Random Topps Card of the Day: 2008 Topps #159 Luke Scott

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, May 31, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2008 Topps #159.
• Player Name, position, team: Luke Scott, outfielder, Houston Astros.
• Major League Debut: April 5, 2005.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2007 stats (Astros): 132 G, 369 AB, 49 R, 94 H, 28 2B, 5 3B, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 3 SB, 53 BB, 95 SO, .504 SLG, .855 OPS, .255 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Indians #9th, June 2001. Traded by the Indians to the Astros 03/31/2004. Bats: left. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 8. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Luke overcame nagging injuries to be the Astros primary right fielder in 2007. "He's a solid professional hitter," GM Ed Wade says. "He's capable of playing a couple of spots and he can help the club win'."
• Commentary: When Luke Brandon Scott isn't on the DL, he does extremely well at the plate and is a pretty decent fielder in right. However, injuries have been an issue over the course of his career, he even started on the DL in the 2013 season. But we're not here to talk about his issue on and off the field. After four seasons climbing up the Indians' ladder in pursuit of big league dreams, the Tribe traded him to Houston for a pitcher named Jeriome Robertson. It had looked like the Indians were getting the better of the deal as Robertson was a ROY candidate the year before and finished with an 15-9 record the year before. But in 2004, injuries befell Robertson and after a disastrous 8 game run with the Indians, he was sent packing to the minors, never to be seen in the MLB again (he finished his MiLB career in 2008). But Luke Scott was just getting warmed up. In 63 games with the Round Rock Express in 2004, Scott hit 19 home runs and brought in 62 rbi's to go with a .298 average and an incredible 1.055 OPS. He made the Astros' roster out of spring training, but after struggling to a .154 average with no homers and rbi's to speak of, he was sent back to Round Rock. In his four month stint with the Express, Scott had hit 31 homers and driven in 87 rbi's to go with a .286 average and .966 OPS. He was called up at the end of August when rosters expanded. At the end of the 2007 season, Scott, along with four other players, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in the Miguel Tejada deal. With the O's, Scott became the primary left fielder, and in 148 games hit .257 with 23 home runs, 65 rbi's, and committed only two errors in left for a good .990 fielding percentage. In four seasons with the Orioles, Luke would bat for a cumulative .260 with 84 home runs, 236 rbi's, and an OPS of .826. He signed with the Rays as a Free Agent after the 2011 season, and became the Tampa Bay's designated hitter, a role he has returned to in 2013 now that he is off the DL.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.12-$0.30.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 19.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1998 Topps #281. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama