Random Topps Card of the Day: 1980 Topps #208 Wayne Cage

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, February 14, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1980 Topps #208.
• Player Name, position, team: Wayne Cage, first baseman, Cleveland Indians.
• Major League Debut: April 22, 1978.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1979 stats (Tacoma, AAA-Pacific Coast): 86 G, 315 AB, 47 R, 98 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, 13 HR, 55 RBI, .276 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Indians #3rd, June 1971. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 3. This is his third and final Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "His 1st big league Hit was a Homer."
• Commentary: You get players whose only opportunity in the majors would be as either a September call-up or a defensive replacement for the team's regular starter. You also get players who hit well in the minors, but have trouble finding the ball during his time in the big leagues. These kinds of players are just happy to be there.  Such is the tale of Wayne King. The back of his card includes a cartoon that indicates that he was an International League All-Star first baseman at Toledo in 1977. And he did have a good year (.301 with 13 home runs and 77 rbi's) with the Mud Hens. In 1978, he joined the Indians to back up the team's regular 1st baseman Andre Thornton. He did get an opportunity to start a few games, but he couldn't figure major league pitching. By the middle of June, he was hitting .212, and not having much luck as a pinch hitter. He was sent to Tacoma (the Indians changed their AAA affiliation) and he found his stroke. In 77 games, he was hitting .368 with 18 home runs and 69 rbi's. He was called back to Cleveland in September, becoming the team's designated hitter when teams expanded the rosters. During his 19 games back, he went 17 for 65 (.262 average), hit three home runs, drove in 9, had an OPS of .810. He made the Opening day roster for the Tribe in 1979, but was once again found himself struggling with his hitting. After spending all of April under the Mendoza line (.161 average), he reached .220 before being sent back to Tacoma. He didn't return until September again, and by the time he finished the season, he had hit .232 with 1 home run and six rbi's. It would be the last time Wayne would be on a major league roster. He spent all of 1980 with Tacoma, and once again hit over .308 with 19 home runs and 89 rbi's. His contract was sold to the Hankyu Braves of the Japanese Pacific League, and spent two years in Nishinomiya before returning to North America, playing for both Yucatan Leones and Veracruz Aguila of the Mexican League.
• Beckett value: $0.10-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 3 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1988 Topps #605. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama