Joe Maddon, the Mad Scientist Pt3

Joe Maddon is often regarded for his unorthodox ways of managing.

According to 2018 Topps Heritage High Number, Maddon employed one of the craziest shifts ever when he recruited Andrew McCutchen to play three different infield positions for the Cubs in 2018.

This is what the error version looks like up close.  The front is identical to his traditional base card.

Unlike in the past where you had to look super close for the code in the bottom right hand corner of the card to identify if it is an error, Topps is making it "slightly" easier by placing the word error in the top left corner by the numbering.

Can you see it better?

Thanks for sparing our eyes Topps.


Now if anyone is wondering what the back cartoon was supposed to say, it should have looked like this...

Cutch is Clutch in the Windy City

The Phillies are playing a potential playoff matchup in the Windy City.

On Monday night, Cutch worked a 2 out 2 strike count to a walk forcing the tying run (Mikael Franco) into scoring position which lead to Jean Segura getting a bloop single to tie the game up in the 9th inning.  The Phillies would eventually win the game in extras due to a homerun by JT Realmuto.

Last night Cutch came up clutch again with a two run single with two outs in the 7th inning.  The Phillies eventually would lose the game on a walk off, but it was of no fault to Cutch.

Here are all my Cutch cards I could identify as being at Wrigley Field.

This card isn't easy to identify as being from Wrigley Field except for the identifiable jersey worn by Cutch.  It is a Jackie Robinson 42 road jersey.  Notice that Cutch is also post dreads.  The only post dreads Pirates road jersey worn on Jackie Robinson Day occurred on April 15, 2017 in Wrigley Field.  Cutch is circling the pillows as he just hit a go ahead homerun to give the Pirates an 8-7 victory over the Cubs in Wrigley Field.  Details of the game can be. found here.

One of my absolute favorite cards ever printed.  This 2012 Topps Mini has Cutch leaping in front of the Wrigley Ivy trying to make a catch on a classic 1987 design.

2019 Donruss doesn't have a base card of McCutchen but it does have a jersey relic featuring him in a Pittsburgh uniform at the brick backstopped Wrigley Field.  There is also a bat relic /10 version to chase.

2015 Stadium Club was a great design.  The full bleed photo shows him off at Wrigley Field late September 2014 an route to a 5-0 victory (thanks Getty Images).  You can tell it's Wrigley by the brick backstop again.  There is a bunch of parallels of this to chase.

Another of my favorite photos of Cutch to be used on cardboard is this 2012 Gypsy Queen Sliding Stars.  There is a full size insert and a mini insert to chase.

2014 Finest features Cutch batting in front of the bricks again.  Lots of color parallels to chase for this set, but because of the design and lava lamp blurry backgrounds they are incredibly difficult to distinguish.