william dills smith appreciation post

i didn't want to confuse anyone - this is not about the actor or the pitcher (or the guy i know from work) - but rather it is about the dodgers' catcher and your national league all-star at that position, so i used his full name in the post title.

will smith has been an all-star before, but this year, he will start behind the plate for the national league. he is, as far as national league catchers go, the man

it says so right there on that 2020 topps finest card.

through last thursday, smith was hitting .326 with an on base percentage of 0.430. both of those numbers were leading the national league, and in fact, smith was the only qualifying batter hitter over .300! it is possible that smith might become the first dodger backstop and fifth catcher overall to win a batting title. for that we will have to wait and see. in the meantime, here are some more cards of smith that have been languishing in my scanned folder

2020 topps retail factory set foilboard

not a smith card per se, but that is him in the air there after a rookie year walk off home run.

2024 topps archives

2024 topps chrome refractor

2024 topps heritage white border

2024 topps holiday silver glitter

2024 topps stadium club chrome parallel

2025 topps heritage chrome pink sparkle refractor

perhaps if his offensive success continues, we will get some cards showing him without the tools of ignorance.

only three dodger catchers have been all-star game starters in my lifetime - mike scioscia (1990), mike piazza (1994-1997), and russell martin (2007) - so i am happy to see smith make it four this year. however, what i am really looking forward to is seeing his topps heritage card next year with that sweet sweet all-star banner at the bottom.