Thursday, November 21, 2013

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2001 Topps #588 Ray Lankford

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, November 21, 2013:


  • Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2001 Topps #588.
  • Player Name, position, team: Ray Lankford, outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Major League Debut: August 21, 1990.
  • Last Line of Statistics: 2000 stats (Cardinals): 128 G, 382 AB, 73 R, 99 H, 16 2B, 3 3B, 26 HR, 65 RBI, 5 SB, .508 SLG, 70 BB, 148 SO, .253 AVG.
  • Any special information about player: Drafted by the Cardinals #3rd, June 1987. Bats: left. Throws: left.
  • Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his eleventh Topps card.
  • Blurb on the back: "Did 200 seem to be an off-season for Ray, an 11-year vet? Look again. He was one of only two National Leaguers to hit at least 25 home runs in fewer than 400 at-bats. The other was Mark McGwire."
  • Commentary: Raymond Lewis Lankford will always be a St. Louis Cardinal. Even after he was traded to the Padres after the trading deadline, he returned to the Cardinals as a Free Agent. So what happened in 2001 that caused the Cards to trade this offensive powerhouse? Simple. While the power was still there (15 home runs in 264 at bats during 91 games, percentages of .345/.496/.841), his batting average reached a career worst .235. The trade to San Diego for Woody Williams helped as he hit for a .288 average with 4 home runs and 19 rbi's in 40 games played. The following year was marred by injury, with Ray only appearing in 81 games. He signed back with the Cards for the 2003 season, but was on the shelf for the entire season due to a hamstring injury. After one last run in 2004, Lankford called it a career. His name is scattered all over the Cardinals' record lists, which include a cumulative .273 average, 228 home runs, 829 rbi's, 250 stolen bases, and an OPS of .846. He is also the only Cardinal to hit 200 home runs and steal 200 bases in a Cardinals' uniform.
  • Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
  • How many cards of this player do I own?: 21.


Tomorrow's card will be: 1996 Topps #266. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

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