Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1983 Topps #162 Mark Clear

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 16, 2012:


  • Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1983 Topps #162.
  • Player Name, position, team: Mark Clear, pitcher, San Francisco Giants.
  • Major League Debut: April 4, 1979.
  • Last Line of Statistics: 1982 stats (Red Sox): 55 G, 105 IP, 14-9, 39 R, 35 ER, 109 SO, 61 BB, 0 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 14 SV, 3.00 ERA.
  • Any special information about player: Drafted by the Phillies, #8th, June 1974.  Traded by the Angels to the Red Sox 12/10/1980. Bats: right. Throws: right.
  • Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his fifth Topps card.
  • Blurb on the back: "Pitched 2-2/3 scoreless innings for Save vs. Orioles, 4/21/1982.  Put out the fire for Save vs. A's, 05/21/1982."  1982 Highlights:  May 9:  Chalked up save in 1-0 win at Texas.  June 6:  Silenced Angels for save at California.  July 17:  Gained credit for 8-4 victory over Kansas City Royals.
  • Commentary: Mark Clear was one of the Red Sox' closers in 1982 (the job shared with Bob Stanley), but based on the the five games that Topps decided to include on the blurb and the highlights, he was the better of the two.  Even though he is credited for a low 14 saves, he finished 44 of the 55 games he entered, and was named to the All-Star Team that year.  The following year, he saved four games, but finished 33 of the 44 games he was called to pitch.  Remember, closer roles were different back then. In five seasons and 225 games with the Red Sox, he compiled a 35-23 record, saved 38 games, struck out 403 batters, and compiled a WHIP of 1.634.  He was traded to the Brewers after the 1985 season.  
  • Beckett value: $0.05-$0.15.
  • How many cards of this player do I own?: 12 cards.
Tomorrow's card will be: 1978 Topps #370. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1978 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

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