Down on the Farm: The 2001 Memphis Redbirds

My first 2001 Albert Pujols card and more. 

My pace of buying up minor league team sets has slowed a bit, but I still have some scans to look at from one I was eager to grab a couple of months ago. This one includes a few more recognizable names than you'd expect for a nearly twenty year old set, including an iconic Cardinals player who was far and away their player of the decade in the 2000s.

Sort of a low rent Fredbird, although he looks a lot more like an actual cardinal.

It's nearly impossible for me to find a rookie year Pujols card in my price range, and for what I paid for this complete team set on eBay, I'm sure you'd be hard pressed to find any single 2001 Pujols card priced as cheap. It makes me wonder if this wasn't just listed poorly. 

The man of the hour, although it's not his best look.

This set was sponsored by Post, so it may have been a stadium giveaway at one point. A lot of times, the stadium giveaway sets can command a premium over a regularly issued minor league team set, but it probably depends on player selection more than anything. Albert Pujols only spent a brief time with Memphis, and of course famously made the big club out of spring training in 2001.

The uniform is dirty as you'd expect.

From the Great Name Hall of Fame to the present day Cardinals coaching staff comes the legendary Stubby Clapp.

A nice action shot of the former NFL quarterback.

Chad Hutchinson didn't last long as an MLB player, as is well documented. His name doesn't get brought up all that often when talking about guys who played both football and baseball.

Not actually signed, but it's a nice looking card.

There was a bonus card of Bud Smith, who was a big exciting prospect at the time. The box breakers and retail flippers would have gone nuts over him back in the day, if such a thing actually existed. 

Another rare excellent action shot in a minor league set.

I'll be on the lookout for the next minor league team set deal. Let me know if you've got any leads!