McCutchen Mailday #44: My 1,100 unique Cutch card featuring the best players in the game!!!!

I can't believe that I own 1,100 unique cards of Cutch. 

When I started this blog 5 years ago, I barely had 100 cards of Cutch.  Since then I have added many elite cards to my PC (adding nearly 400 unique cards last year definitely helped push it to where it currently is) and I am currently on pace for another near 400 new additions this year.

This particular card isn't worth that much, but it does feature the best pitcher in the game today (Clayton Kershaw), the most raw power (Giancarlo Stanton), and the top two 5 tool talents in each league (Cutch and Trout)

I'm glad that a card like this is what represents this milestone addition to the PC.

McCutchen Mailday #248: Who's the Best????

Andrew McCutchen
Mike Trout
Jacoby Ellsbury
Adam Jones

Who's the best all around centerfielder in the game today?
In 2014 Topps Museum begged us to ask that question when they placed these stars together on a single piece of cardboard.  Trout is by far the best with Jones and Cutch 2A and 2B if you ask me.  Adam Jones is a very under rated star in today's game.  His numbers have been consistent with Cutch's numbers each year, but for some reason more fans think that Cutch is significantly better.

The main reason I finally decided to pony up on this card was the patch for Cutch.  I've seen a lot of versions of this with Ellsbury patches, but rarely does a Cutch patch pop up on this card.  Since he's the main player I collect, I needed a nice version of black and gold on it.

In terms of contracts, it appears that the Pirates got the most value for their buck in extending Cutch before the 2012 season.  Here's a breakdown of the players depicted on this card current contract status.

Andrew McCutchen thru 2017 (6 years/$51mil) team option 2018
Adam Jones thru 2018 (6 years/$85 mil)
Jacoby Ellsbury thru 2020 (7 years/$153mil) team option 2021
Mike Trout thru 2020 (6 years/$144mil)

First Look at 2014 Topps with tradebait

I was in the mood for a $5 JanuarANY footlong at the subway near my house which happens to be inside of a WalMart and while there I decided to browse the card aisle.  I was surprised to see the 2014 Topps had just been packed out.

Here's some of the highlights of the blaster and hanger I bought.  With the exception of the Pirates, everything is for trade

First up is the Commemorative Patch I was guaranteed.  It's of the 2013 AL HomeRun champ, Chris "Crush" Davis.

Some cool inserts were found in the packs.  I purposely set the Big Papi 1989 mini crooked to give it that illusion of all those miscut 1989 Topps from our youth.

Because it's WalMart, there were blue parallels.

to go with the other color parallels

I'm not sure if every player in Series 1 has these parallels, but if they do, I will certainly be tracking down the Pirates team set.  Both of these are of the Pirates rival Reds.

And of course the mega hyped LA phenoms Yasiel Puig and Mike Trout

How did I do with Pirates in my Wal Mart adventure?

Well, I didn't strike out.
of the 4 Pirates I pulled, 2 were blue parallels (Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton)

I was f-ing pumped to see the Mortons!!!!!

Unlike previous years where sunglasses, celebrations, homerun robbing catches, and autograph signings are shortprints, this year they are part of the regular set.

Ain't no foolin, this card is 5 Toolin'

You always hear scouts talk about the tools that each player has, how they are 2 way players or 5 tool talents. What exactly is a 5 tool player in the eyes of scouts?

"A 5 tool player is one that has great speed, can hit for average, hit for power, a great throwing arm and is excellent defensively."

This 2012 Topps Triple Threads highlights 3 of MLB's best 5 tool athletes.  Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen, and recently traded Justin Upton.  The card is numbered 23/27 and features jersey relics of the young superstars.

We've all seen Triple Threads cards before so I won't focus too much on the card.  Instead I want to examine each of these players tools and if they truly are 5 toolin'.  I will take a look at each of their 2012 statistics. 

Besides Assists, it's really hard to judge sabremetrically how strong a player's arm is.  Sure you can look at runs saved, but that also includes their range factor so believe me when I say that all 3 of these athletes possess a strong throwing arm, but that is probably their worse of their 5 tools.

First we'll start with last year's rookie phenom.
MIKE TROUT
great speed: 49 SB and only 5 CS.  CHECK
hit for average: .326 (2nd place in AL) won a Silver Slugger CHECK
hit for power: 30 HR or 1HR per 18.6AB CHECK
excellent defensively: saved 20 runs and put up a 2.1defensive WAR CHECK

ANDREW McCUTCHEN

great speed: 20 (lowest of his career) CHECK

hit for average: .327 (2nd place in NL) won a Silver Slugger CHECK

hit for power 31 HR .553slugging percentage CHECK

excellent defensively: .997 fielding percentage won a Gold Glove CHECK

JUSTIN UPTON

great speed: 18 with 8 caught stealing BETTER THAN LEAGUE AVERAGE

hit for average: .280 (won a Silver Slugger in 2011) CHECK

hit for power: 17 (31 in 2011) slugging .430 AVERAGE FOR POSITION

excellent defensively: saved 2 runs and put up a -0.4 dWAR NOT BETTER THAN AVERAGE

So it looks like the card features the players in the right order for guys that are 5 toolin' 

Mike Trout (if he can continue his success) will be the most tooled player in the game.

Andrew McCutchen, although he has lost some of his presence on the basepaths since 2010 is still a threat to steal, but has gained becoming a bigger threat at the plate with the bat.

Justin Upton had a monster 2011 season and will be pushed in Atlanta to put up better numbers now that he 

is playing alongside 2 other 5 tool outfielders his brother BJ Upton and Jason Heyward.