All The Way From Japan It's Thiggy

One of the many perks of maintaining a long running blog is that I get to converse with all different types of people, from all over the world. The internet, a subsidiary of Al Gore Enterprises, has connected the majority of the world.

When I received an e-mail from Larry asking me if I wanted a Japanese card of Bobby Thigpen, how else could I answer? YES! I've been looking for a Japanese Thigpen card for awhile. It would be one of the crown jewels of my Bobby Thigpen collection.

I had tracked down two different Thigpen Japanese cards, but I can't for the life of me remember what the second one was. It might have been a team or regional issue for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. I'll come across that information again one day, but for now I am excited to actually have a copy of Thiggy's 1995 BBM card in my hands.

Larry mentioned that he would be sending over a surprise that he thought I'd like along with Bobby's card. So, I opened the envelope and found...
DJ! That was a great surprise!

Thanks, Larry! I really appreciate the cards!

Watashi O Tetsudatte Moraemasenka?

I figured that someone who can understand the title of this post might be able to help me find this card. To my understanding this translates as a polite way of saying "Could you help me?"

This is a 1995 BBM Bobby Thigpen card. I let it slip through my fingers once. I do not intend on making the same mistake twice.

Part of the problem stems from this card being part of a Japanese release. Unless the name on the card translates to Ichiro Suzuki, chances are that the card will not be readily available in the States. This would likely be the crown jewel in my Thigpen collection.

If anyone knows a place where I can find this, please leave a suggestion in the comments section.

UPDATE: In early 2011, I finally obtained this card! Now, the only card left to seek out is Thigpen's 1995 Takara Fukuoka Daiei Hawks card.

So Elite, It's Nonexistent

If Donruss came out with this card in the 1991 Donruss Elite series, I would have definitely bought more Donruss back in the day! At the very least, I'd be tracking it down as we speak. Alas, it is a fine example of a Goose Joak Tribute.

Nice job!

Weird Bobby Thigpen Find

I found this card on eBay, at an over inflated price, so I thought. My instincts were right, after an investigation.

It turns out that this card is an oddball made by Simon & Schuster in 1991. It just goes to show that every company will produce their own set of oddball cards, if you give them enough time.

Before I tracked down the information, I considered turning this oddball eBay scan over to two sources: fellow bloggers and a certain brother of the pitcher, who reads this blog.

Now that I found the information about this card, I can kill both birds with one stone. First, I wondered about the legitimacy of this card. But being part of a set by a reputable company, I can also eliminate the second question. Is that really a picture of Bobby as a kid?

I'm 99.9% sure that this would be a photo of Bobby as a child. There are too many fail safes preventing this from being just some random kid. Still, it wouldn't be impossible for this kid to be Joe Schmo from Idaho. I have more confidence having found decent source information.

No matter how many cards that you can track down of a player that you collect, there will always be one more lurking around a corner, out of your sight. It happens a lot with regional sets and oddball one off releases. Always keep your eyes open and check your facts. Cards love to hide on you!

A Class Act

With K-Rod breaking Bobby Thigpen's record, it seemed like everyone was looking for Bobby to say something. Well, Bobby, in his own way, has broken the silence. I wouldn't expect anything less than this personal note that was sent to Rodriguez.

"Only a handful of major league relievers understand what it takes to reach the 50-save mark," Thigpen wrote. "Your record-setting season is an accomplishment you should treasure this year for and for years into the future. I am certain your record for saves will stand for many, many seasons to come."

Thigpen, who now manages the White Sox's rookie league affiliate in Bristol, Va., wrote that Dave Righetti sent him a congratulatory note after breaking the record the former Yankees reliever set.

"I wanted to continue that tradition with a note of my own to you," Thigpen wrote.

He closed the letter, which the White Sox distributed to the media, by writing, "I wish you continued success this season and with your outstanding career."

18 Years Was A Good Run

Will Thigpen's Save Record Stand?

Will this man break one of the White Sox organizations most sacred records? Many experts are saying yes. I'm not so sure.

Francisco Rodriguez is on a pace to save 65 games in 2008. This would shatter the existing record of 57, set by Bobby Thigpen in 1990. The question is, can Francisco keep it up?

My instincts tell me no. There are too many factors that prohibit this record from being broken. First of all, the situation that makes a save possible is out of K-Rod's control. If the opportunities aren't there in the second half, then there won't be many saves.

Secondly, many other pitchers have tried and failed to even tie the mark. Trevor Hoffman, Eric Gagne, John Smoltz and Mariano Rivera have all come close. They all fell short. John Smoltz even set a record for most saves before the All-Star break, which K-Rod has broken this year.

The closest any other pitcher has come to Thigpen's record is 55 saves. That's two away from tying. In the land of saves, that is a lot of games to make up. Save opportunities, like home runs, usually come in bunches. After that, they tend to dry up.

I think that this season Francisco will save 56 games. I'm not saying this because I don't want him to break the record. I'm saying 56 games because of the law of averages. They tend to even out throughout the season. Hitters start to get really hot after the All-Star break. Pitchers usually start to wear down. There tend to be more blowout games in the second half than close nail biters.

If Francisco does happen to break Thigpen's record, I'll be very happy for him. It takes the right amount of skill, luck and opportunity to accomplish this feat. If K-Rod does make it to 58 or beyond, I will witness a record that I thought would never be broken.

Update: 7-25-08:

While going through an old scrapbook today, I found clippings from early 1991. Bobby Thigpen was on pace to save 61 games, based on his April performance. Bobby only saved 30 games, making appearances in 67 games in 1991. Something to certainly think about, isn't it?