2013 WS Game 5: 2013 Topps Chrome #43 Adam Wainwright (Orange Parallel)

The 2013 World Series is now down to a best of three. I am not sure that it is a classic, but there sure have been some oddities notably and overturned call and an obstruction ruling,

2013 Topps Chrome #43 Adam Wainwright (Orange Parallel)

In game 5 Adam Wainwright will be hoping for a better start then he had in Game 1. The Cardinals defense didn't help Wainwright, and he was hurt by the overturned call.  Regardless if those issues crop up tonight he will need to find a way out of the jams.    

2013 Topps Chrome Orange 
The last few years Topps Chrome has offered "Value" packs which are basically three 4-card packs with three Orange Parallel cards.  This is one of the orange parallels that I picked up in the single value pack that I picked up a few weeks back.
 
2013 PostSeason Cardinals
Matt Adams
Lance Lynn
Michael Wacha 

Orlando Cepeda


2013 PostSeason Red Sox
Clay Buchholz
David Ortiz
Dustin Pedroia 
Shane Victorino

Carl Yastrzemski
Jose Iglesias (Now with Tigers)

Sources
baseball-ref.com 

2013 WS Game 1: 1975 Topps #205 MVPs Yastrzemski & Cepeda

I wanted to find a card that combined the BoSox and Cardinals and was very happy to find this beauty.

1975 Topps #205 1967 MVPs Yastrzemski & Cepeda (image swiped from baseball card database)


The 75T MVPs is one of the most fun subsets in the Topps canon. It marks both the 25th anniversary of Topps and the MVPs of each of those seasons.  In 1967 the MVPs were Yaz and Orlando Cepeda pictured here on the minimalist 67T Design.

Recent MVP discussion appear to come down to discussion of various traditional stats vs the single WAR stat.  Tonight I would like to examine the WAR numbers for these two future HoF players during their 67 MVP seasons - which was the only MVP for each. 

Yaz
Working from Left to Right we start with Yastrzemski.  He won the AL Triple Crown in 1967 and collected an astounding WAR of 12.41.  The 12.41 WAR is the highest single season number for anyone in the history of the game that is not named Babe Ruth. Yes Yaz won the Triple Crown and he had the 4th highest WAR in history, but he didn't get voted MVP unanimously.  Cesar Tovar received a single #1 vote for his 2.44 WAR season - I have no idea.    

Orlando Cepeda
Of course in a year when Carl Yastrzemski puts together one of the greatest seasons in history and doesn't get a unanimous MVP, Orlando Cepeda collected all 20 MVP first place votes in the NL Balloting. Cepeda had a very good year, but not historic. His 6.80 WAR was 5th among vote getters - Ron Santo led the league at 9.77. Cepada led the league in RBI (111) and finished 3rd in OBP (.399)

MLB 1967
Finally it should be noted that in 1967 the Cardinals and Red Sox met in the World Series. Yaz hit 3 Homers and batted .400 in the Series.  Cepeda collected 3 hits total and batted .103.  But baseball is a cruel game Yaz and the Red Sox lost to the Cardinals - Bob Gibson won 3 complete games giving up 3 ER across those starts.   

Other Voices
Night Owl Cards - 2010 posting from the NOC 75 Topps retrospective. Contains some interesting observation on 67T and notes that Orlando Cepeda's MVP season was his first with the Cardinals.   

2013 PostSeason Cardinals
Matt Adams
Lance Lynn
Michael Wacha 


2013 PostSeason Red Sox
Clay Buchholz
David Ortiz
Dustin Pedroia 
Shane Victorino
Jose Iglesias (Now with Tigers)

Sources
Phungo HOF Orlando Cepeda Index
Phungo HOF Carl Yastrzemski Index 
baseball Card Database
baseball-ref.com 

2013 Phungo #50 Clayton Kershaw

For the purely selfish reason of wanting a Game 7 to watch on Saturday Night, I will be a Dodgers fan for the evening. To rep the Dodgers we are posting a Phungo Card of their Game 6 Starting Pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

2013 Phungo #50 Clayton Kershaw

I am a tad surprised we don't see this post on more cards. Pitchers do it all the time during BP. It is a different perspective on your ace. They are being a member of the team, setting a target for their throwing partner.  We also see here Kershaw has placed his cap down to use as a target/plate.  


I didn't post as many Phungo cards as I would have liked this year, but I have been thinking about 2014 Phungo. I am pretty sure there will be a 2014 set which will be the 6th edition of the cards. I also want to get out some last minute mailings of 2013 cards in the next couple of weeks - the last 2 years I have produced sets, but absolutely failed on the mailing out process. which is kind of the most important step.

Best o luck to the Dodgers - cmon game 7.


2013 PostSeason Cardinals
Lance Lynn
Michael Wacha 

2013 PostSeason Dodgers
Adrian Gonzalez
Clayton Kershaw (2012 Panini Prizm)
Yasiel Puig

2008 UD Goudey #143 Shane Victorino

During our playoff frenzy we have been featuring a lot of non-Phillies material. The Phils are no longer in the mix and I wanted to feature some of the players that are getting a chance to perform on the big stage of postseason baseball. Tonight we feature a Phils card and a playoff participant!

2008 UD Goudey #143 Shane Victorino

Similar to his tenure in Philadelphia, Shane Victorino has become a fan favorite in Boston.  It hasn't hurt that he has had a terrific year. Having a Centerfielder playing one of the corner OF positions is a nice bonus.

With the Phils out of the postseason Victorino gives me a player to cheer for on the Red Sox.  For Phils fans that haven't been paying attention to the playoffs, you may be interested to know that Victoriino has given up switch hitting.  He is a righty only currently. It will be interesting to see if he continues to bat strictly RH in the future. 

2013 PostSeason Tigers
Miguel Cabrera
Max Scherzer
Jose Iglesias (Red Sox Card)

2013 PostSeason Red Sox
Clay Buchholz
David Ortiz
Dustin Pedroia 


Sources
baseballcardpedia
baseball reference

2010 Bowman Topps 100 #TP64 Jose Iglesias (pre-RC)

Regardless of the outcome of the ALCS, there is one guy that may end up as a LCS Bonus qualifier either way. 

2010 Bowman Topps 100 #TP64 Jose Iglesias (pre-RC)

Jose Iglesias was traded from Boston to Detroit mid-season. If the BoSox players are generous they could vote Iglesias get a portion of their playoff shares from the 2013 bonu$ pool.

The Tigers picked up Iglesias to fill in the hole created by Jhonny Peralta's Biogenisis suspension and he has been a solid fill in at the Shortstop position.  

2010 Bowman Topps 100
The Topps 100 Insert set consists of 100 Prospects, In addition to Iglesias the impressive checker includes early cards of Dom Brown, Ben Revere, Kyle Drabek, Anthony Gose, Josh Lindblom, Stephen Strasburg, Freddie Freeman, J-Hey, Posey, Bumgarner, Aroldis Chapamn, Logan Morrison, Todd Frazier, Austin Jackson, Ivan DeJesus JR, Koby Clemens, Zack Wheeler as well as several others.

2013 PostSeason Tigers
Max Scherzer
Miguel Cabrera


2013 PostSeason Red Sox

Clay Buchholz
David Ortiz
Dustin Pedroia 

Sources
baseball-ref
baseballcardpedia

2010 Bowman Prospects #14 Matt Adams (Pre-RC)

Tonight the NLCS kicks off in St Louis with the Cardinals hosting the LA Dodgers . The RedBirds seem to return to the playoffs every year and always seem to have a good influx of new talent. One of those players is Matt Adams.

2010 Bowman Prospects #14 Matt Adams

Adams has been on my radar for a while. He and my Wife both have roots in a rural area of Central Pennsylvania. He played college ball at Slippery Rock Univ - which is Division 2 Baseball. Kudos need to be given to the Cardinals for digging down to the lower levels of the collegiate game to find talent.

2010 Bowman Prospects
Matt Adams was drafted in 2009, so if this isn't Adams' first card it has to be close - indeed it does specify that it is his "1st Bowman Card".  

2010 Bowman Prospects is a 110 card insert set within 2010 Bowman. The Insert set is a noted within the hobby because it contains the debut card of Stephen Strasburg, who (unlike Matt Adams) has never played in the Postseason.


2013 PostSeason Cardinals
Lance Lynn
Michael Wacha 
 

2013 PostSeason Dodgers
Adrian Gonzalez
Clayton Kershaw
Yasiel Puig

Sources
baseballcardpedia.com
baseball-ref.com

2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #209 Coco Crisp

The deciding game of the final LDS features the Athletics hosting the Tigers.

2012 Topps Allen & Ginter #209 Coco Crisp

In a series that hasn't had much offesne Coco Crisp is getting a lot of hits batting leadoff and playing CenterField for the A's. At age 33 Crisp is having perhaps the best season of his career. His 22 HR 119 OPS+ and 61 walks are all career bests. Crisp may not have arrived in Oakland as the prototype of the player the A's were looking for but he has become that player - improved OBP with a bit more Pop.

2013 PostSeason A's
Josh Donaldson
Yoenis Cespedes
Josh Reddick

2013 PostSeason Tigers
Max Scherzer
Miguel Cabrera

Sources
BaseballCardpedia.com
baseball-ref.com
ebay.com

2013 Topps Archives #101 Andrew McCutchen

Our playoff postings continue today with the Pirates exciting young Centerfielder Andrew McCutchen.

2013 Topps Archives #101 Andrew McCutchen (1985 Topps)

I will be rooting for the cross-state Pirates in tonight's elimination game. Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole are just 2 examples of the clubs young talent that I would like to see under the bright lights of the NLCS.

2013 PostSeason Pirates
Pedro Alvarez
Gerrit Cole

2013 PostSeason Cardinals
Lancy Lynn
Michael Wacha

2008 Topps Stadium Club #108 Evan Longoria RC (First Day Issue Variation)

This Evening the Tampa Bay Rays are facing elimination in game 3 of their ALDS matchup with the Boston Red Sox. Fenway was a disaster for the Rays who return home to the Trop for tonight's game. The Rays have been around the playoff scene since 2008 and one of the guys that has been with them during the entire arc of this period is Evan Longoria.

2008 Topps Stadium Club #108 Evan Longoria RC (First Day Issue Variation) 

Evan Longoria was the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year and led the Rays to an AL Pennant. The 2008 Rays defeated the Red Sox in a 7 game ALCS to win the pennant, if the Rays return to the World Series they will once again need to defeat the Red Sox in another full length series.

In 2008 Topps took the worst photos they can find and put them in their base set, this left some really great shots for the return of Topps Stadium Club. One of the fine photos to find it's way into 2008 TSC was this fine pix of Evan Longoria striking a classic baseball card pose. Unfortunately 08 Stadium Club had a pretty convuluted checklist which contained several variations for 1/3 of the cards. The great, but now defunct, Fielder's Choice Blog explains what all this means in regards to the Evan Longoria card here.

More Rays PostSeason Postings
David Price (2012 Topps Archives)
David DeJesus (2008 Topps Heritage)

Sources
Fielder's Choice
baseball-ref.com

2009 Topps Heritage #TME-DP Dustin Pedroia

Today Game 2 of the Rays and Red Sox ALDS is happening at Fenway. After a injury marred 2012 the BoSox second baseman and leader Dustin Pedroia is back in the fold.  

2009 Topps Heritage #TME-DP Dustin Pedroia

Pedroia's raw numbers for the 2013 (.301/9 HR/84 RBI) may not be as impressive as his 2008 MVP season, but his WAR number ended up being pretty close (6.5 in 2013, 6.9 in '08). It has been a quietly impressive season - which is what has happened for many of the Red Sox this years.

2009 Mayo
The Mayo Cards are based off of an 1895 football release. The inserts were in 2009 Topps Heritage RETAIL. The set consists of 20 cards with the Phillies represented by Ryan Howard.  A Pedroia card has recently gone on Ebay for $6.95 - Others have sold as low as $3.33 (Albert Pujols).  

Sources
baseball-cardpedia
Nachos Grande
baseball-ref.com
ebay.com

2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP61 Josh Donaldson

The American League kicks off their ALDS playoffs today. In the late game the Oakland A's will be hosting the Detroit Tigers. Year in and year out the Athletics remain an unknown to me. One of the aspects of their Moneyball rooted philosophy is the constant changover of players as they age out. This aids with getting an steady influx of young talent like Josh Donaldson.  

2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP61 Josh Donaldson

JD is coming off a fine first full season with the A's. As the 2013 campaign drew to a close Donaldson emerged as a WAR oriented favorite in the MVP Debate. He played on a division winner and his WAR ranked 2nd to Mike Trout.

Unlike Miguel Cabrera who ranked 4th in WAR, I am not sure of where the source of Josh Donaldson's WAR numbers comes from. His raw numbers are good but not impressive - a couple of top 10s (OBP/SLG/OPS) but no dominant category. He does play in a pitchers ballpark, which likely deflates his BA, HR and RBI but leaves his WAR unaffected. Another component of WAR is level of competition with some good pitchers in the AL West.  

2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects #BCP61 Josh Donaldson (b-side)

There is no position on the Front but the flip of the 2010 Bowman card lists Donaldson as a catcher. I am always a fan of early cards of players as Catchers before they move to other positions. Craig Biggio and Jayson Werth come to mind. There are guys like Darren Daulton that caught most of their careers but he didn't win a World Series title until he moved to 1B. Bryce Harper was drafted as a catcher but was moved to Center to speed is trek to the majors. For a variety of reasons these guys got moved, but typically the early training behind the plate gives them an advantage in the baseball IQ when moved elsewhere.

For The Collector
This card has gone for as low as $1.09 on the Bay - however I suspect it can be found in a quarter box, probably even a dimer. A Blue refractor #d/250 went for $12.50.


Sources
baseball-ref.com
ebay.com

2013 Topps Chrome #210 Gerrit Cole (RC)

Congrats to the Pirates and Rookie Starter Gerrit Cole

2013 Topps Chrome #210 Gerrit Cole (RC)

Near as I can tell this is Gerrit Cole's first card since reaching the Majors (he is not in Series 1 or 2), so we have a true rookie card here. Actually this is a parallel of his RC, the base would be straight chrome rather than orange.   

Mostly I wanted to post this card before it gets end off to its future home with the Pirates Treasure Room.

2012 Panini Prizm #29 Clayton Kershaw

Tonight the NLDS Phase of the playoffs kickoff. The Late game features the Braves with Kris Medlen on the mound versus the Dodgers who send out the best pitcher in the league, Clayton Kershaw.

2012 Panini Prizm #29 Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw was the Cy Young winner in 2011 and was runner up to the RA Dickey Show in 2012.  This year Kershaw is among the leading candidates once again - He is led the League in ERA (1.83!!), Ks, ERA+, as well as Lowest WHIP.

2012 Panini Prizm

Panini Prizm really isn't my thing. 

I think Panini Prizm went for $3 for a 4 card pack. A bit beyond the Team Phungo budget. One thing I don't understand about cards that are not MLB licensed is the sticker price. I mean if your not paying MLB megabucks for an exclusive, why do your cards cost just as much (and more) than Topps.  I don't get it.

Prizm are higher card stock - chromium cards to be specific. Which is nice but bumps up costs a bit.

The biggest reason I am not a Prizm collector isn't the license nor is it the money.  I just have never been a fan of the sets where every card is one of the players image is taken totally out of the the picture it has originated.  I prefer a card werhe I can see the field or stadium and try and figure out where and when the game was played. All that being said this Kershaw card has a fine photo of the lefty as did the remaining cards in the small "pack".

Sources
Baseball-ref.com
Dodgers Blue Heaven

 
 

   

2004 UD USA Baseball #USA-60 Terry Francona

Tonight is the last of 3 consecutive nights of Winner or Go Home MLB games, featuring Monday Nights winner the Tampa Bay Rays v the Cleveland Indians who have come to be known as the "Fighting Francona's" 

2004 UD USA Baseball #USA-60 Terry Francona


Lots of folks know that in addition to managing the Indians Terry Francona has also managed both the Phillies and of course the Red Sox (2004 and 2007 World Champions), however they may not know that he was the manager of the 2001 USA Baseball team.  The USA squad took the silver medal in the 2001Baseball World Cup (not affiliated with the WBC) hosted by Tapei Taiwan. The Gold Medal game was versus Cuba who took the gold with a 5-3 victory. 

2004 UD USA Baseball  
 
The USA Baseball set gets around (2013=Panini, 2010=Topps)  The 2004 Set by Upper Deck consists of 200 cards and recognizes the 25th anniversary of USA Baseball.  The checklist contains some superstars: McGwire, Oswalt, Mussina, Brian Roberts, Jack McDowell, Varitek, and Mauer as well as lesser known players.  In addition to the full 200 cards the factory sets include a relic plus 3 autographs. RA Dickey is a notable auto from the set. 

Factory sets are available on Amazon for $34. 

Sources
USA Baseball
Dave and Adam's Card World
wikipedia.com
Amazon.com

2009 TriStar Obak #1 Pedro Alvarez

For tonight's playoff posting we take a look at the Obak product that Tristar revived in 2009.

2009 TriStar Obak #1 Pedro Alvarez

In a nod to Upper Deck's inaugural set (1989) Tristar put a bunch of minor league prospects at the top of their debut Obak offering with Pedro Alvarez getting the honored with the #1 slot. Alvarez will likely never be Ken Griffey Jr, but this season he lead the NL in Home Runs with 36 (however he batted only .233 - His 186 Ks also led the league)

Sources
Tristar Cards
baseball-ref.com