Another Lucky Friday

Just like last week, today is lucky Friday.  No, I did not find any cards at Walmart.  My luck happened when I woke up this morning to the news of Dexter Fowler being traded to the Angels.  Back when the Cardinals signed him, I thought they overpaid.  It was a weak market for outfielders after the 2016 season and Fowler had just won a World Series with the Cubs.  Part of the blame is on the Cardinals for giving him a 5 year contract.  At least now he will not be taking playing time away from Dylan Carlson.  I will give props to Fowler for being a great person.  He did a lot of charitable things in St. Louis, and was always very fan friendly at the Winter Warm Up.

So what does this have to do with baseball cards?  Last night I was opening a package from The Bench member Jim G and the first 2 cards to pop out were Fowlers.

These 2017 Chrome refractors could be some of the last Fowler cards I add to my collection, although I have been searching for a 2021 Topps Archives autograph.  Best of luck in LA.

Matt Carpenter may be playing his last season in St. Louis.  His contract is up after this year, and I do not think he will get enough plate appearances for his option to kick in.  If there is no DH, he may struggle to get to 300 at bats unless he hits like it is 2016, the year of these Stadium Club cards.  

I will be hard for Topps to find a better Ozzie picture than his 2019 Stadium Club.  Now that Arenado is a Cardinals and Fowler is not, Yadi is about the last question the Cardinals need to answer before spring training.  I still believe he will sign with them.

I love refractors even if they are not colored.  I guess the 2007 Chrome Encarnacion is white instead of the black border from that year.  It is numbered to 660.  The 2002 Journell is numbered to 300.  The 2015 Bowman's Best Wacha is neither numbered or noted as a refractor.  Sometimes it is hard for my eyes to tell the difference.

Finishing things off with a nice numbered Bob Gibson 2008 Heroes card and a 2017 Chrome insert of Luke Weaver.  Weaver had a pretty bad 2020 for the Dbacks going 1-9 with an ERA over 6.  Hopefully he can turn things around this year.