Random Topps Card of the Day: 2008 Topps #241 Ervin Santana

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, May 3, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2008 Topps #241.
• Player Name, position, team: Ervin Santana, pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
• Major League Debut: May 17, 2005.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2007 stats (Angels): 28 G, 150 IP, 7-14, 103 R, 96 ER, 126 SO, 58 BB, 26 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 1.55 WHIP, 5.76 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Angels as a Free Agent 09/02/2000. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 8. This is his fourth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: n/a.
• Commentary: It's hard to believe that this blog will be five-years-old in May. When I started, there were just a handful of blogs out there, many I still follow (whenever they take the time to update their site) and whose writers I revere with the utmost respect. At the time, these blogs were still dissecting and quite frankly not liking the 2008 Topps design. It reminded them of a circus theme (and some of these bloggers still think that Topps is run by a bunch of circus employees...but I digress). It was also the first full year Topps came under the management of Madison Dearborn and the Tornante Group (they purchase was finalized on October 21, 2007). Lots of fears that the new owners would turn this company into a "Mickey Mouse" organization, which couldn't be further from the truth because Michael Eisner, who became the public face of the buyers, had left Disney a long time ago. But there is no doubt that the Hobby landscape has changed, and that includes the way its reported. But I digress. Yes, if you can see the facsimile autograph, it says Johan Santana. For those who don't know, his real name is Johan Ramon Santana. But to avoid confusion with the OTHER Johan Santana (Johan Alexander Santana...the flamethrower who played for the Twins from 2000-2007 and then the Mets from 2008-2012), he legally changed his name to Ervin. Why Ervin? "I just came up with Ervin... Ervin Santana, that sounds good." Well, Ervin Santana pitched as well as his new name sounded. In fact, he became a household name by the time the 2008 season ended. He became an All-Star for the first time, going 11-3 with a 3.34 ERA and 122 strikeouts before the break. He finished with a 16-7 record, with a 3.49 ERA, 214 k's, a WHIP of 1.119, and two complete games (1 shutout) in 219 innings of work. He finished sixth in the Cy Young voting that season. Injuries marred his 2009 season, but he came back at the end to pitch a complete game shutout that helped the Halos clinch the Western Division title. In 2010, he went 17-10 with a 3.92 ERA and 169 strikeouts in 33 starts. On July 27, 2011, he pitched a no-hitter over the Indians. By the end of the 2012 season, was traded to the Kansas City Royals. He left Anaheim with a 96-80 record in 236 games (233 starts), with 1167 strikeouts, an ERA of 4.33, a WHIP of 1.300, and seven shutouts. As of May 3, 2013, he is 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 5 games for the new look Royals.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.12-$0.30.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 36.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1994 Topps #523. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama