Happy Anniversary Prince Fielder 2009 Topps #1

September 6th 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of one of the more memorable moments of Prince Fielder's career.

2009 Topps #1 Prince Fielder

The Brewers defeated the Giants 2-1 in extra innings that day, the winning blow was a Walk-Off Home Run by Fielder. To celebrate the Brewers executed a choreographed bowling style celebration. The moment polarizes old and new school fans. I suppose if you want to pinpoint a moment where MLB decided that maybe it is ok to celebrate big Home Runs might have been Prince Fielder September 6 2009.

The image of that moment was honored by Topps with the lead-off card for their 2010 set.

I did some digging and I believe the photograph was taken by Morry Gash and can be found at AP-Images.  There are a number of similar shots across the net, but this is the only one that I was unable to find any discrepancies between the card and photo.

Flip

2009 Topps #1 Prince Fielder (b-side)

Fielder didn't get the #1 slot just for the September 6th Walk-Off.  He was a superstar player at the peak of his career. Checking his numbers on the card back we notice he lead the NL in RBI with 141. The 46 Home Runs trailed only Albert Pujols (47).

The text also mentions Fielders 2009 HR Derby victory.

2009 HR Derby Cards

As part of the Derby Topps created a set of jumbo cards that were on display at Citifield for the All-Star game.  I took the above photo at the Futures game.

Stray Observation
The pitcher that gave up the Home Run was reliever Merkin Valdez. In 74 career games Valdez only took the Loss in one game, this was the one. 

Sources & Links
Topps #1 Club
Game Dated Cards Index
AP Images - Morry Gash
baseball-ref

2013 Topps All-Stars Home Run Derby Cards

On Sunday Team Phungo was fortunate enough to make it to Citi Field to see the All-Star Futures Game. One of the nice things about the Futures Game is that you get to see a lot of the background of what goes into putting together game without having to shell out ASG money.

One of the items the Mets have is the Topps Lineup cards similar to the Phillies.  For Monday Night the cards are specail ASG cards of the Home Run Derby participants.  

New York Mets Citi Field 2013 Topps ASG Line Up Cards (click to enlarge) 

2013 Topps ASG Cards HR Derby Participants NL
Pedro Alvarez
Michael Cuddyer
Bryce Harper
David Wright

2013 Topps ASG Cards HR Derby Participants AL
Robinson Cano
Yoenis Cespedes
Chris Davis
Prince Fielder

Tell Your Statistics to Shut Up

1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game Autograph Jim Bouton (nno)


I am not sure which character says it but "Tell Your Statistics to Shut Up" is a memorable line from "Ball Four" -  The Jim Bouton chronical of his 1969 season. 

With that explanation, I would like to add another feature to Phungo - Looking at some Stats, mostly with the help of the incredible Baseball-Reference.com.  For Practical purposes I think I will refer to this feature as SUS for Shut Up Stats.

Today I want to look at 2 of the big Off-Seasons signings and the impacts on those two Teams Attendace.  Specifically I am talking about Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols.

Rank	Team	Up/Down	Home Att Dif	Avg Dif
1	MIA	UP	387,479	11,742
2	DET	UP	271,903	9,376
3	WSN	UP	204,449	7,302
4	TEX	UP	177,351	6,821
5	TOR	UP	172,473	5,947
6	STL	UP	149,240	5,527
7	KCR	UP	134,391	4,800
8	ARI	UP	147,178	4,748
9	BAL	UP	131,788	4,393
10	ATL	UP	110,656	4,098
11	CIN	UP	122,050	4,068
12	PIT	UP	87,947	2,932
13	LAD	UP	88,460	2,854
14	CHC	UP	58,096	2,152
15	TBR	UP	46,511	1,550
16	MIL	UP	50,366	1,526
17	SEA	UP	32,764	1,311
18	OAK	UP	12,270	423
19	COL	UP	7,582	230
20	SDP	UP	4,322	127
21	BOS	UP	2,735	83
22	SFG	DOWN	-5,987	-187
23	PHI	DOWN	-17,489	-564
24	NYM	DOWN	-32,556	-1,050
25	NYY	DOWN	-45,250	-1,460
26	CLE	DOWN	-55,446	-1,733
27	CHW	DOWN	-61,361	-1,805
28	HOU	DOWN	-87,129	-2,723
29	LAA	DOWN	-101,318	-3,377
30	MIN	DOWN	-125,593	-4,331
	total	UP	1,867,882	2,064

Interesting stuff on the movement of our two sluggers.  Both Detroit and the Angels have had mediocre seasons - with the Angels surging a bit recently.  However it is Prince Fielder's team that had the Attendance jump while Pujols team has had one of the worst attendence declines in the league. 

The Angels have had 30 Home dates so far this season.  If you prorate Albert Pujols $12MM 2012 salary for those 30 games that means the Angels are paying him roughly 75K a game to draw 3377 less fans. 

Of course there are lots of other factors in attendance - Tean Play, Weather, Weekend/Weeknight games, The Dodgers Success, as well as the Stanley Cup Champs, Lakers and even Clippers.

Other Observations
- ChiTown - Cubs stink attendance up, ChiSox in First Place attendance down
- Least Coast Bias - Both Mets and Yankees down 1000+/Game - Phils also down, Boston up slightly.  ChesBay area O's and Nats both Up Though.
- The Spurned - The two teams that lost Pujols and Fielder both are Up - impressive for the Brew Crew who also went thru the Braun PR Hit.  Of course the Cardinals are coming off a World Championship.  The other World Series Participant Texas is up as well.

Source: Baseball-Reference.com - Year to Year Attendance Page
Stats Captured on 2012 06 12 for games played through 2012 06 11

MLB.com fantasy report feartures 1986 Topps knock offs

MLB.com publishes a fantasy baseball preview profiling the leagues players, In a nice nod to baseball cards of the past MLB creates custom cards of each players to accompany their player summaries. 

This year they sort of used 1986 topps.  While the 1986 Topps design is somewhat minimalist, due to the sheer volume of 1986 cards it is quite memorable.  I am not as enthralled with this years sample as past years, but they are interesting to check out.  

Every year these cards sort of appear like UD Vintage or OPC cards where they try to recycle an old Topps Design, but change it just enough that it isn't really "stealing".  Not sure why MLB.com chooses to do this.  They are already in cahoots w/ Topps, so why not just use the design or build it into the partnership.  You would think Topps would be all for the idea. 

Faux 1986 Topps Cole Hamels

You can tell they are going for 86 topps, but right away you can tell that things are a bit askew.  The Fonts on both the team and player names are way out of whack - A subtler difference is the position is in a box while in 1986 Topps it was in a circle. 

For a more detailed look at 86 Topps - check out the 1986topps blog. 

New Phils

Faux 1986 Topps Jonathan Papelbon

I think this is the first card of the closer as a Phil!

Faux 1986 Topps Dontrelle Willis

And dare I say Super Short Print #333??

Faux 1986 Topps Prince Fielder  

Previous Previews

2011 (1983 Topps)

2010 (1987 Topps)

2011 Phungo Cards - Prince Fielder

This is not a new 2012 Phungo card.  This Prince Fielder card is from last years set. 

 

Not sure if Prince will stick at 1b after his move to the AL.  Perhaps he will DH for the Tigers.

 

2011 Phungo #30 Prince Fielder

 

I kind of like this one, it isn't an action shot or anything like that.  But anytime I can get a decent pix of a all-star player I am happy. 

 

Glad to have Prince out of the NL, but always liked him - may have to add the Tigers to my Orioles Todo list for this summer. 

 

etc

 

If you want to see a fantastic video of a pack rip of Phungo Cards check out this posting by dayf over at Cardboard Junkie.   I absolutely love it and believe all Phungo Cards should be opened in such fashion.

 

 

 

 

Phungo Game Report - 2010 09 05 Milwaukee Brewers @ Philadelphia Phillies

It was Home Run Derby night at Citizen's Bank Park - The Brewers and Phils combined for 6 dingers. Oddly the games deciding play came on a sacrifice fly and botched throw.

The Phils took the see-saw game 5-4. The odd Sac Fly started on a 1 out fly ball to Ryan Braun by Placido Polanco. The Phils had Carlos Ruiz at third who may have screened rookie catcher Jonathan Lucroy on the throw which bounced away. On the errant throw Phils backup infielder Wilson Valdez came all the way around from 2nd to score the winning run. It was the most exciting play in a night that was filled with Homers and nice defensive efforts.

Prince Fielder, Alcides Escobar, and Core Hart (2) supplied the fireworks for the Brew-Crew. The Good Guys got Homers from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Despite giving up four homers for first time in his career Roy Halladay got the W - makes up for a couple of tough losses he has taken earlier this season. The Phils bullpen pitched 2 innings of spotless relief, with Ryan Madson and J C Romero setting it up for Brad Lidge's 20th save. Kameron Loe took the loss for the Brewers. Local product Dave Bush got the start for the Brewers and pitched well and did not factor in the decision. Carlos Ruiz was 3-3 on the night - The Phils picked up a game on the Braves and are now 20 games over .500 for the first time in 2010.

Snapshots
A Robin
This statue of Robin Roberts guards the first base gate at Citizen's Bank Ballpark.


A Wolf
Former Phil and Phungo Phavorite

A Vegetarian
Prince coming in from BP. Might be Prince's first appearance in Phungo.


and A Jimmy
J-Roll has never been featured on a Phungo Card. He is always batting lead-off - I think I am not quite ready to take a picture when Jimmy is at the plate. Rollins was also spotted at the Red Bull Flugtag earlier on Saturday.

Other Observations
It was a really windy night - blowing left to right - I would have thought anything to Left would have gotten knocked down, but both Escobar's and Werth's Homers were drilled deep. The Bank may have held Fielder's sky-high homer on another night - same with Howard's.

The Brewer's were fairly well represented in the crowd. It is a holiday weekend and I am sure a few fans made the trip to Philadelphia for the series. Most common shirt I spied last night was Ryan Braun, with Prince Fielder not getting as much love as I would of thought.

Every Phillies home game is a sell-out, but there are levels of sell-outs. some are mobbed and some feel like Sell-outs in name only. Surprisingly last night was closer to the Mobbed variety. Lots of college students have returned to town and there was a Penn State promotion which added to the festive evening.

I only caught the tail end of the Brewer BP and they had the reserves swinging that bats. Rookie Lorenzo Cain looked pretty sharp lacing several hard hit liners and popping a long homer to left. Mat Gamel also hit the ball hard several times. Craig Counsell had the most consistent BP knocking several balls sharply up the middle.

Good Guy Awards
Mat Gamel and Willie Randolph were both spotted signing autographs for fans.

Looking Back
For a previous Game Report check here for the Rangers and Orioles (2010/08/21)
For the last Phillies Game Report click here for a game featuring the San Francisco Giants (2010/08/17).

Looking Ahead
The Labor Day Baseball Bonanza continues with the tricky Night Game followed by a Day game as team Phungo travels to Baltimore to see the Orioles host the Rays.