Topps Baseball Card Of The Day, October 2021
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10/31/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 2004 Topps #36 Craig Wilson, Pirates
More Craig Wilson Topps Cards: 1996 2002 2003 2005 2006U 2007
Like Jayson Werth, Craig Wilson appeared on a 1990's Topps Draft Pick card. Like Jayson Werth, Craig Wilson was drafted as a catcher but made his major league impact as an outfielder. Like Jayson Werth, Craig Wilson had a lot of power.
Unfortunately for Wilson, that's where the similarities with the former All-Star and World Champion Werth end, but he still had an okay career. Most of that was spent with the early 2000's Pirates, who acquired 20-year-old Wilson (and five other youngsters) from Toronto in a megadeal for OF/1B Orlando Merced, IF Carlos Garcia and RP Dan Plesac in November 1996.
Here, the 26-year-old has just completed his second full season in the majors. Statistically, Wilson's 2003 resembled his promising 2002 campaign except his SLG rose nearly 70 points and he was drilled "just" 13 times, down from his NL-high 21 in '02.
THIS CARD: Wilson, who had one of the quietest batting stances of his time, swings away at a road ballpark that I cannot identify offhand. He appears to be going to right field here, something he did very well throughout his career.
Wilson wore #36 as a Buc; that number was repeatedly recycled by the Pirates before and after Wilson's six-season (though longtime Pirate Kevin Young had it for a while before switching.) In 2021, young RP Nick Mears claimed #36 for the Pirates.
I can't clearly make out the number of the on-deck hitter (it isn't #54; no Pirates player wore that in '03) but if it's #57, it's righty-batting RP Mike Lincoln fooling around with his lefty swing.
More from Wilson's 2003 season: he started 83 games at five different positions—more on that below—while batting mostly in the 5-thru-7 holes. On 8/13, his solo homer off Cardinals RP Cal Eldred broke a 4-4 tie and aided an eventual 6-5 win. And on 7/17, Wilson smoked a PH grand slam—the only one he ever hit in MLB—off Milwaukee's Wayne Franklin, but the Bucs still fell 7-5.
(flip) Officially, Wilson was one of three PTBNL in that Trade With Blue Jays, who'd drafted him just 18 months prior.
I can safely say Topps did not deliberately issue Wilson card #36 to match his uniform number.
Wilson is listed exclusively as an OF, but he played about the same amount at 1B in 2003. He also made 21 appearances (15 starts) behind the plate and DH'd a couple of times.
It took me several reads to understand what Topps was trying to communicate in the blurb. At first, I thought they meant Wilson was the only major leaguer ever to reach 29 homers in 530 or less at-bats. Then I realized what the company was actually saying: Of all major leaguers with 530 or less career at-bats entering 2003—a far shorter list—Wilson had the most homers.
AFTER THIS CARD: Wilson started 150 games for the 2004 Pirates and enjoyed what would be his finest MLB season (.264, 29, 82) despite being hit by a major-league high 30 pitches. His salary more than doubled to $3M for 2005, but separate finger and hand injuries** kept Wilson sidelined for huge chunks.
Wilson was enjoying a fine bounce-back 2006 campaign for the Pirates when the Yankees' Deadline trade offer of P Shawn Chacon was accepted. Initially given the 1B at-bats that had been going to the unimpressive Andy Phillips, Wilson didn't perform any better and found himself on the Yankees bench in the final weeks.
The now-30-year-old opened 2007 with Atlanta, but was let go in mid-May after going 10-for-58 with 25 K. MiLB deals with the White Sox, Reds and those old familiar Pirates 2007-08 did not lead to a big-league opportunity, nor did a 2008 sale to the Mariners. Just like that, Wilson was done in the majors, forever frozen on 99 career home runs (though he did manage exactly 100 career doubles).
Craig Wilson debuted as a Draft Pick in 1996 Topps, then appeared in the 2002-05 and 2007 base sets. He's also got a 2006 Update card as a new Yankee.
** in May 2005, Wilson tore finger tissue while swinging and underwent surgery. In July 2005, an errant Greg Maddux pitch broke his left hand.
CATEGORIES: 2004 Topps, Pittsburgh Pirates
More October 2021 Topps Cards Of The Day
10/2/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 1996 Topps #259 Rico Brogna, Mets
More Rico Brogna Topps Cards: 1992 1993 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2001T 2002
Let's be real here: if not for this profile, how many of you would have remembered Rico Brogna ever existed?
Mets and Phillies fans could probably shake Brogna from memory with a prompt or two, but among players of his era and caliber, the guy simply didn't stand out, at least not with the bat. Which isn't to knock the guy—he was a very good player for a decade in MLB.
But Brogna peaked in an era where first basemen like Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas, Andres Galarraga, Jason Giambi, Carlos Delgado and several others were putting up ridiculous offensive numbers, while his own numbers were "merely" terrific.
Here, Brogna has wrapped his first season (1995) as the Mets' primary 1B. Early in the year he shared time at the position with switch-hitting Bobby Bonilla, but eventually manager Dallas Green gave Brogna the job outright. In the season opener, Brogna drilled the very first of what is now 652 billion home runs at shiny new Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
THIS CARD: Brogna takes a cut at old Shea Stadium. His stance was similar to current Braves star Freddie Freeman's, but his swing decidedly was not. At Shea in 1995, Brogna slashed .292/.351/.510, with 13 of his 22 home runs.
Brogna wears #26, and off the bat I cannot recall any other notable Mets with that number. (That is because next to Brogna, reserve C Kevin Plawecki is the most notable Met to wear #26 during my fandom.) From 1975-76 and again from 1981-83, the much-maligned Dave Kingman slid on #26 for the Mets, blasted many homers, and whiffed at an obscene (for the times) rate.
More from Brogna's 1995 season: he led NL first basemen by fielding .998, charged with just three errors in over 1,200 chances. On 9/17, Brogna went 3-for-4 with two homers and five RBI in a home win over Philadelphia. In fact, the Mets—69-75 overall in 1995—went 14-7 in games Brogna went deep! Hopefully, someone told him that.
(flip) Brogna, in fact, was an All-American in high school who was recruited by none other than Clemson University! (Back then, Clemson wasn't making annual championship runs as it did recently, but that's still pretty prestigious.)
Brogna was selected #26 overall by the Tigers in 1988. Of the 25 young men preceding him in the draft, maybe seven had equal or better MLB careers.
Those 72 runs, 22 home runs, 76 RBI and 27 2B in 1995 all led the Mets. Not bad for a virtual rookie.
AFTER THIS CARD: Brogna's 1996 campaign was shortened by July shoulder surgery, and that November he was dealt to the Phillies for a pair of mediocre relievers. Brogna enjoyed a decent comeback 1997 season, then in 1998 he became the first Phillies 1B with 100 RBI since Bill White in 1966! In 1999, the 29-year-old batted .278, 24, 102—salient 1B numbers for just about any era except the one Brogna played.
It all went downhill for the veteran masher in 2000, however. An errant pitch broke his arm in May and when he returned in July, his job belonged to rookie slugger Pat Burrell, much to Brogna's displeasure. He soon landed with the Red Sox via waivers, but only hit .196 in 56 scattered AB and was not retained that winter.
Instead, Brogna signed with the Braves for 2001 ($1.5M plus incentives). But by mid-July, having lost playing time to newcomer Ken Caminiti and battling a lengthy slump as well as an arthritic condition, Brogna announced 2001 would be his final season. Days later, Atlanta DFA'd him, ending his MLB career at 31 (a little sooner than he planned).
Since 2010, Brogna has worked in pro baseball in a variety of roles; in 2021 he managed the Class A Stockton Ports (Athletics) to a 42-75 record.
Rico Brogna appeared annually in Topps 1992-2002, except 1994. He's also got a 2001 Traded card as a new Brave.
CATEGORIES: 1996 Topps, New York Mets
10/1/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 1994 Topps #283 John Jaha, Brewers
More John Jaha Topps Cards: 1992 1993 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Jaha, who when healthy—which, sadly, wasn't frequently—was one of the AL's steadiest power hitters across the mid-late 1990's. Because injuries curtailed and eventually ended his career, Jaha is rarely talked about today outside of Milwaukee, although he probably sneaks his way into Oakland conversations when the topic is Billy Beane's scrap heap discoveries.
But Jaha was a good, good player who probably would have hit 250-300 home runs if blessed with a body that could withstand professional baseball.
Here, he's still getting his career off the ground, but the signs were encouraging. After earning 32 starts as a 1992 rookie, Jaha started 143 games at 1B for the 1993 Brewers, finishing second on the team in runs and home runs despite not hitting his first long ball until 5/14.
THIS CARD: Jaha appears in COTD for the second time; we presented his 1999 Topps card back in February 2019.
Milwaukee busted this look out on 7/6/1993 against Texas as part of "Turn Back The Clock Day", even though you could turn said clock all the way back to the Brewers' 1970 birth and never find them wearing it. No shame in wanting to feel included and participating in a popular trend, is there? Jaha is one of several Brewers showing off the look in 1994 Topps (we presented one, Billy Spiers, in COTD back in February 2021).
Jaha wears #32; he's easily the best #32 in franchise history. RP Jeremy Jeffress had some fine years with Milwaukee, but the finest were with #21 on his back.
(flip) Jaha only hit .220 through 5/13/93, but a solid .274 thereafter.
At no point do I believe Jaha the big leaguer weighed 195 lbs. He was listed in the 220s on his final Topps cards, and even that seemed generous. Not knocking him in any way; he was just a sturdy dude.
Check out the huge years Jaha had for 1989 Stockton (A) and 1991 El Paso (AA). He earned Texas League Player Of The Year honors for the latter effort, and his .344 average was second in the league only to some 28-year-old who never reached MLB named Mark Howie.
AFTER THIS CARD: Jaha would only reach as many as 140 games twice more in his 10-year MLB career thanks to a litany of physical problems. Let's see: there was the groin injury in 1995 (two DL stints), a torn labrum in May 1997, foot and hamstring injuries in '98 which disabled him thrice, shoulder surgery in 2000, and a groin injury suffered while dodging a fastball in '01 (I thought that only happened to Mike Piazza!)
It should be said that Jaha remained healthy in 1996 and gave the Brewers 34 homers and 118 RBI while batting .300, but after two more years of aches, Milwaukee decided to move on. Jaha settled for a MiLB deal with the 1999 Athletics.
How'd that turn out? Not only did Jaha win a job, but he also hit .276, 35, 111 and made the All-Star team as Oakland's primary DH! The A's rewarded the 33-year-old with a 2Y/$6M deal that winter, but the aforementioned shoulder surgery ruined his 2000 campaign and contributed to his retirement in June 2001.
John Jaha appeared annually in Topps 1992-2001.
CATEGORIES: 1994 Topps, Milwaukee Brewers
10/3/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 1993 Topps #532 Tom Brunansky, Red Sox
More Tom Brunansky Topps Cards: 1987 1988 1988T 1989 1990 1990T 1991 1992
When I first began collecting baseball cards full-time in 1990, I had a bit of a fixation on Tom Brunansky. You see, the Cardinals of those days were composed of a load of speedy black guys who stole 50+ bases per year...with one glaring exception: Brunansky the white masher who was decidedly not good at basestealing.
As a big kid with little speed myself, I pictured myself having a role like Brunansky's one day—stand around and hit baseballs very far while the smaller guys use up their energy racing around the bases.
Best known for his six-plus seasons with the 1980's Twins, "Bruno" was a 1985 All-Star who led Minnesota in home runs three straight years (1983-85). And for good measure, he also threw out a dozen or more guys per year from his RF position. Brunansky was an absolute beast in the 1987 ALCS, powering the Twins to the World Series which they eventually won (over the Cardinals).
Here, however, Brunansky is over four years removed from his Twins days, having joined the Boston Red Sox in an early 1990 trade. He started 124 games across RF, 1B and DH for the 1992 Sox, leading the team in 2B, HR and RBI.
THIS CARD: We mentioned Brunansky's throwing arm; in 1992 he threw out six runners in 92 games, but also was charged with four errors. And despite his inning of MLB experience at the position, Boston started Brunansky 18 times at 1B in the first half while expected 1B Carlos Quintana recovered from a car wreck and future 1B Mo Vaughn developed.
More on Brunansky's throwing: he ranked 4th in AL outfield assists each year 1983-85.
More from Brunansky's 1992 season: he belted his 250th career home run in Game 2 of a 7/31 doubleheader, victimizing Baltimore's Richie Lewis. And on 6/30, he drove in his 800th career run. Using that pattern, I'm sure he did something noteworthy on 8/31, too, but I'm too behind on updates to research.
(flip) There was no misprint above; those 15 HR and 74 RBI did indeed lead the 1992 Red Sox, who were very weak on offense that year (.246, 84 HR, 599 runs). Hard to imagine given how today's Red Sox treat the bandbox that is Fenway Park.
Both of those slams powered Red Sox victories (home wins over the White Sox and Rangers, respectively). They brought Brunansky's career total up to six; he'd hit one more slam in 1994.
I never knew Brunansky was an Angels draft pick and played for them briefly. Did. Not. Know. At. All. This is partially why COTD exists; I admit to not scanning each and every last card I own in depth.
AFTER THIS CARD: Brunansky signed a 1Y/$1.1M deal with the Brewers in January 1993, and got a lot of run for them despite hitting under .200 with lacking power; he missed the final two months after straining his lower back. Somehow, Milwaukee chose to exercise Bruno's $1.1M option for 1994...only to trade him to the Red Sox in mid-June after he continued to show little offense.
In 48 games (42 starts) for Boston, the almost-34-year-old batted .237, 10, 34 and slugged .475—production Milwaukee would have gladly taken. The August strike ended the 1994 season, as well as Brunansky's pro baseball career.
After a few years as a hitting coach in the Twins' system, Brunansky served in the same role for the major league team 2013-16.
Tom Brunansky debuted in 1982 Topps Traded, then appeared annually in the base set 1983-93 (with disappointing omissions in 1994-95). He's also got 1988 and 1990 Traded cards.
CATEGORIES: 1993 Topps, Boston Red Sox
10/5/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 2008 Topps #457 Josh (Dean) Fields, White Sox
More Josh (Dean) Fields Topps Cards: 2004T 2007 2010
I love, love, LOVE when a player who outright stinks and has shown nothing to indicate that will change demands a trade. Clearly forgetting in order for a trade to happen, another club must be interested in you. Josh Fields, briefly the 3B of the Chicago White Sox until his strikeouts and defense became unsatisfactory, was one such player.
How do you even consider asking for a trade when you're fresh off a .156, 17-K-in-32-AB showing? Are teams lining up for guys like that? I'd ask for my release first as a matter of respect for my employer.
Here, Fields has just completed his first extended major league run, taking over at 3B after Sox incumbent Joe Crede underwent back surgery in June 2007 (Fields shifted to LF for a few weeks late in the year, however). Fields took a while to warm up but found his stroke in August, during which he enjoyed a burst of four homers in four games 8/10 to 8/14.
THIS CARD: Though some players, such as Anthony Gose this past season, convert to pitching after falling short as a major league hitter, Joshua Dean Fields was not one of them. Joshua David Fields, big league reliever 2013-18, is an entirely separate dude.
Welcome back to the fold, 2008 Topps! We hadn't had a COTD selection from that set since May of this year. I'd like to do some tweaking to the random selection process to reduce the odds of such gaps, which means I probably will in August 2023 or something.
I may not be high on Fields, but this is one of my favorite front images in my entire 46,000+ card collection. Later on, in my baseball/softball days, I tried to recreate this angle and sky whenever doubling as a photographer. Never quite could.
(flip) No, Frank Thomas was not one of those rookies, but only because he was called up halfway through his rookie season and lost official status. Jose Abreu didn't come up for another seven seasons. The answers are (through 2007) Ron Kittle (35, 1983) and Zeke Bonura (27, 1934). Since then, Abreu (36, 2014) and Daniel Palka (27, 2018) have passed Fields.
We mentioned Fields' strikeout issues above; now viewing his stats, one might think 125 K in 373 AB is par for the course with power hitters. But it was a different time in 2007-08; guys like 2021 Matt Chapman would have been quickly iced for batting .210 with 202 K in 529 AB, not awaiting contract extensions.
How bright was Josh's future? From manager Ozzie Guillen the next year, after Fields questioned said future with Chicago: "Oh, you better be careful for what you say and what you wish. It's not my fault that we brought [Gordon] Beckham here. If [GM] Kenny [Williams] brought Beckham here, it's because Josh Fields was not doing his job. Am I wrong?" Well, no one bats 1.000.
AFTER THIS CARD: Crede resumed his role as White Sox 3B in 2008, leaving Fields back in AAA until callups in late July (for about 10 days) and again in September. Despite the aforementioned statline and his remarks, Fields did get one more shot as Chicago's 3B to open 2009. But after two months, he was back on the bench and received most of his run as a PH/1B going forward. The Sox traded Fields to Kansas City (for Mark Teahen) that fall.
Fields missed the bulk of the year (hip surgery), but returned to go 15-for-49 (.306) with three homers for the Royals in September. That represented his final MLB action; a partial season in Japan and a few MiLB deals followed until Fields' playing career finally ended in 2013.
Josh (Dean) Fields debuted in 2004 Topps Traded as a Draft Pick, then appeared in the 2007, 2008 and 2010 Topps sets.
CATEGORIES: 2008 Topps, Chicago White Sox
10/6/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 2004 Topps #502 Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
More Brandon Webb Topps Cards: 2003T 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
48 hours before talented young righty Logan Webb prepares to open the 2021 NLDS for my San Francisco Giants, we present to you another pretty good Webb—Brandon (no relation).
Actually, for a time Brandon Webb was more than just "pretty good". He was the 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner and a three-time All-Star who simply pounded batters into submission with his 90-MPH sinker. (Think Kevin Brown, only far more likable.) Webb was good enough to have perhaps challenged for a spot in Cooperstown one day, had his arm held up...more on that later.
Here, Webb is fresh off a debut season that saw him place third in NL Rookie of the Year voting (behind Dontrelle Willis and Scott Podsednik) and 10th in strikeouts. The Diamondbacks sorely needed Webb's contributions, as co-aces Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were limited by injuries.
THIS CARD: Webb goes after the Giants at the former Pacific Bell Park, where he started twice in 2003. He won on 9/5 and took a ND in a 7/24 loss, allowing a total of three earned runs in 15 innings.
In addition to the sinker, Webb also featured a tough curve (which I believe we're seeing here) as well as a fine changeup.
Yes, Webb wore #55 as a rookie before switching to his more-familiar #17. Personally, I'd retire that number in his honor in spite of his abbreviated career—he was that damn good.
More from Webb's 2003 season: he opened the year with AAA Tucson but was called up when Johnson's knee misbehaved; after a relief appearance 4/22, Webb slid into the rotation and didn't leave for six seasons. In August, Webb reached double-digit K's in three of six starts despite not going past seven innings in any of them!
(flip) That lone 2003 SHO came 6/28 at Detroit; Webb scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out a pair in a 102-pitch beauty. He was the first Arizona rookie to fire a shutout, and according to MLB.com, only two of his 27 outs recorded were in the air!
Among NLers, only Jason Schmidt (Giants, 2.34) Brown (Dodgers, 2.39) and Mark Prior (Cubs, 2.43) topped Webb's 2003 ERA.
I've got to do a better job A) scouring the blurbs on my older Topps cards, and B) retaining what I find. I'd have never remembered/known about that bizarre-yet-amazing August stat if not for COTD; Webb should have channeled Satchel Paige and sat his outfielders around the mound!
AFTER THIS CARD: Webb missed not one start through the 2008 season, winning 87 games (including 22 in 2008), earning two Cy Young Award runner-up finishes in addition to the 2006 win, and helping Arizona back to the playoffs in 2007.
What I'm trying to tell you is Webb, despite his high walk and wild pitch totals, was among THE very best pitchers in the game for six years. Arizona recognized this by extending him for 4Y/$19.5M in January 2006.
In his potential walk year of 2009, however, Webb started for Arizona on Opening Day and was pounded. He quickly hit the DL with a bad shoulder and underwent August surgery that kept him out all of 2010 (in spite of the surgery, Arizona picked up his $8.5M option for 2010). By year's end, Webb was throwing to D'Backs minor leaguers and seemed to be hopeful of a comeback.
Texas signed Webb for 2011, but after four uninspiring MiLB starts, he underwent a second shoulder operation that July. When he still experienced pain while rehabbing in early 2013—a year-and-a-half after the surgery—Webb understandably decided to retire at 33.
After debuting in 2003 Topps Traded, Brandon Webb appeared annually in Topps 2004-10.
CATEGORIES: 2004 Topps, Arizona Diamondbacks
10/7/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 1990 Topps Traded #26 Edgar Diaz, Brewers
More Edgar Diaz Topps Cards: 1991
Edgar Diaz was a guy with the inside track to the Brewers' shortstop job back in 1987. But during Spring Training that year, he dislocated his shoulder, allowing Dale Sveum to establish himself at SS. After recovering, Diaz couldn't get so much as a September callup back to Milwaukee for three full seasons.
Here, however, Diaz has re-emerged with the 1990 Brewers—even starting 32 of their first 36 games at shortstop! He hit .259 with a .328 OBP in that role, but an anemic .288 SLG left his starting job vulnerable to takeover.
THIS CARD: PHOTOGRAPHER: "Hey, Edgar, you mind if I kneel down here by your crotch and take your photo?"
DIAZ: "Uh, I guess not?"
PHOTOGRAPHER: "Good, cuz I was going to do it anyway."
More from Diaz's early 1990 season: on 4/16, he went 3-for-4 with three RBI, a BB and two runs scored in an 18-0 win at Boston. He opened the year batting .529 (9-for-17) in his first five games!
(flip) You're just not going to find too many people named Holly Diaz running around.
Check out Diaz's numbers for 1986 Vancouver (AAA). Despite switching AAA affiliates to what had to be a friendlier hitters' atmosphere in Denver, Diaz was never quite able to reach his '86 level again. That injury must've been a doozy.
That 1989 home run was the only one Diaz ever hit as a professional. (I could not unearth who served it up.) As you see, he found himself demoted back to AA for a period in '89; Diaz probably thought that killed his chances at an MLB return.
AFTER THIS CARD: In late May 1990, Milwaukee went with the more offensively-gifted Billy Spiers at shortstop, but Diaz hung around all year as a utilityman and finished at .271 with 17 errors in 86 games. Released at the end of Spring Training 1991, Diaz kicked around the minors through 1995 without ever returning to MLB.
Edgar Diaz appeared in 1990 Topps Traded and 1991 Topps.
CATEGORIES: 1990 Topps Traded, Milwaukee Brewers
10/9/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 1988 Topps #725 Mike Boddicker, Orioles
More Mike Boddicker Topps Cards: 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
You again?
Here, we catch up with Boddicker following an uneven 1987 season, his final full campaign as a Baltimore Oriole. The 30-year-old was 7-4, 3.21 on 7/16, but went 3-5. 7.21 over his next 10 starts.
THIS CARD: Random selection process my butt. This is the third Boddicker card we've selected for COTD in 2021, including back-to-back months. Why we're getting so much Boddicker when I'm still waiting to select Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Juan Gonzalez, Lee Smith and so many others for the first time is beyond me.
Boddicker wore #52 throughout his entire major league career. RP B.J. Ryan is the only other notable Oriole to wear #52 over any real period of time.
More from Boddicker's 1987 season: following the aforementioned 10-start slump, he turned in two strong efforts, including a CG 2-0 loss to the Yankees 9/26. On 7/8, Boddicker threw a very rare 10-inning CG, beating the White Sox despite allowing five earned runs!
(flip) Boddicker was originally taken #8 by the Expos in 1975, but didn't sign. Mike Fitzgerald, Tim Flannery and Mike Marshall (the 1B/OF) were other notables taken in 1978 Round #6.
As you see, Boddicker finished 10-12 in 1987, but he was 10-7 before dropping his final five starts (three of which the Orioles were shut out).
1988 Topps was heavy on blurbing minor league accomplishments. Of those 55 MiLB wins, 39 came with AAA Rochester 1979-83.
AFTER THIS CARD: Boddicker was traded to the contending Red Sox in mid-1988 (for prospects Brady Anderson and Curt Schilling). He was big for Boston down the stretch that year, earned an extension, then won 17 games and a Gold Glove for the 1990 Sox (the AL East champions).
That fall, the Royals came calling, offering Boddicker 3Y/$9M in November 1990. He took it, but was only so-so for Kansas City in 1991. In 1992, he lost his rotation spot and lingered most of the year in long relief.
The Royals sold Boddicker to the Brewers in April '93; the veteran posted a 5.67 ERA in 10 Milwaukee starts and then announced his retirement mid-season. He was later elected to the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
Mike Boddicker debuted in 1981 Topps on a shared Orioles prospects card, then appeared annually 1984-1993. He's also got a 1991 Traded card as a new Royal.
CATEGORIES: 1988 Topps, Baltimore Orioles
10/10/21 Topps Baseball Card Of The Day: 2020 Topps #517 Dylan Moore, Mariners
More Dylan Moore Topps Cards: 2019U 2021U
Initially, to me, Seattle's Dylan Moore was just the latest Moore promoted to the majors solely to cause me confusion. With Adam and Andrew and Tyler still floating around pro baseball and Scott not that far removed, the last thing I needed was another marginal player named (common first name) Moore in MLB.
Then RP Sam Coonrod of my Giants beaned the hell out of Moore on 9/16/2020. And though that permanently ended any confusion on my part regarding Dylan Moore for the rest of time, the baseball gods had Houston's Brandon Bielak bean Moore again on 9/22/2020 just to be SURE his identity was driven home.
One week. Two beanings. "NO MOORE!" I'm sure Dylan shouted at some point.
Here, however, Moore has just completed his first major league season. He won a job with Seattle out of Spring Training and went on to start 67 games across SEVEN positions for Seattle during the 2019 season. Moore's overall average could have been better, but from 8/31 to 9/5 he hit in five straight games—three of them multi-hit affairs!
THIS CARD: Researching GettyImages.com, we were able to nail down the date of this pic: 6/15/19 at Oakland. The A's spanked the Mariners 11-2 that day despite a double and a run by Moore, who started at 2B.
Ironically, 80's starter Mike Moore is the most notable #25 in Mariners history. SP Chris Bosio switched to #25 in the 1990's, but he threw his no-hitter for Seattle wearing #29. Future All-Star OF Adam Jones wore #2