Blue Jay greats, first and last

Seven years ago, as they slogged through August in what would end up being yet another disappointing season, the Toronto Blue Jays traded for a fringe utility player who could temporarily cover third base while the team waited for their injured starter to recover. The player the Jays gave up in the deal -- a minor league, C-level-prospect catcher -- wasn't even named until months later. The deal barely registered as more than brief in the local papers.

It was one of the biggest moves the team ever made.

The fringe utility player was, of course, Jose Bautista, who would erupt two years later for 51 home runs. He has since established himself as the game's premier rightfielder and one of its top 5 or so power hitters. He's also the unquestioned emotional leader of a Blue Jays team that, today, looks like a strong World Series contender. And this is his very first card as a Blue Jay.

It's from 2009 Topps, which I believe was the only set that even bothered to include him that year. The narrative on the back references that mid-2008 trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. I love the fact that it says the Jays were planning to look at him at first, second and third base -- but not right field, the position he eventually came to dominate. It really underscores just how little thought of Bautista was at the time. Nowadays, the discussion is about whether, after five years as an elite power hitter, Bautista might be emerging as a potential Hall of Famer. He'll probably wind up missing, just because he didn't establish himself until so late in his career. But he's already one of the greatest players in Blue Jay history.

From the first card of one Blue Jay legend, we go to the last card of another: Roy Halladay, who retired just before the start of the 2014 season after signing a one-day contract with the Jays so he could end his career with the same team with which he started. This is, by far, my favorite card from 2014 Stadium Club and one of the big reasons I've been trying to collect both this set and the 2015 follow up. The ceremonial first pitch shot, with the red-jacket-clad Mounties standing behind him, is the perfect image for a "sunset card" of arguably the greatest pitcher in Blue Jay history and a guy who should be enshrined in the Hall in a few years.

The one thing this card lacks is full career stats on the back. But that's somewhat offset by the narrative, which means his retirement and some of his career highlights. And what a great juxtaposition between the image on the front and the one on the back of a young Halladay just beginning his Blue Jay career. Baseball cards don't get much better than this.