I still try to find cards of the players from the 2004 squad, but I have mainly done about all I can with all of the players except Albert Pujols. Every once in awhile I find something new, but it does not happen all that often. Like this past Sunday.....
I was actually putting together a deal for a few autographs with a fellow collector on Facebook when he posted a few pictures of some Cardinals autographs he thought I might enjoy. One card stood out. I have seen this card before, but of the members of the MV3 he's probably the player I spend the least amount of time, money, and effort on....
I love the 2004 Heritage set and love the looks of this card. Something about have a Cardinals player sign a card in red ink that is really cool. Of course the red autographs in the Heritage sets always carry a premium and for years I was unwilling to pay it for this card. Why?
As a Cardinals fan there are a few things that I remember about Scott Rolen....
1. "Rollin" by Limp Bizkit as his walk-up music was cheesy. I am going to assume that he picked. Not that the 2004 version of me would have disliked Limp Bizkit, just pick a better song like Break Stuff.
2. The home run off of Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the 2004 National League Championship Series. Just awesome.
3. Complaining his way out of St. Louis. I know Phillies and Blue Jays fans feel the same.
The last one is really the biggest reason why I feel a little indifferent about Rolen cards. He was a great player on the Cardinals and helped the team to two World Series appearances, with one ending in a win, but it's hard to love a player who does not love you back. Still lots of good memories and I am glad to finally check this card off of my list.
I also got a cool Ozzie Smith card as a throw in with the Rolen...
This is from the 2002 Fleer Tradition set. They had cards with calendars and jersey swatches. The calendar date was an important event in the players career. I didn't scan the back of the card, but the description of the event was tiny and hard to find. The "Congratulations You Have Received" is giant. I will spare Dodgers fans the rehash of what happened on October 14th. It involved Tom Neidenfuer.
I spent a lot of time cursing the 2004 Cardinals - that season was just torturous on all fronts for us Cubs fans. Scott Rolen was one of the focal points too; he just absolutely crushed the Cubs. Anyway, I guess you just gotta keep "rollin', rollin', rollin'.
ReplyDeleteAs I recall I did the same thing with the 2003 Cubs, but substitute Scott Rolen with Aramis Ramirez. In fact, ARam just killed the Cardinals his entire career.
DeleteRelated:
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That's funny!
DeleteObviously getting swept out of the 2004 WS was bad enough-but the "world" didn't get to see how well the Birds hit and how their offense steam rolled other teams.
ReplyDeleteThe core of the team got it done in 2006, even if they backed into the playoffs.
DeleteLol... I think Rolin's choice of walk up music is perfect... but I'm a cheesy kind of guy.
ReplyDeleteThe Limp Bizkit song was better than the Coldplay he had as his walk up music with the Reds.
DeleteThe Limp Bizkit song was better than the Coldplay he had as his walk up music with the Reds.
DeleteMy memories of Scott Rolen began very early in his career. He began his career in the Appalachian League playing in a little town in southwestern Virginia called Martinsville. I worked about five minutes from Hooker Field. They had a little high school stadium that the Martinsville Phillies played. The only other player that I remember from that team was Mike Liberthal. Anyway I followed Rolen's career because of that. I hated him as a Cardinal...well that was because he was a Cardinal. However I really began to appreciate him even more as a member of the Reds. Although a bad shoulder ended his career, he was one of the grittiest players that I ever watched. He taught the 2010 team to win and literally willed that team to win.
ReplyDeleteRolen really cared about winning and didn't let much come in the way. He was a really good hitter before the shoulder injuries, which started when Hee Seop Choi ran him over in 2005, but was the best defensive third baseman I have ever seen. I saw old Mike Schmidt, missed Brooks Robinson too, so maybe I am off there. He made some incredible throws and got to things that someone his size should have been able to get to.
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