Random Topps Card of the Day: 2009 Topps #490 Joba Chamberlain

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, March 25, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2009 Topps #490.
• Player Name, position, team: Joba Chamberlain, pitcher, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: August 7, 2007.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2008 stats (Yankees): 42 G, 100.1 IP, 4-3, 32 R, 29 ER, 118 SO, 39 BB, 12 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 1.26 WHIP, 2.60 ERA
• Any special information about player: Drafted by Yankees #1st, June 2006. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Chamberlain's third regular Topps card (total does not include highlights cards). Joba-mania came in earnest as soon as Chamberlain made his debut with the Yankees in 2007, and Topps took advantage of this new found "Yankee Legend-in-the-making," including him in gimmick cards and insert sets even though he only pitched in 19 games (with a 0.38 ERA to boot). The back of the card has a "Niche in History" segment, mentioning that prior to the 2009 season, Joba, among pitchers with 60 appearances, has the Yankee's second-lowest ERA (2.17 against Goose Gossage's 2.14) and the third highest rates of strikeouts per nine innings (11.00, behind Ryne Duren (Ryne Duran on the card...ERROR CARD!!! and Edwar Ramirez). The stats above the curve lists Joba's lowest career OPS against by count (1-2 .274, 2-2 .383, 0-2 .449, 1-0 .545, 0-0 .606, 0-1 .656, minimum 12 plate appearances).
  Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.50-$1.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 16 cards.

One final note. Now, as you know, Chamberlain's card is not the only #490 in the 2009 Topps set. And I would be nuts if I didn't note this little tidbit. As this card was found in 2009 Topps Series 2, Topps included "modern day" legend variation cards in their product, seventeen of them to be in fact. Many of the "legends" had something in common with the player he shares a card number with (whether it's a team affiliation or a position). And Topps paired the legends and the current players appropriately, especially in this case. Because Joba shares his card #490 with another power pitcher, HOF, and strikeout king: Nolan Ryan.

Tomorrow's card will be: Friday: 1998 Topps #75. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama