Random Topps Card of the Day: 1998 Topps #437 Rod Beck

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, October 12, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1998 Topps #437.
• Player Name, position, team: Rod Beck, pitcher, Chicago Cubs.
• Major League Debut: May 6, 1991.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1997 stats (Giants): 73 G, 70 IP, 7-4, 31 R, 27 ER, 53 SO, 8 BB, 0 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 37 SV, 3.47 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Athletics, #13th, June 1986.  Signed with the Cubs as a Free Agent 01/15/1998. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 8. This is his sixth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "The Cubs, who have had a fluid closer situatiohn since Randy Myers left after the 1995 campaign, grabbed one of the best in Beck during the free agent raids last winter.  Since 1993, in fact, only Myers has recorded more saves.  His first save for Chicago will make him the 21st in history to amass 200 in a career..
• Commentary: The 1998 Topps set was the first of six sets in a row where a colored border replaced the traditional white one.  In fact, the color used for the border of this set is so hard to replicate, that even Topps can't get it right (and they've tried countless times, believe me).  It's not a bright orange (see 2005 Topps Rookie Cup reprints and 2006 Topps 1998 Mickey Mantle card) but a tannish gold???  Anyway, Rod Beck joined the Cubs before the 1998 season, and what a year he had.  He appeared in 81 games for the Northsiders, and saved 51 of them.  Normally, 51 would lead any league, but the save leader in the NL that year was Trevor Hoffman with his 53.  Anyway, he was one of the key reasons why the Cubs wound up playing for, and winning, the Wild Card spot in the 1998 playoffs (and we all know how that ended, right???)  "The Shooter" finished 18th in the MVP voting.  He could not capture the same success in 1999, and was traded to Boston on August 31, 1999.  After a few years bouncing around with the Red Sox, he returned to the Cubs as a minor league free agent in 2003.  Playing for the Iowa Cubs, he would park his trailer behind the centerfield wall.  He played for the Padres in 2003, filling in for an injured Hoffman no less, converting 20 saves in 20 opportunities, good enough for Comeback Player of the Year.  Sadly, the Shooter passed away on June 23, 2007.  He was only 38 years old.
• Beckett value: $0.05-$0.15.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 10 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1990 Topps #527. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama