Topps Cards That Should Have Been: 2005 Braves

As the 2021 Braves celebrate their championship season, let's go back to a humbler time for the team- 2004, after their division title and botched playoff attempt, when they were beginning to shed their late-90s cred and morph into a more middling squad for a few years. 

One of the perennial stars of these mid-2000s Braves teams was Julio Franco, who had been a crucial bench piece for Atlanta since returning from Korea in 2001. Franco played over 100 games a year for the Braves from 2002 til 2005, which is a pretty bold claim for a guy in his early to mid-40s, who had played alongside Toby Harrah, Gorman Thomas and Bert Blyleven as a rookie. After a strong 2004, '05 was a step back for Franco, who hit .275 with 42 RBIs, including a second-act-high 9 homers, in 108 games. This would be his last full year in Atlanta, but he'd come back in 2007 for a stint that Topps would also fail to document.

We also have two big-deal rookies for the Braves in '05 that Topps ignored. One was Kelly Johnson, who'd become a big piece of the Braves' late-2000s teams. In his rookie campaign, Johnson hit .241 with 40 RBIs and 9 homers [...that's kinda similar to Franco's], and had a 1.4 WAR over 87 games. Though he'd miss all of 2006, he'd become a staple in the seasons following.

As would another rookie, Brian McCann, who also made his debut in 2005. McCann played in 59 games, mostly as a backup to Johnny Estrada but also as injury insurance, and made his case known pretty early on, hitting .278 with 23 RBIs and 5 homers in 59 games. Perhaps a bit lower-key than the following six straight All Star seasons, but definitely a solid start to a long, impressive career for the Braves. 

Tomorrow, we stay in the same year, but cover a lot of very strange additions to the fold in Milwaukee.

8 Straight and No Love

So. To recap. The past 8 games, the Braves have been without Nick Markakis, Austin Riley, Ender Inciarte and Dansby Swanson. The past 5, they've been without Brian McCann.

...all of those games have been wins. Their next 5 games are against Colorado, Toronto and the White Sox. So maybe we should start paying attention to these guys, seeing as we're gonna be spending some of October with them anyway.

The Braves have developed a sort of unstoppable mentality that kinda has to be respected. The main lineup pieces get injured, and the rest of the lineup gets even better- Josh Donaldson moves his home run total to 32, easily having his best season since 2015. Acuna and Albies continue annihilating the ball. Freddie Freeman notches his 105th RBI, which is the most in baseball. And then the bench comes alive making up for the injured guys- Tyler Flowers gets some nice reps in starting for McCann, Matt Joyce and Adam Duvall FINALLY start doing consistent things starting in the outfield, and a mixture of Johan Camargo, Charlie Culberson and Adeiny Hechavarria have been subbing in for Swanson. Hecha was probably the most consistent backup, but now that Swanson's back it doesn't matter as much.

Even better, the fact that the Braves could yank anyone they wanted from free agency, stick them into the mix and act like it was the plan all along. Hechavarria was an earlier try, but Billy Hamilton came over last week from KC and has actually been hitting for average. Francisco Cervelli looked like his career was over after leaving Pittsburgh, but he's plugged into the lineup as a starting catcher and he hits 3 RBIs, including 2 doubles. I had no idea the Braves lineup would have this sort of 'anybody can succeed here' mentality to it, but here we are.

Hell, even Mike Foltynewicz, after bringing up the rear of the rotation for weeks, is FINALLY pitching better, and is working to get his ERA below 5 again. I think he can do it, as his last few starts have been alright. The other four (Soroka, Teheran, Fried and Keuchel) we don't need to worry about. And despite a higher ERA than promised, Mike Melancon is getting back to his 9th inning greatness in Atlanta, even if they'd traded for Shane Greene thinking HE'D be the closer. I'll take a consistent Melancon, though.

All these things are coming together as we head into September. Once again, even if LA is the showier NL team, we may be overlooking a serious postseason threat in the Braves. They could honestly upset the Dodgers and make a World Series this year. That's how good they look right now.

Coming Tomorrow- His team had a brief scare, but...they hit like 90 more home runs and now they're back on track.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2018: Astros

2018 may have been a slight downgrade from the Astros' spectacular 2017...but, above all else, it was the year of Alex Bregman.

The third baseman who'd shown glints of potential down the stretch of the 2017 playoff run came out in full force this year, running a serious threat for MVP, hitting 31 home runs, leading the league in doubles with 51, outdoing the WARs of even the Altuve-est of Joses. It proved that Altuve didn't have to always lead the team, and Springer didn't have to be the only hitter. And it intrigues me that this team could be even more fully-realized in 2019.

Bregman's rise was only one of many good signs for the Astros in 2018:

Firstly, there's the fact that Collin McHugh, once a noble second-banana to Dallas Keuchel, can be used as a setup man rather than a starter. His relief work was surprisingly fantastic, as his starting numbers paved way for the occasional long relief work. It was a noble experiment that seemed to work, though perhaps you can expect McHugh to return to the rotation if the 'Stros don't pursue pitching after Keuchel's departure.

2018 also meant the rise of the Astros' bench. Between Tyler White and Tony Kemp, Houston had enough extra bats to rely on towards the end of the season, and Kemp damn near chased Josh Reddick for the last outfield spot. Given a starting promotion, I wouldn't be surprised if he goes even bigger, but we could be seeing a Jarrod Dyson situation, where his bench numbers may be more in demand in Houston.

Hell, after Martin Maldonado took over the catching spot, Brian McCann became a decent bench bat as well. Now, granted, his best days are WELL behind him, and his tenure in Houston has officially ended, thanks to a move back to Atlanta, but as a contact hitter, he occasionally made fans proud. If injuries, and age, didn't take the bite out of him, we would have seen a lot more from him, but what we got was fine, I guess.

In McCann's absence, prior to Maldonado's arrival, Max Stassi was the starting catcher for the Astros, and he wasn't bad, if...slightly unspectacular. I have a feeling that Stassi is looking towards a career as a backup catcher, but his numbers weren't bad, and he could either be an impressive starter or backup for the team next year.

Also good to note- when in doubt, people that weren't Verlander, Keuchel, McCullers, Morton or Cole could do well as a starter. Look at Framber Valdez, who was brought up late, started some games, and did pretty well for himself, despite not making the playoff roster. Look for Valdez to either work relief for Houston, or be trade bait for a reinforcement, and end up being a Velazquez-esque flamethrower somewhere else.

Another impressive development: surprisingly great relief pitching. Ryan Pressly was a steal from Minnesota, and he made the most of his trade, pitching well into the postseason, and giving great October numbers out of the 'pen.

Additionally, this year saw the return of Hector Rondon to the ninth inning, after the closing gig was passed from him to Aroldis Chapman in Chicago for the World Series. Yes, Rondon has a ring...and nearly got his second one, but he was a nice closer/relief man that bridged the gap between Ken Giles' woes and Roberto Osuna's bad attitude. Not sure if he's still able to give good closing material, but the Astros have him for one more year, so we will see.

Coming Tomorrow- Everyone counted them out, but they snuck into the race and nearly took down the Yankees for a Wild Card spot. The A's heroes get their spotlight tomorrow.

The Braves' Belated Black Friday

So, while it's been a quiet November in terms of trades and signings (Paxton notwithstanding), the Braves did complicate things a bit today, with two inexpensive one-year signings that won't break the bank or impede on the youth movement.

One of them is used to the organization- Brian McCann will probably start at catcher, replacing Kurt Suzuki, and alternate with Tyler Flowers. McCann is less of a defensive threat than he was in 2013, his last year in Atlanta, but he's still good for some ferocious at-bats, some home runs, and some (let's face it) much needed veteran presence, especially in a Braves roster that might not even have Nick Markakis in it.

But, as McCann alluded to in his press conference, he wasn't the biggest name that joined the Braves today. That'd have to be former MVP Josh Donaldson, who's still among the bigger names in the game, and could still get back to his old tricks next season.

The Braves have signed him to play third base, and while Johan Camargo is a perfectly fine third baseman...he is not, the last time I checked, former MVP and All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson. So, on this one-year deal, Donaldson's being paid to play third base...and stay healthy. With an emphasis on that last part, because that's not always a guarantee with Donaldson, especially in the last two seasons. He's a great player, can hit like hell, and can lead a team like the best of them, but he can't lead from the DL. He's not David Wright yet, but...eesh, the last two seasons scare me.

Needless to say, the Braves have booked two veteran presences that won't clash too badly with the youth of the lineup, and hopefully this will be the touch that keeps them above the competition in the NL East.

McCann Utility and the Coastliners

(I couldn't stop myself. I'm too much of a music geek for this.)

So yeah...a year after finishing up some solid home-run-hitting years with my Yankees, Brian McCann heads to Houston and just goes back to being relevant and getting tons of ASG votes. I'd be mad...but Russell Martin did this 5 years ago, so I'm a lot stronger now.

Naw, I still have some respect for McCann, because even if he's not the defensive catcher he was, and even if he's not a Yankees anymore, he's still an offensive threat, and he's playing for one of the best teams in baseball this year. Plus, the Astros are using him! They made room by trading Jason Castro, and they have him, in his mid-30s, playing catcher every day, and it's going really well.

The Astros are still 10 games ahead of the competition, this week a surprisingly hot Seattle Mariners, and are still far and away the most powerful team in baseball, becoming the first to hit 50 wins, and getting a ton of starters into the ASG voting leaders. Normally I'd cry ballot stuffing, but these guys deserve it- Correa, Altuve, Springer and McCann are all playing beautifully.

Again, like usual, I'm hoping for the momentum to hold until the postseason, and hopefully someone like the Rangers won't sneak up in September or something.

Coming Tonight: Two years ago he lost a closing gig in the World Series. Now, he's back to being one of the best closers in baseball, for a team that essentially gambled on him.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2016: Yankees

Ah. It's December 31st, so I get to talk about the Yankees. Good times.

The Yankees started out...not doing too well. By August, the revitalization was in full swing, and the kids were making serious waves. By September...exactly what we thought was going to happen in April happened, but because of what happened in August we were a lot sadder about it.

This was a flawed but good team, with a lot of reasons to be excited for 2017. CC Sabathia wasn't perfect, but he did manage to improve after a few seasons of futility.

Brett Gardner had another nice season, even if it wasn't really as great as his 2015. He's still working pretty hard, and he's still a great outfield option, but unless he has another 2015-caliber year, his days in New York may be numbered.

Luis Cessa came in less than halfway through the season and had a pretty nice rookie year, pitching well enough to stay on the rotation not by default. Hopefully he'll still be pretty nice next year.

Michael Pineda gave a lot of the same stuff- huge on strikeouts, not huge on wins. He's still a powerful strikeout artist, but he's nowhere near composed, and he's a bit worrying if he's the 2nd or 3rd starter and he's still wild.

Brian McCann had another really nice season at the plate, as well as still being great behind it. McCann's still a top tier catcher and still gives great material, but since Gary Sanchez has emerged, we don't especially need him anymore. Thankfully the Houston Astros do.

Dellin Betances had another nice All-Star caliber year, first as the set-up man aspect of the Three Headed Monster, then as the closer for the latter half of the year. Thanks to the reemergence of Aroldis Chapman, Betances will go back to his home in the 7th or 8th, but he's still a pretty great reliever and the Yankees are lucky to have him.

Well..those are the last customs of 2016. Until February, this is what we've got. Now, until then...expect lots of box breaks, or card prompts.

Astros Update: Problem Solved Edition

One of the saddest parts of the 2016 season was the fact that the Astros, the feel-good story of 2015, were blocked at the door by the Texas Rangers' superb fly to first. This was a team with all the right moves that was losing its mojo, thanks to the lack of Grade-A material from Dallas Keuchel, the complete dilapidation of Carlos Gomez (until his trade to Arlington that is), and the muddiness of the roster, even a year after the ALDS.

However...all isn't exactly lost for the Astros, especially considering some of the moves they've been making lately. Firstly, they signed Charlie Morton to a 2-year deal. Despite being a bit shaky in Philly this year, Morton could act as either a 4th-or-5th starter (if Keuchel-McHugh-Fister-Fiers remains the case), or as a reliever (he could be Blanton'd).

But...we're not here to talk about Charlie Morton. We're here to talk about the hitters that are coming to Minute Maid Park. Josh Reddick, formerly an Oakland standout and Dodger bench player, now is being relied upon to be a steady outfielder, along with George Springer and Colby Rasmus (I think), and to have some stellar numbers, especially in comparison to his last-half stuff.

Even better, the Astros added some catching help, which is incredibly welcome, as Jason Castro hasn't been hitting very well for the last few years. Now...Brian McCann, one of the best catchers in of the 2000's, and one of the few reasons to attend Yankee games lately, has been sent to the Astros. I am a tiny bit broken up about this, as McCann was a nice addition to the Yankee lexicon, but now that we have Gary Sanchez at C, we...really don't need him, sad to say. McCann will make a really nice catcher/DH combo, and will definitely duo with Evan Gattis in terms of home run power.

This isn't a complete rehaul, but it's a way of strengthening what the Astros already have, and securing the fact that they're probably gonna make a run at 1st this year. The Astros are still really talented, and assuming that the big guns stick around (which they probably will), 2017 might be a pretty big year for them.

Off to the Races in the AL East

Like it did in 2012, the AL East race has boiled down to a two-team hunt. Like in 2012, one of these teams is the Yankees. However, unlike in 2012, the Orioles are not wedged into the race, though they're certainly not out of it yet. It is New York vs. Toronto, the team that gained all of its momentum the second 4 PM hit on July 31st. And it is getting ugly.

The Yankees just took 2 of the recent series with Toronto, but the Jays took a win away from them tonight. Still, this new rivalry with the Jays is bringing the most out of people like Brian McCann and Carlos Beltran, who've been hitting tons of homers recently, and energizing the once-dead roster.

The problem with this race is that it's dead even, both teams racing for the upper hand, and it's not looking like it's gonna break wide open anytime soon. The Blue Jays are going to be playing the Phillies for the next few games, and unless something absolutely miraculous happens, that's gonna amount to at least two more wins for Toronto. The Yankees, however, will be playing the Twins, and I say this with a 'however' because the last time they played the Twins, A-Rod's bat went wild, as did most of the rest of the team. So they are capable of defeating Minnesota. Whether they're able to do it now will definitely be important.

From the looks of both schedules, the only times this Yankee-Jay rivalry can break open is if they play each other, which may not happen too often down the road. So, unless the bottom falls out for one of these teams, we could be looking at a fight to the finish here, and whoever ends up on top is going to have to fight to stay in the playoffs. It's going to be pretty bloodthirsty, I can tell you that.

I'm just hoping that the Yankees can figure something out to stay on top, because I don't want a season as nice as this one to end horribly.

Custom Card of the Day: McCann Edition

What's that? The Yankees are winning games?

That's unbelievable.

After a while, when your team gets bashed by literally everyone else, you begin to believe what they're saying. So, as the Yankees were falling lower and lower down the stands, I actually started to believe that they weren't really meant to do well this year.

But...the last five games have all been victories for the Yankees. So that's a start. Plus, the materials are actually playing well, including people like Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury, and the pitching, like recently activated Michael Pineda, who, I hope, learned his lesson.

So...the team is playing well. However, I'm an idiot if I think that it'll just keep going well for the rest of the year. Obviously, they're gonna lose some games, and obviously some crucial players are going to get injured. But, as the season begins winding down, the Yankees have somewhat of a shot at getting back on top, or at least to Wild Card level. The Orioles, while good, are beginning to decline after Machado got injured again. This could be the Yankees' shot.

I just hope things keep getting better for the Yankees. They deserve something big.

Coming Tomorrow (?)- I might just throw down the guy who had the daunting task of taking over for Joe Mauer.

Problem Solved

The number one problem after Jorge Posada left the Bronx was that we needed a reliable, trusted catcher that didn't end up stinking up the joint in the end. Francisco Cervelli, Russell Martin, Austin Romine, Chris Stewart- all underperformed, for the most part. So going into 2014, we all knew that the catching situation was the biggest problem.

Problem solved. Welcome to the Bronx, Brian McCann.

In terms of a deal, this was a very good one. McCann's a consistent catcher, with some pretty huge seasons under his belt, and he only waned slightly in 2013, with an injury bringing him down. But, since the Braves have Evan Gattis to take over now, McCann will be perfect for stepping into the behind-the-plate spot in Yankee Stadium.

Personally, I think the deal is nice, however I'm a bit skeptical, as I don't want this to end up like Youkilis, and he won't hit or perform at all. I want him to have a big year in 2014, and I want him to totally reclaim the momentum he had in 2011, and the years before then.

Still, I'm very satisfied. But that's just one problem out of many, making this writer very satisfied that it's only November.

Custom Card of the Day: Gattis Edition

I absolutely love this card, and it's probably one of the best I've done all year. It's that good.

Gattis is a strange case. And yeah, I mean that honestly.

Evan Gattis has been playing games this year behind the backstop for Atlanta. And he's been really, really good at it. He's a great hitter, great backstop, all around great addition to the squad. Justin Upton's not hitting, well who cares, we have Gattis. That's the mindset.

Only problem is that somebody else is competing with him for the job. Now, any other team, that somebody else would just be optioned or traded in a heartbeat. Here, we're talking about Brian McCann, an All-Star catcher, and the guy who took the stardom from Chipper when he left town last year. And he's competing with some guy who was called up in April.

Now granted, McCann spent the last few seasons on and off the DL. And also, he's beginning to contract Aging Catcher's Disease, (or Mike Napoli's Disease), where his days might be numbered solely because of his time spent behind the plate. But it must feel like an insult to come back from an injury only for the fans to NOT WANT YOU, because of this rookie that's doing your job better than you have. That must hurt.

I will admit that as of right now, I'm liking Gattis more than McCann. Gattis has a certain appeal to him, like he's more of a wild card than McCann, and he has more long term potential than McCann. Besides, there are a dozen other teams who need a really good catcher. We may see McCann somewhere like Seattle or even the Bronx next year.

But to conclude, I'm liking Gattis, and I hope he sticks around.

Coming Tomorrow- He had a nice season last year with the Nationals. Now, he's back where he started, panicked, depraved, and actually hitting.

Custom Card of the Day: McCann Edition

Yet another instance of matching the throwback uni with the card. This time, I think it may not have fit as well as the others, but it was still okay. McCann had a monster game last week, hitting balls all over the place. Though he may not be the biggest face on the team (Hello Chipper), he's still a pretty dominant force in Atlanta.

Tomorrow- A Yankee that needed a custom, a good custom. And this guy's hitting up a storm, too.

And the playoffs keep on rollin...

Bam! Right past Jay Bruce, and right past home plate, the Phils win Game #2.


And with a homer from Rick Ankiel, and some pretty good baserunning by this guy, the Braves steamrolled over San Francisco to tie the series.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm lovin' this October.