Saturday, July 3, 2010

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1998 Topps #393 Jeremi Gonzalez

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, July 3, 2010:



  • Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1998 Topps #393.
  • Player Name, position, team: Jeremi Gonzalez, pitcher, Chicago Cubs.
  • Major League Debut: May 27, 1997.
  • Last Line of Statistics: 1997 stats (Cubs): 23 G, 144 IP, 11-9, 73 R, 68 ER, 93 SO, 69 BB, 23 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 0 SV, 4.25 ERA.
  • Any special information about players: Signed with the Cubs as a Free Agent 10/21/1991. Bats: right, Throws: right.
  • Any special information about this specific card: Gonzalez' first regular Topps (total includes regular and traded cards only). The first card in the "colored borders" era for Topps (1998-2003). The gold borders, along with the look of a glass framed portrait made for a pretty good design. One of the bright spots in another dismal Cubs season in 1997 was the debut of Jeremi Gonzalez. And what a year he had. An 11-9 record (led the team in wins), along with 93 K's, gave the Cubs hope for the future. Unfortunately, that future only lasted two seasons as injuries derailed his chances to stay with the Cubs after the 1998 season. He was released in 2001, and fought his way back to the majors with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He spent time with the Red Sox (earned a WS ring in 2005), the Mets and Brewers before hanging it up for good after the 2006 season. The text on the back of the cards shows Topps' attempt at reaching the youth of America...and failing. "Jeremi, the Cubs' first Venezuelan starting pitcher, beat idol and Maracaibo 'homeboy' Wilson Alvarez last August 8." Really, "homeboy???" Actually, it happened on 08/07/1997 (making this card AN ERROR CARD!!!)
  • Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
  • How many cards of each player do I own?: 3 cards.
Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1960 Topps #210. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

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