Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps #274 Brian Hunter

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, November 30, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps #274.
• Player Name, position, team: Brian Hunter, outfielder, Detroit Tigers.
• Major League Debut: June 27, 1994.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Tigers): 142 G, 595 AB, 67 R, 151 H, 29 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 42 SB, .333 SLG, 36 BB, 94 SO, .254 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Astros, #2nd, June 1989. Traded by the Astros to the Tigers 12/10/1996. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his sixth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Brian has had more productive offensive seasons than in 1998, but he won games with his legs, arm and durability. He stole 20 bases without being caught to open the season (a Tigers record); once threw out runners at the plate on consecutive plays (a May 18 game versus the Angels in which he added four hits and three runs scored); and concluded a consecutive games streak of 239."
• Commentary:  Not to be confused with the former outfielder Brian Raynold Hunter, outfielder Brian Lee Hunter was a speedy center fielder who tore up the base paths in the late 90's and early 2000's with the Astros, Tigers, and Mariners (he also played for the Rockies, Reds, and Phillies before returning to the Astros to finish his career).  He stole a league high 74 bases in 1997, and as of the end of the 1998 season, had stolen 177 bases in 520 games.  Is there any wonder why he is playfully pictured holding a couple of bases while wearing a mask?  Eighteen games into the 1998 season, Hunter was traded to the Mariners for a couple of minor leaguers.  With Seattle that year, he hit the same number of home runs (4), drove in the two less rbi's (34), but made up for it with two more stolen bases (44) than in his last season with Detroit.  His batting average plummeted to the low to mid .230's though and before the 2000 season, he was released by Seattle.    
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 12.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T19. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama