Random Topps Card of the Day: 1984 Topps Traded #25T Bryan Clark

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, August 28, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1984 Topps Traded #25T.
• Player Name, position, team: Bryan Clark, pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays.
• Major League Debut: April 11, 1981.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1983 stats (Mariners): 41 G, 162.1 IP, 7-10, 82 R, 71 ER, 76 SO, 72 BB, 17 GS, 2 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 3.94 ERA.
• Any special information about players: Drafted by the Pirates #10th June, 1974. Traded by the Mariners to the Blue Jays 12/09/1983. Bats: left, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Clark's fourth regular Topps (total includes regular and traded cards only). One of the good things about the 1984 Topps Traded set is the fact that because the cards were printed on a different card stock than its regular set counterparts, it is much easier to read the text on the back of the cards. And for a guy with a ton of minor league statistics (like Bryan Clark, he has his stats from 1974 onwards here), the text could have been difficult to read otherwise. Had he had one more year in the majors, or at least debuted with another team, the minor league stats would have gone away. But alas, he has three years worth of MLB statistics, so the minor league numbers stay. At least we know that Clark was your minor league veteran. Making stops every where from Brandenton, to Charleston, to Niagara Falls, back to Charleston, to Salem, again to Charleston, to Bellingham, then Stockton, onwards to Alexandria, Spokane, and Lynn, MA before hitting the big time in Seattle (granted, he had to play in Salt Lake City for a few games in 1982). He didn't make his MLB debut as a pitcher though...it was as a pinch runner. But with the M's, he went 14-17, struck out 198 batters with a decent 3.94 ERA before being shipped off to the Blue Jays in December, 1983. With the Blue Jays, he saw action in 20 games, had a record of 1-2, and 21 strikeouts. What really did him in, however was his control (22 walks, 6 home runs allowed). Released by the Jays after the 1984 season, he found work with both Cleveland (for one year) and the White Sox (for two years), bouncing around the minor league systems for both teams. He continued his nationwide tour of the minor leagues. Stopping points along the way in Syracuse, Maine, Buffalo, Hawaii (yes, the White Sox' AAA team was based in Hawaii...maybe the reason why players did NOT want to get called up to the majors in 1987), Hawaii, Tacoma, and finally Calgary. He finally returned to the Mariners for a few games in 1990, but then retired soon afterwards. The back of his card features three highlights from his 1983 season: pitching 2 scoreless innings in an Opening Day win over the Yankees 04/05/1983; 4 scoreless frames for a win against the Orioles 05/21/1983; being credited for a win at Fenway on 07/12/1983.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of each player do I own?: 6 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: 1956 Topps #265. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. If anybody can find me the away jersey of the Lynn Sailors (Lynn, MA; Eastern League-AA), let me know. I think I may have some interest in it. jba