Minor League Monday

One thing I missed about minor league baseball last year were the team sets.  Not the Topps Heritage or Pro Debut cards, but the team issued sets given away or the ones you could buy at the team stores.  While I was in quarantine in January, I had a lot of time on my hands to surf the Twitter and Facebook pages of the the Cardinals affiliates.  I guess there is such a thing as national hat day.  Besides getting a cool Memphis Redbirds cap, I purchased a 2019 team set for $6.

Counting the checklist, there are 36 cards in the set.  There are a handful of guys that made a contribution to the Cardinals in 2020 like these 3.

You also get a card of player involved in a trade that does not look too good for St. Louis right now.  Hopefully Matt Liberatore will balance things out soon.

You also find cards of players who are rumored to be future Rockies.  It sounds like the Nolen Arenado trade should be completed today or tomorrow.  

I also had plenty of time to surf EBAY.  I found 2015 Springfield Cardinals stadium give away set for a little less than $6 delivered.

This 40 card set features a few guys who have had some success.  Gonzales has turned into a pretty good starter for the Mariners, while Reyes was finally healthy last year.  Not sure if he can handle the work load of a starter, but I would be glad to see him back in the bullpen.

I have a soft spot for these 2 guys because they were a couple of the best fan friendly guys we met.  Both took time to sign autographs at games we attended.  I do not think Wilson is with anyone right now, but Wisdom signed a minor league contract with the Cubs.  He is one Cub I would root for unless they are playing the Cardinals.

Although they were minor league all stars, none of these guys have been able to sustain Major League success.  Some like Hazelbaker and Barraclough had 1 or 2 good seasons, while others like Thomas, Donofrio, and Reyes have not made the Majors.