This is further evidenced that the Rays despite only a $28.6 million dollar payroll advanced all the way to Game 6 of the 2020 World Series.
However, not everything for the Rays comes up aces.
Take Wade Townsend for example.
He was selected by the Rays with the 8th overall pick in that loaded 2005 draft class that produced many face of the franchise players like Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Braun, Alex Gordon, and Andrew McCutchen.
But did you know that the Rays were considering taking the florida native McCutchen with that 8th overall pick?
Neither did I until I read the back of this 2012 Topps Museum card.
Imagine if Andrew McCutchen debuted in 2008 with Evan Longoria and joined a talented outfield consisting of BJ (Melvin) Upton and Carl Crawford?
Would a 2008 rookie nucleus of Longoria, Price, and McCutchen been enough to win the Rays at least one Championship? I have to think McCutchen would have fared better than Gabe Gross, Gabe Kapler, or Sam Fuld in the outfield during his "controlled years".
I am still on the hunt for the 2012 Topps Museum green parallel to 199 and the red parallel numbered 1/1 . I have the blue, gold, and base.
The Tigers passed on Kershaw. Imagine Verlander and h on the same rotation.
ReplyDeleteGeez. That's a good what could have been...although the Rays made up for it by taking Meadows and Glasnow from the Pirates.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your quest. I didn't know that about McCutchen and have to believe considering what he did accomplish in Pittsburgh he'd've easily helped Rays teams.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I'm guessing you were a Pirates fan before becoming a Cutch fan. So if you hadn't become the super Cutch collector... who would you have collected?
ReplyDeleteI had about 200 each of Jerome Bettis, Jason Bay, and Jason Kendall cards so that may have been the focus. I didn't begin focusing on just Cutch until late 2016.
DeleteThat's quite the accomplishment over the course of four years. Can't wait to see what the next four years bring to your Cutch collection.
DeleteI had a 1K+ collection of Cutch in 2016 and came to the realization that I was wasting too much money and time on guys I didn't really care for, but they wore the black and gold. When I chose to add a Blake Taylor autograph /25 instead of a rare parallel of my favorite player I knew I wasn't collecting and enjoying this hobby the way I should be. I still like all teams Pittsburgh, but there are players I enjoy collecting mkre than just the teams.
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