2008 Topps 50th Anniversary All Rookie Team #AR55 - Magglio OrdonezTry saying that card's title five times fast. It's certainly a mouthful to say!
I've been a Magglio fan since I first saw him play in 1997. He was a rookie with a tremendous upside and he lived up to those lofty expectations. Since he left Chicago for Detroit, his reputation has tarnished a little bit. The senseless public war of words with certain individuals left a bad taste in many mouths. It left a bitter taste from both sides of the argument. There have also been allegations of steroid use. A power hitting outage and injuries added another layer of sediment on top. Although, to be fair, Magglio also had a knee injury when he was with the White Sox.
The feuding has faded. The injuries have hopefully healed, since he hasn't played since July 2010. Magglio is a free agent this offseason. It's still unclear exactly where he'll be playing in 2011. Maggs will be 37 before Spring Training starts. Will he find a rejuvenation like Jim Thome did in the last few years or will he end up as another player hanging onto the game too long? I'm betting it will be the former rather than the latter. Hopefully, he won't follow the path of Jermaine Dye from last offseason.
It was a pleasure to watch Magglio with the Sox. It was still fun to watch Magglio with the Tigers, except when he happened to be playing against the White Sox. It will be interesting to see where Maggs ends up.
This card always reminds me of Ordóñez's humble beginnings in the White Sox organization. It seems like a lifetime ago. then again, so does the World Series the White Sox won due, in part, to Magglio's departure.
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