Custom Card of the Day: Frenchy Edition

I never thought I'd see Jeff Francoeur, triumphant even, as a Phillie. I thought his best days were behind him, as a Brave. I think he picked the right year to pull a Juan Pierre, and have an excellent season when absolutely no one would have expected it.

Of course, like Juan Pierre in 2012, because he's doing so well, that means a bunch of teams who ARE contenders probably want him on their squads, which means the odds of Jeff Francoeur having a Topps card as a Phillie are becoming slimmer by the day.

Which is why I'd like to plead to the GM of the Phillies, Ruben Amaro, to PLEEEEEASE...PLEEEEASE KEEP FRENCHY AROUND! He is the ONLY person on the team who's making any substantial improvements (besides Ben Revere), and he's also providing a lot of moral support for the team (except for Jonathan Papelbon). If Frenchy sticks around, he will at least drive in attendance for people who are pissed about you trading Cole Hamels away (because we all know it's comin').

So, please, Ruben. Keep him around.

Coming Tonight: The Yankees are playing the Twins tonight. Here's their stellar third baseman.

A Return Home

It's always kind of nice whenever somebody finishes their career in the place where they started, especially if they've been a lot of places.

Aramis Ramirez has said he's gonna retire at the end of the season. And, thanks to a last minute trade, he'll be retiring in a Pirates uniform, which I think is pretty damn cool. I think it's going to be nice to put a 2015 or 2016 card of Aramis as a Pirate right next to the 2003 and 2002 ones of him as a Pirate.

I just think it's kind of fitting.

Custom Card of the Night: Santiago Edition

Would you believe it, but the Angels are blazing ahead of the Astros?

I know, it's only by a couple of games, but STILL!

Maybe it's the pitching. Maybe it's the sheer power of the Trout/Pujols combination. Maybe it's the fact that Gordon Beckham's gone. I don't know what it is, but either way, the Angels are in first, and it's something of a commanding lead.

Hector Santiago's sudden rise in power this season has certainly helped this, going from a footnote in the rotation to a guy just as valuable as Jered Weaver. He's had a nice amount of wins, and some very nice fastball material. I don't know if he'll end up being the centerpiece of the rotation like Weaver was, but he could definitely be a big piece to their potential postseason bid.

Coming Tomorrow- The Philly outfielder who's done so much for us that he may be a Philly outfielder for only a few more days.

The July Trading Frenzy: IT...BEGIIIIINNNSSSSS!

For a few days back there, I was waiting, kind of impatiently, for the lead up to the trade deadline swap-o-rama that usually happens in July. I mean, by this time last year Jeff Samardzija was already an Athletic for a little less than a month. Something needed to happen soon.

One of the big areas in baseball that my dad and I agreed needed some sort of help was the pitching rotation in Houston. Sure, they have Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh, but other than that they don't have too much. They have, right there, two aces in there. They need more rotational depth. My dad and I thought they'd be going after Johnny Cueto.

The Astros eventually decided to surprise the hell out of me by dealing for Scott Kazmir, a guy that has been pitching beautifully for the last two years, and became a surprise trade deadline asset, yet a definite good idea. Kazmir does not need to be the star of the rotation; he just needs to supplement an ace, and pitch some consistent stuff. He throws strikeouts, definitely; he's gotten 101 on the season, and he can definitely pitch as well as he could back in his prime in 2007, before his 3 or 4 seasons of irrelevance.

I think this is a great move for Houston, and it helps Oakland in the long run.

Custom Card of the Day: Crawford Edition

(This one goes next to the Angel Pagan and the Brian Wilson in my repertoire of scary-smiling Giants.)

Of all the Giants to randomly become awesome this season, Brandon Crawford has made the most significant jump. He's been at SS for four years, without making too big of an impact, until this season, where he's been one of the main offensive providers in San Francisco (other than Buster Posey).

The one thing about this Giants team, which, other than Crawford, has been doing modestly enough, is that they are flirting with the seventh spot in the top 7 most best teams in the NL, including the division leaders, the potential wild cards in each division, and the Cubs because the NL Central just isn't fair. The Giants are at the very edge of that Relevant Seven, and they are in danger of falling off.

The Giants, for the first odd year in a while, are flirting with contention. Whether they do anything in the next two months or not is in all the cards. Do I think they'll make it? Not necessarily. They don't have the same team they had in 2012, or 2014. But...it could happen.

Coming Tonight: The Angels pitcher who's been helping the team stay alive in the AL West

Finally, a Cycle Worth Posting About

Not to discredit Brock Holt, but the Rangers have finally returned to underdog status, and Shin-Soo Choo has become a key player in the last few rosters he's been a part of. So hearing that he's gone and hit for the cycle is a very good thing indeed. It also gives me an excuse to post this awesome custom of him in a sweet throwback uniform.

I guess this'll tide people over until the next cycle.

Custom Card of the Day: Bogaerts Edition

Hey, guess what you guys! The Red Sox are in last!

No, this isn't 1932. Or...2014. Wow, you'd think this happened more often.

No, the Sox, for the second year in a row, have wound up last in the division, completely out of the playoff race, and disastrously underdressed compared to the top four (again, it'd be top three if the Jays weren't so adamant about peaking early). And that means that the Sox may be letting a contract or two go in the next ten days. However, I'm seriously doubting that one of those contracts will be Xander Bogaerts'

The one thing that hasn't especially failed the Sox this year has been their youth movement. Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Brock Holt and Blake Swihart have all gained starting roles and have done a lot to move the team along, while people like Pablo Sandoval and the ASTONISHING outfield capabilities of Hanley Ramirez are back-paddling.

Bogaerts has enough energy and skill that he's come way ahead in the Batting Average category for his team, and he's come a long way from the 'future star' status that Topps keeps mushing him into. I think if he has more seasons like this one, the Red Sox will be a bit better off.

Coming Tomorrow- The Giants infielder who has FINALLY come into his own.