Project Durham Bulls #34 - Andruw Jones

1996 Durham Bulls 

Background- 

Andruw Jones started out the 1996 season with the Durham Bulls.  At the time the Bulls were the Braves High A Ball affiliate in the Carolina League.  By the time the season was over, Jones was starring in the 1996 World Series for the Braves against the Yankees.  He hit two home runs in Game 1 becoming the youngest player to hit multiple home runs in a World Series game.  

Jones played in the Majors for a total of 17 years.  I like to view his career in two halves:  The Braves half, which was good, and the years after the Braves, which were not so good.  I have seen arguments for and against Jones being in the Hall of Fame.  It seems like people's view point depends on how good you think the Atlanta years were versus how much his time with the Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees hurt his chances.  

I am going to stay neutral in this fight and stick to the numbers that Andruw Jones had at the end of his career.  He ended up hitting 434 home runs, 383 doubles, drove in almost 1,300 runs, and had a WAR of 62.8.  Jay Jaffe's JAWS ranking system has Andruw Jones as the 11th best center fielder of all-time behind Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey, Joe DiMaggio, and others.  In terms of his peers, who played during the same era, his numbers are in the same neighborhood as Jim Edmonds, Kenny Lofton, Carlos Beltran.  Plus or minus, here and there.  

Jones also had a good repuatation as a defensive center fielder....

taking home 10 Gold Gloves during his twelve year career as a member of the Braves.  

Card- 

Andruw Jones has a ton of certified autographs that have been put out throughout his career.  He has also been a generous signer for different card companies in the years since he retired from the sport.  I decided that I was going to try to track down a copy of Jones as a Minor Leaguer.  He has several autographs from different Best products.  Not the nicest, nor the most expensive, but I liked the idea of seeing Jones in a Minor League uniform.  

I actually already have a really nice autograph of Jones in a Durham Bulls uniform.....

This was in Heritage Minors a few years ago.  I figured it would be tough to track another copy of this card, and if I did I figured it would probably be pretty pricy.  The Best autograph I found of Jones cost me little, but my goal was met, and I found a card where Jones is pictured as a Bull.  There is a Best card with Jones pictured solely as a member of the Bulls, but the card at the top of the post celebrates him winning the Minor League Player of the Year.  

I know it does not say that anywhere on the front of the card.....

it is on the back.  It's got a few design flaws, but I am still happy.  Not sure about that Player Of The Year logo in the middle of the card.  Seems a little suspect.