Youngest players in 2011

I thought I did this feature last year but I can't find the post. So a new tradition begins this year.  I've been informally tracking the age of the youngest player for years. My original benchmark was a player born after my oldest son in 1984. Guys born in 1984 are practically veterans now. The youngest players this year were born in 1991. Here are the youngest players in the big leagues this year, all born after in 1990 or later.

2011 Tri-Star Obak #88 Mike Trout

Born on 8/7/91, Mike debuted with the Angels on 7/811, at only 19 years old. He was the Angel's #1 draft pick in 2009. He appeared in 33 games hitting .220. In 2010 he was considered the top prospect in baseball.

2011 Topps Update #174 Jacob Turner

Jacob was born on 5/21/91 and made his debut with the Tigers on 7/30/11. Another #1 draft pick in 2009. He appeared in 3 games, losing 1. He has a major league contract with the Tigers for $5.5 million.

2011 Topps Update #152 Julio Teheran

Born on 1/27/91, Julio made his debut with the Braves on 5/7/11. He was up and down with the Braves several times in 2011, making 3 starts and compiling a 1-1 record and a 5.03 ERA.

2011 Topps Update #132 Jose Altuve

Jose was born on 5/6/90 and made his debut with the Astros on 7/20/11. He is one of a number of young players who saw action with the Astros this year. On 8/20, he led off a game with an inside-the-park home run.

2010 Bowman Chrome #211 Starlin Castro

Starlin was born on 3/24/90 and made his debut with the Cubs on 5/7/10. A second year player, he looks like the real deal so far with a .304 batting average over 283 career games. He made the All-Star game in 2011. Defense may be an issue as he led all major league short stops in 2011 with 29 errors.

2011 Topps Update #282 Brad Hand

Brad was born on 3/20/90 and made his debut with the Marlins on 6/7/11. He made 12 starts for the Fish, with a 1-8 record and a 4.20 ERA.

2011 Tri-Star Obak #76 Randall Delgado

Randall was born on 2/9/90 and made his debut with the Braves on 6/17/11. He was up from the minors several times, making 7 starts for the Braves. He was 1-1 with an impressive 2.83 ERA in 35 innings.

2011 Topps Update #9 Jose Iglesias

Jose just squeaked into this group being born in 1/5/90. He made is debut with the Red Sox 5/8/11. He spent most of the season down on the farm, getting only 6 at bats with Boston.

2011 Topps Update Series Trades Wanted

In this post, I told how I came to own two 500-card hobby boxes of 2011 Update Series. Although I don't normally collect sets, I though, with this two boxes, in addition to the blaster and some rack packs I already had, surely I'd end up with the whole set. After I got through the first box, I needed only 40 cards to complete the set. When I got through the second box, I only needed 16 cards to complete the set. Really, two 500-card boxes was not enough to get the whole set? 

If you are trying to complete the set, I've got duplicates, lots of duplicates. Here are the 16 cards I need: 21 (Prince Fielder); 37 (Rick Ankiel), 53 (Koji Uehara); 88 (Orlando Cabrera); 92 (Hunter Pence); 108 (Ulbado Jimenez); 114 (Lance Lynn); 138 (Michael Young); 170 (Brad Ziegler); 188 (Eric Hosmer); 195 (Joey Votto); 227 (Kosuke Fukudome); 247 (Zack Cozart); 260 (Matt Holliday); 294 (Edwin Jackson); 297 (Chase D'Arnaud). Please make me an offer.

Here are a few of my favorites.

 

He's out!

 

And he's out.

 

This Bud's for you.

A pitcher fielding, a rare card photo. At least I guess he's fielding. I presume the ball is under the All-Star logo.

I really like the framing of this photo.

Why do these guys look so awkward?

 

Great catch!

The happy winner of the Home Run Derby.

Steal of third?

Song of the Week - Maggie May by Rod Stewart

Maybe it's turning 60, but old songs have been on my mind. I found a number of videos of Stewart doing this song recently and it doesn't work. This is a young man's song.

This song is from his solo album Every Picture Tells A Story. We used to always think that the chorus of the title track was "Every picture tells a story donuts". We wanted to buy story donuts in the worst way.

Baseball Birthdays: Nov. 6-12

November 6

2011 Topps CMG Reprints #19: Walter Johnson

The Big Train, elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936. Appeared in 802 games in his 21-year career, winning 417 of them. He averaged 7.3 innings/game over his career.

November 7

1976 Topps Traded #80: Jim Kaat

Another long-lived pitcher. In his 25-year career, Kitty appeared in 898 games, about half in relief.

November 8

1992 Pinnacle #293: Dwight Smith

Smith was second in the 1989 voting for NL Rookie of the Year to his Cubs teammate Jerome Walton. And he could sing too!

November 9

2011 Topps Lineage 1975 Mini Relics: Bob Gibson

It was a good week for pitcher's birthdays. Gibby was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981. Although not appearing in as many games in his 17-year career as Walter Johnson, he also averaged 7.3 innings/game.

November 10

1987 Classic Update Yellow #148: Jack Clark

Jack the Ripper was a classic home run hitter. He hit 340 home runs in his 18-year career, while striking out 1,441 times.

November 11

1999 Sports Illustrated #165: Damion Easley

Slim pickings for this date in baseball birthdays. Damion has had a 17-year career being a regular, dependable player. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 November 12

1999 Bowman's Best Franchise Best Mach I: Sammy Sosa

1999, the year that should be remembered as the greatest season long home run contest ever.

A 2004 Topps Cracker Jack Birthday

The 2004 Topps Cracker Jack set is one of my favorite sets of all time. I've had a want lost posted since 2009. I've acquired a few cards due to that. Now, one of my best and oldest friends, Brian, looking for an inspiration for a birthday gift for me, checked my blog. And managed to find me 6 cards I needed. He also sent a mini card which I also needed.

But before we look at the Cracker Jacks, lets look at this card he also sent:

2003 Fleer Patchworks Past Present Future #8 Mike Schmidt, Scott Rolan and Eric Hinske

Two of my favorite 3rd basemen and some other guy. Brian and I disagree about Rolan but not Mike Schmidt. He took a total guess on this card and guessed right. Not only don't I have this card, I don't have any cards from this insert set.

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #87 Raul Ibanez

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #98 Carl Crawford

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #99 Reggie Sanders

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #161 Tony Batista

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #176 Aubrey Huff

2004 Topps Cracker Jack #201 Dioner Navarro

Only 30 cards until I have the entire set.

2004 Topps Cracker Jack Mini #35 Brian Giles

2011 Topps Update Series - More Good Stuff

Here's some more good stuff I got from the 2 500-card hobby boxes I received last week.

Topps Update Diamond Anniversary (Legends Variation) #249a: Ozzie Smith

I love this card featuring O in an old-school Padres uniform, circa 1981.

Topps Update Black #105: Joel Hanrahan

The Black parallel cards have sort of a gun-metal gray border. They are numbered to 60. I pulled one from each box.

Topps Hope Diamond Anniversary #282: Buster Posey

Another new Diamond Anniversary parallel. Like the Cognac version, the Update Series also has the complete regular Topps set in this variation. This is from the regular Topps set. I pulled tow of these as well, both from the regular set. These are also numbered to 60.


Topps Update Cognac Diamond Anniversary #42: Frank Thomas

I think I'd rather see him in a White Sox uniform but I think that part of this Legends Variations gimmick is that the players are featured in uniforms you don't normally see them in. Is it too soon to be calling The Big Hurt a legend?

Topps Update Gold #330: Lance Berkman

Berkman spent the first 11 years of his career with my other team, the Astros. He was one of my favorite Astros. It was sad to see his performance last year but great to see him come back this year and help lead the Cardinals to the World Series. These cards are numbered to 2011 and there were 2 per 50-card pack.

Song of the Week - I'm Not The Man I Used To Be by Fine Young Cannibals

FYC had two albums, 1985's Fine Young Cannibals and 1989's The Raw and the Cooked. This song is from the 1989 album. They had two big hits off that album "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing". "I'm Not The Man I Used To Be" is one of my favorites from the album. They broke up in 1992.