The Trumbo Tickets

By now you know that I'm collecting Mark Trumbo.  He's one of a handful of players that I actively collect.  With all the variations Topps produces now-a-days I'm thinking it will be close to impossible to keep up, and will probably bankrupt me. 

But I wanted more than just cards.  I decided I'd also go for ticket stubs from his career milestones.

I felt I had to act fast as he was a leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.  If that happened I foresaw not only his cards but anything related to him going up in price and scarcity.  I went for ticket stubs to his first several career milestones. 

And here they are.

1.  Mark Trumbo Major League Debut.

Mark made his Major League debut on Saturday, September 11, 2010 (N) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim when he entered the game as a pinch hitter for Mike Napoli in the bottom of the 7th with the Angels leading the Mariners 7-0.  He struck out against Jamey Wright in his only at-bat.  Trumbo stayed in the game at first base and made a putout in the 8th.


2.  Mark Trumbo First Major League Hit.

In the last game of his rookie season in 2010, Trumbo got his first Major League hit.  After striking out in the 3rd, grounding out in the 5th, and flying out to center in the 7th, in the 9th Mark singled to center off the Rangers Mark Lowe scoring 2 runners and increasing the Angels lead to 6-2 which held up for the win on Sunday, October 3, 2010 (D) at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.


3.  Mark Trumbo First Major League Home Run.

He grounded out to start the 2nd.  He struck out to end the 4th.  He hit his first career homer, a solo shot, in the 7th with one out off Fausto Carmona giving the Angels a 2-0 lead and Danny Haren his 3rd win (a one-hitter) against the Indians on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 (N) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

4.  Mark Trumbo First Career Grand Slam.

Wasting little time against Brian Duensing and the Minnesota Twins, in the bottom of the first inning Mark Trumbo hit his first career Grand Salami.  From retrosheet.org:

ANGELS 1ST: Bourjos grounded out (second to first); Callaspo
singled to center; Kendrick singled to center [Callaspo to
third]; Hunter walked [Kendrick to second]; Trumbo homered
[Callaspo scored, Kendrick scored, Hunter scored]; Wells flied
to center; Trout flied to left; 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Twins 0,
Angels 4.

He only started the 10 run 14 hit schellacking against the Twins on Saturday, September 3, 2011 (N) at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, which gave Jered Weaver his 16th win of the season.

Did you happen to notice that his milestones were in a cycle order: debut, hit, home run, grand slam.

He's The Natural.