Wander-Ful Cards

It's been a while.  

I really wanted to make a post last weekend when Wander Franco got called up to the Rays, but I was sitting here typing up my report cards for the end of the school.  The last day of school was Monday.  Throw in a couple of workdays and a few more days to rest and recover, and I have a full month of vacation. 

Better late than never.  

I actually had a chance to see Wander a few weeks back while he was still with the Bulls. 

Not the most competitive game.  

Always fun to see a really good prospect though, regardless of the score.  

In the last few weeks, I have picked up two new Wander Franco cards.  

This is a Bowman Scouts Top 100 insert showing Franco's top prospect rating.  Sort of wish he was in a Bulls uniform, but I understand they don't put those types of cards in Bowman sets.  A really nice-looking card that didn't cost me an arm and a leg.  

The reflective surface did not do great in the scanner, but this is a knock-off of the 1991 Bowman set.  

Beyond the Wander cards, I have also been working a little more on finding cards of Luis Patino.  He was on the prospects that the Rays got back from the Padres in exchange for Blake Snell.  He pitched at the Bulls game that I attend a few weeks back.  Really nice pitcher, I think I will continue collecting his cards.  

Both of these are from 2020 products.  

Not sure about the Sod Poodles name, but I like the looks of the card.  Love the dark border on the 1971 Topps design.  Great looking set.  

I also found a Bowman Chrome autograph of Patino.  I am surprised that any of these are affordable these days with all of the "prospecting" that goes on, especially since Patino is a top 100 prospect.  Nice first year autograph, love that he signed his Spring Training uniform number.  

One last Durham Bulls card for the week.....

I also picked up a card of Ripken The Bat Dog.  Ripken was supposed to start working for the Bulls last year, but did not with the season canceled.  I still have not seen Ripken this year.