Monster Card Monday: 2003 Javy Lopez

This is Javy Lopez’ killer card from 2003 sent to me by Pastor Rich.  This particular card is the 2010 reprint of Lopez’ 2003 season.  I remember this particular season well.  Lopez was a member of the Illowa APBA League’s Northside Hitmen managed by Chuck Lucas.  With other players like Bonds, Manny Ramirez, Carlos Delgado, Roberto Alomar, Lopez’ career year in 2003 was the icing on the cake.  Needless to say, this lineup definitely lived up to their team nickname. 

In the majors, Javy Lopez had always been a better than average slugging catcher but it was in 2003 when he really poured it on and stepped it up a notch.  That year, he hit 43 homers in just 495 plate appearances.  Exactly half of his hits were for extra bases (75 of 150).  Javy hit for average too with a nifty .328 mark.

This card is fantastic especially if you happen to have a runner on third when you can exploit APBA quirks.  Lopez has power numbers 1-1-1-6-6.  As it works out statistically, Lopez hit 3.13 HR/36 PA so it about works out.  Depending on how often he comes up with the bases full, he might even get his three triples, too. 

As mentioned before, Lopez hit a pretty decent .328 for 2003.  On his card, he has another 7 plus four 8s (including two “across the top”) and two 9s.  Javy only has two 14s but he does have a 22 due to being plunked a four times in ‘03. 

Fun numbers:  33-1, 44-6, 55-7

Javy Lopez trivia: For his career, Lopez played 1352 games in the field.  He played 1351 behind the plate and just one game at first base. 

There’s no question that 2003 was Javy Lopez’ career year.  He hit his career high in homeruns, batting average, rbis, even doubles.  That’s not to say he didn’t have some solid lifetime stats. For his career, he hit 260 homers with 864 rbis while batting .287.  Not only that, he caught some of the best pitchers of his era including Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine. 

Thanks Pastor Rich (and congrats on your brand new baby girl!).