Random Topps Card of the Day: 1982 Topps #228 Sam Mejias

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, January 08, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1982 Topps #228.
• Player Name, position, team: Sam Mejias, outfielder, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: September 06, 1976.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1981 stats (Reds): 66 G, 49 AB, 6 R, 14 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB, .327 SLG, 2 BB, 9 SO, .286 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Brewers as a Free Agent 10/24/1970. Contract purchased by the Reds from the Cubs 07/04/1979. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 5. This is his fifth and final Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Sam hit bases-loaded Triple on his birthday, 05/09/1980."
• Commentary: The 2013 version of Topps Archives will honor the 1982 set by using it as one of the four designs for its base set (along with 1972, 1985, and 1990).  Above the player's statistics are two sections that include a comic and a blurb about a random player.  On this card, the comic caption mentions Phil Niekro's "200th Complete Game came vs. Pirates, 05/01/1979." The blurb to the right of the comic honors Willie Stargell, who "hit 296 HRs from 1970 thru 1979 to lead all active players."  This is one of those rare instances that I've seen on the back of a baseball card when a position player has more game appearances (66) than at bats (49).  Before joining the Reds, Mejias saw time with the Cardinals, Expos, and Cubs (he does not have a Topps card as a Cub...Topps didn't come up with the idea of a Traded set until 1981).  Sam Mejias was a bench player who did get to start six games in 1981.  He'd be a guy that would not get a Topps card today.  He would have gotten more time had he not missed all of June that year.  Because 1981 was his last year in the majors, the totals on the back of his card are complete (.247 average with 4 home runs and 31 rbi's).  Since his playing days ended, he became a manager in the Reds' minor league system and was a coach for the Mariners and Orioles. 
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.05-$0.15.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 5.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2004 Topps #262. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2004 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama