Random Topps Card of the Day: 1992 Topps Traded #126T B. J. Wallace

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, June 19, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1992 Topps Traded #126T.
• Player Name, position, team: B. J. Wallace, pitcher, Team USA.
• Major League Debut: n/a.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1991 stats (Mississippi State University): 19 G, 127.1 IP, 9-3, 43 R, 38 ER, 145 SO, 35 BB, 14 GS, 7 CG, 4 SHO, 2 SV, 2.69 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 2. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "In 1992, B.J. set a Mississippi State University record for Strikeouts, becoming the first pitcher in history of the school to achieve two consecutive 100-Strikeout seasons. He tied a school standard with 4 Shutouts and was co-MVP of the NCAA Midwest Regional. B.J. established a career-best with 11 Strikeouts vs. Vanderbilt in 1991."
• Commentary: With Topps as one of the sponsors for the U.S. Olympic Baseball Team, they had the rights to produce cards of each of the members of the team that would head to Barcelona. Unfortunately, the team would not win a medal in these games, finishing fourth out of the eight teams participating. But they did finish with a 5-2 record (the two losses being in the playoffs against Cuba and Japan in the Bronze medal game). But William J. Wallace performed well in the games, earning a W against Italy, striking out 14 batters in 8 innings of work in a 10-0 blowout. He was drafted by the Expos as the #3rd pick overall in the 1992 June draft. However, injuries kept him from performing to his potential, and after being on the DL for the entire 1995 season, and a short-lived comeback did not pan out the following season, Wallace did call it quits, never making it to the major leagues. He would take up coaching at the high school level. One interesting tidbit finds that in 2011, Wallace and his wife were arrested and charged "on suspicion of building a methamphetamine lab in their home." I think we'll stop there.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2011 Topps Update Series #US265. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T31 Tony Torcato

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, June 16, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies #T71.
• Player Name, position, team: Tony Torcato, third baseman, San Francisco Giants.
• Major League Debut: July 26, 2002.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (Salem-Keizer, Low A-Northwest): 59 G, 220 AB, 31 R, 64 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 43 RBI, 4 SB, .418 SLG, 14 BB, 38 SO, .291 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Giants #1st, June 1998. Bats: left. 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: "Te Giants were so enamored with Torcato's offensive potential and his sweet left-handed swing, they gambled a first round pick in the 1998 draft on the 6-1, 195-pound prep star. There were concerns about Tony's surgically repaired right shoulder and move from shortstop to third base, but results to date suggest San Francisco got a bargain."
• Commentary: The 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies set was the first "Update" set Topps had produced since 1995. When I first found out that there was a card shop near where I had worked, I had asked the man who ran the store when 2000 Topps was coming, he casually mentioned that he had 1999 Topps Traded in stock. What??! That was enough for me to make a beeline to his store. Anthony Dale Torcato is far from a bust as a major leaguer. There just wasn't room for him in the big club. In parts of four seasons in the majors, he appeared in a grand total of 43 games, hit for a combined .298 average, and drove in 3 rbi's. In the minors, however, Torcato was an everyday player, and a very good hitter. With the Bakersfield Blaze (A-California) in 1999, Torcato hit .291 with 4 home runs and 58 rbi's. He spent most of his minor league career in AAA-Fresno, waiting to be called up when necessary. Although his MLB career would end in 2005, his minor league career continued with the Chicago White Sox organization, and then with the Colonie Della Maremma Grosseto of the Italian Baseball League. He did return stateside in to play independent ball in 2008 with two teams from the Golden Baseball League. If you believe Wikipedia, Torcato is still an active player. Presently, Tony is an outfielder for the Pittsburg Mettle of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1977 Topps #640. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1991 Topps Traded #48T Luis Gonzalez

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, June 11, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1991 Topps Traded #48T.
• Player Name, position, team: Luis Gonzalez, outfielder, Houston Astros.
• Major League Debut: September 4, 1990.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1990 stats (Astros): 12 G, 21 AB, 1 R, 4 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, .286 SLG, 2 BB, 5 SO, .190 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Astros #4th, June 1988. Bats: left. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 19. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Luis was signed as a 4th round Draft selection of the Astros, June 2, 1988 by Scout F. H. 'Jug' DeFord."
• Commentary: Topps concluded their 40th Anniversary celebration with its annual Topps Traded set. With light reddish/pink backgrounds and blue text on white cardboard (depending on where it was printed...Ireland had the white card-stock), the backs of the cards were easy to read. And among the 131 players that included members of the 1991 Team USA squad was the rookie card of Luis Emilio Gonzalez. A 12-game cup-of-coffee in 1990 led the Astros brass to believe that he would be a star player for them for years to come. And he did fairly well in his first full season in Houston. With the Astros in 1991, Gonzalez appeared in 137 games, hit for a decent .254 average, hit 13 home runs, drove in 69 rbi's, and had percentages of .320/.433/.753. As the team's primary left fielder, he committed 5 errors in 305 total chances for a .984 fielding percentage. At the end of the season, Topps awarded Luis with one of the three outfield spots on their 1991 Topps All-Star Rookie team. He go on to play for the Astros for another 3+ seasons before being traded to the Cubs with Scott Servais for Rick Wilkins. But after the 1996 season, Gonzo returned to the Astros for one more season. He then played for one season with the Tigers before being traded to the fledgling Diamondbacks. Three seasons later, not only did he make his first of five All-Star teams (all with the D-Backs), but in 2001, he, and the rest of the Snakes, would take down the Yankees and win the World Series in seven games.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.20-$0.50.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 62.

Tomorrow's card will be 1996 Topps #409. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies #T71 Jeff Kent

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, March 24, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies #T71.
• Player Name, position, team: Jeff Kent, second baseman, Houston Astros.
• Major League Debut: April 12, 1992.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2002 stats (Giants): 152 G, 623 AB, 102 R, 195 H, 42 2B, 2 3B, 37 HR, 108 RBI, 5 SB, .565 SLG, 52 BB, 101 SO, .313 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Blue Jays #20th, June 1989. Signed with the Astros as a Free Agent 12/18/2002. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 18. This is his twelfth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Signing as a free agent with Houston for 2003, Jeff quickly proved he didn't need Barry Bonds in thelineup to produce, homering on Opening Day."
• Commentary: One of the disadvantages of the cards having blue borders is that any dings and dents can be seen and although scans well, you can see blemishes on other scratches that the scanner could have. Trust me the card I have looks a lot better than the scan. Jeffrey Franklin Kent found a lot of success with the San Francisco Giants. He was a 3-time All-Star, a 3-time Silver Slugger winner, he won the NL MVP award in 2000, and had just helped lead San Francisco to their first World Series since 1989. But he did have a rocky relationship with certain players on the team, and once the season ended, and the Hot Stove started to churn, Kent, the best second baseman on the free agency market, took his talents to Houston. Yes, the move would supplant long-time second baseman Craig Biggio and send him to the outfield, but now the 'Stros had extra power to support Jeff Bagwell. He did not disappoint. In the first of his two seasons in Houston, Kent hit .297 with 22 home runs, 93 rbi's, and percentages of .348/.531/.880. The following year, he was named to his fourth All-Star team (representing the host Astros) and finished the campaign with a .289 average, 29 homers, and 105 rbi's. After the 2004 playoffs, in which the Astros lost to the Cardinals in the NLCS, Kent signed on with the Dodgers, a team he would ply his services for three seasons before calling it a career.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.10-$0.30.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 43 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1986 Topps #54. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1981 Topps Traded #822 Rick Reuschel

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Thursday, January 2, 2014:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1981 Topps Traded #822.
• Player Name, position, team: Rick Reuschel, pitcher, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: June 19, 1972.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1980 stats (Cubs): 38 G, 257 IP, 11-13, 111 R, 97 ER, 140 SO, 76 BB, 38 GS, 6 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 3.40 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Cub s #3rd, June 1970. Traded by the Cubs to the Yankees 06/12/1981. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 19. This is his tenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "The ace of Cubs staff, Rick led the club in Complete Games and Srikeouts during the 1980 season."
• Commentary: This is Topps' third try at a "Traded" set, the first since 1976. With competition finally allowed to enter the baseball card market, Topps needed to find something to stand out among the crowd. At the time, each company made one set (how about that)? So for Topps, the idea of creating an "end-of-the-year" set sounded like a brilliant one. So Topps created a 132-card supplement to their 726 card set. And instead of numbering them as a new set (the way they do it now), the first card of the set is #727, making it look as if it was a continuation of the original set. After a decade with the Cubs, Rick Reuschel was traded off to the New York Yankees on June 12, 1981. The Yankees, looking for pitching help for a run at the playoffs during the strike-shortened 1981 season, sent Doug Bird, Mike Griffin (a PTBNL), and $400,000 to Chicago. Well, with the Yankees, Reuschel appeared in 12 games, 11 starts, went 4-4 with an ERA of 2.67, striking out 22 batters in 70.2 innings of work. The Yankees did make it to the postseason, and while the Bronx Bombers did go on to defeat the Brewers in a "Divisional Series," Reuschel took the loss in Game 4, in a close 2-1 contest. During the World Series, Reuschel appeared in two games, starting Game 4, an 8-7 loss, and appeared in relief during the decisive Game 6. A contract dispute with his new team plus a torn rotator cuff kept "Big Daddy" off the mound in 1982. He was released by the Yankees after the 1982 season. It didn't find long to find work...he rejoined the Cubs for the 1983 season.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.40-$1.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 29.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1997 Topps #353. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Until tomorrow everybody.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T81 Justin Orenduff Draft Pick

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, December 30, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T81.
• Player Name, position, team: Justin Orenduff, pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Major League Debut: n/a.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2004 stats (Virginia Commonwealth): 15 G, 100 IP, 5-5, 33 R, 27 ER, 129 SO, 34 BB, 15 GS, 3 CG, 5 SHO, 1.18 WHIP, 2.43 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Dodgers #1st, June 2004. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first and only Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Justin is a huge movie buff who majored in small-business management. "One of the things I'd like to do...is my own DVD/theater place," he said. First, though, he's concentrating on his Big League dream. The 33rd overall pick in the 2004 draft, Orenduff owns a lively fastball and a wicked slider .The combination helped him go 19-5 over his first two seasons at Virginia Commonwealth."
• Commentary: Justin A. Orenduff spent his professional baseball career within the Dodgers' minor league system. Upon graduating Virginia Commonwealth, Orenduff, after being drafted by LA in 2004, was assigned to the team's Rookie League franchise in Ogden, Utah. With the Raptors, Justin would appear in 13 games, ten as the starter, earn a 2-3 record with a 4.74 ERA, 57 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.626 in 43.2 innings of work. In 2005, he split time with both the Vero Beach Dodgers (High A-Florida State) and the Jacksonville Suns (AA-Eastern), earning a combined 10-5 record in 26 games (25 as the starting pitcher), even earned a spot in the Florida State League All-Star Team. From 2006-2007, he remained with the Suns, going a combined 12-7 with 167 strikeouts in 37 games before finally earning the promotion to AAA-Las Vegas. Here, Orenduff struggled, going 3-7 with a 6.55 ERA and a WHIP of 1.891. After one more run (a 15 game stint in the bullpen of the Inland Empire 66ers of the California League), Orenduff retired, albeit briefly. In 2011, he re-signed with the Dodgers, joining the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. But after nine games, an ERA of 8.74 and a WHIP of 2.118, he decided to end his career for good, never making it to the major leagues. Orenduff has found great success as a writer on both twitter (where you can follow him at @justinorenduff) and on a baseball website called Baseball Rebellion where he shares his insights on the art of pitching. According to his bio, Justin is the lead pitching instructor at ITS Baseball, Baseball Rebellions research facility.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.30-$0.75.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 1 card.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1990 Topps #539. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T147 Scott Dohmann

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, December 27, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T147.
• Player Name, position, team: Scott Dohmann, pitcher, Colorado Rockies.
• Major League Debut: May 15, 2004.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2003 stats (Tulsa, AA-Texas): 50 G, 93.2 IP, 9-4, 47 R, 43 ER, 102 SO, 29 BB, 4 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 1.31 WHIP, 4.13 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Rockies #6th, June 2000. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first and only Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "When injuries and ineffectiveness tortured the Colorado Rockies middle-relief crew in 2003, Scott became a primary option, earning multiple recalls from Colorado Springs (AAA). The former Ragin' Cajun (he helped Louisiana-Lafayette to the '00 College World Series) has led two Minor Leagues in starts, but now is being developed as a reliever. In '02, Dohmann was third in the system with 13 wins for Salem (A)."
• Commentary: Funny, how did Christopher Scott Dohmann make his MLB debut in 2004, when his Topps card says that he was called up multiple times in the 2003 season? I think it's a typo...making this an uncorrected ERROR CARD!!! Dohmann was an effective reliever for the Rockies when he was on the 25-man roster. In 41 games, he earned an 0-3 record with an ERA of 4.11 and 49 strikeouts in 46 innings of work. In 2005, although 2-1, his ERA ballooned to 6.10 in 32 games. He would be traded off to the Kansas City Royals in a deadline deal in 2006. He would soon join the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007 and would be among those that shed the "Devil" name in 2008. He would sign minor league deals with the Diamondbacks in 2009 and Dodgers in 2010, although he would never make it back to the majors. He finished his career with a 9-8 record (he never lost a decision with Tampa Bay, going 5-0), an ERA of 5.32, 166 strikeouts, 96 walks, and a WHIP of 1.598. He only has one regular (which includes cards in the traded set), but in the 2005 Topps Total set, was paired with fellow reliever Brian Fuentes.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.15-$0.40.
• How many cards of each player do I own?: 1 card.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1991 Topps #635. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1990 Topps Traded #75T Alan Mills

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, December 17, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1990 Topps Traded #75T.
• Player Name, position, team: Alan Mills, pitcher, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: April 14, 1990.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1989 stats (Prince William, A-Carolina): 26 G, 39.2 IP, 6-1, 5 R, 4 ER, 44 SO, 13 BB, 0 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 7 SV, 0.91 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Angels #1st (Special), June 1986. Traded by the Angles to the Yankees 06/22/1987. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 4. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Alan was signed as a #1 Special Draft selection of the Angels, June 10, 1986 by Scout Preston Douglas."
• Commentary: With Topps excluding the color yellow as one of the colored borders of it's 1990 product, it was no surprise that they would try to incorporate it in their traded set that year. At the time, I didn't like the idea of the transition the borders made from yellow to red and back, but looking at it now, more than 23 years later, I realize that it does make sense. Who would want to go blind looking at all that yellow? It's like staring at bright lights. And I guess Fleer didn't get the hint because all the cards in their base set was a eye-blinding shade of yellow. Alan Bernard Mills managed to impress the Yankees brass enough to make the huge leap from Single-A to the Opening Day roster. If you look at his stats in Prince William (where he did spend two-and-a-half seasons), he was extremely dominant. His stats in 1989 alone were enough to promote him to the Florida State League. However, the success in the minors didn't translate to success in the majors. In 36 games, all relief appearances, Mills would earn a 1-5 record, sport an ERA of 4.10, strike out 24 hitters, and earn a WHIP that was just a shade under 2 (1.944). He spent most of the following season in the minors, with the Yankees' AAA team in Columbus. But when he was called up to the main squad, he once again struggled. It was after being traded to the Orioles when Mills would find his stride. He would spend nine seasons in Baltimore, appearing in 346 games for the O's, while earning a 32-21 record, 14 saves, striking out 354 of the 2106 batters he faced in 480 innings of work. Unfortunately, as a middle reliever in the 90's, he wouldn't get much in terms of cardboard love. His last Topps card appearance was in the 1994 Topps set.
• Beckett value: $0.02-$0.10.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 5 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2009 Topps #375. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1991 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1991 Topps Traded #T91 Tony Phillips

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, December 4, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1991 Topps Traded #T91.
• Player Name, position, team: Tony Phillips, pitcher, Team USA.
• Major League Debut: n/a.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1991 stats (University of Southern Mississippi): 34 G, 122.2 IP, 6-4, 47 R, 27 ER, 87 SO, 33 BB, 7 GS, 3 CG, 1 SHO, 13 SV, 1.98 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first and only Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "A submarine pitcher, Tony was named to Collegiate Baseball's All-American First Team in 1991. He led Southern Mississippi in Innings, Saves, and ERA. Tony sat out the 1990 season after transferring from William Carey College where he had 8 Wins and 13 Saves in 2 campaigns."
• Commentary: This is the third Team USA card the Randomizer has picked from this set, the first since May 8, 2010. Not to be confused with Keith Anthony Phillips who played in the majors for 18 years, Anthony Lane Phillips was a pitcher who impressed Team USA officials enough to add him to the National Squad for 2001. Originally drafted by the Mets in the 19th round of the 1990 MLB free-agent draft, he opted not to sign with the team and played one more season at Southern Miss. The Mariners would draft him in the following year, also in the 19th round. As a member of Team USA, Phillips appeared in 15 games, earned a 2-1 record, recorded two saves, had an ERA of 1.65, and struck out 18 batters in 27.1 innings of international competition. In his lone plate appearance, he hit a solo home run, which means that with a 1.000 OBP and 4.000 SLG, his OPS was a phenomenal 5.000. While Phillips never made it to the majors, he did have a productive six-year run in the minors, which included stays within the Mariners, Brewers, and Athletics minor league systems. He retired from playing after the 1997 season and has had a pretty good post-baseball career. He graduated William Carey University with BS in Speech Communications. For a time, Phillips was mayor of Petal, MS. He served as MS Energy Services Coalition Co-Chair and on the National Energy Services Coalition Education Committee. Although still living in Mississippi, he presently works as a Account Executive for a lighting solution and design firm based in Nashville, TN.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 1.

Tomorrow's card will be 1978 Topps #670. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Hope you will be too.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1988 Topps Traded #92T Jose Rijo

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, November 26, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1988 Topps Traded #92T.
• Player Name, position, team: Jose Rijo, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: April 5, 1984.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1987 stats (Athletics): 21 G, 82.1 IP, 2-7, 67 R, 54 ER, 67 SO, 41 BB, 14 GS, 1 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 5.90 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Yankees as a Free Agent 08/01/1980. Traded by the Athletics to the Reds 12/08/1987. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 17. This is his sixth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Jose led Florida State League with 15 Wins, 1.68 Earned Run Average and 1 Complete Games while tying for lead with 4 SHO at Fort Lauderdale in 1983."
• Commentary: Here is something you may (or may not) have known about the career of Jose Antonio (Abreu) Rijo. On hte day he made his MLB debut, the left fielder for the Yankees was veteran Lou Pinella. It would be only less than six seasons later that the two would reunite, this time with Pinella being the Reds' manager. How is that for trivia. When I was growing up, I liked reading the "This Way to the Clubhouse" blurb on the backs of the 1988 Topps cards (when there was room on the back). If the transaction happened fairly recently, I could get the all the cards of the players involved and make them walk (move them) to their new team. When I was able to buy the traded set, I actually took the base cards and the traded cards and compared the cards of the players with their old teams and then with the new ones. After three seasons with Oakland, the A's sent Rijo and pitcher Tim Birtsas to Cincinnati for outfielder/designated hitter Dave Parker. While the Cobra helped get the A's to the AL pennant (for three straight seasons), Rijo was finally getting acclimated to the Queen City. In his first season with the Reds, Rijo earned a record of 13-8, with an ERA of 2.39 (his career best), struck out 160 batters, and had a WHIP of 1.130. From 1988 through 1995, Rijo would have a record of 92-57, a 2.71 ERA, strikeout 1201 of the 5636 batters he'd face, a WHIP of 1.168, become an All-Star, win 3 games during the 1990 playoffs, including two in the World Series, and be named the 1990 World Series MVP. In 1996, he suffered a serious elbow injury that knocked him out for the entire campaign. Actually, the injury, which required Tommy John surgery, kept him off the field for five full years. He finally made his comeback with the Reds in 2001 as a reliever. After two seasons, his elbow troubles returned, and Rijo finally decided to retire as a player. Funny enough, during his five-years away, he wound up on the 2001 Hall of Fame ballot, and earned a vote out of 515 cast. He was back on the ballot in 2008, and received no votes.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 23 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2011 Topps #519. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2011 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T46 Victor Zambrano

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, November 19, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies #T46.
• Player Name, position, team: Victor Zambrano, pitcher, New York Mets.
• Major League Debut: June 21, 2001.
• Last Line of Statistics: 2003 stats (Devil Rays): 34 G, 188.1, 12-10, 97 R, 88 ER, 132 SO, 106 BB, 28 GS, 1 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 1.44 WHIP, 4.21 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Yankees as a Free Agent 08/19/1993. Traded by the Devil Rays to the Mets 07/30/2004. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 4. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Victor is known for pitches with exceptional break, so much so that finding the strike zone can be a challenge for him. He posted a splendid 22-17 record with the Devil Rays in the year and a half before his trade, even though he led the American League in wild pitches, walks and hit batsmen. "Victor has an uncanny ability to work out of a jam," explained Devil Rays manager Lou Pinella."
• Commentary: Eventually, and I swear I'll get around to it, I will have to go over all the Random Card of the Day posts and keep track of which cards have already been used. Why? Because this specific card from 2004 Topps Traded and Rookies, was already a previous subject for a Random Card of the Day (December 12, 2012). Which is just as well. Both kids are sick and I promised my daughter that I'd leave the laptop at home so she can play on the net. I can live with that. Personally, I'm not feeling too well either, but after getting some rest (and taking some medicine), I should have no problems getting going. So here's what I wrote last year for Victor Manuel Zambrano's traded card. As the Devil Rays were the doormat of the AL East for the earlier part of their existence, it would not be a stretch to believe that many players would have been happy to get out of there. Zambrano probably wasn't one of them. He was doing rather well for himself down there, going 35-27 with 372 strikeouts, an ERA of 4.47, and a WHIP of 1.491 in 135 games, 61 of them starts. But just before the trading deadline, the Devil Rays sent him and Bartolome Fortunato to the mets in exchange for Scott Kazmir and Jose Diaz. With the Mets, Zambrano went 2-0 down the stretch in 3 starts. While the Mets didn't make the playoffs that year, Victor was slated to be in the Mets rotation for 2005. He didn't fare so well that year, with a 7-12 record and 4.17 ERA. Tommy John surgery knocked him out after May in 2006. Zambrano signed on with the Blue Jays, but couldn't find the success he did at Tampa Bay. In 2008, he spent the year with both the Rockies and Yankees minor league systems, and after two years playing in Taiwan and the Mexican League, he retired from baseball.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 6 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1988 Topps #145. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1988 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1982 Topps Traded #108T Lonnie Smith

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, November 5, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1982 Topps Traded #108T.
• Player Name, position, team: Lonnie Smith, outfielder, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: September 2, 1978.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1981 stats (Phillies): 62 G, 176 AB, 40 R, 57 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 21 SB, .472 SLG, 18 BB, 14 SO, .324 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Phillies #1st, June 1974. Traded by the Phillies to the Cardinals 11/20/1981. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 15. This is his fourth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Lonnie batted .600 (3-for-5) with 2 Runs and one Stolen Base vs. Astros in the 1980 N.L. Playoffs."
• Commentary: I don't remember who said it. I don't remember where I was when it was said. For that matter, I'm not sure if it was actually said the way I remember it. What I do remember is that somebody on the radio said (something to the effect of), "Every team Lonnie Smith has played for has been a winner." Now I know that can't be literally true. I am sure he played for a few teams that were closer to the bottom to the standings than the World Series. But then I started to look. Up until that time (this had to be around 1989-1990), Lonnie Smith played for the Phillies, Cardinals, and Royals. All three of those teams won a World Series title with Smith on the roster (the 1980 Phils, the 1982 Cardinals, and 1985 Royals). At the time this was pointed out, Smith was a member of the Braves, For those around during the mid-late 80's, you'll remember the Braves not as the perennial NL Division Champions (whether it be the West or East), but as the NL West doormats. The team finished in last place in 1990, and from 1985-1990, the team finished no higher than fifth. Further back, from the time the Braves lost the NLCS in 1969 to the Mets, to the time they lost to the Cardinals in 1982, the team finished fifth or last eight times, including four straight years in the basement. This team couldn't win, and here was Lonnie Smith, patrolling left field at Fulton County Stadium. He held his own though, hitting .302 with 33 home runs and 130 rbi's from 1988 to 1990, with percentages of .390/.480/.870. This could have been the first team that he plays for that fails to make it to the playoffs during his tenure. But then 1991 happened. You know the rest. The Braves won the division, and made it to the World Series, ensuring Smith's continuing legacy. No, the Braves lost in 1991, but it didn't matter. The foundation was there, and Smith was along for the ride. But this is not about Smith during the 1991 campaign. After playing for parts of four seasons with the Phillies, Smith was involved in a three-team, five-player deal that saw him wind up in St. Louis after the 1981 season ended. In his first season in a Cardinals' uniform, Smith adjusted rather well to the team's philosophy of speed and defense. In 1982, he hit for a .307 average, scored a league leading 120 runs, belted 8 home runs, drove in 69 rbi's, and stole 68 bases. His contributions helped lead the Cardinals to the playoffs. During the 1982 World Series against the Brewers, Smith hit .321 with score six runs, and help the Cards win their first title since 1967. He truly was a winner on the field. 
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.20-$0.50.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 26 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1996 Topps #403. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1996 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T28 Nate Bump

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Saturday, October 26, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies #T28.
• Player Name, position, team: Nate Bump, pitcher, San FRancisco Giants.
• Major League Debut: June 28, 2003.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1998 stats (San Jose, A-California): 11 G, 61.2 IP, 6-1, 13 R, 12 ER, 61 SO, 24 BB, 11 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 1.75 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Giants #1st, June 1998. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 3. This is his second Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "The Giants may have struck gold with this savvy righthander. San Francisco's first round pick in the 1998 draft, Bump has shown excellent command and location of his above-average fastball and a high-80s cutter that he consistently gets under left-handed hitters' fists. Further, refinement of his breaking ball is all Nate needs to keep moving up."
• Commentary: In trying to find information on Nathan Louis Bump, a pitcher who actually made it to the majors with the Florida Marlins in the mid-00's, I was channeling another famous Mr. Bump...
  
  
  
  
  That's right. Because while there have been players surnamed Strong, at least 19 men named or nicknamed Happy, and yes there have been baseball players named or nicknamed Bump, only one man can presently claim to have this unique surname. But unfortunately, Nate Bump had a lot in common with his cartoon namesake. Two shoulder surgeries and a couple of hit balls to the elbow sidelined him for portions of his playing career. Although a Giants high draft pick, he was traded to the Marlins in 1999 for playoff hero Livan Hernandez. During his brief run in the mid 2000's with the Florida Marlins, Bump would achieve a record of 6-7. an ERA of 4.68, 79 strikeouts, and one World Series ring (with the 2003 team...darn it). But even though he last saw action at the big league level in 2005 (and his last Topps card appeared in the 2006 set), he was still travelling through the minor league systems of the Tigers and Phillies from 2006 through 2011. He last saw action with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and was released after the 2011 season.
• Beckett value: $0.07-$0.20.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 4 cards.

Tomorrow is Retro Sunday, the one day of the week that we feature a card from 1951-1975. The card we will feature tomorrow is: 1959 Topps #248. Come back at 1:00 PM CST to see who (or what) it is.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1989 Topps Traded #124T Gary Ward

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Friday, October 25, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1989 Topps Traded #124T.
• Player Name, position, team: Gary Ward, designated hitter-outfielder, Detroit Tigers.
• Major League Debut: September 3, 1979.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1988 stats (Yankees): 91 G, 231 AB, 26 R, 52 H, 8 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 24 RBI, 0 SB, .312 SLG, 24 BB, 41 SO, .225 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Twins as a Free Agent 08/29/1972. Signed with the Tigers as a Free Agent 04/23/1989. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 15. This is his thirteenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Gary delivered 3-run pinch-Home Run in 10th inning providing Yankees with 7-4 win vs. Tigers, 9-8-88."
• Commentary: Released by the Yankees after the first week of the 1989 season (April 16), Gary Lamell Ward still believed that he could still be a productive player in the majors. So after a week off to clear his mind a bit (and for those of us who have been unemployed know the feeling), he signed on with the Detroit Tigers. He quickly showed that he could still produce. Although his All-Star days with the Twins and Rangers were behind him, Ward covered all three spots in the outfield as well as fill in at DH. In 1989, he hit for a .251 average with 9 home runs, 29 rbi's, and percentages of .300/.400/.700. The following year he hit .256, and although his home run total remained at 9, he drove in 17 more runs than the previous year. Granted free agency in 1990, and unable to sign on with any team, Ward retired from the game, and watched his son, Daryle, follow in his big league footsteps. Gary Ward is back in the minors now, moving up the ranks as a hitting coach in the White Sox farm system. In 2013, he was the hitting coach for the Double-A Birmingham Barons, and is being considered for the same role for the big league team in 2014.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.01-$0.05.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 17.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1999 Topps Traded and Rookies T28. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1981 Topps Traded #843 Jason Thompson

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 22, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1981 Topps Traded #843.
• Player Name, position, team: Jason Thompson, first baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Major League Debut: April 23, 1976.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1980 stats (Angels): 102 G, 312 AB, 59 R, 99 H, 14 2B, 0 3B, 17 HR, 70 RBI, 2 SB, .526 SLG, 70 BB, 60 SO, .317 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Tigers #4th, June 1975. Traded by the Angels to the Pirates Yankees 04/01/1981. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 11. This is his sixth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: n/a.
• Commentary: A two-time All-Star with the Tigers in the late 70's, Jason Dolph Thompson found himself traded to the Angels on May 27, 1980 for rightfielder Al Cowens. He would be traded just before the end of spring training in 1981 to Pittsburgh in exchange for Mickey Mahler and Ed Ott. During the strike-shortened season, Thompson appeared in 86 games, hit for a .242 average with 15 home runs and 42 rbi's. It would be the following year that he would prove that the Bucs received the better end of the trade. In what would be his third All-Star season, Thompson hit .284 with 31 home runs, 101 rbi's, 100 walks (becoming the third player in Pirates history with 100 rbi's and walks during the same season) and had percentages of .391/.511/.902. He finished with a .993 fielding percentage, committing 10 errors in 1510 chances. During his stay in the Steel City, Thompson hit for a cumulative.259 with 93 homers, 354 rbi's (the same number or rbi's he drove in with Detroit), and an .808 OPS. In 1986, he was traded to the Montréal Expos. After 30 games in which he hit for a .196 average, and with a young up-and-comer named Andres Galarraga taking over the reins at first base, Thompson was released, thus ending his MLB playing career.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 12 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2004 Topps #256. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2004 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1990 Topps Traded #67T Mike Marshall

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Monday, October 21, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1990 Topps Traded #67T.
• Player Name, position, team: Mike Marshall, first baseman, New York Mets.
• Major League Debut: September 7, 1981.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1989 stats (Dodgers): 105 G, 377 AB, 41 R, 98 H, 21 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 42 RBI, 2 SB, .408 SLG, 33 BB, 78 SO, .260 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Dodgers #6th, June 1978. Traded by the Dodgers to the Mets 12/20/1989. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 11. This is his tenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "His first 5-Hit major league game: 4-22-84. He belted 100th major league Home Run: 7-17-87. He belted 1st World Series Home Run: 10-16-88."
• Commentary: After nine seasons, a .271 average, 137 home runs, 484 rbi's, an All-Star Game selection, and one World Series title, the Los Angeles Dodgers traded Michael Allen Marshall (not to be confused with the pitching workhorse Michael Grant Marhsall) to the New York Mets with pitcher Alejandro Pena for All-Star second baseman Juan Samuel. I'm sure he would have loved to move back to his natural first base position, after years of spending time in right field at Chavez Ravine. But they already had Eddie Murray, a player they traded for in 1989, at first. So it was off to the bright lights of the Big Apple. His stay with the Mets, however, was short lived. After appearing in 53 games from April through June 12, 1990, in which his hitting numbers included a .239 average with 6 homers and 27 rbi's, Marshall was traded to Boston for three minor leaugers. He entered 30 games for Boston, hitting a better .286-4-12. An injury riddled 1991 campaign saw him play for both Boston and the California Angels before taking his talents to Japan in 1992, where he joined the Nippon Ham Fighters for a season before calling it quits for good. Since then, he's been running around the independent leagues, working in various capacities from manager to team president, general manager, to vice president of baseball operations for four different organizations.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.01-$0.05.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 13 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1981 Topps Traded #843. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Flash back with the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1993 Topps Traded #81T Jeff Richardson

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 16, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1993 Topps Traded #81T.
• Player Name, position, team: Jeff Richardson, second baseman-shortstop, Boston Red Sox.
• Major League Debut: July 14, 1989.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1992 stats (Buffalo, AAA-American Association): 97 G, 328 AB, 34 R, 95 H, 23 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 5 SB, .399 SLG, 19 BB, 46 SO, .290 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Reds #7th, June 1986. Traded by the Pirates to the Red Sox 04/03/1993. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 1. This is his first and only Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Jeff's first major league Home Run occurred for the Reds at St. Louis, 8-29-89."
• Commentary: There were two players in the majors named Jeff Richardson (the only two players named as such) from the period of 1989 through 1993. And believe it or not, both shared the same middle name (Scott). So in effect, there were not one...but TWO Jeffrey Scott Richardson's during this time in MLB (and MiLB for that matter). Jeff Richardson of Wichita, KS, was a pitcher who appeared in only one game for the California Angels, faced two batters, the first man he faced hit a bases-clearing triple, the second grounded out (1-3). He wasn't charged with any runs (even though he did allow those three runs to score), but he never pitched in the majors again, so his final numbers include a 0.00 ERA. Jeff Richardson, born in Grand Island, NE (I didn't know they had islands in Nebraska), is the player who is seen above. In 15 games with the Red Sox, Richardson hit .208 with two rbi's during a two month stretch in the 1993 season. After May 28, he was sent down to the minors, and never returned to the major leagues. Richardson's final MLB stats include 74 games played, 171 plate appearances, a .176 average, 2 home runs, 13 runs driven in, 1 stolen base, and percentages of .235/.255/.490. Now the good news for either Richardson is that both made their MLB debuts during the time Topps created and distributed their MLB Debut sets. So regardless of how short each Richardson's career was, both men were able to get onto a baseball card and own a sliver of cardboard history.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.02-$0.10.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 2 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2008 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH15. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2008 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1983 Topps Traded #22T Terry Crowley

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 8, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1983 Topps Traded #22T.
• Player Name, position, team: Terry Crowley, first baseman, Montréal Expos.
• Major League Debut: September 4, 1969.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1982 stats (Orioles): 65 G, 93 AB, 8 R, 22 H, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB, .355 SLG, 21 BB, 9 SO, .237 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Orioles #11th, June 1966. Signed with the Expos as a Free Agent 05/24/1983. Bats: left. Throws: left.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 15. This is his fourteenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Terry delivered with 9th-inning, pinch-Grand Slammer to give Orioles 10-6 win over Royals, August 8, 1982."
• Commentary: After a three-year run with the Reds and the Braves in the mid 70's (which included a World Series title with the 1975 Reds), Terrence Michael Crowley returned to the Orioles, knowing full well that with a roster of All-Stars and future stars, that the chances of him being on the roster was not the best (he didn't make it onto the roster in 1977 as the team decided to take rookie Eddie Murray instead). Knowing that he didn't belong in the minors, Crowley tore through the International League (30 homers, 80 rbi's, and a .308 average) and after a September call-up to Baltimore, never had to play in the minors again. From 1978 through 1982, Crowley was the O's primary pinch-hitter, earning the respect from managers throughout the AL by being voted the best PH in 1979. But after the 1982 season, he was released by the O's, but the Orioles had a plan to name him a hitting instructor. He was considering the new job, thus ending his MLB career, but when the Expos called, he decided to take the job for at least one more run. In 50 games, 55 plate appearances, Crowley hit .182 with three rbi's and 2 runs scored. After the season ended, Crowley decided to retire from playing. After spending time as a hitting instructor or coach with the Orioles and Red Sox, Crowley was named the hitting coach of the 1991 Minnesota Twins, the team that went from "worst to first" and won the 1991 World Series. Eight seasons later, he returned to the O's, becoming their hitting coach through the 2011 season.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 8 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 2008 Topps #366. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 2008 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1991 Topps Traded #3T Wally Backman

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Wednesday, October 2, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1991 Topps Traded #3T.
• Player Name, position, team: Wally Backman, third baseman-second baseman, Philadelphia Phillies.
• Major League Debut: September 2, 1980.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1990 stats (Pirates): 104 G, 315 AB, 62 R, 92 H, 21 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 6 SB, .397 SLG, 42 BB, 53 SO, .292 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Mets #1st, June 1977. Signed with the Phillies as a Free Agent 01/10/1991. Bats: both. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 12. This is his eleventh Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "He belted 1st major league Home Run: 05/26/1982. His first inside-the-park Home Run: 07/31/1982."
• Commentary: By the time Walter Wayne Backman arrived in Philly, the glory days of the 1986 Mets were long over, but not Backman's ability to play the game. After a year with the Pirates, Backman moved across the state, signing with the Phillies to back up youngsters Mickey Morandini and Charlie Hayes. Backman held his own with the new team, hitting .243 with 15 rbi's and percentages (OBP/SLG/OPS) of .344/.308/.652. He would spend another year in Philly, playing in a limited role (42 games). He signed with the defending NL champion Braves, but released before Opening Day. He then signed with the Mariners, which is near his home state of Oregon. But after 10 games, and a .138 average, he was released by the M's. He subsequently retired as a player soon afterwards. Wally Backman was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 and has found success as a minor league manager. His final card as a player was in the 1992 Topps set, but he has made cardboard appearances since then. His most recent appearance was an autograph exclusive subject in the 2012 Topps Archives set as one of the Fan-Favorites. He did not appear in the base set, so his autograph card was one I had to have for my collection.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.01-$0.05.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 16 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1994 Topps #660. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1994 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1994 Topps Traded #121T Rick White

Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Tuesday, October 1, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1994 Topps Traded #121T.
• Player Name, position, team: Rick White, pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Major League Debut: April 6, 1994.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1993 stats (Buffalo - AAA-American Association): 7 G, 28 IP, 0-3, 13 H, 11 ER, 16 SO, 8 BB, 3 GS, 0 CG, 0 SHO, 0 SV, 3.54 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Drafted by the Pirates #15th, June 1990. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 4. This is his first Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "Pittsburgh's bullpen was of the committee variety in 1994, but the chairman was White, a former minor league starter."
• Commentary: Richard Allen White made the Pirates roster out of Spring Training in 1994, and made his MLB debut 3 games into the season against the Giants (a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth inning effort). He finished his rookie season with a 4-5 record, finishing 23 games, saving 6 of them. He had a respectable ERA of 3.52 to go with 38 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.274 in 43 games, 75.1 innings pitched. After another season with the Pirates, White did not return to the majors until 1998, as a member of the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His journeyman career began after two-plus seasons in Tampa Bay, beginning with the Mets (2000-2001), Rockies and Cardinals (2002), White Sox and Astros (2003, and although he ended his season in Houston, his 2003 Topps Traded and Rookies card features him as a member of the Pale Hose), Indians (2004), a return to the Pirates (2005, where he earned a 4-7 record in 71 games pitched, 23 games finished, 2 saves), Reds and Phillies (2006), a second stint with the Astros, and finally finishing his 2007 campaign with the Mariners. In 12 years, White accumulated a record of 42-54, a 4.45 ERA, 16 saves, 167 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.379 in 613 career games. Although his MLB career spanned 12 seasons, White only appears on 4 cards in Topps' regular sets (the eponymous Topps brand and the Traded/Update sets). His last appearance on any kind of Topps card was in 2005 Topps Total, a combo card shared with fellow Bucs pitcher Brian Meadows.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $0.08-$0.25.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 4 cards.

Tomorrow's card will be: 1991 Topps Traded #3T. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. We're looking back at a card from 1991 here on the blog tomorrow.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

P.S. Okay, so I promised new and improved...but couldn't figure out what to add to this. I actually had time to write a commentary with research. Maybe I'll conclude with a scan of the back of the card. Here you go. jba