Welcome to the archival segment of a series we call In The Cards. The idea is simple: while images of most baseball cards can be found online, there are some gaps, especially when it comes to the minor-league cardboard cutouts.
To assist in this matter, and with an eye on Alberta-based teams and players, we will periodically be adding galleries of baseball cards to our website. We hope you enjoy!
First up to the plate, the 2002 Medicine Hat Blue Jays of the Pioneer League. This was the final season that the Toronto Blue Jays had a rookie-level affiliate in The Gas City. The team went 37-38 on the year and did not qualify for playoffs. They did, however, graduate a handful of players that went on to play Major League Baseball (MLB).
Pitching coach Lee Guetterman (middle row on the right) was no stranger to Alberta. Before arriving in Medicine Hat, the lefty pitched for the Calgary Cannons from 1985-87 and again in 1994.Jordan De Jong (middle) got a brief taste of MLB baseball in Toronto in 2007. He threw nine innings over six games with the big club, recording seven strikeouts while allowing eight earned runs.California third baseman Scott Dragicevich (middle row on the right) would get close to the major leagues. He played Triple-A baseball for the Syracuse SkyChiefs in 2003.First baseman Jason Perry (top row in the middle) never cracked the Toronto lineup, but he did get a cup of coffee in the bigs with Atlanta in 2008. He made 17 plate appearances over four games for the Braves, recording two hits – one of them a triple – and an RBI.Backstop Robinzon Diaz (middle) played a total of 44 MLB games for Toronto and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 139 at bats, Diaz hit one home run and drove in 20 runs. Meanwhile, Ontario outfielder Mike Galloway (pictured bottom row on the right) – a 14th-round selection of the Toronto Blue Jays – played in the International League in Syracuse in 2003.Field manager Rolando Pino (middle row on the left) went on to work as a scout for the Chicago Cubs from 2003 to 2007.Erik Kratz has had a very successful career as a journeyman catcher. He played 14 MLB seasons for nine different teams.Southpaw Davis Romero (bottom left) managed to pitch 16.1 innings for Toronto over seven games during the 2006 campaign. He racked up 10 Ks, earned one win and recorded a 3.86 ERA in that time. His Medicine Hat teammate, Bubbie Buzachero (top right), had a solid minor-league career that included Triple-A stops in Buffalo and Las Vegas.
If you notice that any cards are missing from this set, or you would like to add any anecdotes about the players pictured here, please leave a comment.
And if you have baseball cards you’d like to donate to our archiving cause, please email us at AlbertaDugoutStories@gmail.com with more information and to make arrangements.
Most importantly, Robinson Diaz was traded to the Pirates for a journeyman named Jose Bautista. We’ll call that deal a draw.