Thursday, March 5, 2015

2005 Donruss Champions, Joey Gathright


#181 Joey Gathright

Here is the second card of Joey Gathright that I have ever posted on here. Joey spent some time with the Royals, so I have a few sigs from him. But this one I picked up a little more recently. In 2013, Joey was playing for the other Kansas City team, the American Association's T-Bones. He signed three cards for me before a game in Wichita that summer.

Joey last played for the Royals in 2008 and all of my prior autographs from him were obtained that season. Back then, all his signatures looked like his initials. I was shocked when I got these cards signed in Wichita and he had more of an actual signature. I was not expecting that. Here is the first card I posted of him in 2011 to compare.

Joey played for the Devil Rays from 2004 til a mid-season trade in 2006. In his two and a half seasons in Tampa Bay, Joey hit .244 with 65 runs, 27 RBI, and 38 stolen bases. The Rays sent him to Kansas City for JP Howell. JP pitched for the Rays through 2012, so I would say that trade worked out great for them.

Two bat cards in one week? I doubt that will ever happen again.

Apparently, Joey notified the public yesterday, via Facebook, that he has officially retired from baseball.

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