“And you, Larry Hockett, should recognize me"

"and you Larry Hockett should remember me, 'cause about five moths ago in the Triple A National Championship Game you were pitching for Reno and I was batting clean-up for Durham. You hung 0 and 1 curve ball in a 6-4 game in the bottom of the 9th and I roped it down the line to tie the game and win the Triple A National Championship Game MVP Award" 

It was actually J.B. Wendelken, but that does not fit the theme of the blog as well as Larry Hockett.  

Continuing my work on cards from last year's Durham Bulls Triple A Championship team, I added two new cards this weekend. Both pretty significant contributors to the team and both really nice looking baseball cards.  

First up, Vidal Brujan.  

Brujan was Robin to Wander Franco's Batman a few years back and he has been hanging out in Durham ever since. He actually spent a fair amount of time in Tampa last year and is still listed on several of those top prospect rankings. 

I have a few Brujan autographs floating around the collection already. I just decided to get another one, because the prices of his cards are now more in line with the average anonymous Rays utility player and not Wander Franco. I like this hazy blue Topps Finest card. The surface is shiny and the background color matches the Rays uniform.  

Hazy Shade of Devil Ray?

Susanna Hoffs owes me royalties if she ever uses this on stage.  

Next.  

Triple A Championship Game MVP, Bligh Madris.  

This card is a bit of a head scratcher. Madris was on the Pirates for part of the 2022 season, but was put on waivers and claimed by the Rays. The Rays sent him down to Durham where he had a great few weeks playing with the Bulls.  Bligh Madris played in 10 regular season games for the Bulls and hit 4 home runs, 3 doubles, and drove in 15 runs.

It was a Ruthian performance.

Best of all, the Triple A Championship Game was in Las Vegas last year.  

Bligh Madris is from.......

Las Vegas.  

Sorry, I cannot fit another Bangles meme into this post.