Driving you slow

Nice example of an 'off the field' card.

Upper Deck Collector's Choice got to be one of the best sets ever. So it's always a joy to revisit those sets and re-find cool cards like this one of Jaret Wright debut card.

So I want checking his career and found he even played for my Yankees. That's nice. So I can add this card to my pile of 'also-played-for-my-Yankees-but-I-don't-have-a-card-of-him-as-a-Yankee'.

It seems that because of a chronic shoulder injury he didn't get to full potential when he was getting it right.

At least he can drive.

Rookie tell me where you are now - Greg Maddux

Again my scanner has something against great rookies so it cut Greg Maddux name from the image, but he's one of those that one can recognize without any problem.

He played for a group of teams:

    Chicago Cubs (1986–1992)
    Atlanta Braves (1993–2003)
    Chicago Cubs (2004–2006)
    Los Angeles Dodgers (2006)
    San Diego Padres (2007–2008)
    Los Angeles Dodgers (2008)

Just to say that he was a rookie playing for Cubs when I was born.

Maddux matched with our previous Rookie Randy Johnson with a great career, braking quite a few records and getting even more awards:

    8× All-Star (1988, 1992, 1994–1998, 2000)
    World Series champion (1995)
    4× NL Cy Young Award (1992–1995)
    18× Gold Glove Award (1990–2002, 2004–2008)
    3× MLB wins leader (1992, 1994, 1995)
    4× MLB ERA leader (1993–1995, 1998)
    Chicago Cubs No. 31 retired
    Atlanta Braves No. 31 retired
    Braves Hall of Fame

There is no doubt there why e also got inducted to the Hall of Fame by 2014.

I've give some thought about which one, Randy or Maddux, would I choose back then if I could get one in my team. I think for a minimum difference I'd chose Maddux.

Rookie tell me where you are now - Randy Johnson

I know my scanner cut it but it is no difficult task to identify the AL Cy Young winner.

Lets make some room for Mr. Randy Johnson!

He got himself around a lot of teams:

    Montreal Expos (1988–1989)
    Seattle Mariners (1989–1998)
    Houston Astros (1998)
    Arizona Diamondbacks (1999–2004)
    New York Yankees (2005–2006)
    Arizona Diamondbacks (2007–2008)
    San Francisco Giants (2009)

Got to be a Yankee and also played for other two teams I like, D-Backs and Astros. Just missed Reds and he would be a star player for me.

He's one of those examples that got it right and got even more awards after RotY:

    10× All-Star (1990, 1993–1995, 1997, 1999–2002, 2004)
    World Series champion (2001)
    5× Cy Young Award (1995, 1999–2002)
    World Series MVP (2001)
    Triple Crown (2002)
    MLB wins leader (2002)
    4× ERA leader (1995, 1999, 2001, 2002)
    9× Strikeout leader (1992–1995, 1999–2002, 2004)
    Pitched a perfect game on May 18, 2004
    Pitched a no-hitter on June 2, 1990
    Arizona Diamondbacks No. 51 retired
    Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame


That's insane!

That's why after being RotY he got himself into MLB Hall of Fame.

Rookie tell me where you are now - Hideo Nomo

Since I started reading baseball cards blogs and knowing a bit of the collectors' world I've known about Nomo's myth.

So, there is no surprise about him getting RotY award.

How did he after the award?

Nomo played for:

    Kintetsu Buffaloes (1990–1994)
    Los Angeles Dodgers (1995–1998)
    New York Mets (1998)
    Milwaukee Brewers (1999)
    Detroit Tigers (2000)
    Boston Red Sox (2001)
    Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–2004)
    Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005)
    Kansas City Royals (2008)

Quite a lot of teams and almost 20 years playing baseball.

And with a few awards:

NPB

    Pacific League MVP (1990)
    Eiji Sawamura Award (1990)
    Triple Crown (1990)
    Pacific League Rookie of the Year (1990)

MLB

    All-Star (1995)
    NL Rookie of the Year (1995)
    2× Strikeout leader (1995, 2001)
    Threw two career no-hitters

It seems Nomo's first decade playing in MLB were the best for him. But it was enough to get him in the Japanese Hall of Fame.

Rookie tell me where you are now - Marty Cordova

Marty Cordova got the '95 AL award for RotY. Lets see if it paid off.

Cordova played for

    Minnesota Twins (1995–1999)
    Toronto Blue Jays (2000)
    Cleveland Indians (2001)
    Baltimore Orioles (2002–2003)

Well, not the longest carrier possible...

It says he got lots of injuries. It's a shame, specially because this was the only award Cordova got.

Two Green make a Blue

I'm seeing double here.

Can you sign me the ball Sir!?

Topps has the monopoly of the official cards but still play safe and don't have out of the box photos in their cards. At least in the flagship set. It's a shame

So now can you sign me this ball Sir!?