Random Topps Card of the Day: 1996 Topps #423 Mark Langston

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, October 21, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1996 Topps #423.
• Player Name, position, team: Mark Langston, pitcher, California Angels.
• Major League Debut: April 7, 1984.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1995 stats (Angels): 31 G, 200.1 IP, 15-7, 109 R, 103 ER, 142 SO, 64 BB, 31 GS, 2 CG, 1 SHO, 0 SV, 4.63 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Mariners #2nd, June 1981. Signed with the Angels as a Free Agent 12/08/1989. Bats: right, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Langston's fifteenth regular Topps card (total includes regular and traded cards only). If you haven't figured it out by now, here is what I look for in a great baseball card design: large picture, design elements that utilize color scheme of the team player represents, design elements that do not interfere with the picture, and finally, less wasted space. The 1996 Topps design hits at least three of the qualifications. The blue name plate complements the picture on the card (I think that the blue works with the headshots...no other color would have made worked here). After a number of years being one of the Mariners' best pitchers, he was traded off to Montréal in 1989 for a run at the division (he was traded for prospects pitchers Gene Harris, Brian Holman, and some guy named Randy Johnson). He went 12-9 for the Expos, but even those numbers didn't help the team win the division. So on December 1, 1989, Langston signed with his home-state team, the California Angels. And it is with the Angels that Langston had some of his best seasons. With the Halos, he was a three-time All-Star, a five time Gold Glove winner, had a won-loss record of 88-74 and struck out 1112 batters. A great defensive pitcher, it is noted on the back of his card that (at the time) only Jim Kaat and Bob Gibson had won more Gold Gloves as a pitcher. At this time, Langston had won seven of the last nine AL awards.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 24 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1981 Topps Traded #778. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama