This is a series I’ve thought about doing for a little while. Those that read the blog with moderate consistency will know that I am collecting most of the 2016 World Series champion Cubs. Obviously, I’ve already starting showing off some of those cards, but I wanted to offer a formal introduction to the various players. With my legacy player collections, I’m still going to attempt to show every single card on the blog, but with these new guys I’m taking a different approach as you’ll see here, and will probably skip many of the more basic cards I get unless I can get a good theme together.
Enough preamble ramble, let’s take a look at former lead-off man, Dexter Fowler.
Some of the cards I had in my possession when I started
Dexter broke into the majors with the Rockies and stayed there for a few years before being traded over to Houston. The Cubs picked him up in exchange for Luis Valbuena and Dan Straily. I remember there being some analysis at the time about if this was a good idea for the Cubs and I was in the “Yes” camp. At that time, Valbuena was producing at his highest levels and Fowler’s numbers were pretty similar. I thought Dexter had a greater chance at staying consistent, and I knew that he would likely be our lead-off man and center fielder, which were both things we needed, so it sounded good to me.
And the others
See, there are two 2015 Topps cards, one from Houston and then later with the Cubs (even though I mixed the order). Turns out I was right this time. Valbuena started off strong with Houston, but then regressed and Fowler was a solid cog in the Cubs offense for a couple years. As you can also see (through two different versions of the World Series card – one from the 15 card blister and one from the 25 card box), Fowler lead off the infamous game 7 of the World Series with a home run.
The rest of these cards are from a COMC binge 1.5 years back
Fowler came on strong in Colorado by showing off his speed and being a semi-decent hitter. His first full year saw him get a still career-high 27 steals.
Love the blue refractors
He’s not much of a home run hitter, but will be good for plenty of extra base hits overall. He’s been near the top of the triples leader boards a couple times
That hat is too big for that head
He had one post-season series with Colorado in which he got three hits and drove in two. But they lost to the Phillies in 2009 and his next chance would come with Chicago.
Told you I like the blue
The Rockies decided to trade Fowler away to Houston for Brandon Barnes and Jordan Lyles. I think Houston won that trade.
Pink parallel insert #/99
Dexter’s time in Houston was quite limited because it wouldn’t be long before they would start bringing up their farm hands to replace the order you see here and become strong contenders and eventual champions.
Not a refractor, but still blue
We already talked about how he spent two productive seasons with the Cubs, but it was almost only one. He nearly signed with the Orioles in the 2016 off season, I think. Very shortly before spring training (or maybe it was right after it started, I’m too lazy to look it up), Dexter cut a deal to return to the Cubs and I think most fans were pretty happy about that. I know I was.
Not blue.
It was sad to see him go, and to the rival Cardinals no less! Look at how sad he is to be in red for the first time. I know his bank account is happy though, because he signed a nice big contract to go over to St. Louis and he had a good year with them in slightly limited play. Here’s hoping him the best (unless they’re playing the Cubs or in the playoffs). It’ll take a while to adjust to seeing him in this uniform, but I’m sure there will be plenty of cards to help me in the next few years. Ugh, I have to collect Cardinals cards…. Is it too late to rethink this thing?
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