That Familiar Feeling

 

I think this is the third straight year that the Angels have peaked in April. And it's been almost the exact same thing every time. A thrilling start from some young players, the veteran pitchers doing what they're paid for, the promise of a new star in the making, and then within seconds they hit a losing streak and Mike Trout hits the IL. It happens this year every April. They just get it out of the way, and the rest of the year is filled with abject mediocrity. Like, this year it was literally 'oh wow, they're 9-5 and taking down Houston, this could be turning around, what's that they're in last already?'

Because a lot of teams, like the Rockies, Pirates and White Sox, will infuriate fans with just how pathetic they can be, but the Angels keep giving the fanbase the illusion that they'll be good. They put money into the team, they have good prospects, they position a strong group of people...and yet it always leads to this garbage.

There are a few people on this team worth a damn, but they're not exactly in much position to turn the tide. Zach Neto might be the only person in this lineup doing everything he's supposed to. He's still in his prime, has 4 home runs and has been great at short. And the rotation trio of Tyler Anderson, Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Soriano has been pretty damn strong actually. Anderson's having another great season in Anaheim, with a 2-1 record, a 2.58 ERA and 39 Ks. This would be great even for a team that wasn't the Angels. Kikuchi, despite not having won a game yet, also has 39 Ks and a 0.9 WAR. Soriano, essentially auditioning for a spot on another rotation now, has a 4 ERA and 37 Ks. These guys, while generally at the mercy of the lineup, go deep and provide the needed cover. 

But...too many people on this team are just not playing well. Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward, Nolan Schanuel, Reid Detmers, Travis d'Arnaud, Jo Adell...that's too many guys that were trusted to keep this team moving and just haven't. Ward, despite his 8 homers, is hitting .182. The theme of this team is that while there is power hitting, done by Trout and Ward and Jorge Soler, it's not pretty. Only three guys have an average over .250. Even Kyren Paris, after a fantastic April, has gone cold and his average is hurtling back towards .200. It's not pretty. Even without Trout and Rendon, which is kind of a given, the Angels just cannot get anything done.

It's more infuriating when you see teams like the Mariners and A's doing better, working towards the top of the division, while the Angels continue not to learn, even WITH Ron Washington. I'm not even sure what will work at this point. People are convinced that Trout coming back will save this team, and the way he was hitting before doesn't convince me too much.

Coming Tomorrow- There was a feeling, when he hit the majors after years in Triple-A, that he'd be a nice flukey, flash-in-the-pan story for a year. And now here he is six years later still leading the team and playing beautifully. 

The Inevitable in Anaheim

 

9 days into May, the Angels are without Mike Trout, without Anthony Rendon, without Miguel Sano, and only 2 games ahead of the Astros. Business as usual.

It's depressing how predictable it is as well. The second Trout got off to a best-in-the-AL home run hitting streak, I knew it was only a matter of time. And the thing is, both Trout AND Rendon are frustrated that they're missing time this year, because it seems to be like clockwork. Contrary to popular belief, neither of these guys WANT to miss time, they're just both very unlucky. Especially Trout, who's seeing the last decade of his career turn into Ken Griffey Jr.'s 2000s, despite any attempt to stop it. 

And it's painfully evident that without Trout and Rendon, and Ohtani for that matter, there really isn't much to this Angels team. Who the hell is the central figure in this lineup now? Taylor Ward still? He's hitting well enough, .273 with 7 homers and 24 RBIs, but I don't know if he's versatile enough to lead the team, especially considering how hot-and-cold he can run over the course of a season. Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel have improved since cold starts, but neither is hitting over .250 at the moment. People like Wyatt Langford and Paul Skenes are proponents for calling players up within a year of drafting them, and Neto and Schanuel are proponents of...gradual development, I suppose. Nico Hoerner was like this. It's not immediate for some people. 

And then you have role-players on this team who you completely forgot were still active like Kevin Pillar, Hunter Strickland, Willie Calhoun and Ehire Adrianza, and they're honestly not doing too bad. I think Calhoun might be a career bench surprise, judging by his wild Yankees numbers midyear last year. Pillar just arrived a week ago and is already one of the standout performers, with 2 homers and 6 RBIs in 5 games. And when trusted young players like Mickey Moniak and Jo Adell aren't doing much for you, it helps that surprising replacement level guys can overperform. 

The starting pitching isn't terrible, at the same time. Tyler Anderson's finally back to his comfort zone, he's got a 2.74 ERA  and 32 Ks in 7 starts. The wins aren't what he wants but...he's on the 2024 Angels, so yeah. Detmers and Sandoval are certainly striking people out, but the inflated ERAs are slightly worrying. At the very least, all of these guys, including Jose Soriano and Griffin Canning, can eat innings and get you through 5 or so, so it's not like other clubs where you're desperately searching for starting options. These ones seem to work, it's just...hard to find run support some days.

It sucks to see yet another Angels team crumble without Mike Trout, but this is the name of the game in this era of the team, sadly. I hope it gets better, and hope they can stay ahead of Houston, but this may be more than Ron Washington can fix at this rate.

Coming Tomorrow- One of the most underrated catchers in the game makes a case for legitimacy. 

Uncustomed Heroes of 2023: Angels

 

It is that time of year once again. All of the players I didn't get to posting customs of during 2023, wrapped up by team as an end of the year package, to full put a bow on 2023 as a season. As usual, I will go in alphabetical order, and as usual, that means I get to start with the Los Angeles Angels. 

And look, I really thought this season would be different for the Angels. Things started a bit better, a lot more seemed to be working. But, alas, once Trout got injured there was really no point, and once Ohtani got injured it got really sad. They'll always have that month or so where they thought they were invincible, with that 25-1 victory over Colorado, and that sweep of the Yankees where they thought they could compete.

Taylor Ward, injuries aside, picked up where his 2022 left off, and hit .253 with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs in 97 games, along with a 1.7 WAR boosted by his above-average hitting habits. The midyear injury did take a lot away from his appeal as a trusted member of the team, and the search for a full-year campaign worthy of his May 2022 numbers continues.

2024 Prediction: If he does deliver an excellent campaign, he'll be traded by August. If he gets hurt again, he'll be cut before 2025. 

Tyler Anderson, on the heels of an excellent season in LA, was a candidate for an Angels fixture upon his multi-year contract he signed prior to the season. Despite only missing 7 or so games, Anderson struggled this year, going 6-6 with a 5.43 ERA. Like fellow starters Patrick Sandoval and Griffin Canning, he did provide consistency, but he wasn't there in terms of quality.

2024 Prediction: This will be a fuller, more impressive season from Anderson. There's still the worry that an injury could upend things, but I think 2024 will consist of Anderson holding up his end of the bargain. 

One of the most exciting aspects of the early part of the season for the Angels was Logan O'Hoppe, a breath of fresh air behind the plate, one who came over from Philly in exchange for Brandon Marsh. O'Hoppe, in his first 16 games, hit .286 with 15 hits, 4 home runs and 14 RBIs. For a season where the Angels knew they'd be without Max Stassi behind the plate, O'Hoppe was a refreshing, confident replacement. Then he got hurt. By the time he returned in August, the Angels had given up on competing. O'Hoppe finished the season with a .236 average, 14 home runs and 29 RBIs.

2024 Prediction: I think O'Hoppe's gonna build on his initial numbers and produce a solid season that makes the Angels realize they don't need Stassi anymore. 

An early season success for the Halos was picking up Matt Moore in relief, who had struggled the previous year in Philly. A refreshing market was all Moore needed, with a 2.66 ERA in 44 innings. Through the first half, Moore was the Angels' strongest relief option, and reclaimed his Arlington dominance, despite giving up Bryce Harper's 300th home run. Once the team threw in the towel, he wound up pitching for Cleveland and, eventually, Miami. 

2024 Prediction: A contender signs him and has some level of success with him, though maybe not quite Anaheim levels.

I think I've said this every year, but the emergence of Luis Rengifo as a starting highlight for the Angels typically means that something has gone terribly wrong for the Angels this season, much like how Jose Suarez starting games used to be an indication that the injuries to the rotation had reached the 'we don't know what to do now' threshold. 2023 is the nth degree of this. Rengifo was brought in to start after David Fletcher, Gio Urshela and Anthony Rendon all got injured, and had a very nice run for himself, hitting .264 with 104 hits and 51 RBIs...and then right at the end of the season, he gets injured. So now the Angels need a replacement for their usual replacement player. What else can you do but laugh?

2024 Prediction: I don't know how many times the Angels can keep using Rengifo in the same exact way. Either they actually start the guy or they just cut him loose midyear given all the young talent they've brought up.

Around June, the Angels, with injuries piling up, got two smart bench options. One was Mike Moustakas, who was having a decent year in Denver, and comically left the Rockies for the Angels right after the 25-1 game. Moose is clearly not who he was in 2015, but he was still good for some power moments, with 8 home runs and 36 RBIs in 65 games.

2024 Prediction: It'd be very funny if Moose plays in 2024 and his old battery partner Eric Hosmer doesn't, but that's honestly the way things might be going. Maybe Pittsburgh picks him up or something. 

Actually participating in the 25-1 game on the Anaheim side was Eduardo Escobar, who was flipped from the Mets, convinced they would be find with Brett Baty [they weren't]. Escobar responded with a .219 average and 39 hits in 59 games, essentially proving why the Mets had given up.

2024 Prediction: Maybe someone picks him up for the spring, but I don't see Escobar playing a substantial role in the story of 2024, which sucks considering it was only 7 years ago that he was such a fun young infield guy in Minneapolis. 

After the Angels became buyers at the deadline due to their post-Yankees bravado, they went for several high-profile weapons. The highest profile was Lucas Giolito, who was having a strong year in Chicago. And then, of course, Giolito arrives in Anaheim, goes 1-5 in six starts with a 6.89 ERA, and all of the sudden the Angels aren't competitors anymore for some reason. And now the White Sox have Edgar Quero, who will be a big part of their rebuild. 

I have one more Giolito custom in this series, at which point I'll divulge my 2024 prediction.

One big indication that things may begin to look up in 2024? The number of prospects willing to launch themselves onto the team so soon after being drafted. This year featured playing time from Zach Neto, a prominent 2022 draftee, and Nolan Schanuel, a man named after an Angels legend, a prominent 2023 draftee. Schanuel had literally no photo for baseball reference to choose from, so the whole season went by with Schanuel as the Unknown Player while starting at 1st for the Angels. And that's a wild bit of this season; by the end, the Angels were so starved for options at first after Cron's injury that they were turning to a guy they'd drafted two months earlier to play first. And to his credit, Schanuel did pretty well, hitting .275 with 30 hits in 29 games. Not sure how Anthony Rendon felt about a 21-year old playing better than he did this year with what he was being paid.

2024 Prediction: A lot like Nico Hoerner in 2020, I don't think Schanuel's going to start the season in the majors, in order to give him a more traditional growth period. But once he's up, expect more of what we saw this year.

Coming Tomorrow- The Angels were a team that thought to base their entire future on one series with the Yankees. Tomorrow's team, meanwhile, should have seen their series with the Yankees as an omen.

Anderson Packed

 

A rotation led by Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias and Walker Buehler and the guys making the most of things in LA are Tony Gonsolin and Tyler Anderson. The Dodgers: they can beat you up, down and sideways, but never in the way that you think.

I've talked at length about Tony Gonsolin, who's now even more insane with his 10-0 record and 1.54 ERA, but Tyler Anderson is having an equally excellent season. Anderson's 9-1, which isn't too shabby either, a 3.09 ERA and 75 Ks. He used to be a lot showier and K-friendly, but now he's just really efficient and really consistent. I can't believe it was that low-key 2020 in San Francisco that got him on the right track, and he's been stellar everywhere he's pitched from then on. He even came off well in Pittsburgh, a tactic Jose Quintana is learning this year. Anderson came on as a low-rotation guy, a lot like Gonsolin, and he's been more impressive even than some of the big guns in the rotation this year.

Not that Kershaw and Urias are doing badly, they're just having less-showy seasons than usual. Kershaw's doing his usual thing, 2.57 ERA, I just don't think he's ever gonna pitch a full season ever again and we have to be okay with that. Urias also has a 2.57 ERA, but his record is a little more even than last year. It doesn't mean he's doing badly, he's just a little unluckier. I still think he's on the right track, and that he's got like 10 or so excellent years left in him [that's why you get the nerves out of your system by coming up young]. And then Mitch White has been pretty awesome in his last few starts, taking a no-no late the other day. Yes, we're waiting for someone like Buehler or Heaney to come back, and we're still entertaining the possibility of Danny Duffy eventually pitching again [maybe?], but this has been a solid pack, and they've been having good luck lately.

The Dodgers themselves are still in control of the division, they have Mookie Betts back in good condition, and their bench is now versatile enough to hand in solid seasons from people like Trayce Thompson and Jake Lamb. It's not an indestructible team, and they have moments where I feel the Padres could catch them, but they're more dominant than last year, and have more postseason promise as well. If the rotation stays this good, they'll be alright.

Coming Tonight: The Phillies are gonna be regretting trading this guy for the rest of his career.

Time of the Ancient Mariners?

 The Seattle Mariners have better playoff chances than the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland Athletics, who were at different points this season division leaders. The MARINERS are 2 games behind a wild card spot, and potentially ending their playoff drought. The Mariners are the closest competitor to the current wild card spot holders. 

I just...can't believe it's the same Mariners who seemed to be dead on arrival a few months back.

The big takeaway is that the power bats, like Kyle Seager, Mitch Haniger and Ty France, came to play. Haniger and Seager had 30-homer years. Even the guys who didn't hit for average, like Dylan Moore, Tom Murphy and, yes, Jarred Kelenic, still had decent power numbers and had some big moments throughout [Murphy had one or two walk-off highlights this year]. While there have been great contact players on this team, especially J.P. Crawford and Abraham Toro, the power hitters lifted this team on a number of levels, and have made them the contender they are right now.

The pitching has also made huge strides forwards, even without Justin Dunn or Nick Margevicius. Yusei Kikuchi, Marco Gonzales and Chris Flexen have had strong, commanding seasons. New addition Tyler Anderson has been a wise choice for extra man, and has pulled even better numbers than he did in Pittsburgh, with a 3.83 era and 34 Ks in 8 starts so far. And while Logan Gilbert has had some shaky moments in his rookie season, his 115 strikeouts are still a good sign of things to come. And even without Kendall Graveman, Drew Steckenrider and Paul Sewald have combined for an excellent ninth inning platoon, with excellent seasons from both. 

This team has come a long way from where we all thought it would be, and even if they don't make the postseason, they should be very proud of how far they've come. Plus, now they finally have a good foundation to build a potential competitor off of.

Coming Tomorrow- Is anybody gonna remove him early again after last season? Maybe.

10 Trade Deadline Deals That Confused Me

 

Welcome to Part 1 of 3 of my trade deadline posts this year. Yeah, there's 3 of them. I was gonna do 2, then there was a ton more today, and now I have to do 3. That's how insane this deadline was, folks. We've got three days worth of this crap.

To kick it off, i'm gonna do the opposite of my usual Top 10 list, and do a list of 10 deadline deals that I didn't really get. It could be fit issues, trade issues, extraneous stuff, either way, they're too puzzling for me to really like them.

Let's start with the obvious one, for me.

#10-

The Deal: Tyler Anderson to the Mariners, two prospects to the Pirates.

Why It Confuses Me: Midday on Wednesday, Anderson is involved in a deal to my Philadelphia Phillies. He would have been a nice fit, the prospects were ones I was okay with parting with, I was alright with it. Except the Pittsburgh GM had some issues with the prospects, halted the deal, and went ahead with the Seattle one. It was embarrassing for Philly, and is sort of an anomaly in that it almost shouldn't have happened the way it did. If the Phils hadn't bungled the prospects we'd have Anderson, then maybe the Kyle Gibson deal doesn't happen. Just a strange turn of events. I'm fine with the actual Seattle deal though, it's actually good for them.

Speaking of Seattle, though:

#9-

The Deal: Kendall Graveman and Rafael Montero to Houston, Joe Smith and Abraham Toro to Seattle. 

Why It Confuses Me: There was an outpouring of support from Mariners pitchers after this deal happened. They weren't just sad, they were absolutely betrayed. For Jerry Dipoto to take one of the best and most well-liked players on the team, a competitive one at that, and trade him to a division rival in exchange for an injured reliever and an infielder no one knows what to do with? That's insulting, almost. Of all the trades this week, even a fairly big Chicago one, this may have been the most devastating to its team. Why completely destroy a team system just for something like this?

#8-

The Deal: Richard Rodriguez to the Braves, Bryse Wilson and a prospect to Pittsburgh

Why It Confuses Me: This confuses me less than some of the other Braves moves this deadline, but it's still a bit perplexing. Yes, the Pirates need relief help, but they're also being very careful not to injure anymore starters, and Bryse Wilson was a much-needed starting boost in last year's playoffs. Why give him to the Pirates, even for Rodriguez? And this is the first piece of this, but...why sully some of the future for some win now mentality?

Similarly,

#7-

The Deal: Jon Lester to the Cardinals, Lane Thomas to the Nationals

Why It Confuses Me: Same as the Rodriguez deal, the Cardinals have given up on a potentially useful back-team piece, in this case outfielder Lane Thomas. Thomas hasn't yet fit into the St. Louis outfield schematic, but I still thought he could have been some use to them. Jon Lester, meanwhile, didn't seem to me like he was worthy of being sought after, even by a mid-tier competitor like the Cardinals. He's been doing fine this year, but didn't feel like an upgrade per se for some options in STL, especially one we'll get to later on. So it felt a little like an unfair deal- Thomas could flourish in Washington, Lester might not get much done in St. Louis. And we'll get back to STL in a bit, too.

For now, back to Atlanta

#6-

The Deal: Adam Duvall to Atlanta, Alex Jackson to Miami

Why It Confuses Me: Again, on one hand, welcome back to Atlanta Adam Duvall, he'll get a lot done there and fill out the outfield. But now you're trading away a potential catcher. The Braves are desperate for catching help right now, and are torn between Stephen Vogt and Kevan Smith. Alex Jackson, failed prospect that he is, was at least a decent option in comparison to the older two, and could have factored in more to the potential push. But now he's in Miami, who have a solid starting option in Jorge Alfaro and have a decent backup in Sandy Leon. So he might not get as much done there, honestly. Yes, great reward in Duvall, but why give up Jackson now? 

#5- 

The Deal: Jorge Soler to the Braves, prospects to the Royals

Why It Confuses Me: More with the Braves' rush to compete this season without Acuna, Anderson, Soroka or Ozuna. Now the idea is fitting in Jorge Soler as an outfield bat, except...Soler isn't a trusted outfielder. KC played him as a DH for a reason, he wasn't exactly defensively inclined. Matter of fact, a great deal of the outfielders the Braves are wheeling in, including Duvall, Joc Pederson, Soler and one other one we're getting to, aren't exactly known for their defense. I understand the Braves want to fix their hitting, but they're still gonna give up lots of runs per games with this outfield.

Furthermore,

#4-

The Deal: Eddie Rosario to the Braves, Pablo Sandoval to the Indians

Why It Confuses Me: FOUR OUTFIELDERS IN A WEEK. And they still have Guillermo Heredia, who's a solid option, especially defensively. But now it's a VERY crowded outfielder, even with Orlando Arcia and [the soon to be released] Abraham Almonte on hand. You see, I was thinking they were gonna bring Cristian Pache back up, but I'm honestly surprised they didn't trade him, now. Rosario is having a very mediocre season and can only add so much by being a Brave. Pablo Sandoval is not gonna fit in the Indians lineup, and might not be as good in their bench. I don't know if this helps either team. 

That's enough Braves stuff. Let's move onto another surprising target this deadline:

#3-

The Deal: Diego Castillo to Seattle, J.T. Chargois and prospect to Tampa

Why It Confuses Me: The Rays...are...sellers? The Rays have a net loss this deadline? Yes they still got Chargois, Nelson Cruz, and some other minor cases, but...they gave up one of their biggest playoff pieces to a team that is fighting for their wild card spot, and not as successfully at that. Why give Diego Castillo to Seattle? I thought the goal for Tampa was to keep as much of their bullpen intact as possible, but it's been extremely fluid this year. Yes, he'll work in Seattle, quite well in fact considering the loss of Graveman, but...I still think the Rays needed him more than the Mariners did, Chargois or no.

And yet,

#2-

The Deal: Rich Hill to the Mets, Tommy Hunter to the Rays

Why It Confuses Me: The Mets...needed pitching help this deadline. So they went...and got...Rich Hill. Who is 41, and was doing perfectly well for the also-competitive Rays. They gave up Tommy Hunter, who had pitched in 4 games this season in between injuries and call-ups. Hunter's currently in the minors. Hill is as shaky as he was in Tampa over 1 start with the Mets. I genuinely don't know who this helps. The Rays had a lot of starting injuries, they trade one of their healthy starters. The Mets needed rotation help, they trade for Rich Hill and not for Jose Berrios, Max Scherzer, Kyle Gibson or Andrew Heaney. I don't get it. I just don't.

and then,

#1-

The Deal: John Gant to the Twins, J.A. Happ to the Cardinals

Why It Confuses Me: How is this not a downgrade for the trying-to-be-competitive Cardinals? You have John Gant, who's been phenomenal in a swing role for the Cards this year, starting and relieving and doing well with both. You're worried about your rotation getting too old or beat up. So you trade John Gant, who is doing well for you...for J.A. Happ, who is 38 and has a 6.77 ERA in 19 starts with the Twins. Happ...leads the league in earned runs. And you traded John Gant for him. You traded John Gant to...a team that is either 1st or 5th each year, hung onto Byron Buxton, Kenta Maeda and Max Kepler, and could potentially compete next year. You traded your pitcher, who is thriving with you...to a team where he could thrive even more, and for longer. Why? What do you want? What can J.A. Happ give you in 2 months that John Gant can't give you in 3 years? How is this a good move? How will this help you COMPETE? 

I'm flabbergasted. Most of these flabbergast me. I don't like to be flabbergasted at the deadline.

Tomorrow, the honorable mentions. The deals that I liked, but not enough to make the Top 10.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Cards 325-330 [The End]

 We've reached the end of the 2020 Topps Final Edition project. These 6 cards are the last of the set, we end at 330 like a normal Topps release should. It took us 5 months to get to this point, and I hope you enjoyed it all. It really was fun to give some of these under appreciated 2020 seasons their due, and to do the dirty work that deadlines and red tape prevented Topps from doing last year.

Will I do a version for the 2021 set? Well...I'm not thinking Topps will have as many missing card opportunities this year, as they actually seem to be depicting players in new uniforms in Update. It may just be like the last few recent years and they may leave the traded players out of Update due to a print deadline, so if so, I'll just tie that into the Topps Cards That Should Have Been project, which I do plan to resume relatively soon.

Enough talk- here are the last 6 cards of the 2020 Final Edition set:

Card #325- Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox

Two pieces in the last month of the 2020 Boston Red Sox season directly foreshadowed the upturn the team would take in 2021. One was Nick Pivetta, who we've already discussed. The other was Tanner Houck, a highly prized rookie call-up who made three staring appearances in 2020, and was nearly untouchable, winning all 3 games, allowing only 1 earned run and striking out 21. It was the first look at what could be a huge piece for the Sox going forward, albeit a piece the Sox don't know what to do with this year, with a much better rotation on their hands.

Card #326- Tyler Anderson, San Francisco Giants

2020 was Tyler Anderson's first season out of Colorado, where he'd been an impressive starter for several seasons. Anderson was a late addition to the Giants rotation, and was a decent choice for their season, with a 4.37 ERA and 41 Ks in 13 games. Nothing too showy, nothing too bad either. Anderson found himself in Pittsburgh for 2021, and has been similarly unlucky with game outcome but better with strikeouts. 

Card #327- Elieser Hernandez, Miami Marlins

After being an uneven choice his first two seasons in Miami, Elieser Hernandez suddenly became a much-needed presence in the Miami rotation, with a 3.16 ERA in 6 starts, with 34 Ks as well. It was a breathtaking come to prominence for Hernandez, which made the eventual injury all the more heartbreaking. Hernandez was a piece that was in the Marlins' arsenal for 2019, which makes his exclusion from 2020 Topps puzzling but understandable. 

Card #328- Tanner Scott, Baltimore Orioles

Another puzzling exclusion, Tanner Scott has been a consistent relief piece for the Orioles since 2017, and had a decent season in 2019. Maybe Topps just can't get themselves to enjoy great relief pitching. Scott was a great relief piece in 2020 as well, with a 1.31 ERA in 25 games, and a 1.065 WHIP, some of the best numbers of his career to date, and consistency in an inconsistent year for the Baltimore bullpen. He's been similarly strong in 2021, thankfully.

Card #329- Ljay Newsome, Seattle Mariners

Ljay Newsome haș been bopping around in the minors for the Mariners for a few years, and finally got a callup as a starter for 2020. In 5 games, he had a 5.17 ERA and 9 Ks, which isn't a great showing, but as a late-season innings eater and occasional opener for a struggling Ms team, he did what he could. He's been similarly shaky this year, but such is Mariners baseball at the moment.

Card #330- Madison Bumgarner, Arizona Diamondbacks

Yeah, let's just say that in an alternate universe where Topps puts out this set, they also get the rights to make Madison Bumgarner cards again. Either way, this is still a breathtaking statement for a last card, Topps or no Topps. MadBum's first season in Phoenix was...shaky. A 6.48 ERA with 4 losses in 9 starts, shortened by an injury? Yeah, that's...not exactly what the D-Backs signed up for when they gave him that contract. Bumgarner has had glints of his former glory in 2021, including that 7-inning no-hitter, which...as I write this, was their last road win, but is mostly bogged down by his depleted control and high-run days. Still...wouldn't it have been nice to see him on a Topps card again last year? It may never happen, but it can in my world. 

Thank you for sticking with me through this whole project, hope you all enjoyed it. Topps Cards That Should Have Been resumes next week. 

Are We Ready for a Low-Budget Contending Giants Team?

 The Giants were an afterthought until September began.

Yes, the Giants were quietly climbing the standings in August, taking a ton of wins during the mid-month era, but nobody really talked about them until September 1st. September 1st, in case you've already forgot, was the day that Mike Yastrzemski and the Giants came riding down on Jon Gray and the Rockies with a 23-5 victory in Colorado. It was a drubbing that not even a social media intern for Colorado could embellish.

So. Alex Dickerson hits 3 home runs, which is arguably the biggest takeaway. Brandon Crawford also hits a home run, as he's been heating up in the past month. Donovan Solano, former Miami infielder who's having the breakout season to end all breakout seasons this year, had 6 RBIs, along with Dickerson and Crawford. Mauricio Dubon, Yaz, Evan Longoria and Joey Bart also had RBI numbers, meaning that Brandon Belt and Wilmer Flores were the only starters for SF without an RBI...and both are otherwise doing well this year.

All while this is happening, Kevin Gausman has a 5-K start with only 2 earned runs, Wandy Peralta and Andrew Suarez essentially do mop work for 4 innings, and Gape Kapler must have done more double-takes than he's had the propensity to do in 3 years.

This Giants team is not the best, and it's nowhere near the onslaught that San Diego and LA have brought out...but when the majority of the team is on, they're all capable of great things.

Like...this rotation is genuinely pretty solid. Nobody's got an ERA higher than 4.75, Kevin Gausman has 53 strikeouts, Johnny Cueto and Logan Webb are sharp, Tyler Anderson was doing well til a few starts ago, and even Trevor Cahill is having an under-the-radar comeback year with his first few starts. All this being done without Jeff Samardzija or Drew Smyly. Pretty impressive. The ninth has been problematic lately, but Tyler Rogers seems to be the answer.

I don't see them topping the leading 2 teams, but they may have a chance to sneak into the playoffs if the Rockies continue their slide. There's a lot of talent on this team, and a lot of it is coming together right now.

Coming Tomorrow- Former Dodger, current sufferer. 

Rockie Road

So the Rockies and Dodgers are currently caught in a dead heat in the NL Wild Card race. As LA has lost momentum, Colorado has gained a ton. Which...of all times to get good, now is one of the best times.

I'll go so far as to say that while the pitching is a TON BETTER than last year, the lineup and bench have been slightly disappointing. A lot of surefires, like Ian Desmond and Chris Iannetta, have disappointed this year, and the rookie trio of Tapia, Cuevas and Valaika have all been ineffective this year. There have been a ton of home runs around, especially from core guys like Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon, and perennial homer guy Carlos Gonzalez has embraced a more average-friendly year, which is shocking but definitely helps.

And might I mention...Matt Holliday's return to Denver is one of the most satisfying stories of the year. I'm glad it's happening, and I'm glad he's hitting so well.

But yeah, the pitching has improved greatly. Jon Gray's numbers have gone up since the break, Freeland and Marquez have been on fire, Tyler Anderson is having his most consistent year yet, and Chad Bettis is a decent fifth man. Wade Davis, ERA issues aside, has been great in the ninth, and Adam Ottavino and Scott Oberg have been trying to hold up the bullpen.

This team has come a long way, and even though it's got some definite problems, they are chasing the shit out of the Dodgers, and may end up blocking them from October. The WC race is still very much live, and will be for the next month. The Cardinals and Brewers may have the spots now, but Colorado could be a major spoiler.

Coming Tomorrow- A catcher playing for a fourth place team who's trying to find some optimism.