#48 George Springer - Houston Astros

Player: George Springer (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: 48 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Houston Astros

Division: American League West

Position: OF

Jersey Number: 4
RC/Future Stars/Topps Rookie Cup: No

HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 09: George Springer #4 of the Houston Astros scores the winning run in the twelfth inning on an Evan Gattis #11 walk by Matt Strahm #64 of the Kansas City Royals at Minute Maid Park on April 9, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Houston won 5-4. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Game Date: April 9, 2017

Opponent: Kansas City Royals
Stadium: Minute Maid Park
Home/Away: Home
Game Outcome: Astros 5, Royals 4 (F/12)
Win/Loss: Win
Player Game Line: 2-6, 1 HR, 2 Runs, 1 RBI, 2 Ks
Photographer: Bob Levey (Personal Website)
New Team/Photoshopped?: No

Birthdate: September 19, 1989

Birthplace: New Britain, CT

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

MLB Service Years: 4

Social Media Handles: None?

This is Springer's 4th consecutive year and what looks like his 4th different uniform. Interesting.

Spring had the same card in Series 1 but Topps used a completely different photo for the Astros Factory Team Set.

Springer also had a short printed workout variation (top) and two World Series highlights cards (middle and bottom) in Series 1. Notice the gold wave as opposed to the Astros orange.

Lots of horizontal cards for this guy!

Something I learned because of this card: Something appropriate for the Opening Day set, I learned Springer is the first player in MLB history to lead off his team's season with a home run. He homered to start the Astros' 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Stats!: Rookie Breakdown

The Opening Day set has fluctuated in size since its inception but has contained 200 cards since 2015. Today's focus will be rookie cards.

This year's set has 29 rookies (not counting photo variations), tied for the most with 2016. The official rookie card logo and designation began in 2006 so I'm not 100% confident in the early set rookie card counts. I'm using the Trading Card Database breakdown for each set.

Of the 29 rookies in Opening Day, 28 of them were in Series 1. Shohei Ohtani is the lone exception as he was a late signing. I would be surprised if he doesn't have a different photo when Series 2 is released. Of the 28 in Series 1, 24 of them used a completely different photo.

Of the remaining four, Ozzie Albies, Amed Rosario and Rhys Hoskins used the same photo, but the RC logo is in a different position than the Series 1 version. The final card, Rafael Devers, used the same photo, but went from being vertically oriented to horizontal.

So technically, aside from just trading a foil Topps logo for plain white, every Rookie Card had some kind of change.

With 30 teams and 29 rookies, at least one team would be short changed. With all of them counted up, 17 teams ended up represented and 13 were omitted.

Positionally, this breakdown makes sense. Pitchers and outfielders had a higher representation overall as well. Designated hitters are typically veteran players who for one reason or another are not playing the field as much, if at all, but can still wield the bat. Shohei Ohtani is the exception again here.

Above you'll see the rookies listed chronologically by birthdate. Parker Bridwell, born in 1991 is the oldest. Victor Robles is the youngest from 1997, however he was not on the Nationals Opening Day roster.

Next week, I'll probably have Page 2 of the 1998 set and return to Stats the week after.

Before Opening Day #MOD-I Ichiro - Miami Marlins

As we say good-bye to Ichiro the player, say hello to Ichiro's Before Opening Day card.

Player: Ichiro (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: BOD-I (Trading Card Database)

Team: Miami Marlins

Division: National League East

Position: OF

Jersey Number: 51

JUPITER, FL - MARCH 26: Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Miami Marlins walks to the dugout prior to the spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on March 26, 2017 in Jupiter, Florida. The Cardinals defeated the Marlins 3-0. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Photo Date: March 26, 2017

Photographer: Joel Auerbach
New Team/Photoshopped?: No

League: Grapefruit League

Mascots #M-19 Pirate Parrot - Pittsburgh Pirates

Mascot: Pirate Parrot (From the Reds' Website) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: M-19 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Division: National League Central
Introduced: 1979
Social Media Handles: (Twitter) (Instagram)

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 09: Pittsburgh Pirates mascot, the Pirate Parrot, waves the Jolly Roger flag on the mound after an MLB game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Atlanta Braves on April 09, 2017 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh won the game 6-5, coming back twice to beat the Braves in 10 innings. Pittsburgh won the 3-game series against Atlanta, their first sweep against the Braves since 1994. (Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Photo Date: April 9, 2017

Photographer: Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire (Website) (Twitter)

Of note, the Pirate Parrot was hatched in 1979, the year of the "We Are Family" World Champion Pirates.

This is the Pirate Parrot's 10th appearance as a card in the Opening Day set. Unlike some of the other mascots, his name was used on all of them instead of the generic "Team Mascot" designation.

In lieu of a card in the 2008 set, mascots were given a tattoo insert. Teams with no mascot had a logo tattoo.

In 2014, 2016 and 2017, collectors also had the chance to pull a Pirate Parrot Autograph card. Looks like he changed his signature up a little between 2014 and 2016.

#131 Brian Anderson - Miami Marlins

Player: Brian Anderson (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: 131 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Miami Marlins

Division: National League East

Position: 3B

Jersey Number: #55 when the photo was taken, #15 this year
RC/Future Stars/Topps Rookie Cup: RC

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 05: Brian Anderson #55 of the Miami Marlins makes a throw to first during a game against the Washington Nationals at Marlins Park on September 5, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Game Date: September 5, 2017

Opponent: Washington Nationals
Stadium: Marlins Park
Home/Away: Home
Game Outcome: Nationals 2, Marlins 1
Win/Loss: Loss
Player Game Line: 0-4
Photographer: Mike Ehrmann
New Team/Photoshopped?: No

Birthdate: May 19, 1993

Birthplace: Edmond, OK

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

MLB Service Years: 1

Social Media Handles: (Twitter)

He is a rookie so this is Anderson's first appearance in the Opening Day set.

Topps is keeping me on my toes with another blink-and-you'll-miss-it photo swap between its flagship and Opening Day sets. The Series 1 photo looks like it was snapped milliseconds before the other. The Marlins Factory Team Set matches the Series 1 card.

Something I learned because of this card: Because he still has rookie status, I didn't know much about him. 

Anderson was a 3rd round draft pick in 2014 (4th selected by the Marlins overall). He and Dillon Peters are the only two players drafted by the Marlins to have made their MLB debut thus far and they did it on the same day , September 1, 2017. Peters, a pitcher ,was drafted in the 10 round.

He was the Minor League Player of the Year for the Marlins organization in 2016.

Anderson was a September call-up last year and has taken over the 3B job full-time this year for the Marlins, so far starting every game. He opened the season with an impressive series against the Cubs, going 6-18 with 3 walks, 3 runs and 5 RBI.

#33 Zack Cozart - Los Angeles Angels

Player: Zack Cozart (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: 33 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Division: American League West

Position: 3B

Jersey Number: 7 (#2 w/ Reds)
RC/Future Stars/Topps Rookie Cup: No

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 25: Zack Cozart #2 of the Cincinnati Reds in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on July 25, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees defeated the Reds 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Game Date: July 25, 2017

Opponent: New York Yankees
Stadium: Yankee Stadium
Home/Away: Away
Game Outcome: Yankees 4, Reds 2
Win/Loss: Loss
Player Game Line: 0-1, (PH appearance)
Photographer: Jim McIsaac (Website) (Twitter) (Instagram)
New Team/Photoshopped?: Yes. From Reds to Angels.

Birthdate: August 12, 1985

Birthplace: Memphis, TN

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

MLB Service Years: 7

Social Media Handles: None?

Cozart was featured in the 2013 Opening Day set with the Topps All-Star Rookie Cup but hasn't been seen since until this year. I wonder if this version makes Series 2 or Update or they'll go with something completely different?

Here is Cozart's original card in Series 1 with the Reds. He was not in either the Reds or Angels Factory team sets.

Something I learned because of this card: Not real exciting but I learned Cozart signed a three-year, 38 million dollar contract with the Angels. I guess it got overshadowed by some other free agent signing by the Angels.

#63 Jonathan Villar - Milwaukee Brewers

Player: Jonathan Villar (Baseball Reference) (Wikipedia)

Card Number: 63 (Trading Card Database)

Team: Milwaukee Brewers

Division: National League Central

Position: 2B

Jersey Number: 5
RC/Future Stars/Topps Rookie Cup: No

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 09: Jonathan Villar #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers flips the ball to second base for the force out during the eighth inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park on April 9, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Game Date: April 9, 2017

Opponent: Chicago Cubs
Stadium: Miller Park
Home/Away: Home
Game Outcome: Cubs 7, Brewers 4
Win/Loss: Win
Player Game Line: 0-4, 3K
Photographer: Stacy Revere (Twitter) (Instagram)
New Team/Photoshopped?: No

Birthdate: May 2, 1991

Birthplace: La Vega, Dominican Republic

Bats: Both

Throws: Right

MLB Service Years: 5

Social Media Handles: (Twitter) (Instagram)

This is Villar's second appearance in the Opening Day set following last year's debut.

Topps used the same photo for Series 1 and the Factory Team Set, but Villar did get a short print photo variation in Opening Day.

Something I learned because of this card: After coming over from the Astros, Villar led the National League in stolen bases (62) and caught stealing (18) in 2016. I don't really pay much attention to other teams unless they are playing the Cubs, but I was a bit surprised to see Villar listed as a second baseman as I've always thought of him as a shortstop. According to the interwebs, he was bumped out of that spot by top prospect Orlando Arcia and moved to third. The Brewers signed Travis Shaw and Villar took over at second base. And then, after acquiring Neil Walker for the stretch run last year, Villar got some looks in the outfield as well. Walker did not re-sign with the Brewers so Villar has gotten his second base job back in the meantime.