Random Topps Card of the Day: 2000 Topps #425 Greg Maddux

We reset the Topps Card Randomizer to come up with seven new cards to present for this week. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, April 26, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2000 Topps #425.
• Player Name, position, team: Greg Maddux, pitcher, Atlanta Braves.
• Major League Debut: September 2, 1986.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1999 stats (Braves): 33 G, 219.1 IP, 19-9, 103 R, 87 ER, 136 SO, 37 BB, 33 GS, 4 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 3.57 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by Cubs #2nd, June 1984. Signed with the Braves as a Free Agent 12/09/1992. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Maddux' sixteenth regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only; doesn't include any all-star, combo, league leader cards). The gray-bordered 2000 set made sure that the picture was the most important element in the design. And what better way to remember the best pitcher of our generation by picturing him at bat, ready to bunt? Now, before you think I don't like the picture, not true. I love it. I will confess that my favorite card from that other card company was the 1991 Upper Deck Jim Abbott baseball card. Why? Because it showed Abbott at the plate. How many cards show the pitcher at bat? Not too many. Now Maddux, a lifelong National Leaguer, had the luxury of having to bat for himself. And for a pitcher, he didn't do badly. His batting stats show that in the 23 years he's been baffling hitters, he has a decent .171 batting average, along with 5 home runs and 84 runs batted in (it's true, chicks do dig the long ball...remember that commercial in the mid 90's???). I remember one time, and I might have mentioned htis on the blog before, that Jeff Foxworthy was in Chicago one year and spent the day as a guest conductor for the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley. After being greeted by Pat Hughes and Ron Santo, the first thing Foxworthy says (and I will never forget this), "Thank you very much for having me, and thank you very much for Greg Maddux." Way to stick it to us, Jeff!!! Topps must have figured out the exact moment when Greg turned his career around. The back of the card reads, "Since the '91 All-Star break, Greg is 118-43 with a 2.99 ERA." That's eight-and-a-half seasons of brilliance.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.30-$0.75.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 93 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1983 Topps Traded #6T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. See you then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama