The Bulls team set came out a little later than normal this year, but I picked up a copy a few weeks back when I went to a Bulls playoff game with the little man. The Bulls won the game, and the series, but they ended up losing in the International League finals against the Columbus Clippers (Indians).
I only went to a handful of games this year, I felt a little disconnected from the team. Probably does not help that the end and beginning of my schools years have been a little hectic, I switched grade levels, and my summer vacation was spent almost entirely on an almost 3,000 mile road trip.
Some great names in this set, so let's have a look. I scanned the cards in groups of three.
I do not love the design. I cannot remember the last time the Bulls used Choice, or similar company to produce their team set. Feels like it has been a few years, the majority have been made by smaller, more local companies. Although, the photographer for the set is from the area.
Out of this first group, Brosseau is my favorite player. He ended up being a pretty important player for the Rays down the stretch.
Like the Cronenworth card on the end. He did not get called up by the Rays at the end of the summer, but he hit .334 for the Bulls, and also appeared as a relief pitcher for the roughly a dozen games too. He was a two way player in college at Michigan a few years back. Not sure he could pitch in the Majors, but he's fun to watch in the Minors. I believe that batting average ended up winning the International League batting crown.
This is actually two groups of three. I like that the photographer shows off some of the different home uniforms that Bulls wear. Tan caps, blue caps, blue jerseys, white jerseys, and Dalton Kelly with the 4th of July hat. In the first group of cards you can see Brosseau has the white front panel cap. Not much on the players in these two groups outside of Nate Lowe on the bottom right, who has spent some time with the Rays already.
McKay has to be the best card in the set. Love the idea of having a two way player, although the Rays seem to really be leaning towards towards just having him pitch. The amount of time he has spent playing in the field, or as an offensive player seems limited.
Pruitt is my favorite veteran player on the Bulls. He shuffled back and forth a lot this year, something like nine call ups to the Rays.
Love the Dashenko Ricardo card. He was an independent league player for a few years, made back to Triple A with the Bulls, and actually had some pretty decent play at times. I believe he might have hit a home run in first Triple A game, or something like that.
The Rays traded Nick Solak to the Rangers towards the end of the season for a pitcher. He hit two home runs and had a ton of RBIs in a series against the Rays late in the year. Sulser is on the Orioles now. Slegers is still in the Rays system, I think.
We are to the end of the set. Kean Wong had done a lot of clutch hitting for the Bulls in the playoffs the last two years, got called up to the Rays, but was eventually claimed by the Angels. I think that Kean might find some more playing time there, so probably for the best.
Brady Williams was in his first year managing the Bulls. He had some great shoes.
That's always important.
Last three cards. We have the mascot. Wool E. Bull is a great, he's better than the majority of Major League mascots, but we get to enjoy him in Durham.
Last we have Quinton McCracken. You might remember him from being an outfielder in the Major Leagues during the 1990s and 2000s, but to locals he was a standout defensive back and kick returner for Duke during the early 1990s.
