Random Topps Card of the Day: 1989 Topps #246 Rey Quinones

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, February 04, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1989 Topps #246.
• Player Name, position, team: Rey Quinones, shortstop, Seattle Mariners.
• Major League Debut: May 17, 1986.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1988 stats (Mariners): 140 G, 499 AB, 63 R, 124 H, 30 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 52 RBI, 0 SB, .393 SLG, 23 BB, 71 SO, .248 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Red Sox as a Free Agent 09/08/1982. Traded by the Red Sox to the Mariners 08/19/1986. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 5. This is his fourth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Belted 3 game-winning Home Runs in 1987 (May 5 at Detroit, July 8 vs. Brewers, September 16 vs. Indians)."
• Commentary: Quick, name a Mariner that was given uniform #51 not named Randy Johnson or  Ichiro??? One of those answers would be Rey Quinones, a shortstop with the M's from 1986 to 1989. He played for four seasons (1986-1989) and made the most of his time in the majors with Seattle. Although he was billed as the "shortst5 op of the future" for the Boston Red Sox, he was traded in the middle of the 1986 season for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen. During his time in the Pacific Northwest, Quinones played in 318 games, hit a good .251 with 24 home runs and 115 RBI's and a .660 OPS. On the field, he was a decent fielder, with a .952 fielding percentage (94 errors in 1962 chances). He caused a bit of a stir when he left the M's unannounced to go to a funeral for a relative in Puerto Rico, and he was also became known as a player who would refuse to play, whether he was claiming injury even though x-rays proved otherwise, or rationalizing that as one of the "best shortstops in the AL" he didn't need to play everyday, saying that others could use the playing time. After seven games into the 1989 season, Rey was traded to the Pirates in the hopes that he would fill in a void that the Bucs had in that position. Although Rey hit 3 home runs and drove in 29 rbi's, the Pirates released him on July 22 after 71 games played. It would be the last time he would see  action in the majors as a player.
• Beckett value: $0.01-$0.05.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 5 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1983 Topps Traded #5T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama