Airbrushed Fridays: 2012 Bowman #28

Is Photoshop the Botox for baseball cards?

Who is he? Mat Latos is a young right-handed starting pitcher. More importantly, he owns a cat named Cat Latos. The more famous of the two single-T big league Mats (the other being Gamel), Latos had a 21 game winning streak that spanned portions of the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

How did he get here? Latos came up with the Padres and excited people. He must have excited the Reds, because they gave up four players for him, including some young talent like Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal. And, uh, they also got Edinson Volquez.

Repeat offender? No

Other versions of this card? No

Airbrushed Score: 3

Comments: Well, if it wasn't for the fact that Bowman's release date that year was only a couple of months after the beginning of spring training, I'd be a little suspicious. But when you look at the background of this card, perhaps it's not the player who is Photoshopped than it is the background. I mean, what kind of dreamscape is Latos pitching in front of? The Reds spring uni starts to look more and more legit when you see it that way, while his pitching motion seems more and more posed. Weird stuff. Bowman is more Photoshop than natural, I tell you.