomes

Yesterday I honored the Super Bowl teams with cards from their baseball counterparts. Today, I’ve got two random members of the two World Series teams. Actually, this first one is the only Red Sox player I pulled in either the blaster or the hanger box I bought so it was randomly selected by Topps I guess.

#274 Jonny Gomes

First impression of what’s going on: I remember this image quite well as it, or one much like it, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated last April. It followed the terrible bombing at the Boston marathon. I have mixed feelings about putting this particular image on a baseball card and think its selection walks a fine line between honoring a community and capitalizing on a tragedy.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 20: Jonny Gomes #2 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a double against the Kansas City Royals in the eighth inning on April 20, 2013 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

The Reality of the Photo:  Despite another mis-crop by Topps, this really is a great photo. The caption makes no mention of the importance of the play. Following the marathon bombing on April 19, 2013, the Red Sox/Royals game was cancelled. The next day, David Ortiz game the crowd an impassioned speech, even dropping the F-bomb on live TV. That's a story you won't see in the BOXSCORE.

What you will see is that down 2-1, Gomes came off the bench to lead off the bottom of the 8^th with a double. This pose was the result after reaching second base. He would later score on a three run homer by Daniel Nava which secured a 4-3 win for the Red Sox and the city of Boston.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Jonny’s 21 HRs were most by a Rays rookie between 1998 and 2007.

Gomes got a few games under his belt in 2003 and 2004 but was still able to qualify as a rookie in 2005 when he clubbed 21 HRs in 108 games for the Devil Rays.

For those curious, I looked up who broke his Rays rookie record in 2008. Only two players on the Rays that year had more. Carlos Pena (not a rookie) had 31 and some guy who won the Rookie of the Year award that year, Evan Longoria had 27. And to be nitpicky, Gomes still has the Devil Rays record as 2008 was the year they became just the Rays.

Beacuase of all the stats the card has, Gomes is the first card I’ve shown without a blurb. Funny how the veterans with a career’s worth of stories are the one left without them.

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #274

Player Name: Jonny Gomes

Team: Boston Red Sox

Position: Outfield

Game Date: April 20, 2013

Opponent: Kansas City Royals

Stadium: Fenway Park

Division: American League East

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 4-3, Red Sox over the Royals, Win for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: No

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Birthdate: 11/22/1980

Birthplace: California

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Michael Ivins

Niche collections this card could fit into: Horizontal, Awesome Hair, Tattoos, Celebration, Patch

My Grade: I hope this card doesn’t end up lost in dime boxes somewhere and the significance lost.

A horizontal layout is one of my top niches. Awesome hair isn’t just limited to long flowing manes, facial hair counts too. I myself am not a tattoo guy, but I've noticed a lot more popping up on players and cards. The Boston Strong patch is the first one I've seen this year, although when I get to the Cardinals cards, I'm betting I'll see a Stan Musial commemorative patch.

If Topps hadn't zoomed in so close and kept his fists in the frame, this would have been my second A card. But I won’t let my disdain for bad cropping drop this otherwise pretty awesome card a full letter grade. A- it is.

UPDATE: Since I wrote this, I've decided to change my grade to an A. If it was cropped better, I would have given it an A+, not just an A, thus the change.