Terry Francona barely squeaked by with 31% of the votes in the heated Before They Were Managers Round of the Rookie Card Playoffs. Tony La Russa, whose card was chiseled out of stone in 1904, came in second with 23% of the tallies while Joe Torre's 1962 Topps All-Star got him only 17%. Willie Randolph was on his tail with 16% and everyone's favorite Venezuelan hothead, Ozzie Guillen rounded out last place with 13% of the votes.
This brings us to the inevitable Slugger Round. We have some oldies and some goodies for you, including a pre-ganja Manny Ramirez, Mags before his hair was so long and luxurious, the Big Hurt
copping a feel applying the tag, Cool Hand Konerko and my very first poster as a baseball-loving child, Junior himself. Who doesn't have and cherish this card?!
So, check them out. Vote for your favorite current player's rookie card. As always, your bias can be based on absolutely anything. Is it the hair or lack there-of? That boyish rookie charm? Maybe a childhood memory of your little sister ripping your favorite poster off the wall before you pulled her hair and promptly got yelled at...
Vote here or at our badass co-host Ian's blog, SOX & Dawgs.
[Welcome To Round One]
[Welcome To The Mustache Round]
[Welcome To The (Alleged) Juicer Round]
[Before They Were Managers Round]