These Are Not The Indians You Seek

As is my customary Wednesday function, I am going to the movies for a $6 matinee.  I might finally see Star Wars, hence the reference in title.

On a completely unrelated note, I am a bit disappointed to hear that Chief Wahoo will no longer be appearing on the Cleveland Indians in future years.  Not that I want to support a politically incorrect baseball cap, but Major League is one of the greatest baseball movies of all time and Chief Wahoo and Wild Thing go together so well.

I wonder if this will ultimately lead to teams changing their names too.  One other not as recognized team called the Indians is the Pirates AAA team who hail from Indianapolis.

The team was formed in 1902 and has served as the farm system for the Expos, Brewers, Reds, Pirates, White Sox, Phillies, Braves (Boston) and of course Indians.  The Pirates have held the rights to the club since 2005 and it was in 2009 that the team saw it's most prized prospect get promoted to the majors.

There's not a lot of Cutch cards with the Indians as he was there for only about 200 games.  Many criticize the Pirates for not promoting him until 2009 after he put up a triple slash line of .283./.372/.398 in 2008 as a 21 year old.  He also would go on to steal over 30 bags that season in AAA.

The reality that many forget is that the Pirates had an All-star centerfielder named Nate McLouth who was posting a .276/.356/.478 line while playing gold glove defense.  The next year Nate would be traded for Charlie Morton, Jeff Locke, and Gorkys Hernandez to make a spot available for Cutch.

Andrew sometimes gets credited as being Daniel McCutchen, the losing pitcher of the Jerry Meals July 26th 2011 game.

I believe that I may have shown the ones above off already, but here is the only other Cutch card I have with the Indians.

How do you all feel about Chief Wahoo being removed?
Do you think other Indians logos and maybe even names will be changed?

Trouble with the Curve?

Congratulations to the Pirates AA team, Altoona Curve on their Eastern League Championship.  Top prospect Mitch Keller dominated the playoffs.

I wasn't able to see any of the playoffs games this year, but vividly remember the Curve winning the Championship in 2010.  I was in Trenton when they won the Championship lead by efforts of Justin Wilson, Rudy Owens, Josh Harrison, Chase d'Arnaud, and Andrew Lambo.

The young group of men playing for the Curve look like future big leaguers and should make the Pirates position depth very good beginning as early as next year and beyond.

Of all the players on the team I am pulling for the most is former 1st Round Pick, Cole Tucker.  If anyone has some Tucker cards they wouldn't mind giving up, I will happily take them off your hands.

I love to chase down early Cutch minor league cards.  I have quite a few and would like to add some more.

Above are all my Andrew McCutchen cards in an Altoona Curve outfit.

Here are a few of the Curve Stadium Give away figures and bobbleheads I have gotten over the years.

Out of this World Bobblehead

MVP bobblehead

OYO figure

There is one more Cutch Curve bobblehead that I need in a standard batting pose.

Here's a few others I have though

Tony "Elementary" Watson bobblehead

Starling "Martay Partay" bobblehead

The Shark Tank Bullpen (Hughes, Watson, Wilson)

The Curve's marketing department has really upped their game in terms of SGAs over the past few seasons.  Other notable figures include a Gerrit Cole Garden Gnome (on my desk at work)
Along with these that I don't own
 Jordy Mercer "Lloyd Christmas"
Jameson get your "Suit and Taillon"
Josh "Need more cow-" Bell
Gregory "El Coffee Barista" Polanco