Thursday, May 30, 2024

2023 TRSTSOCAAT #76 Josh Winckowski

Josh is another guy that came to the Red Sox in the Benintendi trade just like Frenchy did.  When he made the majors there were high expectations for Benintendi.  The fan base labeled him the next big thing one day and then he was a liability the next.  When that trade happened I thought we really should have traded him a year sooner when everyone was still high on him.  It just felt like they could have got so much more for him than a couple no name prospects.  It turns out one of those prospects has been a MLB average pitcher that has been a mainstay for three years while Benintendi is getting paid 17M a year and batting .176.  I guess that is why I am a fan and not a GM.

Josh got the RC logo in 2023 even though he started 21 games for the Red Sox in 22 and has both a 2020 and a 2021 Bowman card. RC logos and Bowman are both a scourge on collecting.  



On his card you can see Wichkowski's Circle Changeup Grip.  I have to say, I could never grip a baseball like that and make it go where I wanted. Just looking at it makes me wonder why anyone would have even tried to throw a ball like that in the first place.  It really worked for Josh last year because opposing batters only hot .154 off his changeup.  Not quite as good this year when they are hitting .313 off of it.  The Topps design this year is not good at all for Red Sox cards.  The placement of the sox right under the players screws up so many cards in this team set.  

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