Cutch's Crew: Talk About a Full House

Each year during the month of October, I show off only pink (and shades of pink like magenta, peach, etc) to help raise awareness of Breast Cancer, a leading cause of death for females in the United States.  

Due to my own financial situation this year I will not be able to make a donation for each (meaningful, non spam) comment left by those that follow the blog.  Once things settle down on the home front though I will be looking to make a donation in 2022 based on the comments left during this year's event.  Hopefully together we can help at least one woman get a much needed mammogram.  Early detection is key!!!

If you want to make your own private donation please visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  There is a donate button on the main page and it only takes a minute of your time.  Every little bit helps.

I have focused primarily on cards that only feature Andrew McCutchen on the card, but in recent years have also featured cards with a cameo appearance (either being seen on the card or as a name cameo on the back of the card).  In 2019, I created Falco Files which discussed players that replaced (Shane Falco Replacements movie reference) on an active roster, number worn, or trade.  I will also be showing some Cutch's Crew cards that show pink cards of players that have played with Cutch on multiple teams. I will continue to utilize these styles of posts as we celebrate the 5th Collecting Cutch Save Second Base event (I am no longer counting my first run on the Pirates Treasure Room I did back in 2014).

I am always looking for new ways to incorporate new celebrities into the event so today I am presenting

Jodie Sweetin

She was born in 1982 in Los Angeles, California.  She would become a popular child actress on the TV show Full House, which takes place in San Francisco.

Seems appropriate to showcase someone with both LA and SF ties as we prepare for the big rivalry series.

After multiples battles with drugs and alcohol she got in the spotlight again thanks to her participation on Dancing with the Stars.

She then went to star in many Christmas themed Hallmark Channel movies.

It has been reported that the Full House actress did get some plastic surgery prior to the filming of Fuller House.

Oh well...

In the first season of Fuller House, the Netflix spinoff series, sees Stephanie Tanner meet up with Hunter Pence.

Pence was a fan favorite in San Francisco thanks to his leadership, heart, and hustle.  It lead to the Giants winning a pair of World Series in 2012 and 2014 thanks in large part to Pence.

Hunter Pence was a teammate of Andrew McCutchen with the 2018 San Francisco Giants, but also appeared as a member of the 2011 and 2014 National League All Star Team with Cutch.  He even appeared as a cameo with Cutch on a Jay Bruce 2011 Topps Update card.  Cutch and Pence are celebrating together, but Bruce is kinda getting ready for a fist pump by himself.

When Cutch was traded to the Giants he appeared at FanFest and did an absolutely remarkable and hilarious impersonation of Hunter Pence's batting stance.

You can view the complete video with Cutch's commentary by clicking this YouTube link.

I think Cutch enjoyed being a teammate of Hunter Pence.

Here is a 2018 pink mini numbered 2/25.


2018 Topps Mini - [Base] - Pink #47 - Hunter Pence /25
Purchased for $2.84 

I just purchased this card from COMC yesterday after a subliminal suggestion by AJ from The Lost Collector mentioning the show Fuller House in the comments.  Obviously I don't have it in hand yet and have chosen not to ship it yet due to the constant delays in shipping and my current living situation being what it is.

The card doesn't directly give a name cameo of Cutch on the back, but he is one of the 9 players the card back references.

Hunter Pence was always one of my favorite players when he was active.  I love the way he interacted with fans and he was an absolute fan favorite no matter where he played, even when he was a visitor.

Heidi Watney even got into the Hunter Pence sign craze but making her own while hosting Quick Pitch on the MLB Network.

Do you remember the Hunter Pence sign craze?

You may recall a few years ago I showed off this incredible patch card with patches of Johnny Cueto, Hunter Pence, and Andrew McCutchen.  

It's one of my favorite unlicensed cards in my collection. 

Did you like Full House (or it's sequel)?

It is safe to say that I know who Hunter is rooting for tonight.

Cutch's Crew: Call Me Sir!

Andrew McCutchen has played for 4 Major League teams over his career and has also participated in the World Baseball Classic in 2017 as a member of Team USA's gold medal championship.  He has also been selected to 5 National League All-Star teams.  During that time he has had a few repeat teammates.  

In this brand new segment, called Cutch's Crew, I will look at a few of my favorite repeat teammates of Cutch and show off my small collections of those players.

Today I am looking at the Shortstop position

Didi Gregorious

Didi was signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 2007 as a teenager and ascended through the minors before making his debut in 2012.  With his big league spot at shortstop blocked by Zack Cozart, the Reds shipped him off to the Cleveland Indians for Shin Soo Choo.  Once in Cleveland (and also blocked at the big league level) he was again traded for starting pitcher Trevor Bauer of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Didi became the team's everyday shortstop and hit a home run off Phil Hughes in his first at bat as a Diamondback.

Didi struggled against lefties and found himself losing playing time as the season progressed.

He would eventually be traded to the New York Yankees to replace the long time shortstop and Hall of Famer, Derek Jeter.

Didi stayed the shortstop for the Yankees through the 2019 season.  He hit 97 HR over 660 games for the Bronx Bombers.

Cutch joined the Yankees during the August Waiver Trade Deadline 2018.

This was mainly to provide a veteran presence in the outfield with an injured Aaron Judge

While there aren't any cards that feature Didi and Cutch pictured together on the same card from his Yankees days, Cutch does have a cameo on the front of this Topps Now Aaron Hicks' card

which mentions Didi Gregorious on the back of the card

The Yankees won the Wild Card Game versus the Athletics, but would go on to lose in the ALDS to the eventual World Series Champions, Boston Red Sox.

Following the 2018 postseason, Cutch signed a 3 year deal with the Phillies, allowing Cutch to play in the City of Brotherly Love through 2021.

After a very good start to his Phillies career where he was leading the National League in walks prior to a season ending injury the 2020 season brought forward some more former teammates. 

The Phillies signed former teammate, Didi Gregorious as their starting shortstop.

Didi had a productive first year with the Phillies in the shortened season of 2020 and it yielded him an extension with the club. 

Didi's WAR by season while a teammate of Cutch

2018 WAR 4.9 

2020 WAR 1.2

2021 WAR -.6

Check out this video by Stark Raving Sports that looks at why Didi Gregorious is the most interesting man in baseball today.  It talks about how he became knighted, his artistic abilities, and all the languages he is able to speak.  It really is a fun video. 

The Tiger Kinga

Remember when COVID hit and many people were forced to stay home and the most binge watched streamed show wasTiger King?

Well, I wasn't a part of that chaos as I kept working through all of COVID due to being an essential worker and I wasn't about ready to binge watch that show.

However, Panini took note of how popular tigers became and decided to make a new parallel for their 2020 Select release.

It's not in hand yet, but I did fairly recently add a JT Realmuto tiger stripes parallel to my ongoing COMC shipment.

You can see it below.

2020 Panini Prizm - [Base] - Tiger Stripe Prizm #172 - Tier II - J.T. Realmuto


I bring this up in the middle of shark week because 1)JT is a former Hammerhead (in the minor leagues) and 2)Tiger Queen aired this week on shark week. 

Kinga Philippe is a diver and filmmaker that recently had a special about searching for male tiger sharks.  There is a remote area in Turks and Caicos that contains mostly just female tiger sharks.  Kinga wanted to research and film where all the males are.  She is in addition trying to bring more notoriety to female researchers and filmmakers interested in the conservation of sharks.

Shark Week and All-Star Fest

This has been a fun start to the week in terms of TV viewing.

First up has been all the Colorado MLB All Star Game events and the MLB Draft.  I am excited for the future of the Pirates and really enjoyed the All Star Game Home Run Derby last night.  I am looking forward to see the Pirates having a player start the All Star Game tonight.  Adam Frazier will start the game at 2B and Bryan Reynolds will start the game in Centerfield becoming the first Pirates player(s) to start the game since Andrew McCutchen started the 2015 All Star Game in Cincinnati.

Current Cutch teammate, JT Realmuto, will begin the game as the starting catcher.

Before JT was a teammate of Cutch 

and before Cutch was leaping over JT when they were opponents

JT was a member of the Miami Marlins

I have built a small stash of cards in my next COMC shipment.  I'm holding off on shipping until we have moved into our new permanent residence.   

You can see some of the cards I have purchased below.  I will show off the full mini PC I have created once they all arrive (whenever I decide to ship of course) 

2017 Topps Stadium Club - [Base] - Sepia #71 - J.T. Realmuto

 
2020 Topps Gold Label - Gold Label Framed Autographs #GLA-JRE - J.T. Realmuto

2020 Topps - Significant Statistics #SS-23 - J.T. Realmuto

2018 Topps Stadium Club - [Base] #287 - J.T. Realmuto

2019 Panini Donruss Optic - [Base] - Pink Velocity Prizm #105 - J.T. Realmuto /199

I have also been enjoying Shark Week on Discovery Channel this week and am on the hunt for a JT Realmuto minor league card of his time in Jupiter when he was a member of the Hammerheads.

Picture above is for reference only.

Will you be watching the All Star Game tonight? Anything you're looking forward to? Pregame predictions?

Have you or will you be watching any of Shark Week?