Random Topps Card of the Day: 2010 Topps #603 Gerardo Parra

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, January 22, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2010 Topps #603.
• Player Name, position, team: Gerardo Parra, outfielder, Arizona Diamondbacks.
• Major League Debut: May 13, 2009.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2009 stats (Diamondbacks): 120 G, 455 AB, 59 R, 132 H, 21 2B, 8 3B, 5 HR, 60 RBI, 5 SB, 25 BB, 89 SO, .404 SLG, .728 OPS, .290 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Diamondbacks as a Free Agent 08/30/2004. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 4. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Even as a rookie in 2009, Gerardo played with veteran-like grit.  He raked .367 with runners on base (including .341 when there were also two outs) and .323 from the seventh inning on."
• Commentary: To celebrate the return of Topps being the sole licensee with both MLB Properties and the MLB Players Association, Topps made sure to put the team logos (something that the other card company could not do) in the forefront of their design in a really large way.  While he might not get the hype fellow outfielders Justin Upton and Chris Young, but Gerardo Parra definitely holds his own at the plate and on the field.  Gerardo Parra finished eighth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2009.  His offensive numbers (which you can see in the last line of statistics) speak for themselves.  But it was his ability to play all three positions in the outfield and do well defensively wherever he played that kept him in the lineup throughout his four years in the majors.  In 2010, he once again played all three outfield spots for the D-Backs, and while he did not get as many plate appearances as he did the year before, which explains why his number were much lower in 2010:  .261 with 3 home runs and 30 rbi's, defensively, he was stellar (4 errors in 233 chances for a .983 average).  In fact, his defense finally got the recognition it deserved when he was awarded the Gold Glove in 2011. With Chris Young now with the Athletics, and trade rumors still circling around Upton, Parra is now in line to be the Diamondbacks' primary center fielder heading into the 2013 season.     
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 9.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1996 Topps #21. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1988 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama