Random Topps Card of the Day: 2010 Topps Update Series #US-85 Starlin Castro

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, October 10, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2010 Topps Update Series #US-85.
• Player Name, position, team: Starlin Castro, shortstop, Chicago Cubs.
• Major League Debut: May 7, 2010.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2009 stats (Daytona A-Florida State / Tennessee AA-Southern): 127 G, 469 AB, 56 R, 140 H, 23 2B, 6 3B, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 28 SB, 29 BB, 53 SO, .392 SLG, .734 OPS, .299 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Cubs as a Free Agent 10/25/2006. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 4. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Starlin bolted from rookie ball to the Majors in less than two years, slapping around pitchers at four levels along the way. When he reached the Cubs for the first time on May 7, 2010 (after whacking .376 in 26 games at Double-A to start the year), Castro proved he was ready. He homered in his initial at-bat and set a modern-day debut mark with six RBI."
• Commentary: When Topps became MLB's (and MLBPA's) lone exclusive, what best way to celebrate than by creating a card where the actual team name's word mark logo. Yes, the colored curves on the left side of the card kind of dig into the picture, the rather large team name logo makes the cards easy to sort by your favorite team. Of the 17,941 players to make their debut in Major League Baseball, none had the kind of debut that young Starlin Castro had on May 7, 2010. I remember driving to dinner that evening and turning on the radio, Pat and Ron were talking about this shortstop who was making his debut that night. It was the top of the second inning, and both Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto reached base. On Castro's first at-bat, he cracks a "long drive into deep right field. This ball's got a chance....LONG GONE!!! WELCOME TO THE MAJORS STARLIN CASTRO!!!" Not a bad first at-bat, and this kid just turned 20 two months ago...making him the first major leaguer born in 1990. (Do I feel old). In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, Castro was up again, and cracked a triple between left and center. At the end of the day, Castro set a MLB record for most rbi's in a debut (6). He hasn't stopped since. Granted, he still has a few issues on the field, but that should get better with experience. By the end of the 2012 season, he is a two-time All-Star, an incredible hitting machine, leading the NL in hits in 2011, and one of the building blocks that many Cub fans hope will once day help lead the team to the promised land. This card is actually card #US-85a as there is a variation card #US-85b of another Cub legend, Andre Dawson.

• Beckett value: $1.25-$3.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 29 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be 2008 Topps #126. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama