Monday, December 17, 2007

1997 Pinnacle Inside Dueling Dugouts Ramirez/Gonzalez


This is my latest acquisition: A 1997 Pinnacle Inside Dueling Dugouts card featuring Manny Ramirez and Juan Gonzalez. There are only 3 or 4 of these that feature Tribers, so I'll be on the lookout for those others.

The front of the card features one player (Gonzalez), lots of gold foil, the Pinnacle Inside '97 logo, and the team logo. The back features the other player (Ramirez), copyright info, and team logo in addition to the card number (13). Both sides feature a 3-hole window through which stats are displayed from various years.

The right edge (if looking at the card front) features a wheel with 1992-1996 printed on it. As you spin the wheel, stats are revealed in the triple-window on the front of the card. Collectors can then flip front-to-back and compare notes (er, uh, Duel those Dugouts!). Now that we know Mr. G is on "the list," let us compare notes, shall we?
player year avg. hr rbi
JG 1992 .260 43 109
MR 1992 .278 13 63
JG 1993 .310 46 118
MR 1993 .170 2 5
JG 1994 .275 19 85
MR 1994 .269 17 60
JG 1995 .295 27 82
MR 1995 .308 31 107
JG 1996 .314 47 144
MR 1996 .309 33 112

Well, it seems that the averages are fairly close to each other (except in '93). Things get very interesting in the HR and RBI columns, though. Now, I did not read to see WHEN JG supposedly used "enhancers," so I have no idea if his numbers reflect use or not. I will not speculate, but rather, I will leave that up to you, my reader, to make of the numbers what you wish. It could be the result of experience, the result of more stringent workouts, ya just never know. But, when the batting averages are similar, what makes one player have some killer HR/RBI stats versus another player? Talent? Skill? Experience? Luck? Performance-enhancers?

Regardless of what makes up the difference, in my eyes, they are both very skilled players. Period.

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