Random Topps Card of the Day: 1994 Topps Traded #93T Omar Vizquel

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, October 1, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1994 Topps Traded #93T
• Name, position, team: Omar Vizquel, shortstop, Cleveland Indians.
• Major League Debut: April 3, 1989.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1993 stats (Mariners): 158 G, 560 AB, 68 R, 143 H, 14 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 12 SB, .298 SLG, 50 BB, 71 SO, .255 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Mariners as a Free Agent 04/01/1984. Traded by the Mariners to the Indians 12/20/1993. Bats: both, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Vizquel's seventh regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only, does not include his 1990 Topps MLB '89 Debut card). One thing I will always remember about the 1994 Topps design is that the frames, whether it was for baseball, football, or basketball, were easily recognizable shapes (a home plate for baseball, an oval for football, and a circle for basketball). They all used the same font for the player's name, as well as the team name and position below it. In a trade along the lines of Ozzie Smith - Gary Templeton, the Seattle Mariners sent Vizquel off to Cleveland in exchange for shortstop Felix Fermin. While Fermin was a short term fix for the M's, they had this wonderkind in waiting, some kid named Alex Rodriguez, waiting in the wings. With the shortstop of the future preparing for his debut in the foreseeable future, it was no problem for the Mariners to let Vizquel go. And what a team to send him to. The Indians of the mid 1990's were as dominant as you could get. With a roster that included (not necessarily all at the same time) Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, Albert Belle, Sandy Alomar, Carlos Baerga, Jim Thome, Matt Williams, Eddie Murray, Roberto Alomar, et. al. Is it any wonder why this team made it to two World Series in a three-year span in the 90's? Vizquel however was hurt for most of the year, and only managed to play in 69 games. But he wound winning the first of eight straight Gold Gloves at the shortstop position.
• Beckett value: $0.10-$0.30.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 49 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1992 Topps #303. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama