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

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

Snapshots 2012 10 08 - ALDS Game 2 - Yankees 2 @ Orioles 3

Team Phungo closed our 2012 MLB campaign where we started it, At Camden Yards. For the sixth consecutive year I was able to procure a playoff ticket.  Somewhat sadly that ticket was not for a Philles Postseason game.  Regardless time moves on and it has been exciting to watch the Baltimore Orioles usher in a new playoff era.

On Monday night the Orioles defeated their AL East Division Rivals 3-2 in a rather dramatic game.  There weren't many offensive fireworks as both teams had to scratch out all five of their combined runs.

There were a couple of notable performances Wei-Yin Chen and Andy Pettitte both pitched well, Chris Davis had a pair of RBIs for the O's.  Ichiro basically stole a run for the the Yankees with some creative baserunning in the first inning. 

Snapshots (click on any photo to enlarge) 

National Anthem  

Always cool to be at any Big Flag game.  Both Baltimore and For McHenry take great pride in their place in American History and their connection to the Star Spangled Banner. 

 Wei-Yin Chen

After getting into some jams early Chen was able to settle down and gave the O's 6 1/3 innings.  This photo of Wei-Yin was taken during warm ups.

Nate McClouth 

Hard to imagine after a few up and down years Nate McClouth is batting leadoff for a 90+ Win team in the ALDS.

Record Setter

Alex Rodriguez (looking a bit exasperated)

I heard last night that Alex Rodriguez set the  blob postseason record.  Blob is the term that Night Owl Cards has used for the last out of the Season, a Series, or Game.  A-Rod has now been the final out of 4 Playoff games  

Coda

Andy Pettitte

I really haven't heard what Pettitte is going to be up to after the 2012 season.  But he turned 40 this summer and has already retired once.  If the O's end up defeating the Yankees, Monday night may have been Pettittes final MLB appearance.