Serial Insanity Cards 1056-1060

This pretty much finishes out the week of showing off cards that I picked up from card shows.  Funny thing is, these 5 cards I picked up at the December show, so it only took 5 weeks for me to get them on the blog.

Enjoy the next five:

Card #1056:  Stefan Gartrell

Serial Number:  840
31st card out of 50 for the White Sox

I love these purple bordered Bowman Chrome cards, even if they feature prospects that I've never heard of.  Gartrell is not a small man, 6'3" 230 lbs and has some pop (4 20+ HR seasons at AAA).  I'm kind of surprised he never got a look in September over the years...

Card #1057:  B.J. Upton

Serial Number:  733
41st card out of 50 for the Rays

To be honest, I don't like seeing guys sign big contracts and then struggle on the field.  No doubt it has to be tough on them.  But you have to wonder how long it will take for the vultures to circle in Atlanta if Mr. Upton hits during the 2014 season the same way he did in 2013. 

Card #1058:  Rickie Weeks

Serial Number:  714
31st card out of 50 for the Brewers

Has a team option for 2015 which can be voided if he doesn't reach 600 PA this year, or a combined 1200 PA for 2013-2014.  It doesn't look as if the latter is going to happen (he needs 801 PA this year), so it appears that Weeks will be on the market after this season. 

Also just a happy coincidence that I featured 2 straight players that were drafted 2nd overall (Upton in 2002, Weeks in 2003).

Card #1059:  Daisuke Matsuzaka 

Serial Number:  708
36th card out of 50 for the Red Sox

How about this for a tale of two different worlds....7 years in North America, 1 complete game.  8 years before that in Japan, 72 complete games.

Yea, that's a helluva difference.....


Card #1060:  Troy Tulowitzki

Serial Number:  502
25th card out of 50 for the Rockies

Lots of milestones coming up in 2014 for Tulo.  130 games will give him 1000.  Troy only needs 39 hits to reach that same 1000 mark.  By the way, it's easy to find him on the field when he plays.   Every inning of every game that he's appeared in, it's been at short.  No other positions, no DH in inter-league games.  Doesn't play a bad shortstop either, he's only hit double digits in errors twice in his 7+ seasons. 

Thanks for reading, Robert