Random Topps Card of the Day: 1989 Topps #648 Sandy Alomar

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, June 1, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1989 Topps #648.
• Player Name, position, team: Sandy Alomar, catcher, San Diego Padres.
• Major League Debut: September 30, 1988.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1988 stats (Padres): 1 G, 1 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, .000 SLG, 0 BB, 1 K, .000 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Padres as a Free Agent 10/21/1983. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Alomar's first regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only). I love the 1989 Topps set. The design, the colorful name and team banner. It stands out in my mind as one of the best designs EVER!!! Although the only drawback is the fact that the backs of all the cards are black (which make for easy chipping), the shades of pinks and reds used for the fields make for a unique combination. Now the art who would be future stars is hit or miss. And Topps has certainly their fair share of hits (Bo Jackson, Al Leiter) and misses (Tim Pyznarski? Joey Meyer?) In Sandy Alomar, they got at least this one right. He played for 20 seasons, not hitting it big until he was traded to the Indians (the Friars had Benito Santiago catching full-time). As MVP of the Pacific Coast League in 1988, it was no surprise that the Padres would want to call Sandy up to the bigs. He would go on to become the AL Rookie of the Year in 1990, a six-time All-Star, and one of the best catchers in the 1990's.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 27 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1983 Topps Traded #40T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1983 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama