Orioles Card "O" the Day

An intersection of two of my passions: baseball cards and the Baltimore Orioles. Updated daily?

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Miguel Tejada, 2005 Playoff Prestige Changing Stripes #CS-14

Yeesh. You can't get blood from a stone, as they say, but Miguel Tejada seems determined to wring every last ounce of athletic ability out of his own body. After the Giants released him in September 2011, he didn't catch on with another team until the Orioles gave him a minor-league deal last May. In 36 games at AAA Norfolk, he batted .259/.325/.296, with 5 doubles representing the entirety of his extra-base prowess. Reports about his defense at third base were none too encouraging either, so the O's punted on the Miggi experiment and released him in late June. The one-time American League MVP remained unsigned during the second half of the 2012 season, and headed to the winter league in his native Dominican Republic in an attempt to prolong his career. I guess it worked, because over the holidays came news that the Kansas City Royals had signed the 38-year-old Tejada to a minor league deal. What's more, there are reports that it will become a guaranteed one-year deal for $1.1 million dollars (with an extra 400 grand in performance incentives) just as soon as the team can clear a spot on their 40-man roster. Because Tejada has looked thoroughly cooked since about 2009, and because of the Royals' comfortable position as a league laughingstock, this transaction is being received with considerable derision. I know that I would be apopleptic if the Orioles had made such a move. But if nothing else, you've got to admire Miguel's persistence...and wonder whether you can get his agent to represent you.

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