No Nomo? No Problem!

 

"Is this heaven?"  "No, it's Iowa." - Field of Dreams

Honestly, I may be the person most impressed by anything Iowan since that exchange between Ray Kinsella and his father.  As a fellow Midwesterner, I mean no offense to any Iowa natives who might have stumbled out of the corn fields and come across this blog.  It can get pretty dull out here in the vast, flat center of our country.

What isn't boring, came from the Hawkeye State, and has caught my fancy are the cards that Nick from Dime Boxes sent my way.  The royal dime box digger recently acquired a dream pasteboard of his - one that nearly causes this Cubs fan head explode - but, it came as part of a fully-packaged set.  Luckily, among the cast-offs were a trio of cards that I had also been searching high and low for; although, admittedly, they are not nearly as mind-bending as seeing Hideo Nomo in Cubs colors.

In case you hadn't figured it out yet through the title card and the embedded link to Nick's blog, these mysterious Iowan trading cards that I'm dancing around are the 1999 Multi-Ad Sports Iowa Cubs team set:

Why do these basic cards with poor photography and thin cardstock have me so enthused?  After all, these three players combined hardly add up to the significance of the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year and his famed tornado delivery.  Nor do they show nationally renowned stars wearing unfamiliar uniforms.  Does anyone remember Hideo Nomo's superfluous stint in the Chicago Cubs organization?  One can hardly blame you if you don't as it was only three starts long - singed to a MiLB deal in March, Nomo exercised an opt-out after the Cubs neglected to add him to their MLB roster.

The 1999 Cubs were terrible and saw three of their regular starters post ERA's over five, including Andrew Lorraine above.  Sure seems like they could have afforded to give Nomo a proper audition...but, what do I know?  Maybe I'm just salty because I wish I could add such a noteworthy player to my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.

Tell me that sight doesn't melt your brain a little bit!  Image courtesy of the Des Moines Register.

 

Anyway, these guys are no Nomo, but they are significant to me and my CATRC.  All three of these men made brief appearances with the Chicago version of the Cubs either before or after their cards were printed.  Unfortunately for this team collector, with the exception of one rarely seen oddball for Lorraine that I only discovered after this acquisition, none of this trio appeared on a card in their Windy City digs.  Thus, these Multi-Ad's are as close as I can possibly get to representing them within the pages of my CATRC in proper Cubbie Blue.  When it comes to fringe roster guys, I often have to dip into their minor league cards in this manner.

So, when I saw Nick's post about his purchase of the 1999 Iowa team set and that he really only cared about the Nomo, I quickly perused the checklist for short-termers and offered to trade.  Being the kind and generous soul that he is, the Dime Box king gladly obliged.  

In case you were curious, here's the skinny on there three mostly Iowa, sometime Chicago Cubs.  Doug Creek snuck into three games out of the bullpen in 1999 and was walloped for seven runs in just six innings.  Lorraine rode the Iowa/Chicago shuttle as a Quad A-type player from 1999-2000 getting into a total of 19 games as a swingman.  Derrick White's Cubs tenure and entire MLB career was already over when this card rolled off the presses, having appeared in 11 games with the surprise 1998 NL Wild Card winners.  While he did not appear in the playoffs, he did contribute to the playoff cause by smacking a game winning home run in a contest against the White Sox - his only big fly of the season.

Above, you can see the cards from other organizations which were unseated by Nick's generosity.  The White and Lorraine singles will be repurposed for my binder of extra minor league cards feature Major League Cubs, seeing as they hail from each player's prospect days.  Meanwhile, you might say that this Giant  Doug is up a Creek.

Now, with Nick being the gracious ruler of Dimeboxdonia that he is, the monarch didn't just send me the agreed upon Iowa cards.  Also stuffed into the PWE was a bunch of bonus Cubs-related cardboard, which packed an extra thrill into a trade that I was already pumped about.  What a guy, eh?

Taking a look at the surprise inclusions, let's stick with the minor leagues for a minute:

Syketo Anderson has one heckuva name - too bad he didn't make the Major Leagues because that would be a mighty moniker for the CATRC.  However, his brother was able to break through onto the game's biggest stage and you might have heard of him:  12-year veteran, Marlon Anderson.  Little brother was only able to top out at A-ball in 2001; though, he did stay active in the indy leagues for a little while after that.

Gotta love Total for really digging into the weeds.  I'm so glad that Topps rebooted this brand!

Getting a little more modern, Nick got me updated on 2020 Update too:

Figures that I just bought the team set for this set a couple of weeks prior - that's what I get for being impatient.  That's okay though, a few extras never hurt a blogger.  Plus, even though he didn't end up playing in 2020, dig that awesome double play turn on Daniel Descalso's card!

At this point, the trade started getting odd.... oddball heavy, that is!

Next up, was a pair of pasteboards from the 2000 Fox Sports Net set that was given away at Wrigley Field that year.  I absolutely love the unique design on these cards and I am strongly considering swapping these into my CATRC for whatever cards are already repping Brown and Tapani.  The TV-like graphical elements (apropos for a set sponsorship by a television station) make this SGA collation rather unique and any set that incorporates uniform numbers gets some bonus points from this blogger as well.

Finally, in stark contrast with a TV-based set, we close with a couple of cards that are aping designs from sets of long ago, when such a modern luxury wasn't even a glimmer in your granpappy's eye:

 

Adbert Alzolay's appearance in the PWE comes via a rookie card insert evoking the hand-painted lithographs of the Turkey Red days near the turn of the previous century.  Here's hoping Adbert does some painting of his own in 2021, specifically painting the corners seeing as he'll be heavily counted upon to shore up the Cubs', shall we say, iffy starting rotation.  Furthermore, for as easy on the eyes as this RC is, let's hope that Adbert is just as tough on opposing hitters!

 

 

Finally, the last card contained with the plain, white envelope was a modern-ish reprint of a 1910 Plow Boys tobacco antique, featuring a World Champion outfielder in Jimmy Sheckard.  Much like Iowa Cubs minor league issues, reprints are another fertile source for new additions to the CATRC due to their offering low budget options for aged and obscure players from the distant past.  I already have a Sheckard in my collection, but I like the look of this sepia-toned re-do - Jimmy looks so regal!

With that, we've reached seen all of the contents of Nick's PWE and what a PWE it was.  I should have known that it was going to be a doozy and not just because it came from Nick - just look at the awesome, tone-setting stamp that he affixed to the front:

We all know that Nick has exquisite taste in cardboard.  Don't sleep on this man's taste in music though, as his ongoing and fascinating saga with Jim Walewander and the Dead Milkmen also indicates. 

Meanwhile, if you are sitting on any minor league cards of Cubs affiliates or reprints featuring Cubbies of long ago era, I would love to talk trade.  They don't just have to be Iowa Cubs cards; it's just that since they are the Cubs AAA affiliate, those sets often feature the most eventual Major Leaguers.  Plus, I selfishly like that the team uses the same colors, name, and similar logos to the parent club.  These factors allow me to cross my eyes and see a true Cubs card for the purposes of my CATRC!

My thanks go out to Dime Box Nick and to the state of Iowa for stuffing the coffers of my favorite baseball card collection.  Nick - keep an eye on your mailbox!  Iowa - keep hosting the Iowa Cubs, please!

What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been

 

Early last summer, I came to the blog to vent about a case of mistaken identity.  In short, I thought that I had tracked down a great deal on a super vintage card of a random, long forgotten player for my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection binder.  As it turned out, both the Ebay vendor and I were confused as to the true identity of the player depicted on this rare beauty, as it only featured the man's surname on the front and back sides of the pasteboard.  Unfortunately for me, the player on the card in question played around the same time as the guy that I was actually looking for and he shared the same last name (without relation).  As you can see, it was a pretty easy mistake for the pair of us to each make and I didn't blame the vendor at all for the mix-up; however, that didn't make plopping down some of my hard earned money in a splurge not often made by my cheap ass any less frustrating at the time. Granted, I only lost about $20 on the deal; but, like I said, major cheap ass.

 

Now, it wasn't the Pete Kilduff card that you see above... at least, it wasn't at the time.  Confused?  Why is this card leading off the post?  Please, allow me to explain.  There is a method behind my madness.

You see the card that I actually whiffed on was a 1912 Imperial Tobacco (C46) single and the player that it depicted was James, aka "Not Arthur," Pehlan:

John "Jimmy" Phelan was an outfielder who never made the ultimate ascent, but had a long playing career in the bush leagues, from 1905-14, with several different clubs.  Unfortunately, none of them were the Cubs.  Meanwhile, Art Phelan was an infielder with a five-year Big League tenure, playing at first for the Reds in 1910 and 1912, then with the Cubbies from 1913-15 in the near aftermath of their dynastic period.

At any rate, these guys were not the same person.  What a shame too, as I've always liked the look of the Imperials and was truly excited about finding one that fit into my budget and my most treasured collection.  That's the way the cookie crumbles I guess... or the cigarette rolls, perhaps?

However, I didn't let this confusion keep me down for long.  I took solace in the fact that such a card would definitely have some trade value, which I was truly counting on when I took to Wrigley Roster Jenga to discuss my switcheroo.  Additionally, I also shared my post on Twitter to maximize the exposure I could get in hopes of a trade offer.  Luckily, my hunch was correct and the immensely knowledgeable and respectful Mark Hoyle was more than happy to given Jimmy a good home.  In exchange, the SABR heavyweight offered me card that was a much better fit in my collection:

That's right, you're eyes do not deceive you - that's an authentic 1935 Goudey 4-in-1 and it's the first one I have ever held in person.  Plus, if you're keeping score at home, that's four Cubs in exchange (three of which reside in Cooperstown) for one non-Cub.  Hot damn, that's one helluva deal!  

You should totally give Mr. Hoyle a follow too - the Red Sox oddballs that he shares @Markhoyle4 are fascinating to baseball fans of any team.  I've learned about so many off-the-beaten path products from his Tweets that I've lost count.

Despite the card getting lost in the mail for about a month (hey, thanks orange goblin for ruining the post office on top of the laundry list of crap you've caused), the only thing on my mind was which player should this card be used to represent in my CATRC?  Which, if I'm being honest, is a pretty strong reason why I tend to avoid acquiring multiplayer cards for said binder unless absolutely necessary.  But, no matter what, a Pre-War Cubs card is something that I am absolutely never going to turn down, especially in exchange for something I didn't even really want!

But Tony, you might be saying to yourself, "what the heck does any of this trade have to do with the Kilduff card that you showed at the beginning of this blog entry?"  "You're rambling!"  To that I say, patience, young padawan, everything will make sense in the end and, yea, I have a strong tendency to be long-winded.

Anyway, like I said, I loved my new Goudey; but, the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was while it did fit into my collection, it was an imperfect fit.  That being said, I was still perfectly happy to have it in my possession.  But, a few weeks later, another excellent Twitter account - @Grandcards - was doing the same thing I did with my impostor Phelan.  Here's the deal, this guy is always tweeting out great deals on pre-war stock and I had noticed a lot of caramel cards that was of particular interest.  Rather, I should say that the lot contained a single card that was of particular interest to me.  Can you guess what it was?

You guessed it, we've finally reached the branch of the trade tree that includes our ol' buddy Pete here, a 1921-23 E220 National Caramel treat.  While it's definitely trimmed, has a crease and some paper loss, this is not a card or a set that pops up very often in my price range.  In fact, I had never seen Kilduff's entry on the checklist.  Dig that awesome (albeit staged) fielding photograph!

Luckily for me, the Grand Man was interested in trades as well as sales, especially for other pre-war cards in return.  Generally, the Motor City fan generally prefers Tigers when it comes to exchanges; nevertheless, he was still interested in adding my newly acquired Goudey 4-in-1 to his stash, as he only had one other example from the set.

I realize that trading a card of my favorite team that featured three vintage Hall of Famers for this nobody seems like a terrible, Darvish for Davies level deal.  But, rest assured that it was absolutely worth it to me.  You see, Pete Kilduff doesn't have much of a cardboard footprint; in fact, it's so faint that it's barely there.  According to the Trading Card Database, the only cards he does have come from the 1921-23 time period and they are ALL rare, regional, food issues.  I guess that's what happens when your not a star or even a regular starter in an era post-tobacco cards and pre-Topps.  At any rate, this situation is not exactly conducive to my low budget collecting ways.  When such an opportunity knocks, I feel obliged to answer the door.

No matter what, I get more enjoyment out of my Kilduff card than I do the pasteboard that came before it, though I'm no less grateful for Mark Hoyle's initial rescue!

Kilduff during his tenure with the Cubs (Sporting News Collection Hologram/MEARS Photo LOA)

Anyway, we've done a lot of leading to and talking about the card itself, but said very little about the player which it pictures.  Pete Kilduff played in the Major Leagues from 1917 through 1921 for the Giants, Cubs, and Robins (aka the Dodgers), though he continued on in the minors until 1928.  The infielder usually came off of the bench, only twice topping 100 games during his time in the Bigs and was a fairly usable piece when he did, with a .270/.338/.364 career slash.  Of course he lacked power, but so did everyone back then.

Unfortunately, the two things this serviceable ballplayer are best remembered are not exactly great things.  First, while Pete did get to play in a World Series during his time with Brooklyn, he was one of the three men caught up in Bill Wambsganss' famed unassisted triple play.  Secondly, shortly after he permanently hung up his spikes as player, Pete was announced to manage one of his former clubs - the Shreveport Sports of the A-level Texas League - going into the 1930 season.  Tragically, the transition wasn't to be, as Kilduff died suddenly, before he even had the chance to hand in a lineup card.  He was only 36 years old when he passed.

In a bizarre bit of symmetry, the manager whom Kilduff was succeeding in Shreveport was none other than Art Phelan, the man who started this whole cardboard journey.  Huh....

What a tangled web we weave, eh?

Before I start thinking too hard about that odd coincidence, I want to ask you all, have you ever completed such a long, drawn out trade such as this one?  Was it worth the whole process in the end?  Furthermore, have you ever made a deal that - on it's surface - seemed like it was not beneficial towards your goals, like three vintage HOF Cubs for a scrub?  This hobby isn't truly about value after all, despite what all these new cardboard stock traders might make it seem, it's about enjoyment and finding things that bring you joy.  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below!

Once again, my eternal thanks go out to Mark Hoyle and Grand Cards for making these trades with me - I truly do appreciate your generosity and I hope that you enjoyed your ends of the deals as much as I did mine.  

Welcome to the CATRC, Pete Kilduff.  What a long, strange trip it's been.

Swapping Boxes with the Dime Box King

A few weeks back, as part of a massive home reorganization project, I found myself in the awkward predicament of having to offload more than 75% of my trading card collection.  While this may sound like an absolute disaster to most of you who read baseball card blogs, I saw this as an opportunity.  In all honesty, outside of my various Chicago-based team roster collections, most of my "collection" could be more accurately described as "accumulation."  Boxes of doubles, trade bait, and stuff that I didn't know what to do with were piled up in my closet and simply had to go.  This "spring cleaning" simply provided the impetus I needed to finally get up off of my lazy butt and do something about it.

Of course, I didn't have the time or desire to go about trying to sell this stuff and I sure as hell wasn't going to trash the cards either.  Luckily, I knew someone local who would be more than happy to take all of this free cardboard off of my hands:  Dime Box Nick.

The proprietor of one of the blogosphere's foremost destinations, Nick and I live in suburbs adjacent to the Windy City and are only about an hour apart from each other.  I knew that he would provide a good home for my unappreciated and under-utilized cardboard receptacles, so I reached out and before the day was over, agreed to meet halfway.  Honestly, it was a huge relief to get those piles of boxes out of the house and know they were going to someone who would appreciate them.

Of course, anyone who has dealt with the Dime Box King knows that Nick is one of the nicest people on the internet.  While he was doing me a huge favor by taking this stock off of my hands, the guy couldn't help but give me more cards, despite my assurances that he didn't need to do any such thing.  What a gentleman!

The whole purpose of our meeting might have been for me to offload unwanted cards; however, I had no fear that the small box Nick gifted me with would disrupt my progress.  After all, Nick knows my interests and any trade package coming from his neck of the woods is perfectly tailored to the recipient's wants and needs.

In fact, you might say that this was a "whale" of a trade!

All in all, Nick's 200-count box was crammed with a variety of cards that I could never turn away.  The corrugated container housed a little bit of everything, just as one would expect from the king of Dime Boxes:

 

To begin with, there was a hefty sampling of recent products that both quarantining and frustrated disinterest in the sport of baseball had kept me from acquiring.

I suppose Topps has anointed blue-chipper Nico Hoerner as the designated Cubs rookie of 2020, as he seems to have appeared in just about every checklist.  Much better choice than last year's selection of some third-string catcher who's name I've already forgotten and never even made the club.  Although, you could at least change the picture selection up, guys!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, while the latest and greatest products were well-repped, there was also plenty of vintage goodies to be found, as well.

Including a handful of everyone's favorite Canadian oddballs: O-Pee-Chee!  You can't tell from the Manny Trillo above because I forgot to take a picture of the bilingual backs; but, trust me, this card and several more from the box hail from the Great White North.

Moving on from vintage to faux-vintage, reprints are a common staple of any Dime Box Nick mailing and even though this transaction was made in person, it was no exception.  That's fine by me since I love Dover reprints since they showcase cards of which I could never hope to acquire the real deal, like a Zimmerman Cracker Jack.  Cracker Jack cards might just be my favorite pre-war pasteboards.

On the other hand, I already have the full set of the Topps' 1994 re-release of their 1954 checklist (made under the Archives banner).  However, you may notice that this Jim Willis is actually a gold parallel - something that was definitely not part of the original release - of which I had absolutely none of before Nick fixed that for me.

Oddballs are always a welcome sight.  Nick must know that they are my favorite "genre" of baseball card because he included some damn good ones.  The TCMA tribute to the 1907 World Series Champion Cubs is my first acquisition from that set that is NOT permanently mounted to a kitschy frame, which is a plus.  Additionally, I must not have ever seen a 1993 Classic single, as that Alex Arias is completely new to me.  Love me a good blue-bordered set, for what should be obvious reasons.

Additionally, we have two pieces from the 2000 team-issued set and stadium giveaways always make for interesting oddities... especially for their checklist depth.  Where else would one find Cubs cards of middling reliever, Felix Heredia, or short-term stopper, Damon Buford, in blue pinstripes?  Rare sights, indeed!

Ooooooooo shiny!

I'm like a child playing with his parents car keys - I can't help but be mesmerized by shiny objects.  That Zeile, in specific, will definitely be taking Todd's spot in my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.

Plus, there was some other popular Dime Box fodder in the form of  forgotten sets from the turn of the century.  Well, I guess Total is better remembered now that the product has been resuscitated as an online exclusive.  Nevertheless, I always get a little bit excited when I see my all-time favorite Topps' product pop up in trade packages.

Finally, there was one card that completely stole the show, even among all these exceptional inclusions:

This card made me audibly gasp when I first saw it fall out of the box.  Hot damn!

This TCMA oddball features a glorious staged, spring training shot with glorious vintage baseball socks, a pinstripe Cubs hat, and the rarely ever seen 1957 Chicago road uniforms, but that's not why I had such a visceral reaction.  That said, all those features certainly contribute major bonus points.  Anyway, the main reason that this single from the 1979 "The 1950's" set made my eyes pop out of my skull was that it is the first card I've acquired which features the player in question in a Cubs uniform.  Thus, I now get to make a "Cubgrade" in my cherished CATRC binder.

Chuck Tanner might be better remembered for his managerial exploits, especially with the "We Are Family" Pirates; however, before Sister Sledge had even recorded their famous hit record, Tanner spent two seasons as a Chicago Cub.  In 1957-58, Tanner came off the Wrigley bench as a spare outfielder, slashing a productive .280/.333/.420 across 168 contests.

Tanner appeared as a Cub in both corresponding Topps sets in Cubbie Blue.  That being stated, those relatively blase cards don't hold a candle to this photographic masterpiece.  Furthermore, the 1987 Topps managerial card which previously held Tanner's spot in my CATRC is more like kindling when compared to this beauty.

via GIPHY

Thanks Nick, you really knocked it out of the park with the Chuck Tanner card and, truly, with the whole package.  I didn't even show off a third of the phenomenal ephemera that he passed on to me.  Honestly, I could have showcased every single card from the box, but then I'd end up with carpal tunnel from all the typing.  While the entire goal of this meet up was to offload cards, what Nick gifted me with was all high quality cardboard and exactly the kind of stuff I was creating more space for.

I hope that Nick has had (or is still) having fun sorting through all of the cards that I dumped on him because I certainly did going through his half of the exchange!

Also, before I go, in case you were curious, this is how much I had to get rid of:

The Most Wanted Longshot

Yesterday, I heaped massive amounts of praise upon our good friend, Jason German (the creative force behind Hoarding Cardboard), for the generous South Bend Cubs team set he went out of his way to purchase and send to my humble home.  As kind as this gesture was, I still wasn't truly giving him full credit, because I was actually holding something back for it's own post.  That's right, Mr. German also "threw in" a pasteboard from my Most Wanted list.  As if acquiring and mailing a complete set of treasured minor league cards my way wasn't enough of a good deed...

Have I mentioned how awesome this guy is?

Anyway, to be completely honest, this card might not seem like much to most people.  In fact, even a great majority of us niche-frenzied card bloggers might find this particular single to be nothing special.  It's not a hit of any sort, lacking signatures, relics, serial numbering, or parallel designation.  Honestly, as far as base cards go, it's quite unassuming and, dare I say, even a tad but ugly.  Nevertheless, this card brings a big ol' smile to my face, all the same:

That's right, it's a multi-player rookie from the 2012 edition of Topps Heritage, which apes the design from the old bubblegum company's 1963 Flagship design.  The disembodied, floating head rooks of the day aren't for everybody - including me - but, they don't bother me nearly as much as they normally would due to the circumstances surrounding this cardboard rectangle.

You see, one of these bright-eyed and bushy-tailed freshmen would make their only Major League Baseball card appearance here.  Additionally, that same player would eventually go on to suit up for my beloved Chicago Cubs.  If you've been reading this blog for any significant length of time, you should know why this would pique my interest.  After all, my card collecting habit is nearly completely based around my treasured Cubs All-Time Roster Collection, a tome in which I endeavor to collect at least one card of each athlete to don Cubbie Blue.  With this card being the only MLB option for the ballplayer in question, it shouldn't take a college degree to figure out why it has sat on my Most Wanted List for the past two years.  But, which one of the four is the guy that I've been chasing?  Do you remember any of these guys trying on blue pinstripes?

Quick - before you scroll down - take a guess.  No cheating!!

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Alright, now let's find out if you were correct.  Watch this .gif until it comes to a complete stop:

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So, who guessed correctly??  Be honest now!  Feel free to brag about your triumph in the comment section at the end of this post.  Or, if you knew without even waiting until the end of the .gif, please be sure to let everyone know about your superior knowledge of Cubs roster machinations and claim your Wrigley trivia crown.

Efren Navarro played for parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues, from 2011-2018... ironically enough, 2012 was not one of those seasons.  All told, while Navarro spent most of his modest time with Angels (2011-15: 130 games, .246/.303./.324) and also cameo'ed with the Detroit Tigers and, of course, the Cubs, the fact that he even made the Major Leagues at all is a minor miracle.  You see, Efren was drafted in the 50th round of the 2007 draft.  That's not a typo, folks, he was taken so late in the draft that only three picks remained on the board whatsoever after his name was called.  They literally almost ran out of players to pick before LA finally took a flyer Efren.  Hell, that's ten rounds later than even the MLD draft even goes these days.  Wowza.

Navarro out at first base during the 2018 Cubs home opener. Image courtesy of Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune.

As for Navarro's Cubs connections, in April of 2018, Anthony Rizzo went down with a back injury and the club called upon the off-season minor league signing from AAA.  With Rizz requiring only the minimal, 10-day stay, Mr. Navarro only got into four games, scratching out one hit and four K's in six AB's.  Afterwards, the 32-year old was returned to Iowa, where he stayed until late May, until he was DFA'ed to make room for the "Yu Darvish Whisperer," Chris Gimenez (you'll see that name on Wrigley Roster Jenga again in the next few days).  This marked the end of Navarro's unceremonious Cubs career.

While that remains Efren's last Major League action, it did not mark the end of his professional career.  Since that eventual release, the longshot has taken his talents to Japan, where he has played part-time for the Hanshin Tigers.  Unfortunately, his stat line in the land of the rising sun looks very similar to the underwhelming numbers that he produced stateside - .264/.326/.354 - so, a return to the show does not appear imminent.  That being said, Efren is certainly no stranger to beating long odds!

via GIPHY

And that is the tale of Efren Navarro - he destroyed the odds and rose all the up way from the 50th round to the Major Leagues, cameo'ed with Cubs, and continues to pursue his dream.  All in all, he's quite the inspirational figure.

Now, this unsung baseball hero has finally been inducted into my hallowed Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.  Efren's lone Major League card might seem like an easy pickup, considering it's unassuming, base classification and the relative insignificance of the players depicted on it's face and the many eBay listings for the pasteboard only reinforces that theory.  However, my penny-pinching ways refuse to let me pay a $1+ for the basic card, plus shipping fees.  Furthermore, my local card shops don't bust Heritage; so, my hands have been tied for a while. 

Barring some incredibly unforeseen circumstances, Mr. German's gift will remain in my big ass binder until the end of time.  After all, it shouldn't come as any surprise that Efren Navarro never appeared on a piece of Cubs cardboard; in fact, I'm fairly certain that he didn't even appear in the 2018 Iowa Cubs team issued set.  That is, except the super legit custom Topps Now card that I whipped up at the time to commemorate his call to Chicago, which I've recently noticed is one of the top hits on Google Images when one searches "Efren Navarro Cubs."

Weird flex, but okay.

With only other franchise's bush league cards available, there is no threat to the 2012 Heritage rookie card being usurped.  Adding in the fact that the long-pursued piece of pasteboard came as a gift from a blogging buddy and, thusly, has intrinsic sentimental value besides the value it holds to my collection, it would have been nigh impossible to take down anyway.  Thank you, Jason, for knocking one of the most frustrating needs off of the ol' Most Wanted list.  Once again, I'll be sure to try and return the favor with an envelope chock full of Reds or Shawn Green/Buster Posey/Matt Mantei cards for your PC's.  I don't know that it's even possible to properly return the favor; it's a longshot, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

If we've learned anything from Efren Navarro, sometimes the longshot pays off.

Comin' Up Around the Bend

Back in August, friend of Wrigley Roster Jenga and accomplished blogger himself, Jason German of Hoarding Cardboard fame, took a little trip.  My fellow Midwesterner decided to make the journey to South Bend, IN to take in the local sporting scene.  While most people might expect any such centered trip to revolve around a "modest" secondary school by the name of Notre Dame and their Fighting Irish sports programs, German was not in town to see "Touchdown Jesus." You see, Mr. German made the drive to see some baseball and South Bend just so happens to play host to the Low-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs - the cleverly named South Bend Cubs.

Apparently, Jason works nearby and decided to make a stopover at Four Winds Field after punching out for the day.  Being the generous soul he is, he even contacted me beforehand to ask if I wanted anything from their souvenir shop because he knows I like my minor league team sets.  What a guy, right?

Of course, I took him up on his offer to purchase a 2019 team set so that I might be more prepared for future call-ups to my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.  South Bend is just far enough away from my south suburban home that it would require a fair amount of planning to make the four hour round-trip trek there on my own.  So, chances of me picking one of these sets or the pocket schedule you see above (that Jason threw in as a bonus) were almost nil.

The lucky guy even happened to time his visit with 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist's first rehab appearance of the year, as he resumed his season after a long leave of absence.  I think that was the baseball gods' way of rewarding Jason's selfless generosity.

Obviously, Zob's was not included on the 2019 South Bend Cubs card set - it was made up solely of members of the eventual Midwest League Champions who were not on rehab assignment.  Now, the Cubs farm system has been famously gutted over the past few years as Theo and Co. desperately try to extend their competitive window; however, the chain isn't completely devoid of talent.  As evidenced by the championship banner now flying over Four Winds Field, many of their best prospects reside in the lower levels of the farm, South Bend included.  With that in mind, maybe I'll be able to sell some of these cards in a few years to pay off my student loans.

Developing homegrown pitching has been an area of concern for nearly a decade now, but there's a pair of arms hanging around the Hoosier State who could flip that narrative in a few years:

Brailyn Marquez exploded onto the scene in 2019, ultimately being named the Minor League Player of the Year.  He posted 102 strikeouts in just 77.1 innings at South Bend and then a 1.71 ERA with 26 strikeouts over five starts when promoted to High-A.  This eye-popping performance came largely on the strength of a triple-digit fastball to go along with plus changeup.  Brailyn is expected to start 2020 at AA and could very well be on the fast track to the Bigs, a September call-up might even be in play.  Thanks to Jason, I'm now prepared for such an ascension.

Meanwhile, Jack Patterson has already made it up to AA but, like Marquez, started last season with South Bend.  The lefty made himself known to talent evaluators on the heels of a 24.1 inning scoreless innings streak in June/July.  Who knows, maybe Marquez and Patterson will be fronting the Cubs rotation in 2021?

Marquez is the highest-ranked prospect in this cello pack - checking in at number four, according to MLB Pipeline.  Meanwhile, Cole Roederer is the second-highest (and highest ranked position prospect) ranked pre-rookie found within.  The outfielder was a much ballyhooed, second-round draft pick in 2018, who didn't play much that season due to a shoulder injury suffered during his senior year of high school.  Most of 2019 was a disappointing grind, though he was able to close out with a strong August.  In the end, his star power was out-shined by the fellow seen next to him here.

Christopher Morel posted a .284/.320/.467 slash line in 2019 and was integral part of the SB offense.  This was somewhat of surprise, as the international signing was something of a wild card when he was first inked in 2017.  His lean build - he’s listed at 6-0, 140 pounds - caused him to go under the radar of many scouts and this is only his first year in full-season baseball.  Chris is certainly a guy to watch over the next few seasons.

Next up, we have another pair of arms with Big League potential.  Jose Albertos' star has faded considerably since the start of the 2018 season.   A bout with the yips in 2018 (65 BB's in just 30.1 innings) led to an astoundingly bad 14.84 ERA and, while noticeably better, a 5.02 ERA in just 14.1 frames (13 BB's) this year did little to assuage fears.  That said, Jose is still only 20 years old and possesses a 95-mph fastball... this lottery ticket hasn't been completely scratched off yet.

As for Riley Thompson, he was in the running for Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors for most of the 2019 campaign and ended the season with a 3.06 ERA in 94 innings and just 31 walks.  He faded out down the stretch, but still closed on a high note, with 10 K's in just five IP during the pennant clinching game.  Thompson and his high-velocity fastball and devastating curveball have been described as nearly Major League ready.  In short, he might be on an accelerated path to the Show.

Lastly, we have the man who (with Morel) carried the offense for most of the year for the Bend, Nelson Velazquez.  The fifth-round draft pick from 2017 posted managed to turn raw strength and bat speed into in-game power and posted a .286/.388/.424 batting line, further solidifying his prospect pedigree.  Hopefully, Nelson continues to blossom with an inevitable promotion to High-A come spring.

There we have the highlights from the 2019 South Bend Cubs factory team set, as produced by Choice.  Here's hoping that at least one of these rubes eventually makes it up to the Bigs and to my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection.

Now, we've discussed, at length, the players depicted on the cards, but not the cards themselves.  One of my favorite parts of analyzing a MiLB team set is to determine what major sets influenced their designs.  It seems as though the artful minds behind Choice and their peers at Grandstand draw direct inspiration from the likes of Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer, etc.  As for the set that Jason has gifted me with, it appears as though Choice went with the latter, this time:

As you can see, these 2019 cards are little more than rehashes of a fairly well-remembered design from 30 years prior.  That being stated, the only reason any of us really remembers 1989 Fleer is due to the iconic "f*ck face" Billy Ripken error and all of it's various corrections.  The actual design of the cards is rather dull and drab with it's over reliance on the most boring of all colors: gray.

All in all, I'd say Choice's revamp is the superior take on the layout.  Swapping gray for white, granted, is a lateral move; but, incorporating team colors in the framing, text, and design elements (rather than just the picture frame) adds some subtle pop.  Additionally, moving the team logo from the corner to a more prominent place in the background of the player photograph is a nice touch, even if Paul McAnulty - former Padre and Angel outfielder and current SB Cubs hitting coach - makes a better wall than a window.

Overall, if I were to have to chose between the two, I'd say that Choice is the clear "choice."  What say you?

At any rate, my sincere thanks go out to Jason for thinking of me when planning a trip to the ballpark and for sending me this fun set of cards.  Better yet, I haven't mentioned this yet, but Mr. German also included a special bonus card - one of my most targeted needs, at that - along with the minor league team set.  That, however, will get a dedicated post all to itself, as this rambling stream of consciousness is already flowing a bit too long.

Moral of the story, Jason = awesome.  I greatly appreciate your generosity, Jason, and - now that I'm back from my self-imposed baseball brain break - I'll be sure to fire back some Reds or Shawn Green/Buster Posey/Matt Mantei cards for your PC's.  Sorry for the wait!

Here's hoping that some of these cards eventually end up in my CATRC binder.  Lord knows the Cubs' pitching rotation could use a fully-formed Jack Patterson or Riley Thompson right now, with the departure of Cole Hamels, Jose Quintana's inconsistency, and the continuing decline of Jon Lester.  Brailyn would be better, but he's not quite as cooked.

Anywho, we shall see what happens and that's half the fun of minor league cards!