I knew from the first time that I saw Steven Souza play for the Syracuse Chiefs, the Washington Nationals Triple A team, that I needed to go out and find a few of his cards. He was an older prospect, but absolutely one of those players who is fun to watch. So, I went out and I found a few of his cards with the Nats.....
Next thing you know, he gets traded to the Rays, and they send him to Durham. I got to watch a few games with Souza on the Bulls, I also had to go out and find a few cards of him in a Rays uniform. His first two seasons in Tampa were a little rough, which made finding his cards a little easier, and a little bit easier on the old wallet.....
Then last year, Souza turned into a pretty good player for the Rays.....
which means he got traded this offseason. It did seem like the Rays traded half of their team from last year away. The Souza trade was pretty surprising though. Not sure I focused on who the Rays got back from the Diamondbacks, as much as I tried to figure out who was going to be on the Rays this year. Also, whether or not the Durham Bulls would finish higher in the American League East than the Rays.
The Minor League baseball season has started and I got to watch pitcher Anthony Banda throw against the Gwinnett Stripers a few weeks back. I also got to check out the Bulls new third uniforms.
Banda is a hard throwing lefty. Very impressed with him. A quick look at the new Rays prospect facing Ronald Acuna.
I have started working on a few Banda cards since seeing him make this start against Gwinnett. He actually started his career with the Brewers, but was traded to the Diamondbacks in the Gerardo Parra deal. He has a few Brewers cards, but they are all Panini draft type products. Hard to really tell that they are Brewers cards. He has had several Diamondbacks cards over the last few years, including in several of this year's Topps products.
So far, I have added three different Anthony Banda cards. First up.....
The only non-2018 Banda card in this post. The Bowman's Best cards are always a really nice looking brand. Last year's product was no different. On top of a nice design, I also like that this brand uses on-card autographs. Banda always signs his first name and last name in this same top and bottom style, rather than side to side. I have seen a few Diamondbacks and Rays collectors complain about this autograph, I do not mind it.
Next up.....
is an autograph from this year's Gypsy Queen set. This card is really busy. Not sure that Topps could get much more on the margins of this card. Team name, player name, playing position, a Topps Certified autograph stamp, an MLB rookie card stamp, and some sort of Gypsy Queen logo. And you thought people liked cards because they have pictures of baseball players. That's sort of an after thought on this one. Still, it has a Banda autograph.
The goggles and tattoos appear on this card too. Fairly certain that Topps airbrushed the tattoos off of his right arm on the Bowman's Best card.
Last.
A "high end" card of Banda. This is why I don't spend money to open packs of high end products. I like Anthony Banda, like his baseball cards, but I cannot imagine spending $300 on a box of cards and landing this autograph. Thanks to whoever opened this card out of a pack. This card was printed on nice stock, fairly thick card, and has a nice glossy finish.
More Banda cards later.
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