#26 Josh Phegley

#26 Josh Phegley

First impression of what’s going on: 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.

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.

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)

The Reality of the Photo: 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 BOXSCORE.

We knew the White Sox lost from the caption, but maybe Phegley had a good game?

Pretty good actually. Two hits, two runs, an RBI. Let’s see if we can pin down the photo.

A single to center in the third. That’s a possibility. And he came around to score. What else?

A groundout to shortstop in the fifth. Probably not.

An RBI single to center in the 5-run sixth that led to Phegley scoring another run too.

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.

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.

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.

*EDIT*

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:

Double Play started by Josh Phegley

So it wasn't a sacrifice attempt, just a weak hit.

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.

On to the back:

Rookie Fact: Josh threw out 13 runners and picked off two in 64 defensive games.

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?

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?

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.

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!

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #26

Player Name: Josh Phegley

Team: Chicago White Sox

Position: Catcher

Game Date: August 26, 2013

Opponent: Houston Astros

Stadium: US Cellular Field

Division: American League Central

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 10-8, Astros over the White Sox, Loss for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: No.

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Birthdate: 2/12/1988

Birthplace: Indiana

Cameos by: Unknown (Astros)

Photographer: Jonathan Daniel

Niche collections this card could fit into: Former 1^st Round Draft Pick,
 

My Grade: 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.

This card gets a C.

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.

A play at the plate where a Cub is safe? Yes!

A double high five with cameos? 

Throwbacks?

Broken Bat?

Celebrations and throwbacks? And a potential horizontal layout ? Ding! Ding! Ding!

Whoops, too many more and Topps might start to feel bad.

#262 Jeff Keppinger

Today, we’re going South Side/North Side.

#262 Jeff Keppinger

First impression of what’s going on: As usual, the crop is too tight.  Keppinger is missing part of a hand and the baseball is missing a chunk. Otherwise, it’s a decent shot of a play at first. I like the photos where the ball is about to be caught or hit. And on a blown up version of the photo, I bet I could count the stitches on the ball, no blur at all in the photo.

Wait. Did I say play at first? The card says he’s a third baseman but he’s definitely wearing a first baseman’s mitt. This isn't something I’m tracking, maybe I should, but I’m wondering how many utility guys make Series 1.

CHICAGO, IL - AUGUST 14: First baseman Jeff Keppinger #7 of the Chicago White Sox catches the ball against the Detroit Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field on August 14, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. The Tigers defeated the White Sox 6-4. (Photo by Brian D. Kersey/Getty Images)

The Reality of the Photo: Yep, definitely cropped too tight. I’m not saying the card could have fit the full length photo, but I know Jeff from 2x3 Heroes probably would have liked him some high socks on a White Sox card. The caption doesn’t give much information on the exact play, and in any given game, a putout at first could be the most common play. Let’s go to the BOXSCORE.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the division leading Tigers beat the division cellar dwelling White Sox in a later season game. But let’s look for putouts at first base.

Right off the bat, to start the game, Austin Jackson grounded out to the shortstop. Based on Keppinger’s eye line, I would probably say this is a definite possibility.

Top of the second brings two more putouts. The first seems like a tougher play that would be closer at the bag. The eye line could work but I would expect to see the runner at least starting to enter the frame. The other play came from second base and unless it was a slow roller into the grass, I don’t think the angle works. And again, a play in the grass would probably be a closer play at first.

The top of the third ends with a ground ball to shortstop. Ok, I’m done trying to figure it out. Too many opportunities and it’s only the third inning. For the record, I looked it up, and Jeff had 12 putouts in this game. I guess I could look at the shadows and find the exact time of day and correspond...zzzzzzzz.

Anyway, there's not much in the way of niches on the front of this card, just sunglasses, so let’s see what we can get from the back:

Rookie Fact: Jeff, though not a power hitter, homered twice in his first 8 games.

I went back to 2004 for some boxscores to look up his home runs and came up with game 7 of his career and game 8, both against the Dodgers. Keppinger’s Mets lost both games, and interestingly enough, they also lost the game where he hit his only other home run that season. How many before that’s a jinx?

The blurb mentions the utility of Keppinger and it shows up in the stats. Seven teams in nine seasons and nearly 200 games at three different positions is pretty much the definition of utility.

.

Information I’ll be tracking:

Card Number: #262

Player Name: Jeff Keppinger

Team: Chicago White Sox

Position: Third Base

Game Date: August 14, 2013

Opponent: Detroit Tigers

Stadium: US Cellular Field

Division: American League Central

Home/Away: Home

Outcome of the game: 6-4, Tigers over White Sox, Loss for the player depicted

Alternate/Throwback Jersey: No

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Birthdate: 4/21/1980

Birthplace: Florida

Cameos by: N/A

Photographer: Brian D. Kersey

Niche collections this card could fit into: Sunglasses

My Grade:  While there is nothing that makes me say, “WOW!” about this card, I still kind of like it. Maybe it’s because he’s playing a different position than what he is credited with. Or the calmness in his reaction to the play.  Or my soft spot for utility guys.

I can’t quite pinpoint why I think this is a slightly better than average card, but I’m going to give it a B-.