Random Topps Card of the Day: 1980 Topps #622 Mario Soto

We're giving the Topps Card Randomizer the week off so we can highlight seven cards redeemed from Topps' Million Card Giveaway. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, February 24, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1980 Topps #622.
• Player Name, position, team: Mario Soto, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: July 21, 1977.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1979 stats (Reds): 25 G, 37 IP, 3-2, 25 R, 22 ER, 32 SO, 30 BB, 5.35 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed by Reds as a Free Agent 12/03/1972. Bats: right, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Soto's second regular Topps card. The 1980 Topps set, with it's simple design, ribbons to indicate team and position, and the facsimile autograph, is mostly remembered for holding the rookie card for a certain Rickey Henderson. But there were 659 other cards in this set. This, was one of them. The set used a blue background for the reverse, and it made for easy reading, as long as the black ink stayed on the card. It was a bit of a stretch to read some of the stats on Soto's card. But there is a cartoon and a couple of blurbs about Mr. Soto (at least both involve the subject on the front of the card). The cartoon indicates that Mario led the Florida State League (A) with 124 strikeouts in 1976. The first note on the back talks about his complete game win for the Reds at Wrigley field in 1976. That's funny, because Soto debuted in 1977 (UNCORRECTED ERROR CARD!!!), and it was Soto's first career MLB start. The second one reads that he picked up a victory in relief against the Braves in 1978, which in five games played was the only highlight for him in 1978.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.30-$0.75.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 17 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1976 Topps #507. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama