Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1995 and 2015.

In 1990, Topps created a set honoring the players who made their MLB debut during the 1989 campaign. It was a relatively successful set, with future HOF's like Ken Griffey, Jr., and Deion Sanders (okay, he's in the Football HOF) and others. In 2009, I created a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 in honor of that set. To coincide with the MLB Debut 1990 and 1991 boxed sets, I also wrote a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1990 and 2010 and again for the MLB Debut classes of 1991 and 2011.

Sadly, they stopped creating this set. I wish they would bring it back, if only so that every player who makes it to the majors has at least one Topps card to call his own. But even though Topps stopped the MLB debut sets (and they don't plan on making them any time soon), I continued comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1992 and 2012, 1993 and 2013, & 1994 and 2014. As the 2015 MLB season ended a few weeks back, and it looks like we know who's going to the World Series (maybe next year guys), now would be a good time to review this year's 2015 MLB debutantes and compare them to the class of 1995. These have been fun posts for me to write, and it's nice to look back to see how the future stars of my youth (I was 19 in 1995), performed over the years.

According to Baseball Reference, 18,662 athletes have entered their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 254 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2015. That's 254 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and baseball websites. Two hundred fifty-four more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

In 1995, 247 players made their big league debuts, up from 114 players the year before. Remember, the strike that started in 1994 carried over into 1995. Spring Training consisted of 27 teams of replacement players (the Orioles did not run a MLB camp, their minor leaguers did get their work in though). When the strike ended all 28 teams had three weeks to get their rosters together. One location was set up for MLB players who were free agents and were looking for a place to play. Among the first of nine players to debut was Todd Hollandsworth (who debuted on April 25, 1995), the last was Gary Bennett (who made his first appearance on September 24, 1995). Thirty players who would debut during the 1995 campaign would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Billy Wagner, Jason Giambi, Jorge Posada, Mike Sweeney, Troy Percival, Andy Pettitte, Jason Schmidt, Johnny Damon, and the man who is credited for breaking down the door for Japanese players to make their impact in MLB, Hideo Nomo. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (Jason Bates, Carlos Perez, Terrell Wade, Vaughn Eshelman) also made their debuts in 1994.

Believe it or not, one player who made his debut in 1995 was still on a MLB roster during the 2015 season (and he announced that 2015 would be his final year in the majors). The debutantes of 1995 (as of the end of the 2015 season) combined for 31 All-Star Game appearances, 5,658 home runs, 26,050 runs batted in, 4,011 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .267. Pitchers who debuted in 1995 have gone on to a combined record of 3344-3417, saved 2,820 games, completed 300 games, faced 263,361 batters, struck out 43,084 of them, gave up 7,265 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.50.

At any given point during the 2015 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 254 baseball players, some who'd toiled in the minors for a very long time (Junior Guerra signed with the Braves in 2001 and spent more than 14 years between the minor and independent leagues), and at least six players who were drafted in the 2015 free agent draft, got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. One hundred four of them were position players, the other 150 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 254, one was born in 1995 (Roberto Osuna), and the oldest player to debut was 32 years old (Angel Castro).

The 2015 debutantes combined for one All-Star Game appearance (Kris Bryant), 360 home runs, 1,396 runs batted in, 206 stolen bases, and a cumulative .249 batting average. Pitchers went 235-280 with an ERA of 4.42, striking out 3,936 batters, and saved 38 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1995 = 247; 2015 = 254
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1995 = 94/153; 2015 = 104/150
• Earliest Debut: 1995 = Quilvio Veras, Antonio Osuna, Mike Myers, Todd Hollandsworth, and Matt Dunbar (April 25, 1995); 2015 = Devon Travis, Micah Johnson, Odubel Herrera, J. R. Graham, and Miguel Castro (April 6, 2015)
• Latest Debut: 1995 = Gary Bennett (September 24, 1995); 2015 = Gary Sanchez (October 3, 2015)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1995 = Karim Garcia (born October 29, 1975, or 19 years, 308 days old); 2015 = Roberto Osuna (February 7, 1995, or 20 years, 60 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1995 = Edgar Caceres (June 6, 1964, or 31 years, 2 days old); 2015 = Angel Castro (November 14, 1982, or 32 years, 176 days old)
• Shortest Career: 1995 = Dennis Konuszewski (1 game, 0.1 innings pitched, 3 hits, 1 walk, 2 earned runs, 54.00 ERA) and Noe Muñoz (2 games, 0-1, .000 AVG); 2015 = Chris Beck, John Cornely, Jose De Paula, Daniel Fields, Brian Johnson, Zach Lee, Akeel Morris, Toru Murata, Matt Tracy, and Kyle Waldrop each have only one MLB game under their belt (Waldrop entered as a pinch hitter in the 5th-inning, striking out in his lone at bat. Morris, in his 0.2 innings of faced 8 batters, allowed 3 hits, 3 walks, and 5 earned runs, for a 67.50 ERA).
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1995 = LaTroy Hawkins; 2015 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2015, just like in 1995, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

Who knows what the future will bring for the 254 players who first appeared in 2015. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. Creating a set called the 2016 MLB Debut 2015 would give them a slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. The annual Guess the Topps All-Star Rookie Team contest will be postponed this year because of time restraints. No sense in trying to get contest entries when, one, I haven't had time to write up the annual Rookie Review, and two, the readership of this humble, little blog has nosedived. I will still write my thoughts on who will make the team, but we'll skip the contest for this year. Hopefully, I'll have a bit more time next year to devote to the blog. jba

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1994 and 2014.

In 1990, Topps created a set honoring the players who made their MLB debut during the 1989 campaign. It was a relatively successful set, with future HOF's like Ken Griffey, Jr., and Deion Sanders (okay, he's in the Football HOF) and others. In 2009, I created a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 in honor of that set. To coincide with the MLB Debut 1990 and 1991 boxed sets, I also wrote a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1990 and 2010 and again for the MLB Debut classes of 1991 and 2011.

Sadly, they stopped creating this set. I wish they would bring it back, if only so that every player who makes it to the majors has at least one Topps card to call his own. But even though Topps stopped the MLB debut sets (and they don't plan on making them any time soon), I continued comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1992 and 2012 & 1993 and 2013. As the 2014 MLB season ended just ended, now would be a good time to review this year's 2014 MLB debutantes and compare them to the class of 1994. These have been fun posts for me to write, and it's nice to look back to see how the future stars of my youth (I was 18 in 1994), performed over the years. This article will be a bit more special for me as I will be attending my 20 Year High School Reunion next week.

According to Baseball Reference, 18,408 athletes have entered their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 234 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2014. That's 234 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and baseball websites. Two hundred thirty-four more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

In 1994, 114 players made their big league debuts, down from 203 players the year before (don't forget that the season ended a bit early thanks to the players' strike). Among the first of nine players to debut was Alex Gonzalez (who debuted on April 4, 1994), the last was Duane Singleton (who made his first appearance on August 4, 1994). Eleven players who would debut during the 1994 campaign would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Alex Rodriguez, Garret Anderson, Armando Benitez, Jeff Cirillo, Charles Johnson, Mike Lieberthal, Ricky Bottalico, Jon Lieber, Jose Lima and Chan Ho Park. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (William VanLandingham, John Hudek, Gar Finnvold, Kurt Miller) also made their debuts in 1994.

Believe it or not, one player who made his debut in 1994 was still on a MLB roster during the 2014 season (ehh...technically, he was...right?). The debutantes of 1994 (as of the end of the 2014 season) combined for 30 All-Star Game appearances, 2,489 home runs (654 by A-Rod), 10,705 runs batted in, 1,283 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .262. Pitchers who debuted in 1993 have gone on to a combined record of 1379-1464, saved 829 games, completed 100 games, faced 111,690 batters, struck out 18,750 of them, gave up 3,344 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.59.

At any given point during the 2014 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 234 baseball players, some who'd toiled in the minors for a very long time (Jumbo Diaz and Guilder Rodriguez come to mind), and at least one player who was drafted in the 2014 free agent draft (Brandon Finnegan), got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. One hundred two of them were position players, the other 132 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 234, two were born in 1994 (Rougned Odor and Dilson Herrera), and the oldest player to debut was 33 years old (Tsuyoshi Wada).

The 2014 debutantes combined for two All-Star Game appearances (Jose Abreu and Masahiro Tanaka), 247 home runs, 1,140 runs batted in, 179 stolen bases, and a cumulative .243 batting average. Pitchers went 200-233 with an ERA of 4.06, striking out 3,304 batters, and saved 18 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1994 = 114; 2014 = 234
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1994 = 46/68; 2014 = 102/132
• Earliest Debut: 1994 = Hector Carrasco, Tim Davis, Alex Gonzalez, James Hurst, Tim Hyers, Blaise Ilsley, James Mouton, Roberto Petagine, and A. J. Sager (April 4, 1994); 2014 = Alex Guerrero (March 22, 2014)
• Latest Debut: 1994 = Duane Singleton (August 4, 1994); 2014 = Jose Pirela (September 22, 2014)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1994 = Alex Rodriguez (born July 27, 1975, or 18 years, 346 days old); 2014 = Rougned Odor (February 3, 1994, or 20 years, 94 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1994 = Billy Taylor (October 16, 1961, or 32 years, 171 days old); 2014 = Tsuyoshi Wada (November 5, 1981, or 33 years, 137 days old)
• Shortest Career: 1994 = Duff Brumley (2 games, 3.1 innings pitched) and Quinn Mack (5 games, 5-21 with 2 rbi, 1 walk, and a .238 AVG); 2014 = Ryan Buchter, Jarrett Grube, Justin Marks, Melvin Mercedes, Hector Neris, Rudy Owens, Red Patterson, Francisco Pena, Jorge Rondon, and Drew VerHagen each have only one MLB game under their belt (Pena was a 9th-inning defensive replacement in his lone game and does not yet have an official plate appearance. Buchter, Grube, and Neris each faced 3 batters, but only Grube is credited with 0.2 innings pitched).
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1994 = Alex Rodriguez (suspended for the entire 2014 season due to the Biogenesis scandal); 2014 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2014, just like in 1994, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

Who knows what the future will bring for the 234 players who first appeared in 2014. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. Creating a set called the 2015 MLB Debut 2014 would give them a slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Some time this week, I will post my picks as to who I think will make the 2014 Topps All-Star Rookie team. There will be a contest involved. Details to come soon. jba

Making Your MLB Debut in Australia...Welcome to the Majors Alex Guerrero and Bo Schultz!!!

It seems that the MLB season has already started. While the other 28 teams are still trying to trim rosters to a final 25-man team, the Diamondbacks and Dodgers took a flight to Australia, spent a week to get acclimated to the time change, and then played official MLB games at the Sydney Cricket Grounds. For the record, the Diamondbacks were the "home team" for the series. Personally, it would have been more fair for each team to switch "sides." But that's just my opinion...what do I know?

In any event, the games actually count towards the standings. And if you didn't know it by now, the Dodgers swept the series in Sydney, taking the first game 3-1 and the second by a score of 7-5. Now, like last year, I congratulated the first player to make his MLB debut. And it seems that in the two game set Down Under, two players, one from each side, made their debuts in a Major League game.

• Full Name: Alexander Guerrero
• Position: Shortstop
• Bats: Left, Throws: Left
• Height: 5' 10", Weight: 205 lb.
• Major League Debut: March 22, 2014 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

On March 22, 2014, shortstop Alex Guerrero was called in to pinch-hit for Brian Wilson in the ninth inning, the Dodgers already up 3-1, ready to face D-Backs pitcher Oliver Perez. However, manager Kirk Gibson took Perez out of the game, inserting veteran closer J. J. Putz. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly promptly replaced the right-handed batter Guerrero with left-handed hitter Mike Baxter. Regardless of the situation, Guerrero's name does appear on the box score. Fear not for a "Moonlight Graham" type career for Alex though, he did get an at-bat as a pinch hitter the following day.

• Full Name: Patrick Bowen Schultz
• Position: Pitcher
• Bats: Right, Throws: Left
• Height: 6' 3", Weight: 220 lb.
• Major League Debut: March 23, 2014 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

On March 23, 2014 (belated Happy Birthday to my sister Patricia Bell), Gibson called upon right-handed pitcher Bo Schultz to pitch in the eighth inning, replacing Randall Delgado, who pitched the previous inning. Schultz was welcomed to the big leagues by Dodgers' shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who singled up the middle. Schultz, settling down after the first-batter jitters, proceeded to induce Adrian Gonzalez to ground out to second, Andre Ethier to fly out to left, and A. J. Ellis to ground out to short. Schultz was penciled into the ninth slot in the batting lineup heading into the bottom of the eighth, but when the D-Backs started to rally, and his spot was coming up, Gibson took him out of the game, inserting pinch-hitter Tuffy Gosewisch in his place.

So welcome to the majors Alex Guerrero and Bo Schultz. We will be looking forward to your MLB Rookie cards in either Series 2 or the Update Series this year.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1993 and 2013.

In 1990, Topps created a set honoring the players who made their MLB debut during the 1989 campaign. It was a relatively successful set, with future HOF's like Ken Griffey, Jr., and Deion Sanders (okay, he's in the Football HOF) and others. In 2009, I created a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 in honor of that set. To coincide with the MLB Debut 1990 and 1991 boxed sets, I also wrote a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1990 and 2010 and again for the MLB Debut classes of 1991 and 2011.

Sadly, they stopped creating this set. I wish they would bring it back, if only so that every player who makes it to the majors has at least one Topps card to call his own. But even though Topps stopped the MLB debut sets (and they don't plan on making them any time soon), I did continue comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1992 and 2012. As the 2013 MLB season ended a couple of weeks ago, now would be a good time to review this year's 2013 MLB debutantes and compare them to the class of 1993. These have been fun posts for me to write, and it's nice to look back to see how the future stars of my youth (I was 17 in 1993), performed over the years.

According to Baseball Reference, 18,174 athletes have entered their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 230 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2013. That's 230 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and baseball websites. Two hundred thirty more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

In 1993, 203 players made their big league debuts up, from 162 players from the year before (this was the year that MLB expanded to 28 teams with the addition of the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins). The first of three players to debut was Scott Pose (who debuted on April 5, 1993), the last was Carlos Delgado (who made his first appearance on October 1, 1993). Twenty-five players would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Manny Ramirez, Chipper Jones, Trevor Hoffman, Jim Edmonds, Robb Nen, Aaron Sele, Shawn Green, Carl Everett, Mike Hampton and Curtis Pride. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (J. Owens, Domingo Jean, Ty Van Burkleo, Bob Hamelin) also made their debuts in 1993.

Believe it or not, one player who made his debut in 1993 was still on a MLB roster during the 2013 season. The debutantes of 1993 (as of the end of the 2013 season) combined for 60 All-Star Game appearances, 5,213 home runs, 21,455 runs batted in, 2,751 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .264. Pitchers who debuted in 1993 have gone on to a combined record of 2353-2432, saved 1963 games (601 by Hoffman), completed 164 games, faced 184,666 batters, struck out 28,901 of them, gave up 5,020 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.50.

At any given point during the 2013 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 230 baseball players, some who'd toiled in the minors for a very long time, and at least six players who were drafted in the 2012 free agent draft, got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. One hundred fourteen of them were position players, the other 116 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 230, none were born in 1993, but five were born in 1992 (Xander Bogaerts, Nick Castellanos, Jose Fernandez, Taijuan Walker, and Jose Ramirez), and the oldest player to debut was 37 years old (Chang-Yong Lim).

The 2013 debutantes combined for one All-Star Game appearance (Jose Fernandez), 272 home runs, 1,133 runs batted in, 169 stolen bases, and a cumulative .242 batting average. Pitchers went 193-208 with an ERA of 4.05, striking out 3,245 batters, and saved 19 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1993 = 203; 2013 = 230
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1993 = 99/104; 2013 = 114/116
• Earliest Debut: 1993 = Frank Bolick, Benji Gil, Scott Pose (April 5, 1993); 2013 = Joe Ortiz (March 31, 2013)
• Latest Debut: 1993 = Carlos Delgado (October 1, 1993); 2013 = Kevin Kiermaier (September 30, 2013)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1993 = Julian Tavarez (born May 22, 1973, or 20 years, 77 days old); 2013 = Jose Fernandez (July 31, 1992, or 20 years, 250 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1993 = Greg Tubbs (April 31, 1962, or 30 years, 335 days old); 2013 = Chang-Yong Lim (June 4, 1976, or 37 years, 95 days old)
• Shortest Career: 1993 = Zak Shinall (1 game, 2.2 innings pitched) and Larry Gonzales (2 games, 1-2 with 1 rbi, 1 walk, and a 1.167 OPS); 2013 = Mike Belfiore, Christian Bethancourt, Zach Clark, Justin Freeman, David Holmberg, Phil Irwin, Kevin Kiermaier, Sean Nolin, Enny Romero, and
  Matt Shoemaker each have only one MLB game under their belt (Bethancourt, Holmberg, and Irwin each have one at-bat, Freeman pitched in 1 inning).
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1993 = Darren Oliver and Chipper Jones (20 seasons each, Jones retired in 2012, Oliver is still active after the 2013 season); 2013 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2013 just like in 1993, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

Who knows what the future will bring for the 230 players who first appeared in 2013. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. Creating a set called the 2014 MLB Debut 2013 would give them a slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Some time this week, I will post my picks as to who I think will make the 2013 Topps All-Star Rookie team. There will be a contest involved. Details to come soon. jba

Welcome to the Majors, Derek Dietrich. Mr. 18,000 (According to Baseball-Reference).

Okay, so I said I wouldn't be doing these posts very often, but this one is special. According to Baseball Reference, there are presently (as of May 10, 2013), 18,000 players to have made at least one appearance in a Major League Baseball game. The question now becomes, who can lay claim to be the 18,000th player to make his Major League Debut? Meet Miami Marlins second baseman Derek Dietrich.

• Full Name: Derek Richard Dietrich
• Position: Second Baseman
• Bats: Left, Throws: Right
• Height: 6' 0", Weight: 200 lb.
• Major League Debut: May 8, 2013 vs. San Diego Padres

Dietrich started the game at second base for the Marlins, filling in for the Fish's regular second baseman, Donoval Solano, who was placed on the 15-day DL. He was penciled into the seventh spot of the lineup by manager Mike Redmond. Dietrich went 1-3 that afternoon, hitting a single in his first major league at-bat against Jason Marquis leading off the third inning. He would make it to third on a double by catcher Miguel Olivo, and was forced out at the plate when Adeiny Hechavarria grounded into a 1-2-3 double play (as depicted by the picture used on the card). Dietrich would later line out to rightfielder Will Venable in the fifth inning and strike out swinging with two men on base to end the seventh inning.

His official game line: 3 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 0 SO, .333 BA, 1 PO, 1 A

Welcome to the Majors, Derek Dietrich.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Welcome to the Majors, Joe Ortiz.

As the official 2013 MLB Season has been underway for the last two days, I thought it would be a nice gesture (since I have run MLB Debut posts at the end of the year for the last four years now) to recognize the first player to make his MLB debut for this championship season. That honor was bestowed to Joe Ortiz of the Texas Rangers.

• Full Name:  Joseph (Blanco) Ortiz
• Position: Pitcher
• Bats: Left, Throws: Left
• Height: 5' 7", Weight: 175 lb.
• Major League Debut: March 31, 2013 vs. Houston Astros

Ortiz was summoned to pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning of the game in which the Astros were leading 7-2 and had their 4-5-6 hitters come to the plate.  He struck out Carlos Peña on five pitches, but then gave up a triple to Justin Maxwell. After inducing Jason Castro to ground out to Ian Kinsler (4-3), Matt Dominguez hit a single up the middle, scoring Maxwell. Ortiz then proceeded to strikeout Rick Ankiel.

His official game line:  1.0 IP, 15 NP (12 S, 3 B), 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 9.00 ERA

Welcome to the Majors, Joe Ortiz.

Now I am not going to be doing these posts for EVERY player who makes his MLB debut (no way do I have time to make cards for every debutante), but I thought it would be nice to feature the guy who made the first debut of the 2013 campaign. I am looking forward to seeing how he, and the rest of the debuting players, do during the season.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1992 and 2012.

In 1990, Topps created a set honoring the players who made their MLB debut during the 1989 campaign. It was a relatively successful set, with future HOF's like Ken Griffey, Jr., and Deion Sanders (okay, he's in the Football HOF) and others. In 2009, I created a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 in honor of that set. To coincide with the MLB Debut 1990 and 1991 boxed sets, I also wrote a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1990 and 2010 and again for the MLB Debut classes of 1991 and 2011.

Sadly, they stopped creating this set. I wish they would bring it back, if only so that every player who makes it to the majors has at least one Topps card to call his own. As the 2012 MLB season ended yesterday, now would be a good time to review this year's 2012 MLB debutantes and compare them to the class of 1992. These have been fun posts for me to write, and it's nice to look back to see how the future stars of my youth (I was 16 in 1992), performed over the years.

According to Baseball Reference, 17,941 athletes have entered their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 206 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2012. That's 206 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and baseball websites. Two hundred six more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

In 1992, 162 players made their big league debuts. The first of three players to debut was Jacob Brumfield (who debuted on April 6, 1992), the last was Pedro Borbon(who made his first appearance on October 2, 1992). Twenty-two players would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez, Jeff Kent, Bret Boone, Javy Lopez, Brian Jordan, and Tim Wakefield. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (David Nied, D.J. Dozier, Bernardo Brito) also made their debuts in 1992.

Believe it or not, one player who made their debut in 1992 was still on a MLB roster during the 2012 season. The debutantes of 1992 (as of the end of the 2012 season) combined for 50 All-Star Game appearances, 5,172 home runs, 21,556 runs batted in, 2,681 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .263. Pitchers who debuted in 1992 have gone on to a combined record of 2103-2082, saved 869 games, completed 233 games, faced 160,796 batters, struck out 27,066 of them, gave up 4,189 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.34.

At any given point during the 2012 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 206 baseball players, some who'd toiled in the minors for a very long time, and at least one player who was drafted in the 2012 free agent draft, got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. Eighty-nine of them were position players, the other 117 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 206, three were born in 1992 (Dylan Bundy, Bryce Harper, and Manny Machado), one was born in 1993 (Jurickson Profar), and the oldest player to debut was 31 years old (Hisashi Iwakuma).

The 2012 debutantes combined for two All-Star Game appearances (Harper and Yu Darvish), 212 home runs, 978 runs batted in, 221 stolen bases, and a cumulative .243 batting average. Pitchers went 184-203 with an ERA of 4.20, striking out 3,294 batters, and saved 16 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1992 = 162; 2012 = 206
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1992 = 87/75; 2012 = 89/117
• Earliest Debut: 1992 = Jacob Brumfield, Craig Colbert, John Patterson (April 6, 1992); 2012 = Yoenis Cespedes (March 28, 2012)
• Latest Debut: 1992 = Pedro Borbon (October 2, 1992); 2012 = Tyson Brummett (October 3, 2012)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1992 = Melvin Nieves (born December 28, 1971, or 20 years, 248 days old); 2012 = Bryce Harper (October 16, 1992) and Jurickson Profar (February 20, 1993, both were 19 years, 195 days old on the day of their debut)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1992 = Tim Fortugno (April 11, 1962, or 30 years, 100 days old); 2012 = Hisashi Iwakuma (April 12, 1981, or 31 years, 008 days old)
• Shortest Career: 1992 = Ed Pierce (2 games, 5.1 innings) and Todd Revenig (2 games, 2.0 innings); 2012 = Tyson Brummett, Pedro Hernandez, Todd Redmond, Ryan Verdugo, Pedro Villarreal, and Adam Warren each have only one MLB game under their belt (Redmond has one at-bat, Brummett pitched in 2/3 of an inning).
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1992 = Matt Stairs and Tim Wakefield (19 seasons each, Miguel Batista, Russ Springer and Pedro Martinez, are next with 18, but Batista pitched in 2012); 2012 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2012, just like in 1992, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

Who knows what the future will bring for the 206 players who first appeared in 2012. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. Creating a set called the 2013 MLB Debut 2012 would give them a slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Later on this week, I will post my picks as to who I think will make the 2012 Topps All-Star Rookie team. There will be a contest involved. Details to come soon. jba

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1991 and 2011.

In 1990, Topps created a set honoring the players who made their MLB debut during the 1989 campaign. It was a relatively successful set, with future HOF's like Ken Griffey, Jr., and Deion Sanders (okay, he's in the Football HOF) and others. In 2009, I created a post comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 in honor of that set. Because the MLB Debut set had a three-year run, I thought it would be a good idea to continue this series of comparisons with the MLB Debut classes of 1990 and 2010 and again for the Debut classes of 1991 and 2011. Who knows? This might be an annual post at the end of the season and I'll probably do one for 1992 and 2012 next year.

According to Baseball Reference, 17,733 athletes have their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 239 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2011. That's 239 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and baseball websites. Two hundred thirty-nine more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

In 1992, Topps created a box set featuring all 192 players who made their big league debuts throughout the 1991 season. The 194-card set (featuring two checklists), was similar in design to the 1992 Topps set, but instead of a team name, the colored box that appeared on the right side of the card contained the date of the player's first appearance. Once again, the players' cards were numbered in alphabetical order, even though the checklists listed all the players by the date of their debut. It would also be the final MLB Debut set Topps conceived.

Everyone from Jeff Bagwell (who debuted on April 8, 1991 and was one of four players to make his debut that day) to Doug Lindsey (who made his first appearance on October 6, 1991, the last player to debut that season) was included in this set. Twenty-six players would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Mo Vaughn, Rod Beck, Jim Thome, Bernie Williams, Kenny Lofton, and more who were part of this set. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (Scott Kamieniecki, Kirk Dressendorfer, Tom Drees) were also in this set. This was the only set that would have Topps cards of Phillies pitcher Amalio Carreno, and Jeff Banister of the Pirates.

Believe it or not, three players who made their debut in 1991 were still on a MLB roster during the 2011 season. The debutantes of 1991 (as of the end of the 2011 season) combined for 74 All-Star Game appearances, 4,788 home runs, 20,331 runs batted in, 3,444 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .267. Pitchers who debuted in 1990 have gone on to a combined record of 2709-2693, saved 1375 games, completed 328 games, faced 205,683 batters, struck out 33,360 of them, gave up 5,364 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.35.

At any given point during the 2011 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 239 baseball players, some who've toiled in the minors for a very long time, and at least two players who were drafted in the 2010 free agent draft, got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. One hundred seven of them were position players, the other 132 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 239, three were born in 1991 (Julio Teheran,Mike Trout,and Jacob Turner) and the oldest player to debut was 35 years old (Yoshinori Tateyama).

The 2011 debutantes combined for two All-Star Game appearances (Aaron Crow and Michael Pineda), 188 home runs, 1001 runs batted in, 230 stolen bases, and a cumulative .246 batting average. Pitchers went 168-219 with an ERA of 4.43, striking out 2,968 batters, and saved 35 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1991 = 192; 2011 = 239
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1991 = 92/100; 2011 = 107/132
• Earliest Debut: 1991 = Jeff Bagwell, Darryl Kile, Tony Scruggs, Mike Timlin (April 8, 1991); 2011 = Nathan Adcock, Brandon Belt, Tim Collins, Aaron Crow, Cedric Hunter, (March 31, 2011)
• Latest Debut: 1991 = Doug Lindsey (October 6, 1991); 2011 = Jarrod Parker (September 27, 2011)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1991 = Ivan Rodriguez, (born November 27, 1971, or 19 years, 205 days old); 2011 = Mike Trout (August 7, 1991, or 19 years, 335 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1991 = Jose Escobar (October 30, 1960, or 30 years, 165 days old); 2011 = Yoshinori Tateyama (December 26, 1975, or 35 years, 149 days old)
• Shortest Career (1 Game only): 1991 = Jeff Banister (one plate appearance, one hit, ended his career with a perfect 1.000 batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, and an OPS of 2.000); 2011 = Rafael Dolis, Eric Farris, Steve Garrison, Alan Johnson, Darin Mastroianni, Jarrod Parker, and Elih Villanueva each have only one MLB game under their belt (Farris has one at-bat, Garrison pitched in 2/3 of an inning).
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1991 = Ivan Rodriguez and Jim Thome (21 seasons each, Arthur Rhodes is next with 20, but pitched in 2011); 2011 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2011, just like in 1991, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

1992 Topps MLB Debut '91 Jeff Banister #8

At least Jeff Banister has a card in the 1992 set. Who knows what the future will bring for the 239 players who first appeared in 2011. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. A set like this would give them a slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Later on this week, I will post my picks as to who I think will make the 2011 Topps All-Star Rookie team. There will be a contest involved. Details to come soon. jba

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1990 and 2010.

1991 Topps Major League Debut 1990: Luis Gonzalez, Frank Thomas.
I had so much fun last year comparing the MLB Debut classes of 1989 and 2009 that I thought since Topps produced three MLB Debut sets in the early 90's that I would do this kind of article again this year and will most likely do one again next year after the 2011 season.

According to Baseball Reference, 17,498 athletes got their names into the annals of Major League Baseball record-keeping. In fact, 203 of them made their MLB Debuts in 2010. That's 203 more players that have etched their names into history books, baseball encyclopedias, and 203 more players who finally reached the pinnacle of their professional careers, no matter how long or how brief their stay was. They can honestly say that they have arrived.

After the success of the 1990 product, Topps once again created a box set featuring all 159 players who made their big league debuts throughout the 1990 season. The 161-card set (featuring two checklists), was similar in design to the 1991 Topps set, but lacked the 40th Anniversary logo that was seen on the top left corner of the regular cards, and instead of a team name, the banner that appeared on the right side of the card held the date of the player's first appearance. And once again, the players' cards were numbered in alphabetical order, even though the checklists listed all the players by the date of their debut.

Everyone from Delino DeShields (who debuted on April 9, 1990 and was one of six players to make his debut that day) to Glenn Sutko (who made his first appearance on October 3, 1990, the last player to debut that season) was included in this set. Nineteen players would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Frank Thomas, Luis Gonzalez, Carlos Baerga, Moises Alou, Charles Nagy, Steve Avery, Todd Hundley, and more who were part of this set. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (Kevin Maas, Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes, Scott Chiamparino) were also in this set. This was the only set that would have Topps cards of Mets catcher Dave Liddell, Ramon Manon of the Rangers, and Howard Hilton of the Cardinals. And if you're asking who these last three guys are, let's just say that they are among the few players whose major league career lasted no more than two games (and in the case of Manon, just two innings in one game).

Believe it or not, as of the end of the 2010 season, every player who made their debut in 1990 were no longer in baseball. In fact, the last 1990 debutant finished his career in 2008 (actually, two of them did). So unless somebody makes a surprising comeback next year, the final stats for the debut class of 1990 are complete. Combined, the debutantes of 1990 combined for 46 All-Star Game appearances, 5,007 home runs, 23,011 runs batted in, 3,379 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .266. Pitchers who debuted in 1990 have gone on to a combined record of 1695-1690, saved 667 games, completed 214 games, faced 133,003 batters, struck out 19,889 of them, gave up 3,296 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.41.

At any given point during the 2010 season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 203 baseball players, some who've toiled in the minors for a very long time, and at least one player who was just drafted in the 2010 free agent draft, got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. Ninety-eight of them were position players, the other 105 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 203, one was born in 1990 (Starlin Castro), and the oldest player to debut was 35 years old (Hisanori Takahashi).

The 2010 debutantes combined for one All-Star Game appearance (Jason Heyward), 239 home runs, 1172 runs batted in, 170 stolen bases, and a cumulative .249 batting average. Pitchers went 155-180 with an ERA of 4.38, striking out 2,565 batters, and saved 35 games.

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1990 = 169; 2010 = 203
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1990 = 85/84; 2010 = 98/105
• Earliest Debut: 1990 = Delino DeShields, Howard Hilton, Tim Layana, Scott Radinsky, Dave Rohde, Scott Ruskin (April 9, 1990); 2010 = Jesse English, David Herndon, Jason Heyward, Austin Jackson, Carlos Monasterios, Logan Ondrusek, James Russell, Scott Sizemore (April 5, 2010)
• Latest Debut: 1990 = Glenn Sutko (October 3, 1990); 2010 = J. C. Boscan (October 1, 2010)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1990 = Rich Garces (born May 18, 1971, or 19 years, 123 days old); 2010 = Starlin Castro (March 24, 1990, or 20 years, 44 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1990 = Dar Smith (July 29, 1960, or 30 years, 51 days old); 2009 = Hisanori Takahashi (April 2, 1975, or 35 years, 5 days old)
• Shortest Career (1 Game only): 1990 = Jeff Richardson (0.1 innings, two batters faced), Dave Liddell (one plate appearance, one hit, ended his career with a perfect 1.00 batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, and an OPS of 2.000); 2010 = J. C. Boscan, Rob Delaney, Steve Hill, James Houser, Jeff Marquez, and Jay Sborz each have only one MLB game under their belt.
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1990 = Luis Gonzalez and Frank Thomas (19 seasons each); 2010 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2010, just like in 1990, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

1991 Topps Major League Debut 1990: Dave Liddell, Jeff Richardson.
At least both Dave Liddell and Jeff Richardson have cards in the 1990 set. Who knows what the future will bring for the 203 players who first appeared in 2010. Most might never play in the majors again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. A set like this would give them an albeit slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Later on this week, I will post my picks as to who I think will make the 2010 Topps All-Star Rookie team. There will be a contest involved. Details to come soon. jba

The People Have Spoken...Bring Back the MLB Debut Set!!!

Whether it is because I left the poll open for so long, or there are a lot of readers feel strongly about the issue, but apparently many agree with me that they would like to see the return of the MLB Debut set.

A total of 128 people voted on this issue. Here are the results:

• 89 people (69%) would like to see a Topps Major League Debut set featuring players who debuted in 2009.
• 23 people (17%) on the other hand, did not.
• 10 people (7%) don't really care either way.
• 5 people (4%) gave up, considering that UD has Weiters locked up anyway.

It's funny that since the announcement was made that Topps was now the exclusive baseball card company for MLB, nothing has been said regarding how many baseball products Topps will be making in 2010, or what (if any) changes are there to the Rookie Card rule. These are the only things I can think of that would hold back a set of this caliber.

Hopefully one day, we'll see the return of the Debut set, giving those players who might never again play in the big leauges a chance at cardboard immortality. Thanks to all who voted.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Comparing the Major League Debut Classes of 1989 and 2009.

1990 Topps Major League Debut 1989: Steve Finley, Ken Griffey, Jr., Omar Vizquel.
The year was 1990. Topps Magazine Issue #1 (Winter 1990, with Jose Canseco on the green-bordered 1990 Topps designed cover) was unleashed upon the masses. Before the Internet became mainstream, before blogging, during the time the number one source in the hobby was actually revered and the price guide mostly relevant, finally there was a magazine for those of us who loved Topps cards. I remember seeing this magazine for the first time at the Phar-Mor (they don't make them anymore in Chicago) and wanting to buy it right there and then. I was only immersed in the hobby for two years at this time, but something instinctively told me to buy it ($2.95 back then).

Anyway, in amongst the stories previewing the upcoming 1990 Topps Baseball set (and the rainbow colored borders pictured in the poster checklist), on page 8, in the "Topps in the Field" section, just above the article about the 1990 Topps George Bush card, was a story headlined "V.S.O.P" or Very Special One-Time Performance. It went on to say that (as of 1989) over 13,000 players have played in the Major Leagues. And whether this player played in one inning in one game in their ML career, or went on to a Hall of Fame career, each one of them had one thing in common, that major league debut. So with that in mind, Topps created a new baseball card set called "Major League Debut." The first edition utilized the brand new 1990 Topps design, (with an awesome shade of crimson), and each card in the 152 card set (including two checklists) honored the 150 rookies that made their major league debut in 1989.

Everyone from Ken Griffey, Jr. (who debuted on April 3, 1989 and was one of three players to make his debut that day) to Gary DiSarcina (who made his first appearance on September 23, 1989, the last player to debut that season) was included in this set. Twenty-three players would go on to become All-Stars at some point in their careers. We'd all get to know their names on a regular basis like Sammy Sosa, Albert Belle (known then as Joey), Larry Walker, Robin Ventura, Andy Benes, Juan Gonzalez, Greg Vaughn, and more were part of this set. Players who had high expectations, but eventually faded from the spotlight (Jerome Walton, Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens, Ben McDonald) were also here. This was the only set that would have Topps cards of Yankees pitcher Bob Davidson, and Joe Skalski of the Indians, Larry Arndt of the Athletics. And if you're asking who these last three guys are, let's just say that they are among the few players whose major league career lasted no more than two games (and in the case of Davidson, just one inning in one game).

Combined, the debutantes of 1989 (as of the end of the 2009 season), combined for 67 All-Star Game appearances, 6,497 home runs, 25,661 runs batted in, 3,319 stolen bases, and a batting average of about .266. Pitchers who debuted in 1989 have gone on to a combined record of 2068-2004, saved 931 games, completed 276 games, faced 154,862 batters, struck out 24,689 of them, gave up 3,687 home runs, and had a cumulative ERA of 4.20.

Regardless of how their careers turned out, all of them debuted in 1989.

It is now 2009. Four teams were formed since then. The Milwaukee Brewers, long a franchise in the American League, was now a National League team. At any given point during the season, there were 750 players on active rosters (not counting those on the disabled list). And in amongst the shuffling of talent, 204 baseball players, some who've toiled in the minors for a very long time, finally got to step onto the field of a major league stadium for the very first time and play at least one inning of major league baseball. Seventy-six of them were position players, the other 128 stepped onto the pitcher's mound for the very first time. Of the 204, one was born in 1989 (Madison Bumgarner), and the oldest player to debut was 40 years old (Ken Takahashi).

The 2009 debutantes combined for one All-Star Game appearance (Andrew Bailey), 183 home runs, 840 runs batted in, 188 stolen bases, and a cumulative .250 batting average. Pitchers went 264-301 with an ERA of 4.72, striking out 3,730 batters, and saved 33 games (26 by Bailey).

Just for fun, let's compare both classes:

• Players making debut: 1989 = 150; 2009 = 204
• Position Players/Pitchers: 1989 = 80/70; 2009 = 76/128
• Earliest Debut: 1989 = Steve Finley, Ken Griffey Jr, Omar Vizquel (April 3, 1989); 2009 = Jordan Schafer (April 5, 2009)
• Latest Debut: 1989 = Gary DiSarcina (September 23, 1989); 2009 = Matt Pagnozzi (September 29, 2009)
• Youngest at time of Debut: 1989 = Wilson Alvarez (born March 24, 1970, or 19 years, 122 days old); 2009 = Madison Bumgarner (August 1, 1989, or 20 years, 38 days old)
• Oldest at time of Debut: 1989 = Paul Wilmet (November 8, 1958, or 30 years, 259 days old); 2009 = Ken Takahashi (April 16, 1968, or 40 years, 16 days old)
• Shortest Career (1 Game only): 1989 = Bob Davidson; 2009 = Fernando Rodriguez, Esmil Rogers, and Carlos Corporan each have only one MLB game under their belt.
• Longest Career, Seasons: 1989 = Griffey Jr & Vizquel (21 seasons each as of 2009); 2009 = only time will tell.

Of the players from the debut class of 2009, just like in 1989, there could be some Hall of Fame candidates. Most may go on to All-Star caliber, or very long careers in the bigs. And for some, this may be their only year in the majors. But all of them can say that they achieved their dream of being a Major League Ballplayer.

And nothing can take that away from them.

I've clamored before about wanting to bring back the Major League Debut set. But I know in today's age of exclusive contracts and rookie card restrictions that a set of this type might never see the light of day again. And although I have a feeling that many collectors would not want to get a set that might have stars but plenty of "never will be's" amongst them, a set like this could contain the only card of a player who played in one inning of major league ball.

1990 Topps Major League Debut 1989: Bob Davidson.
At least Bob Davidson got a card in the 1989 set, his one inning of one game got him onto the 1989 set. Who knows what the future will bring for the 204 players who first appeared in 2009. Most might never play in the bigs again, disappearing in the obscurity of minor league baseball for the rest of their professional careers. A set like this would give them an albeit slim piece of cardboard immortality.

Oh well, I can dream, can't I???

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Don't forget to enter the contest to guess who makes the 2009 Topps All-Star Rookie team. Details are above the post and the poll. jba

Bring Back Topps Major League Debut Sets!!!

So we have the campaign to bring back Topps Stadium Club. And it looks like Topps Stadium Club for baseball is becoming more of a reality, seeing that Topps brought it back for football and basketball.

If there is any set that I want to see brought back into production from the Topps Company, it is the Major League Debut set, not seen since 1992.

We've already seen Topps '52 Rookies product not once, but TWICE!!! It's a nice touch, seeing that the company is including every player that qualifies for that Rookie Card Logo in the sets. But it's getting repetitive, and extremely confusing. The MLBPA rules state that every player that makes his major league debut qualifies for that logo. What could be better than an entire set of players who made their debuts together in the same year? Think of it...Jay Bruce, Kosuke Fukudome, Evan Longoria, John Bowker, Johnny Cueto, together in one set of just guys who debuted in 2008. You won't be seeing guys like J. R. Towles, Radhames Liz, or Luke Hochevar et. al in this set because even though they qualify for that RC logo, they debuted the year before.

I know that the MLBPA has strict rules now (players debuting after September 1 cannot be included in sets in that same year), but even they have broken that rule in the name of marketing and sales. And I know that in 2008 and 2009 the two companies can only create 17 total products each. Please Topps, make room for this one?

And just like that campaign to bring Stadium Club, I am asking to do the following to bring back this beloved set (and don't mind if it looks like I'm stealing the ideas from Trader Crack, because that's exactly what I'm doing!!! Hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right???):

1. Write a letter to Topps, asking them to bring back the MLB Debut set.
2. To emphasize the point, include a box score clipping of the game that your favorite team's player made his debut. Or even better, if you still have that copy of Topps Magazine that openly talked about how great a set this is, make a copy and mail that in as well.
3. Mail your letter to: The Topps Company Inc. One Whitehall Street New York, New York 10004-2109
4. To my fellow bloggers, please link this page, and tell the world of my cause (because you have a lot more readers than I ever will).

I will try to create a fancy logo this evening or tomorrow to add to your sites if you feel that this is an endeavor truly worth pursuing.

To the Topps Company, (I highly doubt you're reading this, but still, it's worth a shot), bring back the MLB Debut set. Replace the '52 Rookie set with this. For those of us who want to keep track of every player who debuted this season, we want this set back. These guys may never play another MLB game again, but at least allow them to be immortalized forever in an actual MLB product.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama