CTB: 2019 Topps #1 Ronald Acuna Jr

We interrupt our Rookie Cup HOF coverage to discuss the WBC Champion Venezuela Squad's THREE ASR winners. 

One of those players is Jackson Chourio who we already featured. The other two players are both in the 2018 class that was honored in 2019 Topps, Ronald Acuna Jr and Gleyber Torres. 

We will first look at Acuna JR who played all seven games in right field for Venezuela and led the team in Runs Scored.

2019 Topps #1 Ronald Acuna Jr (Sports Collectors Daily)

I believe Ronald Acuna is only the 2nd player to represent card #1 with a Rookie Cup flair. Mike Piazza achieved the double win in 1994. Acuna Jr like Piazza won the NL Rookie of the Year Award the year prior. 

Ronald fell 3 votes shy of sweeping the award (Juan Soto 2, Walker Buehler 1). Acuna  & Soto's numbers are remarkably similar and I am surprised at the lopsidedness of the Vote.  

I assume the BBWAA writers were breaking ties with WAR by 2019 - although peeking inside the numbers Soto's Walk numbers are significant. On the other hand Acuna's Braves finished 8 games ahead of Soto's Nats. Regardless the two make for the start of an outstanding outfield. 

Guess the Game

Kind of thought this one looked like it may have been taken in Philadelphia and it was. According to Getty Images the Photo was taken 2018 April 29 by Rob Tringali who is responsible for a lot of Phillies pictures. 

Unfortunately for the Phillies (SP: Vince Velasquez) it was a good game for Ronald Acuna Jr and the Braves who won 10-1. 

Flip

2019 Topps #1 Ronald Acuna Jr (b-side also SCD)

On the back of the card we see the #1 top right and the stats mentioned above - however here we seed the oWAR of 3.7 rather than the 3.9 which apparently includes defense & positional adjustments. The text gives the Pirates Outfielder Starling Marte credit for dubbing Acuna "El Ambusador" (the Abuser) 

Sources & Links

2019 Rookie Cup Team

Topps #1 Club 

Game Dated Cards

Sports Collectors Daily 

baseball-reference

Rob Tringali

Getty Images

Sunday Night Baseball: Starling Marte Die Cut

Tonight the Pirates are hosting the Giants in a rematch of last years NL Wild Card game. The Pirates hope things go better than last years 8-0 loss.

2015 Topps Stadium Club Luminous Triumvirate #T-7B

 In last years single game showdown nothing went the Pirates way. They only managed four hits but one of them belonged to Starling Marte.

The 26 year old left fielder is in the middle of his third full season with the big club, and is once again putting together solid numbers. Currently Marte stands at 15 HR,  61 RBI, .290 AVG - Good Enough for a 119 OPS+ and a club leading 4.0 WAR.

Luminous Triumvirate
In our Blaster Break I mentioned that I don't understand this insert -Die Cuts aren't really my thing. As implied by the name Triumvirates are Trios of cards with a similar theme - the 3 Cards are die-cut as puzzle pieces that fit together to make a single long card. The #7 Triumvirate is dedicated to the Pirates, Starlings partners in his Troika are Andrew McCutchen and Gregory Polanco.

Triumvirates has three Levels based on manufactured scarcity, The Luminous above is the most common tier of the insert (1 per box - however available in retail)

 Flip

2015 Topps Stadium Club Luminous Triumvirate #T-7B (b-side)

Maybe this is part of Triumvirate's theme, but in my opinion these are lame backs.

Playoff Contenders
The Pirates have the second best record in the NL and this card has been added to the Pirates portion of our Playoff Contenders Index

Sources and Links
2015 Playoff Contenders Index
baseball-ref
Cardboard Connection