Random Topps Card of the Day: 1995 Topps Traded and Rookies #31T Todd Steverson

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, January 02, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1995 Topps Traded and Rookies.
• Player Name, position, team: Todd Steverson, outfielder, Detroit Tigers.
• Major League Debut: April 28, 1995.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1994 stats (Knoxville, AA-Southern): 124 G, 415 AB, 59 R, 109 H, 24 2B, 5 3B, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 20 SB, .410 SLG, 71 BB, 112 SO, .263 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Blue Jays, #1st, June 1992.  Selected by the Tigers in the Rule V Draft 12/05/1994. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 2. This is his second and final Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Under the rules of hte Rule 5 Draft, teams are required to retain selections on their ML roster the entire season.  Todd, drafted from Toronto, didn't need the "grandfather clause" in 1995, proving he belonged.  The former Arizona State All-American and cousin of ex-Tiger Ron Leflore."
• Commentary: You can't call Todd Steverson, a veteran of 31 games in two major league seasons, a one Topps Card wonder.  He appeared in the 1993 Topps set as a Draft Pick of the Blue Jays, something you couldn't have in today's baseball card world.  Oh well.  As a Rule V draftee, the Tigers had to keep Steverson on their roster for the year or send him back to the team who left him out in the market.  With the Tigers in 1995, he appeared in 30 games, hit .262 with two home runs and six rbi's as a bench player.  He was out for significant amounts of time due to injuries though, but he did remain on the MLB roster for the year (nine games on a rehab stint not included).  The following year, he was traded to the Padres and struck out in his only at bat in 1996.  It would also be his final appearance as a major league player.  He ended his playing career in 1998 and since then has been a coach and manager in the minor leagues, and a first base coach for the Oakland Athletics.  He made headlines in 2012 when, as acting manager for the Stockton Ports, ordered an intentional balk in an attempt to end an 18 inning ballgame where even position players where taking the mound.  In his defense, he says he was trying to protect his players, and did not want either pitchers or position players hurt.  Noble, but he was given a one-year suspension.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be 2006 Topps #274. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama