1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Manny Ramirez

Every team he played for had a "Manny Being Manny" story. Whether it was leaving his paycheck behind in his cleats on a road trip, or leaving the field of play to use the restroom inside the Green Monster. Manny Ramirez was a player who moved to the beat of his own drummer. Antics aside, Ramirez would show from his rookie year on that he was one of the best hitters to ever play the game.

He was a pre-season lock to be the 1994 AL Rookie of the Year, and while he didn't quite meet that expectation, there was little reason to think that he was anything less than a budding superstar. He played in just 91 games in the strike shortened season, ranking 2nd among rookies in Homers, RBI, Doubles, and hits.

Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, but attended high school in New York City. His family moved to NYC when Manny was 13 years old, and by the time he was a high school Senior at George Washington High school, he was already a legend among those that had seen his offensive prowess. His Senior year, he batted .650 with 14 homers in 22 games. He was a first round draft pick of Cleveland, and made a steady climb up the minors, hitting double digit homers at each stop along the way. Across AA and AAA in 1993, Manny hit .333 with 31 homers and 115 RBI. By 1994 he was ready for the show.

Over his 8 seasons in Cleveland, Ramirez made 4 All-Star teams, and won 3 Silver Slugger awards. He would appear in 10 different post-season series with the team, slugging 13 homers over those games. Even when not hitting, he contributed to his team's offense by scoring runs after drawing walks. While he was never mistaken for an adept fielder in left field, his bat more than made up for his limited range. His Cleveland career included over 1,000 hits and 232 homers with a .313 average. While they did not win a World Series during his time there, the team would not have been the dynasty they became in the 90s without his bat in the middle of the lineup.

In Boston, the young talent matured into a savvy veteran with very few weaknesses at the plate. During his Red Sox tenure, Manny won a batting title (2002), a home run title (2004), and a World Series MVP award (2004). He was an All-Star in all 8 seasons with Boston, and won 6 Silver Slugger awards. In those 8 seasons, he had over 1200 hits and 274 homers.

None was celebrated bigger than this one, a walk off winner in game 2 of the 2007 ALDS.

To many, Manny's time in Los Angeles was disappointing. He was not able to lead the Dodgers to a World Series, even though he hit .391 after being acquired by the Dodgers half way through the 2008 season. He would hit .500 in the NLDS against the Cubs, and .533 against the Phillies in the NLCS in a losing effort. The following season he ran afoul of the league's drug testing, and was suspended for 50 games, testing positive for a drug that can be used to mask steroid use. He would still be eligible for post season play, hitting .308 in the NLDS and a homer in the NLCS. He would run into injury issues in 2010, losing his regular role in LF. After being ejected for arguing strike one with an umpire in a pinch hitting appearance, the Dodgers placed Ramirez on waivers.

He would finish 2010 with the Chicago White Sox, then signed with Tampa Bay in the off season. He had a strong Spring Training, but struggled early in the 2011 season for the Rays. It was then revealed that he had tested positive for another PED, and Ramirez abruptly retired. He would attempt comebacks in 2012 with Oakland, 2013 with the Rangers, and in 2014 with the Chicago Cubs, but each time he ended the season without a major league at bat.

Is Manny a Hall of Famer? He's already in the Hall of Stats and the Hall of Merit - but those 2 failed drug tests seem to have made the decision for the BBWAA writers already. In his 3 years on the ballot so far, he has yet to reach even 25% of the vote.

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Second Baseman John Patterson

Ever since he was 5 years old, John Patterson wanted to be a major league baseball player. "No model airplanes, no playing the violin, no nothing else, just playing baseball." Patterson achieved that dream in 1992 making his major league debut, and a strong showing in his age 27 season for the Giants 3 years later made him a Topps All-Star Rookie.

It was a long a painful journey for Patterson, who had season ending surgery on his shoulder as a Single A minor leaguer, drafted in the 23rd round. But Patterson was not one to give up, and in the strike shortened 1994 season, he would get the opportunity for regular playing time at second base for the Giants. The team's long time mainstay at 2nd base, Robby Thomson, played in just 35 games due to nagging injuries of his own, and Patterson filled in with speed and defense to go along with some memorable hits. He hit .262 against righties in 1994, and was 3rd on the Giants in RBI.

Patterson was first drafted in January 1986 by the Padres, but he opted to stay in college, transferring from Central Arizona to Grand Canyon University, where he teamed up with Angels great Tim Salmon for two years. In 1988, Patterson would be drafted again, this time by the San Francisco Giants.

An impressive feat for Patterson - he learned to switch hit as a professional. Throughout high school and college he was strictly a right handed batter, but once drafted by the Giants, he learned to hit as a lefty as well, greatly raising his stock from a 23rd rounder to become the Giants' minor league player of the year. He was also superb defensively at second base, earning him top honors from his organization as a fielder in the minors. In college he did not run much on the basepaths, but that too became a strength in his game as a pro, stealing at least 21 bases in each stop along the way to the big leagues, peaking at 40 steals in 1991.

Making it to the big leagues was a story of incredible determination (3 shoulder surgeries), and ultimately he would be forced to leave the game he loved early because of injury. But he certainly made a big impression on his teammates when he was on the field. In 1993, his first hit of the year was a tie-breaking pinch-hit homer off the Braves' Mark Wohlers in the ninth inning. It couldn't have come at a better time for the Giants, who were trying to maintain a 4.5 game lead over Atlanta in September. Wohlers hadn't given up a homer in his previous 71 appearances.

Patterson's other peculiar skill as a big leaguer was taking one for the team- in 1994 and 1995, Patterson was hit a total of 23 times - 2nd most in the NL in 1994, and 4th most in 1995. His final MLB game would be in September of 1995, still just 28 years old. The Tampa Bay Rays signed him in 1998 following a pair of lost years, and he would finish his professional career with 31 games in Tampa's minor league system.

For some great highlights from his brief career, check out this sweet 3 minute YouTube video, including Dusty Baker in the dugout, Joe Morgan on the mic, and John Patterson showing the skills that allowed him to reach baseball's highest level.

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Catcher Javy Lopez

The 1994 Topps All-Star squad picked a great catcher for their squad, even though he played about half a season his rookie year. In 80 games for the Braves, Lopez platooned with veteran receiver Charlie O'Brien. Lopez did get the lion's share of opportunities and did not waste them.

Javy was still learning on the job behind the plate - leading the NL with 10 passed balls and allowing 66 stolen bases, catching just 23% of the runners that tried to take an extra base. But his offense was already major league ready, crushing 13 homers in those 80 games. 

Javy celebrated his 17th birthday in Ponce, Puerto Rico, then signed a contract with the Braves the next day in November 1987. He would spend 2 years in short season rookie ball, then start his steady ascent to the big leagues in 1990 with a full season at single A Burlington. By 1992, he was hitting in the mid .300s with power in AA. He would make his MLB debut in September of 1992, and after another season in the minors, his bat forced the Braves to call up the promising youngster. 

His Braves tenure included 3 All-Star appearances, and prodigious power. He would become the Braves' all-time leader for homers by a catcher with 214 round trippers. He was an MVP candidate in 2003, when he hit .328/.378/.687 with 43 homers and 109 RBI. In the Braves' World Series winning 1995 season, Lopez came up big in the NLCS, hitting .357 with a homer against Cincinnati. His 1996 NLCS was even better, hitting .542/.600/1.000 (!) 13 hits, a pair of homers, and earning MVP honors.

Following his Braves career, Lopez moved to the AL East, and took on catching duties for the Baltimore Orioles in a chaotic time for the franchise. Lopez would cite the heavy involvement of Orioles team owner Peter Angelos as contributing to the disjointed atmosphere. In his 2.5 seasons in Baltimore, Lopez had 46 homers and a .293 batting average, actually slightly higher than his Braves career average. The team did not have the same success, however, and he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in an August deal for a player to be named later. Lopez had a brief 18 game tenure in Boston and did not play in the post season. in 2007 Lopez tried to continue his career with the Rockies, but was released in March and retired.


Let's hear your favorite (or I guess least favorite if you didn't root for Atlanta or Baltimore) memories about Javy Lopez! Thanks for reading and I'd love to read your comments below.

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Left Handed Pitcher Brian Anderson

The 6'1" lefty from Ohio made a big impression in 1994 for the Angels early on. Anderson hurled 8 shutout innings against the Yankees, earning the victory, one of three straight victories to start the season. He was just a year removed from pitching in college for Wright State. If not for a fractured thumb suffered in May, he may have had a much more  impressive rookie campaign. The player's strike ended his season while he was still regaining his early season form.

His swift rise to the majors, his first round pedigree, and his early season success was enough to land him a spot on the 1994 Topps All-Star Rookie team.

Anderson had a stellar college career-- in his junior and senior season he recorded more strikeouts than innings pitched. His final season in 1993 included 98 Ks and just 6 walks. He was a 3rd Team All-American in 1992, and was the Angels' first round selection (#3 Overall) in June of 1993. He set records at Wright State for single season Ks, victories, innings pitched, and complete games.

Anderson spent little time in the minor leagues, as a college pitcher with a track record of success, there was little left for him to prove, and the Angels were anxiously awaiting his arrival. He would only pitch in 4 minor league games in 1993 before his promotion the big leagues.

The quick promotion may have prevented Anderson from developing his craft. Rod Carew is probably reassuring Anderson that at least his doesn't have to pitch to him. In 1996, Anderson was traded to Cleveland for Jason Grimsley after a pair of frustrating but solid seasons at the back of the Angels rotation.

In 1997, Anderson would get his first taste of the post season, and it suited him well. Cleveland used Anderson out of the bullpen, and he made 6 appearances including a win in the ALCS and a save in the World Series. Following this, Anderson was still a pitcher looking for a home, and he was one of the more intriguing arms available in the expansion draft for the Rays and Diamondbacks.

Anderson was the first player selected by the Diamondbacks, and became the first pitcher to toss a shutout for the team. He topped 200 innings pitched in the team's inaugural season, and led the national league with a criminally stingy 1.0/9 inning walk rate. The flip side of that stat was the league leading 39 homers allowed. Undeterred, Anderson would again shine in the post season, going 7 strong innings against the Mets in losing effort in 1999, then again performed well in 2001, limiting damage in 4 appearances, winning a game in relief in the NLCS against Atlanta, and providing a day of rest inbetween the starts from Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson in the World Series.

He would return to Cleveland in 2003, and his defense let him down, allowing 27 UNearned runs in his 23 starts. The Royals acquired Anderson for the second half, seeing the better peripheral numbers and the rotten luck. He would go 5-1 down the stretch for the Royals, finished with career bests in victories, ERA, and complete games.

He would finish his career after a UCL injury in spring training for the Rays in 2008. He had been trying to recover from a pair of Tommy John surgeries. The relationship with the Rays would prove fruitful, along with a connection to longtime Reds' announcer Marty Brennaman and has led to his 2nd career, as the announcer for Rays TV.

Anderson finished with 10 Wins Above Replacement, and an 82-83 record in 13 MLB seasons. His 1.96 career walk rate per 9 innings is in the top 100 All-time.

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Third Baseman Jose Oliva

The story of Raul Mondesi may have been a Greek Tragedy, Jose Oliva was a tragedy borne from modern times. Oliva was named to the 1994 Topps All-Star Rookie squad with just 19 major league games played. The league did not have many rookies that year playing third base, and while a case could be made for Brewers infielder Jose Valentin, Oliva was given the nod based on his sky high potential.

Oliva came to the Braves via trade, with Atlanta sending veteran pitcher Charlie Liebrandt to Texas. Oliva was a free agent in 1987 out of the Dominican Republic, specifically from baseball hotbed San Pedro de Macoris, home to Pedro Guerrero, Manny Lee, Juan Samuel, Joaquin Andujar, and Jorge Bell to name a few. More recently, stars like Miguel Andujar, Sammy Sosa, Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano came to the big leagues from this city which has a population under 200,000.

Oliva tore up the minor leagues, from the Gulf Coast League, to Butte, Montana, on down to Tulsa Oklahoma. He hit for impressive power and while he struck out quite a bit, the power numbers were legit. Oliva had no shortage of confidence and once boasted that he "could hit the Devil himself." double digit homers for Oliva in 1990, 1991, and 1992 made him an intriguing prospect for Atlanta to add to their lineup. The team had drafted the future hall of fame 3b Chipper Jones as a short stop initially, and adding power prospect Oliva to complement Ryan Klesko was intended to give the team a formidable middle of the lineup.

Oliva's minor league numbers in Richmond for the Braves surpassed everything he'd done to date, pushing his power above the 20 homer plateau in both 1993 and 1994. An injury to Terry Pendleton gave Oliva the chance to play everyday for a few weeks, and he responded with 6 homers while posting career highs for batting average and on base average with the big league club.

With Chipper Jones' arrival in Atlanta, Oliva was dealt in late August 1995 to Saint Louis, with a change of scenery perhaps giving Oliva a better shot an everyday gig. He would appear in 70 games overall in 1995, but hit an abysmal .142 at the major league level.

Oliva would spend the entire 1996 campaign in AAA Louisville, and he hit a career best 31 homers, but once again was stuck behind other established stars on the depth chart. That winter he would have a fantastic short season playing for his hometown team in San Pedro de Macoris, the Estrellas. He would spend the 1997 regular season playing in China for the Taipei, Taiwan team. He hit another 25 homers, and would return again to the Dominican Republic for another attempt to break in with a major league club. Oliva had a minor league offer from Seattle that off season, but sadly Oliva passed following a single car accident in the Dominican Republic. Oliva was survived by three young daughters.

We'll never know if Oliva could have made that come back, or what kind of MLB career he would have had. He passed away 2 months shy of his 27th birthday. 

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Ryan Klesko

With Bob Hamelin occupying the 1st Base spot already, Topps had to scramble to find a place for the National League's best rookie 1st Baseman, Ryan Klesko. Fortunately for everyone, Klesko was athletic enough to also dabble in the outfield from time to time, and was named to the 1994 Topps All-Star Rookie Team as one of the three outfielders.

He was a 6th Round selection in 1989, and by the time he reached the majors for good, he had built quite an impressive resume and was riding high on the hype train. His Rookie season included plenty of power (slugging .563) and a decent average (.278) for a rookie. He finished 3rd in the NL in the Rookie of the Year voting.

His professional debut came in 1989 with the rookie league Bradenton Braves, playing out the last half of the year after the June draft and even earning a promotion to the Class A Sumter Braves. He'd get a full season in 199, hitting 10 homers in 63 games with Sumter before being called up to High-A Durham and adding 7 more long balls. His power was his big calling card, but he did show flashes of speed and general athleticism, swiping 23 bases across the 2 levels.

1991 was spent in AA Greenville, where Klesko was not only showing power and speed.  He developed patience at the plate, walking 75 times while striking out only 60. His fine season earned another promotion, and 1992 was spent in AAA Richmond. He'd earn a September call-up in '92 and again in 1993, just as the Braves were kicking their dynasty into high gear. A lesser team might have had a need for Klesko sooner, but it was worth the wait to develop his game.

Klesko had a solid Sophomore season in the bigs in 1995, with career highs in Slugging and batting average. 23 homers and 70 RBI were just the appetizer for the post-season. He had a notoriously bad NLCS going 0 for the series, but he hit .467 in the NLDS against Colorado, and in the World Series he hit homers in 3 straight games, all on the road in Cleveland, helping the Braves capture their crown. The feat of 3 straight games with a road homer in the World Series had never been done before, and it would be a lasting legacy for the young slugger. He'd spend the rest of the 90s with Atlanta, and despite not winning another ring, he was a key part of their offense and helped the team reach the post-season every year of his Braves tenure.

He would return to the West Coast in the 2000s, his college days at Arizona State and his high school in Westminster, CA made San Diego a nice destination when he was traded along with Bret Boone in exchange for Reggie Sanders and Wally Joyner. Klesko would have a successful second half of his career with the Padres, including a return of that early speed (stealing 23 bases each in 2000 and 2001). He would make his first All-Star team in 2001, belting 30 homers to go along with those 23 steals, and slugging .539.

Klesko briefly tried to innovate a new game, Basebat, but it didn't catch on. Just kidding, it was extremely popular. Just kidding, it didn't exist. But what a fun card, yeah? Klesko had a couple more trips to post-season play with the Padres, losing to the Cardinals in the '05 and '06 NLDS. His 7 seasons in San Diego had a nearly identical stat line to his 8 Atlanta campaigns. He had more RBI and stolen bases in SoCal, but more Homers and Triples in Atlanta. Klesko also became very involved in community outreach in San Diego, heading up the team's Make-A-Wish partnership, and being the face behind Klesko's Korner, which provided tickets to families with children battling cancer.

Following a major shoulder injury that cost him much of the 2006 season, Klesko signed as a free agent for 2007 with the Giants. In his final MLB season, he'd get into 116 games as a first baseman, right fielder, and pinch hitter.

There you have his final career stats - 1564 hits, 343 doubles, 278 homers and a nice even .500 slugging percentage.  Share your favorite Ryan Klesko memories below!

1994 Topps All-Star Rookie OF Raúl Mondesí

As we continue to look at Topps All-Star Rookies, Raúl Mondesí is one who looked for all the world to be an all-time great. Is his story a tragedy? You be the judge.

Mondesí was born in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic- where baseball was big. José Rijo would precede him to the majors, and he would be followed by a flood of players including Ervin Santana, Francisco Liriano, José Guillén, Michael Pineda, Pedro Strop, Miguel Andújar, among others. By the time Mondesí arrived in the majors, he was drawing comparisons to the great Roberto Clemente for his prodigious outfield arm and the solid skills he displayed in all facets of the game. 

After signing as a free agent in 1988 with the Dodgers, Mondesí spent 2 seasons in his home country developing his skills. He made his professional debut in 1990 with the Great Falls Dodgers in the Pioneer League. At the age of 19, he hit over .300, slugged .543, and stole 30 bases in just 44 games. The following season, he was promoted from A to AA to AAA, slashing .277 / .315 / .454 combined across all levels, with an OPS+ of 149. He had a setback in 1992, playing in just 53 games due to a rash of injuries. He would return to AAA in 1993 and posted career highs in nearly every offensive category. Most importantly, Mondesí played in 110 games, proving that he could remain healthy for a full season. 

Eric Karros was the 1992 Rookie of the Year, Mike Piazza won the award in 1993, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Mondesí would follow suit in 1994. The strike shortened campaign tempered his final tallies a bit, but he posted solid numbers across all categories. 16 homers, 11 stolen bases, a .303 batting average, and a league leading 16 outfield assists. He would follow up that rookie campaign with a monster year. In 1995, Mondesí made his only All-Star appearance, won his first Gold Glove, and posted 26 homers and 27 stolen bases.

As he reached his peak years in his mid to late 20s, Mondesí would find an even higher level of production. He became the first Dodger to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in a season (1997), and continued to rack up outfield assists and a 2nd Gold Glove. All told, Mondesí hit 163 homers and stole 140 bases for L.A. in 7 seasons. He had a similar start to future Hall of Famers Billy Williams and Andre Dawson.

He was traded from L.A. to Toronto as the main piece of the Shawn Green trade, and he enjoyed a mostly productive stint over 2 and a half seasons. Injuries would start to creep in, sidetracking his 2000 season after 96 games. His average with Jays dropped from his .288 career mark to the .250s, but he continued to mix power and speed with 66 homers and 61 steals.

Following his Blue Jays career, Mondesí would bounce around to 5 different teams- New York, Arizona, Pittsburgh, the Angels, and finally Atlanta in 2005. He would conclude his career with 271 career homers, over 1500 hits, 229 stolen bases and 909 runs scored.

He returned to the Dominican Republic and ran for political office, ultimately becoming the mayor of his hometown San Cristóbal in 2010. The city was also the birthplace of the Domincan Republic´s long-time dictator, Rafael Trujillo, known for his cruelty and corruption. Mondesí did not fall into the former, but unfortunately became embroiled in a scandal involving the latter. During his playing career, he reportedly earned over $66 Million dollars on his contracts- but as mayor he was accused of misappropriating funds and embezzlement during his 6-year term. He is currently serving an 8 year prison sentence, and is barred from political office in the D.R. for 10 years. During his time as mayor, his son Adalberto Mondesí became a World Series champ with the Kansas City Royals. The younger Mondesí is still on the Royals, currently on the 10 day IL with a shoulder injury.