Sunday, January 3, 2010

Matt Riley, 2000 Topps #446

I mentioned that I received the 2000 Topps hobby factory set as a Christmas gift last month. That night, I opened the box and thumbed through all 480 cards one by one. This card was one of those that made me do a double take. You are most likely more than familiar with these three players...as long as you're an Orioles fan. Their career numbers, through 2009:

Matt Riley: 5-4, 5.99 ERA, 78 K, 72 BB. Currently out of baseball.

Mark Mulder: 103-60, 4.18 ERA, two-time All-Star, one 20-win season

CC Sabathia: 136-81, 3.62 ERA, three-time All-Star, 2007 American League Cy Young Award winner

Meatloaf may have said that two out three ain't bad, but he wasn't an O's fan. This card is a pretty cruel joke on the Baltimore faithful.

4 comments:

  1. ahh, Matt Riley... That crazy young lefty seemed like a can't miss... I think I bought 10 copies of that card when it came out. Thank goodness the other 2 worked out and I was able to trade them away... The kid had some serious talent, but his head...

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  2. What is faith if not believing in something there is absolutely no evidence for? :)

    What does that expression on Matt Riley's face mean, by the way? Hm.

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  3. Always was a fan of Riley's, mostly because he had the same name as one of my favorite DJs in Philadelphia.

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  4. Troll - I'm sure Sidney Ponson's mentoring didn't help.

    DC - Well said as always. Matt does look a bit pained and anxious, doesn't he?

    deal - Small world.

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