More Mailday Madness Pt 2

I got tired of typing last night, so I quit.  Unfortunately, there is still quite a ways to go to get caught up on all of the packages.  So, here we go again.

1.  Jimmie Foxx.  It is widely known that Foxx started his career as a catcher.  What is not so well-known, and why I bought this card, is that he continued to play catcher on occasion well into his career.  In fact, in 1940, when he was 32, he spent about six weeks as the team's number one catcher due to injuries to Gene Desautels.  He played 43 games during that stretch and hit .317/.440/.639 with 14 home runs and 42 RBIs.  

2.  Michael Chavis.  Chavis made an immediate impact when he arrived in the majors in 2019, hitting 18 home runs.  Unfortunately he also struck out 127 times in 382 plate appearances.  His strikeout rate caught up to him and he has been a fringe Major Leaguer ever since.

3.  Darwinzon Hernandez.  Hernandez is another player who was a rookie in 2019.  He had his best season in 2021 when he had a 3.38 ERA in 48 games and 40 innings pitched.  He struck out 54, but walked 31.  His walk rate was eventually his undoing and he has not appeared in the Majors since 2022.

4.  Rafael Devers.  It's beginning to be a requirement that any package include a Devers card.

5.  Trevor Story.  Story has increased in my collection dramatically recently.  

6.  Hunter Renfroe.  At a certain point, you have to wonder about some players.  Renfroe has been in the Majors for eight seasons and has played with six different teams.  He will be with his seventh team in 2024.  There must be a reason for that.

7.  Bobby Dalbec.  Dalbec's career is very similar to Chavis's, with the exception that he has not moved onto a different team yet.  Yet.

8.  Andrew Benintendi.  I like this card because it is similar to a Nomar card that I had in the late 90's, one of the early cards I bought for more than $10.00.  That card though had some die-cut aspects.  This one does not.

9.   Jackie Bradley Jr.  It is hard to believe that JBJ won only one Gold Glove during his career.  I love watching videos of him playing defense.  One of the most impressive defensive outfielders Boston has ever had.  Certainly during my lifetime.

1.  Jeff Frye.  One other nice thing about TCDB has been finding old cards from team sets that I need.  This Frye card is from 1999 Fleer Tradition.  Frye played every position except pitcher and catcher during his time in Boston.

2.  Mike Greenwell.  Greenwell actually did play catcher back in 1987 for a game.  In the ninth inning on July 17, the Red Sox tied the game, but had to pinch-hit for backup catcher Danny Sheaffer, who had earlier replaced Marc Sullivan (that catching platoon was dire).  Greenwell moved behind the plate.  The pitching imploded the next inning and Greenwell made an error on a base-stealing attempt, allowing two stolen bases.  Safe to say Boston avoided using Greenwell behind the plate ever since.

3.  Ellis Burks.  Burks only played center field and designated hitter for the Red Sox.  

1.  Chris Sale.  Sale's Red Sox career started so well, but finished so poorly.  It's a shame what happened to him.

2.  Chris Murphy.  Murphy made his Major League debut in 2023, pitching in 20 games and throwing 47.2 innings.  He was 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA, striking out 49 and walking 17.  He could be an interesting depth option going forward.

3.  Allen Webster.  Webster was a highly-touted prospect when Boston acquired him in the infamous Nick Punto trade in 2012.  Unfortunately, he never worked out, going 6-5 with a 6.25 ERA in 19 games.  He was traded to Arizona in the deal that brought Wade Miley to Boston.

4.  Derek Lowe.  Lowe won the series-clinching games in the ALDS, ALCS and World Series in 2004.  

5.  Johnny Damon.  It's a shame that Damon doesn't look back on his time with the Red Sox as fondly as he does with the Yankees.  He was basically the face of the franchise in 2004 leading up to the World Series.  He became a household name with Boston, he was just another player with the Yankees.

6.  J.D. Martinez.  I was having a discussion with another Red Sox fan today about whether Martinez or Manny Ramirez was the better free agent signing.  Both worked out extremely well for the Red Sox.  I would give the edge to Ramirez though because it was longer.

7.  Andrew Benintendi.

8.  David Price.  I still believe Price should have been the World Series MVP in 2018.  He didn't live up to his massive contract, but it was worth it for the 2018 postseason alone.

9.  Tanner Houck.  Houck may find himself the new closer if Kenley Jansen gets traded.

10.  Rick Porcello.  Porcello may be one of the most random Cy Young winners ever.  

11.  Team Card.  This is the World-Series winning 2018 team picture.

12.  Christian Vazquez.  Vazquez's best season was 2019 when he hit .276/.320/.477 with 23 home runs and 72 RBIs.  He also caught 38% of attempted base-stealers, fourth in the league.

13.  Triston Casas.  Casas was the first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2018.

14.  Tyler McDonough.  McDonough was the third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2021.

15.  Blaze Jordan.  Jordan was the third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2020.

16.  Marcelo Mayer.  Mayer was the first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2021.

17.  Enrique Hernandez.  Hernandez made a habit of having great-looking Topps flagship cards.  That trend ended with his kind of boring 2023 card, but this was still great.

18.  J.D. Martinez.

19.  J.D. Martinez.

20.  Jarren Duran.  Duran stole 24 bases in 2023.  I expect him to get close to 40 in 2024.

21.  J.D. Martinez.

22.  Rafael Devers.

23.  Masataka Yoshida.  I am very much looking forward to Yoshida building on his 2023 season.  I think a .300+ average and 15-20 home runs is very much in the realm of possibility.  My boldest prediction for 2024 is that Yoshida will win the batting title.

I guess I am going to quit for tonight.  Still more to come.