Airbrushed Fridays: 2013 Topps Stickers #92

No, this guy!

Who is he? Ryan Madson is a talented reliever who spent a number of years in a sort of backup closer role in Philadelphia. He was on the World Series winning Phillies team of 2008 and would fill in for Brad Lidge whenever he was shelved due to injury. Madson ended up being the primary closer more or less by default in his final season with the Phillies in 2011.

How did he get here? The Phillies let Madson go to the Reds following the 2011 season (their most recent playoff year) with Jonathan Papelbon looming. Unfortunately for Madson, he never threw a pitch for the Reds, succumbing to elbow ligament replacement surgery. The Angels were the next team to take a chance on Ryan Madson, but it wouldn't be until last month that Madson would return to the mound again after the defending AL Champion Royals took a flyer on him in spring training.

Repeat offender? No

Other versions of this card: None, but here's the source image from 2011 (of course):

View image | gettyimages.com

Airbrushed Score: 9

Comments: This was just wishful thinking, I guess.

Airbrushed Fridays: 2013 Topps Stickers #42

It's Friday the 13th. Do you know where your baseball cards are at?

Who is he? Josh Johnson is a generically named lefty hurler who was one of the most talented pitchers in the game during his career with the Florida Marlins. The fact that he pitched for the Marlins also mired him in relative obscurity, even as he led the league in ERA and made two consecutive All-Star teams.

How did he get here? Johnson was part of the Marlins dramatic on-field restructuring which coincided with its on-and-off-field rebranding as the Miami Marlins. Johnson was swept up in the blockbuster trade that saw the likes of Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes switch teams, and wound up in Toronto where he was doomed by serious injuries. The Padres took a flyer on him last season and lost as he didn't pitch a single game, but have brought him back for the upcoming season in hopes that maybe he'll appear in someone's scorecard in San Diego someday. Somehow.

Repeat offender? No

Other versions of this card: None, but the same photo was Photoshopped for his Gypsy Queen card in 2013 as well. You can probably find the original photo on Getty images.

Airbrushed Score: 5

Comments: Maybe he shouldn't have thrown like he did in the photo? That elbow takes a lot of stress.

Airbrushed Fridays: 2013 Topps Stickers #55

One of the newest Cardinals had a little work done.

Who is he? Mark Reynolds is the hard-swinginest, home run-hittinest free swinging baseball man the game has seen in some time. Okay, fine, he just strikes out a ton and hits plenty of home runs. Throw in a few walks here and there and you have a Three True Outcomes guy. Except... well... striking out truly is favorite thing to do. He led the league in the category for four consecutive years and only now doesn't do it because he doesn't get enough playing time.

How did he get here? At one point, Reynolds had a primo job with the Diamondbacks and was considered a budding star, but he just couldn't keep the strikeouts down even as his power numbers plummeted. He also hit south of the Mendoza Line more than once. After Arizona traded him to Baltimore, the Orioles let him go and he's hopped from team to team via free agency ever since. While the Cardinals picked him up as a bench bat to boost their lack of "pop" on the roster, it remains to be seen if his time in St. Louis will outshine that of, say, Ty Wigginton.

Repeat offender? No

Other versions of this card: 2013 Topps Heritage #230 - same Photoshopped photo, plus zoom

Airbrushed Score: 7

Comments: It's entirely possible I won't hate Mark Reynolds at this time next year, but we'll see.

Airbrushed Fridays: 2013 Topps Stickers #170

Tonight's starting shortstop, perhaps?

Who is this week's victim, and why do we care? Michael Young is a 7-time All-Star who seems to be one of the most hated men in baseball these days. I don't quite get it. He was the subject of much teeth-gnashing in Texas before the Rangers finally ran him out of town, and he got chewed up and spit out in Philly... which is, well, Philly. He's the Dodgers problem now. His time as a useful everyday baseball player is up, but it seems like people like to pick on him anyway. Is he being used inappropriately? Only if you trot him out at SS like it was 2004, I guess. My only beef with the guy is that he had some big All-Star moments that cost the NL their stupid home field advantage that I wished were decided by something less stupid. It seems like the guy can still hit a little bit, which is more than you could typically say about the Cardinals bench.

Why is this a thing? Young was finally traded by the Rangers to Philadelphia after last season for some scraps. The Phillies season went about as well as one could expect out of an aging team with a bloated payroll relying on a hobbling Ryan Howard, and Young was again on the move to LA for the playoff run. This Topps Stickers card catches him Photoshopped into a Phillies uniform because the set was released back at the beginning of the season. It doesn't look like there will be a Dodgers Michael Young card in 2013, but there's always next year. And it will probably be Photoshopped!

Airbrushed Fridays is a weekly feature as the name seems to imply. If you know of a card with an altered photograph that you'd like to see featured, please contact me. You probably won't win anything other than the proverbial gas left in Michael Young's tank, but you never know!