Random Topps Card of the Day: 1985 Topps #67 Rafael Santana

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, January 18, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1985 Topps #67.
• Player Name, position, team: Rafael Santana, shortstop, New York Mets.
• Major League Debut: April 5, 1983.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1984 stats (Mets): 51 G, 152 AB, 14 R, 42 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 RBI, 0 SB, .382 SLG, 9 BB, 17 SO, .276 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Yankees as a Free Agent 08/31/1976. Signed with the Mets as a Free Agent 01/27/1984. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 7. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Rafael participated in 2 Triple Plays during 1979."
• Commentary: Regarding the blurb, that is exactly how it is written...verbatim. Apparently, Topps was in a bit of a rush to edit the sentence. But it's been more than 27 years since the card was printed, so hey...history right? Santana's breakout season came in 1985 as he was became the team's primary shortstop. While not exactly Ozzie Smith in the field, he led the NL in putouts with 301, so committing 25 errors (fifth in the NL) in 722 chances isn't all that bad. At the plate, he hit a decent .257 with a homer and 29 driven in. He went 5-20 during the 1986 World Series, scoring three runs and driving in 2 more. What I'll remember him for is that he was card #792 in my all-time favorite Topps set from 1989. Although out of Topps' spotlight since 1990, he did make a couple of appearances in three of Topps sets in 2005: Super Teams, Retired, and All-Time Fan Favorites. And he has autograph cards in each set.
• Beckett value: $0.02-$0.10.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 10 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: Thursday: 1981 Topps Traded #749. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama