10 More for 2013

Once of the perks of using a template is saving a lot of time. Being able to keep borders and logos the same lets me spit out the customs at a much quicker pace. It just so happens that when I went to make these next ten customs for my 2013 team set, I was able to save one more step on eight of them (although one of those required one more step so it balanced out).

The reason being, is high turnover among the Cubs roster this year. Again. On the previously mentioned eight cards, the jersey number had already been used by another player earlier in the season so I just had to switch out the name and photo for each of these cards. Here they are by number:

Starting off we have #8, Donnie Murphy. Although this will always be Andre Dawson's number to me, Murphy is actually the 3rd incumbent to #8 this year. Bench coach Jamie Quirk wore it last year and started with it this year before passing it on to former Cubs infielder, Alberto Gonzalez who started the season wearing #6. Confused yet? Well, Gonzalez was traded to the Yankees in May so when Murphy

made his Cubs debut earlier this month, he was given #8.

Many fans, Cubs or not, will probably associate #21 with Sammy Sosa. Starting my Cubs fandom in the 80's and not paying quite as close attention during the Sosa era, I more associate it with former pitcher Scott Sanderson. And more recently, Tyler Colvin. But I get the Sosa thing. Junior Lake on the other hand took over #21 from Scott Hairston who the Cubs had signed in the offseason as a free agent was traded to the Washington Nationals in early July.

Again, showing my age here, I think of Bill Buckner and/or Mike Harkey when I hear #22 for the Cubs. But after being named the Cubs minor league player of the year in 2012, Logan Watkins potentially has a long career ahead of him to make the number his own. He took over the number from former Cubs pitcher Matt Garza.

One, two, skip a few, all the way down to #49. It didn't take long for the Cubs to reissue this number after trading Carlos Marmol to the Dodgers, but as someone who can be a little superstitious when it comes to sports, if I were Jake Arrieta, I might have put up a little more fight to get a different number. Just saying.

Kameron Loe was actually the first player to wear #50 this year but his tenure was so short, it took a while to find a usable photo for the card. After Loe, super short timer (1 game so far) Alex Burnett "borrowed" the number before it went back to its 2012 and current owner, pitcher Blake Parker.

The #54 has seen its fair share of usage this year as well. Carrying it over from last year was former reliever Shawn Camp who was released in early July. The Cubs selected Thomas Neal off waivers in early August. He injured his throwing arm in his second game with the team and is currently on the 60 day DL. Meanwhile...

...Darnell McDonald, who the Cubs signed as a free agent in the offseason was called up from Triple-A Iowa and made his Cubs debut and is the current #54. That concludes the easiest portion of the additions.

Bridging the gap is the Cubs lone All-Star, Travis Wood. I didn't have to change his jersey number, but I did change the Cubs logo into the official 2013 All-Star Game logo. I was going to stick it in the upper left hand corner and keep the Cubs logo as is, but it looked a little cluttered. I'm not a huge fan of this photo but since Wood did not get into the actual game (as the Cubs only representative), it is the best I could find. He was presented with the jersey before a game after his selection had been made official.

Finally, we have two players who are making their own unique mark on the 2013 Cubs by being the first to wear their particular jersey numbers this season.

Cole Gillespie takes over #2 from last year's owner, Ian Stewart. You may recall earlier this season the hullabaloo Stewart created by claiming the Cubs were leaving him to rot in Triple-A. So the Cubs released him and he is currently...rotting away in Triple-A for the Dodgers now? More on him later next week though. As for Gillespie, the Cubs picked him up off waivers from the San Fransisco Giants back in mid-July.



Wrapping up this last update before the September roster call ups is pitcher Eduardo Sanchez, currently in the minors. History has not been kind to this number, as the last few owners have spent just one season with the team. But then again, that just gives him a chance to make it his own. The Cubs selected Sanchez off of waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, where he also wore #52.

As I said, this will be the last update on this set before the rosters expand next week. This brings the set up to 50 cards, with 49 different players and 1 All-Star card. The Cubs have, to date, used 50 players so the only player I am missing is Brooks Raley who has only pitched in one game so far this season. I anticipate a September call up for him so hopefully I'll find a picture to use. The only ones I've seen so far are from last year and Spring Training.

I have not done any of the coaches this year, like I did last year and am currently undecided as to whether I will make them or not.

Hope you enjoyed that Cubs jersey history lesson/rousing game of musical jerseys!