2014 trade package #12: the Tigers take another Walk on the Plank

(So much for having the spring cleaning contest ready--maybe next weekend?)

Well, it's been a while since I've had a trade package to show off over here--since March 27, specifically.  That deal ended up being a spiffy 100% Tigers package courtesy of Matt of Bob Walk the Plank.

It would appear that ol' Matt is back at it.  I commented on his 2009 Topps 206 box break post last Monday and just a few days later I had a package in my mailbox that included the card I asked about (which you can check out over on TMM tonight), plus some bonus Tigers:

This here is a Brad Ausmus Copper parallel from 2000 Pacific, which is one of the product's nicer (read: not so ugly) designs.  The newest Tigers manager, Ausmus doesn't exactly have a ton of cards with Detroit since he was with the team for just parts of three seasons.  For that reason, it's great to get such a nice shot of the catcher and his awesome mask, and on a numbered card, no less.

Joining Ausmus in the non-Topps parallel #d to 99 club is former 3B (among other positions) Brandon Inge.  Matt sent me this 2010 UD Gold (#66/99 if you can't see the numbering atop his glove) which will sit with the other BInge cards I've got in my Tigers box.  He always seemed happiest the hot corner and made lots of great (and a few bad) memories for fans there during his days in Detroit.

Finally, Bob Walk's #1 fan included a very nice surprise indeed, this 2009 Upper Deck Ballpark Collection Quad Swatch Memorabilia quad jersey, which includes four pretty good pitchers, the best of which is, of course, Justin Verlander.  As it turns out, I already have a copy of this very card, but not to worry, it won't go to waste, and I have a feeling you'll all be seeing it again pretty soon!

Matt, once again I'd like to thank you for being an excellent trader, and I've already got some things in the works so I can send you a nice response.  Readers, please show Matt some love and head over to Bob Walk the Plank to follow his great blog tonight!

Welcome (back) to Detroit, Brad Ausmus!

This afternoon the Tigers held a press conference to announce the retired Jim Leyland's successor as manager of the Detroit Tigers.  After speculation and interviews included Lloyd McClendon, Tim Wallach, Dusty Baker, and others, Detroit tabbed former catcher Brad Ausmus to lead next year's club.  The 44-year-old was a 48th round pick by the Yankees in '87 who was grabbed by the Rockies in the 1992 expansion draft and flipped to the Padres the following year.  After about three and a half seasons he was sent to the Tigers, but he played just 75 games for them before being included in a deal with Jose Lima to the Astros for future closer Todd Jones and others.  Detroit got him back before the '99 campaign (in which he made his only All-Star appearance) and kept him through the 2000 season before sending him back to Houston AGAIN.

Brad finally found some stability there, staying with the club from 2001-2008.  He was part of playoff teams in '01, '04, and '05, the latter being the World Series showdown with the White Sox that Chicago won easily.  Ausmus then signed with the Dodgers and appeared in 57 more games over the 2009-10 seasons before hanging 'em up for good.

During his 18-year career he was a very well-respected backstop with a reputation as a defense-first catcher who was brilliant with his team's pitching staff.  He earned rave reviews for both his glove and his leadership (though not his rather anemic bat) and is yet another example of a well-respected catcher being promoted to a manager position despite a lack of any previous experience.  Detroit had plenty of candidates with lots of years in the game, so they obviously saw something they liked in the former Tiger above all else.  Perhaps after the recent success overseen by former manager Leyland, GM Dave Dombrowski went for a likable field general to build on that work instead of a grizzled veteran or rah-rah teacher type.

In any event, I'm excited, not only because the guy's a former Tiger (and not Dusty Baker!), but because I like the shift to a younger guy to put a very talented team over the top.  Will he be able to solve some of Detroit's most glaring issues from last season, such as the bullpen and an inconsistent offense?  Time will tell.  For now, all I can say is welcome back to Detroit, Brad!

By the way, the card you see above is the only Ausmus Tigers issue I had handy, but it's an especially good one as it hails from the 2000 Stadium Club set.  Stadium Club, if you began collecting after 2008, was a premium set Topps introduced in the early 90s that featured A-plus photography and a very pleasing full-bleed design.  It was so well liked that Topps axed it after 2008, because screw you, collectors!  Anyway, this is a perfect example of the greatness of Stadium Club, and perhaps best of all, this one happens to feature a play at the plate!