NOT 1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Tony Saunders

Before we move on from the 1997 Topps All-Star Rookie squad, there's just one more bit of business. As you know, the Topps All-Star Rookie trophy is placed on cards the year after a player makes the ASR roster. But a funny thing happened in 1998. There were two expansion teams, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks. For some reason, Topps decided to slap a Topps All-Star Rookie Cup on Tony Saunders' card. He did have an interesting and productive 1997 season, winning a World Series with the Marlins, and becoming the first overall pick in the 1998 Expansion Draft. 

The back of his 1998 Topps card is similarly weird. This design is a departure from the rest of the set, and I can see what they are going for. So, it's true that Tony Saunders was not a Topps All-Star Rookie. But! He is still worthy of the Highly Subjective and Completely Arbitrary treatment. His story is one worth telling, for sure.

Saunders was the #1 Overall pick in the 1998 expansion draft, but that was the first time he'd been drafted at all. He finished his senior season with the Glen Burnie High School Gophers, and had a scholarship in hand to attend George Mason University. The All-County hurler was eager to get his professional career started instead. Despite being passed over in the 1992 MLB June Draft, he attended an open tryout and was signed for $1,000 to pitch for the Florida Marlins' Gulf Coast League affiliate. 

He pitched well in Rookie ball, where he was used exclusively as a reliever. In 1993, he moved up to the Single A Midwest League, getting 10 starts and pitching to a 2.27 ERA with an impressive 2.72 K/BB ratio. The injury bug would bite hard, and Saunders underwent reconstructive surgery on his elbow, limiting him to just 23 appearances over the next two seasons combined. He flourished in 1996 with the AA Portland Sea Dogs. He had the best W-L record of his pro career, going 13-4 with a 2.63 ERA. His walks were up a bit from prior seasons, but he still had a very good K/BB ratio and was striking out batters at a rate of 8.4 K/9 innings. After a decent showing in the Arizona Fall League, Saunders would be slated to join the Marlins' rotation in 1997.

In 1997, The Marlins had just about everything fall their way en route to a World Series Championship. For Saunders, he was joining a rotation with Kevin Brown and Al Leiter, both All-Stars. The Marlins also had Alex Fernandez, who had a tremendous season, his best since his days with the White Sox. This strong veteran presence gave room for Saunders to grow and learn on the job in the big leagues. He made 21 regular season starts for the Marlins, with just a 4-6 record and a career high walk rate. The positives? He led all rookies with his 8.24 K/9 rate, had a scorching hot month of July (1.44 ERA) and absolutely owned the division-rival Braves. They hit just .176 against him in 4 regular season starts, resulting in 3 victories for Saunders. Looking on the bright side, all of the coaches and teammates agreed that Saunders had the potential to be something really special.  

His regular season success against Atlanta came in handy, when the team faced them again in the NLCS. His Game 3 start may not have set the world on fire, but for 5 and a third innings, he kept a dangerous and battle-tested lineup at bay before giving way to NLCS MVP Livan Hernandez to help shut the door.  

The Marlins' fire sale began almost immediately after lifting the Commissioner's Trophy, starting with the coaching staff. Marlins pitching coach Larry Rothschild was named Tampa Bay's new Manager, so it came as no surprise to anyone that Saunders was at the top of the Devil Rays' wish list. They made Saunders their first overall pick, and he slotted into their rotation behind the 32 year old rookie and Cuban defector, Rolando Arrojo. 

In 1998, Saunders would get a career high 31 starts and 192 and a third innings pitched. He would lead the league in Walks allowed, but still had a respectable 118 ERA+. The biggest enemy of Saunders' success in 1998 was run support. Despite having Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff in the lineup, the Devil Rays had little to offer beyond that at the plate. It resulted in the worst run support (3.5 runs per 9 innings) of any starter in the American League. Saunders had his ups and downs, but he had 21 starts in which he allowed 3 or fewer runs. It might not seem that impressive on the surface, but there were only 2 pitchers in the AL with more starts like it that season- Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens.  

Of course, the story takes a dark turn after this. Early in the 1999 season, Saunders was pitching to Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers. On a 3-2 pitch, Saunders threw wildly, allowing a run to score. But the bigger story was that the errant throw was the result of a fracture in his humerus, which left Saunders in agony. (Normally this would be a time to post a link, but I'll skip that and just say you can pretty easily find it with a youtube search, I won't make it any easier than that.) Saunders was one of four pitchers to have suffered a similar injury in that past decade or so- Dave Dravecky, Norm Charlton, Tom Browning, and John Smiley. Charlton was the only one to pitch significant innings following the injury.

Miraculously, Saunders was on the mound again in 2000, returning in July with stints in AAA and AA. He was awarded the Tony Conigliaro Award as comeback player of the year. But his arm would break a second time in August, just above the first break from a year ago. He would be out of baseball for several years before coming back in 2005 to try out for the Baltimore Orioles, coming full circle back to his Maryland roots. He did not appear in any official Spring Training games as non-roster invitee before being released. He would go on to serve as a pitching coach for a Glen Burnie, MD baseball academy in the 2000s, and even pitched an inning in the 2010 Hall of Fame Classic in Cooperstown, pitching for team Killebrew. 

Any specific Tony Saunders memories you'd like to share? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Short Stop Nomar Garciaparra

  

With some players, there's very little mystery. Will they have what it takes to perform at the highest level? Do skills at a young age translate to the big leagues? In the case of Nomar Garciaparra, it was obvious from the beginning that something special was happening. Nomar's rookie season was among the best of all-time. He was a complete player right out of the box. He was the AL leader in hits and triples. He hit .306 with 30 homers and he scored 122 runs. He stole 22 bases, while playing excellent defense at a premium position. He ran away with the Rookie of the Year award, so of course he was the selection at Short Stop for the 1997 Topps All-Star Rookie team.

He was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award, finished 8th in the MVP vote, and was a unanimous Rookie of the Year for the Red Sox. All of this came after a rough 24 games in 1996 at the big league level. That short stint was all he needed to make the necessary adjustments. He was no stranger to taking a big leap into unfamiliar waters. 

As a college freshman, Nomar was a walk-on with the Team USA Olympic baseball team. He ended up as their starting short stop, and the team finished 4th in the 1992 Summer Games. His college career at Georgia Tech was fairly impressive. He was the 1992 ACC Rookie of the Year, and his 1994 season is one for the ages. He hit .427 with 26 doubles, 11 triples, 16 homers, 73 RBI and 33 stolen bases. Not too shabby.

Nomar was selected 12th overall by the Red Sox in the 1994 MLB June draft. His first taste of pro ball wasn't overly impressive. In 28 games for the Sarasota Sox, he hit a respectable .295 with one homer and 5 stolen bases. The following year his hitting took another step back, with a .267 average at AA Trenton, but he did flash the glove and the wheels, stealing 35 bases. Nomar was being promoted each season, but hadn't really had a breakout performance by 1996. In AAA Pawtucket, everything came together quickly. He torched the ball to the tune of .343/.387/.733 in 43 games. The torrid pace forced the Red Sox to make a move, calling the youngster up to the big leagues in August. 

Nomar's rookie season was tremendous, but he wasn't just a one hit wonder. He excelled in his time at Fenway Park, hitting a robust .323/.370/.553 over 9 seasons. His second year, he was the AL MVP runner-up, leading the Red Sox in runs scored and runs batted in. If not for the fact that he was splitting votes with his teammate Mo Vaughn, he might have been the outright winner that season. He followed that campaign up with a pair of batting titles, including an incredible .372 average for the year 2000. He led the AL in intentional walks that season as well. His best season in Beantown is hard to pick - was it his rookie year? His 2 batting title years? 2002, when he led the AL with 52 doubles? 2003 when he had 120 runs scored to go along with 13 triples, 37 doubles, and 28 homers? The Red Sox ran on Nomar for nearly a decade, and his play inspired the team despite not resulting in the ultimate prize of a World Series victory. A wrist injury limited him to just 21 games in 2001, snapping a string of 4 straight top-10 MVP finishes. Injuries would define the end of his Boston tenure, even though they were sandwiched between a pair of productive seasons. 2004 was truncated by an Achilles' heel injury, keeping Nomar out of the lineup until late June. He was hitting .321 for Boston when he was traded as part of a 4 team blockbuster with the Twins, Expos, and Cubs. Boston was after a defensive upgrade, securing the services of Doug Mientkiewicz and Orlando Cabrera, and Nomar found himself heading to Wrigley Field. Nomar would miss out on the Red Sox' World Series win, though his former teammates voted to give him a partial share of the World Series pot and sent him a World Series ring. The fact is that the Red Sox might not have attracted the big name free agents like Pedro, Schilling, and Manny Ramirez without a star like Nomar to build around. Ironically the team's egos were mostly sidelined for the championship run, but Nomar's contract extension dispute was the lone exception. While he didn't play with arrogance, the Red Sox certainly treated him like a malcontent before shipping him out. 

The Cubs were disappointing in his year and a half in Chicago, and so was Nomar. He would play in just 62 games for the Cubs in 2005, missing 3 months due to a groin injury. The injuries that slowed Nomar at the end of his Red Sox career were not the same ones that derailed his Cubs career, but hurt his future earnings all the same. Thankfully for Nomar, the Dodgers had deep pockets, and were more than happy to pay for his services. Things were looking up for Nomar in his first full season in LA, and he was coming home after growing up in Southern California just minutes from Chavez Ravine. He would return to the All-Star game for the final time, and racked up 2.5 WAR, his highest total since his 2003 season. He had a 120 OPS+. which was decent, but still a shadow of his former self. The next year his production slipped and he was moved around the diamond to accommodate other players like James Loney at first base. Injuries towards the end of the year didn't help. 2008 was nearly lost before it began for Nomar, when he suffered a microfracture in his hand. He would return to Short Stop for the first time since 2005, but was now relegated to fill-in and bench duty. He would play in just 55 games as his playing time and production fell off dramatically.

He would play one final season in the big leagues, signing a one year deal with the Oakland A's in 2009. Over 65 games, Garciaparra hit .281 as a DH/first baseman. For his career, he was a .313/.361/.521 hitter. if not for several seasons derailed by injury and the general wear and tear, he might have reached 2,000 career hits. He was even better in the post season over his career, hitting .321/.386/.589 in 32 playoff games. His career was cut short by injuries, but his peak was certainly Hall of Fame worthy. He certainly falls short in counting stats over his career, but when he was at his best, there were few players that could match his skills on the diamond.

Any specific Nomar memories you'd like to share? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Andruw Jones

Andruw Jones was a once-in-a-generation talent - power, speed, and defense, Andruw could do it all. Jones was another player who could be pencilled in to the 1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Team before he even took the field that season. His 2 homers in the 1996 World Series at the tender age of 19 announced that he was something special. His rookie year could almost be called a disappointment, though he hit 18 homers and stole 20 bases while playing a stellar center field.

"The most graceful center fielder since Joe DiMaggio." That was Braves' manager Bobby Cox, who played with Mickey Mantle at the tail-end of the hall of famer's career. Cox knew a thing or two about talented center field play. Ultimately, the decline of Jones was a lot like that of Mantle, though it seems like it was for different reasons. In 1997, Jones put together a solid rookie campaign, filling up the stat sheet across the board. 

Jones was an international free agent signed by the Braves out of Curacao when he was just 16 years old. While the island was still a bit of a mystery to MLB scouts, Andruw was nearly a household name. He was an international sensation at age 11, playing in a tournament in Japan. At 13, the legend goes, he was launching 400 foot homers and was getting invites to play with adult leagues in Curacao. By 15, he was considered the best baseball player on the island.

His minor league career was equally impressive and showed his precociousness. He dominated at each level, and was the 1995 and 1996 Minor League Player of the Year according to Baseball America. In 1995 he was the MVP of Southern Atlantic League, where he hit 25 homers, drove in 100 runs, stole 56 bases, and of course was a revelation in center field. 1996 was not much different; he hit .339 and scored 115 runs before being called up to the Braves for 31 games at the end of the season. He remained on the post season roster as well, hitting a homer in Game 7 of the NLCS, then two more in the World Series - his first two World Series At bats.. He was the youngest player to homer in the World Series since Mickey Mantle. . .   Jones was ready for super stardom.

As Jones matured with Atlanta, his skills also became sharper. He would become arguably the greatest defensive center fielder of all time while patrolling Turner Field. Barry Bonds (Willie Mays' god son) was quoted as saying Jones "plays center field like no one I've ever seen in my life time." He would win 10 consecutive Gold Gloves in the National League. His peak years (1998-2006), Jones averaged .270/.347/.513 with 35 homers, 99 runs scored, 104 RBI, and double digit stolen bases. He was a 5-time All-Star in that stretch, and won a Silver Slugger in 2005, thanks to his league leading 51 homers and 128 RBI. 

His final season in Atlanta was perhaps a bad omen of things to come. He still hit for power with 26 homers and 94 RBI, but his batting average had plummeted to .222 and he had a career low with an OPS+ of 87. He still won a Gold Glove in CF, leading the NL in putouts, but he seemed to have lost a step or two in some of the advanced (if flawed) defensive metrics like Total Zone Runs and Range Factor. As Jones got older, his body type changed as he worked on hitting for power at the expense of speed. The charitable verdict on Jones is that he was overweight, the cynic may try to link his decline to the alleged use of performance enhancing drugs. From what little research I could do for this post, I didn't see a smoking gun for PEDs, just some circumstantial evidence of the obvious physical transformation that can be seen on his baseball cards. I don't put much stock in the steroids theory, but it seems like his decline was abrupt and tragic for a ballplayer with such a meteoric rise.

Jones signed a big free agent contract with the Dodgers, that didn't really pan out. His 2008 season included a long layoff following surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee, and an abysmal 75 games in which he hit just .158 with 3 homers in 209 at bats. His free swinging ways, which had been a quirky and acceptable vice in his younger days was now responsible for derailing his production at every turn. 

Keep in mind that Andruw was still just 32 years old when he made the Rangers' roster as the 25th man. He was a non-roster invitee but showed enough in Spring Training to find a spot on the roster. He was intended to be a 4th outfielder, but instead found most of his at bats as a DH. He hit 17 homers, but hit just .214 for the season. One bright spot in his game was that he had managed to develop some latent on base skills, walking at a career high rate of 13.6%.  His OBP ended up more than 100 points higher than his batting average. He would end up playing just one season in Texas before moving on.

In 2010, Jones would play on the South Side, getting a Walk off homer (seen here, maybe?) in April against the Mariners, which led to his 400th career homer in July. he came into White Sox camp 30 pounds slimmer than the year before, which certainly made a difference. He surpassed 100 games played in a season for the first time since 2007. Jones played in the OF again, but wasn't the fielder we once was. His walk rate was again a career high, at 13.7%, and even stole 9 bases, which was the most he'd stolen in a season since 2001. His "Power/Speed" number was again in double digits, and he had an OPS+ of 120, once again proving his undeniable baseball talent.

Jones would sign on with the Yankees, hoping to build on his success in Chicago and perhaps get back to the post season. His first year as a bench player went quite well - he had a 126 OPS+, his highest since his last All-Star season in 2006. He got on base via the walk, hit for a little power (13 homers), and filled in admirably in the corner outfield when called upon. 

His Final MLB season did not go nearly as well, though he hit 14 homers and drove in 34. His rate stats had all declined, and he was striking out at a higher rate than he had in several years. He was left off the post season roster in 2012, and was looking for another chance in 2013. He represented the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic and was looking to showcase his skills, hitting .333/.447/.370 in the tournament. He would sign with the Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Japanese Pacific League, was instrumental as the team's DH. The team won the league championship in 2013, thanks in no small part to Jones' 26 homers and 94 RBI. He played again with the Eagles in 2014, and tried another comeback with Atlanta in the Spring of 2015. He did not make the cut, and was out of pro ball at the age of 38. 

Do you think Andruw Jones is a Hall Of Famer? The best Center Fielder of all-time? Any specific Jones memories you'd like to share? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Jose Cruz, Jr.

Second generation stars are nothing new in Major League Baseball. Being the child of a big league player gives a guy a leg up - not only by having access to major league ballparks, but also having the best of the best as examples after which to model their game. At the same time, the kid has to put in the work. Jose Cruz, Jr. did exactly that, and even made the Topps All-Star Rookie Squad playing for two different teams in 1997.

Cruz was very consistent playing for Seattle and Toronto in his rookie season. He had exactly the same number of hits for each team, and exactly the same number of RBI. Cruz ended up as the runner up for the AL Rookie of the Year voting, finishing with 26 homers and a respectable .814 OPS. 

The Mariners selected Cruz #3 Overall out of Rice University in the 1995 MLB draft. The team was sitting on an embarrassment of riches, with Ken Griffey, Jr just starting his peak, and a young Alex Rodriguez just starting his MLB career. Cruz was another super talented athlete, setting several offensive records as a 3-time All-American in college. He played for Team USA in 1994, and was a highly regarded prospect. In his first full professional season, he went from single-A all the way to AAA Tacoma, hitting .293 with 15 homers and 13 steals across all levels. His amazing season ended with being named the Mariners' Minor League Player of the Year in 1996. He moved quickly through the minors and made his MLB debut at the end of May 1997. 

His Mariners career was short but sweet - in just 49 games he slugged .541 with an OPS+ of 120. Cruz would spent the start of 1997 with 50 games in AAA Tacoma before his call-up, but proved he was ready for Major League pitching with his 25 extra base hits in his first 49 MLB games. He was traded to Toronto at the trade deadline for a pair of pitchers, in theory to shore up the Mariner bullpen for a playoff push. The team did win the AL West but were bounced from the ALDS by the Orioles in 4 games. To replace the bat of Cruz, the Mariners acquired veteran Roberto Kelly from the Twins in an August waiver deal. 

The best years of Jose's career came north of the border with the Blue Jays. The Jays used Cruz in Left and in Center field, and he excelled in the field and at the plate. The switch hitting outfielder had his most well-rounded season with Toronto in 2001, when he became just the 2nd Blue Jay to join the 30/30 club. It was his 2nd straight 30 homer season. His Power/Speed number was best in the AL. His dad's career high was 17 homers, showing that the kid was more than just a chip off the old block. He would become a free agent following the 2002 season.

He spent one year as a member of the San Francisco Giants, winning a Gold Glove in Right Field, and had a career high 102 walks (Maybe Barry taught him a thing or two about plate discipline?). He would get his only taste of post season play with the Giants, going hitless in the NLDS against the eventual 2003 World Series Champs, the Marlins. 

The tail end of Cruz's career involved several teams - three of which he played for in 2005. He went from the DBacks to the BoSox to the Dodgers in that same season. He provided some great at bats down the stretch for the Dodgers, hitting .301/.391/.532 in 47 games. Unfortunately, the team was already out of the race, finishing 20 games below .500. He would play a few more seasons, including a final 38 game stretch in 2008 for his dad's former team, the Houston Astros. 

Cruz finished his career with 1,167 hits, 204 Homers, and over 700 runs scored. In his Gold Glove season, Cruz led the NL in Total Zone Runs, putouts,  Double Plays turned and Range Factor. He ranked 2nd in fielding pct and outfield Assists. The Cruz Family legacy included his uncles, his father, his brothers, and now his son Trei, whom the Tigers drafted in the 3rd round of the 2020 MLB draft.

Do you have any Jose Cruz, Jr. stories? I'd love to read them in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Left handed Pitcher Mike Holtz

We don't know what the future holds for us - and in the case of Mike Holtz, it took him around the world and back again. Holtz made the 1997 Topps All-Star Rookie squad because of durability (he led the Angels with 66 appearances) and a wicked curve ball that helped him to a 3.32 ERA. 

The question is- was Holtz really a rookie? He had pitched in 30 Games for the Angels in 1996, though he only had 29.1 innings pitched. Technically he exceeded his rookie limits during the 1997 season. He had already been through quite a lot in his young life by 1997, having Tommy John surgery before attending Clemson University, but determined to get back on the mound, Holtz rehabbed and eventually pitched in the College World Series in 1991. Holtz pitched for Clemson from 1991 - 1994, then was drafted by the Angels in the 17th Round. He would pitch two convincingly strong seasons in single A, then jump from AA to the majors in 1996. 

The plight of the middle reliever in major league baseball is to be called upon often, but featured on baseball cards seldom. Holtz had those 66 appearances in 1996, then 58 more in 1998, and would pitch in 60+ games two more times for the Angels, but didn't appear on too many cards in that time. He was a prototypical LOOGY, routinely having more appearances than innings pitched. For his career, he pitched 240 innings but had 353 appearances. The short stints also meant that Holtz rarely got the decision. He was 16-20 with 2 saves over those 353 games. He was used as a lefty set up man for Angels closer Troy Percival for many years.

After several seasons with the Angels, he did a quick tour of Southern California, pitching for Oakland and the Padres in 2002, then spent a couple seasons in the minors pitching for the Pirates and Rays. In 2005, he pitched for Yokohama in the Nippon Professional League, making 44 appearances as a situational lefty, getting in just 24.2 innings of work. He made a comeback in 2006 pitching in a few games for the Boston Red Sox and spending the balance of the season in AAA Pawtucket. Holtz was a strikeout artist, thanks to his big curve and sneaky fastball - his career k/9 rate was 8.4 in the big leagues, and 11.3 in the minors. 

Do you have any Mike Holtz Stories? I'd love to read them in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Jose Guillen

Jose Guillen  has one of the better All-Star Rookie cards of all time. Posing with the statue of the great Roberto Clemente, and poised to become the Pirates' right fielder of the future, Guillen beamed. He shared some of the same skills that made Clemente so good, in particular a throwing arm that dazzled and delighted fans. He was a Topps All-Star rookie at just the age of 20, with a long and productive MLB career ahead of him.

Guillen would have a decent season for the Pirates as their everyday Right Fielder in 1997. He hit 14 homers and drove in 70 runs. He was the 4th youngest player in the league but was still entrusted with the second most plate appearances on the Pirates' squad. While he had a great arm (9 assists as a rookie), he struggled a bit with the leather, ranking 2nd in errors among right fielders. He ranked below league average in rate stats, however was still learning the finer points of the game.

Guillen was signed in 1993 by the Pirates as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He would spent his minor league career in Single A clubs, with an MVP season in 1996 for the high A Lynchburg Hillcats. His final minor league season, he hit .322 with 21 homers and 24 stolen bases. The steals were somewhat of a mirage, as he never stole more than 5 bases in a season before or since. He followed up his 1997 season with a nearly identical 1998 season. He performed even better in the field, and led the NL in RF assists. Despite two seasons with 14 homers and nearly as many errors, Guillen was still considered a top prospect by many observers, who were more than willing to compare him to Roberto Clemente or Dave Winfield, who did have somewhat slow starts to their Hall of Fame careers. 

After leaving Pittsburgh, Guillen began a whirlwind tour of the big leagues, never stopping in one place for more than a couple seasons. He was either burning bridges or providing tantalizing potential at seemingly every stop along the way. Tampa picked him up in 1999 near the trade deadline, and he would muster just 15 homers over the next 2 and a half seasons before being released. The Arizona Diamondbacks gave him a chance, and after hitting .229 over 54 games, he was cut loose. The Rockies had him for just two days, and decided to go in  another direction before he hooked up with the Reds in Cincinnati to finish the 2002 season. He actually played his best baseball in Cincy, including a torrid first half in 2003, when he slashed .337/.385/.629 with a 165 OPS+. He found his power stroke, hitting 23 homers for the Reds before becoming a deadline deal to the Oakland A's. It was in Oakland the he had his only taste of post season play, hitting .455 in 4 games against Boston in the 2003 ALDS. 

He then signed a deal with AL West rivals the Angels, but butted heads with Mike Scioscia on numerous occasions. Even with a career high 104 RBI, he was on the move again after one season in Anaheim. Now in D.C., Guillen had a good season, followed by an atrocious one in which he hit just .216 with just 9 homers. The next year he was in Seattle, and managed to knock in 99 runs, but wore out his welcome there just as quickly. He then signed a 3 year deal with Kansas City, and nearly fulfilled the whole contract before being traded midway through the 2010 season to San Francisco. By that point he had publicly called his teammates babies and openly complained about K.C.'s losing culture. 

His final MLB stop was a stretch run in San Francisco for the Giants team that finally got over the hump and won a championship. Guillen missed the on field celebration, he had been left off the post season roster while being investigated for the alleged use of HGH. He hit .266 with 5 homers and 13 RBI for the Giants in the closing months of the 2010 season, and they would be the last games he would play in the league.

His Career MLB Totals

I'll leave you with a more positive note, here's video of Guillen's tremendous throwing arm taken from a game in 1998. 

Do you have any Jose Guillen Stories? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Right Handed Pitcher Jason Dickson

Jason Dickson had an abrupt entree to the big leagues - the first batter he faced in 1996 was none other than Hall of Fame Short Stop Derek Jeter. Jeets crushed a homer on the third pitch Dickson threw as a big leaguer, but he would bounce back. 1997 was his official "Rookie" season, and he would serve as a solid starter in the Angels' rotation. Buoyed by a strong first half, Dickson not only made the Topps All-Star Rookie team, he also made the American League All-Star team. In the first half of 1997, he made 18 starts, winning 8. He had 2 complete games, one of which was a shutout that came in his first start of the year. For the season, Dickson was remarkably consistent for a rookie, getting 20 "quality starts" out of his 33 times toeing the rubber for the Angels.

Dickson was the Angels' 6th Round selection in 1994, and made it all the way up to the big leagues by the end of 1996. Born in Ontario, he was on the 18U Championship team from New Brunswick, the following year his team was again taking the World Youth Baseball Championship. He attended college at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. According to Dickson "that's when my baseball career really took off." He pitched two seasons for NEO, and featured a mix of pitches including a sinking fastball that he paired with a breaking ball. He also developed a change up in college to round out the repertoire. His first full professional season at Single A Cedar Rapids showed the Angels what potential was in his right arm. He had a 14-6 record with a 2.86 ERA. He had fairly good control that year as well, with a 2.98 k/bb ratio. The following season he would climb all the way up the organization, jumping from single A to AA to AAA to the big leagues for 7 starts. 

After leading the Angels in innings pitched in 1997, Dickson would struggle to find that same success in his following season and found himself splitting time as a starter and as a reliever. A torn labrum sidelined Jason for the entirety of the 1999 season, and his comeback attempts never quite bore Major League fruit. He pitched in AAA for several different organizations, and finally retired following a stint in the 2004 Olympics pitching for team Canada. 

Following his playing days, Dickson was a board member for Baseball Canada, ultimately being named the organization's President in 2016. Dickson is a member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He won Canada's Tip O'Neill award in 1996 as the country's best baseball player. 

Do you have any Jason Dickson Stories? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Second Baseman Wilton Guerrero

A person could spend a lot of time writing about what Wilton Guerrero was not. He was not his brother Vladimir, he was not a Rookie of the Year like Dodger rookies were the prior five years, he was not the second baseman of the future. BUT! Wilton Guerrero was a very talented baseball player who may have been rushed to the big leagues before he was ready. While he may not have become a super star like his brother, he will forever have one thing over him - Wilton was a Topps All-Star Rookie!

Guerrero was a great hitter, with great contact skills. He wasn't a power hitter, but with his speed, he didn't need to be. In 1997, he had 9 triples, which led the Dodgers and was 3rd best in the National League. He was just 22 years old when the Dodgers made him their everyday 2nd baseman. The LA Dodgers were no strangers to starting rookies, and promoting young talent from within. The Rookie of the Year award is named after Dodger great Jackie Robinson. But the issues with Wilton's game were known before his call up. He was still given free reign to learn the finer points of the game on the job. He would start the 1998 season back in Triple AAA Albuquerque.

Signed in 1991 as a free agent out of the Dominican Republic, Guerrero had raw speed in spades. He also could hit for average. As an 18 year old, he hit .294 with 20 stolen bases in just 60 games in single A Great Falls. Guerrero would continue a steady climb up the Dodgers ladder, winning a batting title in 1995 for the San Antonio Missions. In 1996 with AAA Albuquerque, Guerrero again hit well, with a .344 average and 12 Triples. 

His tenure in LA was marked by decent hitting and speed, but also a series of mistakes that caused other players and coaches to become frustrated with the player they had lauded as a future star. In 1997 he was suspended for 7 games after it was discovered that his bat was corked. Despite stealing at least 20 bases a season in the minors, he stole just 6 bases while being caught 5 times in his rookie year. He would be traded to Montreal early in 1998 to reunite with his brother Vladimir.

With the Expos, Guerrero was not expected to be the everyday anything - he was the every other day everything. He would play all over the infield and occasionally fill in as an outfielder. He continued to hit well, even with limited at bats. He had found his niche as a utility player. He also found that his brother was very competitive. Wilton's last 3 homers as an Expo came on the same day as a Vladimir home run. He continued to hit Triples, ranking top 10 in the league in 1998 and 1999.

Wilton would sign with the Reds as a free agent before the 2001 season, and again had a great season playing all over the field. In 60 games, Guerrero hit a career high .338. He was traded twice in the same day in 2002 - going from the Reds to the Marlins to the Expos, part of a series of deals by the Marlins that sent away Ryan Dempster, Cliff Floyd, and several others. Following his 2nd tour with the Expos, Guerrero played with the Royals in 2004. He had a pair of very good seasons in AAA as well, once again finding his legs, stealing 30 bases with the Reds AAA squad in 2003, and hit .326 in AAA Omaha before the Royals called him up in 2004.

Following his playing career, he co-founded the Guerrero Baseball Academy in the Dominican Republic with his brother, and he continues to run the school to help train the next generation of baseball talent. Wilton's son Wilton Jr. is still several years away, but you can see his hitting showcase here.

Do you have any Wilton Guerrero stories? I'd love to read them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

1997 Topps All-Star Rookie Third Baseman Scott Rolen

It's a pretty straightforward formula - be the Rookie of the Year, get a spot on the Topps All-Star Rookie roster. That was certainly true for Scott Rolen, who had a very good rookie season in 1997, good enough to be the NL Rookie of the Year. He was the perfect choice to be the Topps All-Star Rookie 3rd Baseman. Rolen led the Phillies in Homers, Runs scored, Runs Batted in, Walks, and Stolen Bases.

Not only was Rolen putting up big numbers, but his teammates were impressed with how he did it. Then 35 year old journeyman catcher Mark Parent summed it up best by saying Rolen was "going to be worth the price of admission for years to come."

Rolen was the Phillies 2nd Round selection in 1993, drafted right out of high school from Jasper, IN. He was, like many All-Star rookies, a multi-sport star. In addition to baseball, Rolen was a phenomenal basketball player, setting a record for points in a game (50), and scored 47 in a sectional playoff game -- with a severely sprained ankle. He was recruited and offered basketball scholarships from Georgia and Oklahoma State, but the Phillies' offer to Indiana's Mr. Baseball was too good to pass up. Rolen was also a skilled tennis player, and might have made a good quarterback had he not been injured playing football, deciding to stick with Basketball and Baseball. It is worth noting however that all of his teammates and coaches were quick to point out his humility despite his obvious great talent.

Once in pro ball, Rolen found success at each level. With Single A Spartanburg, Rolen hit .294 with 14 homers as a 19 year old. He would be promoted twice as a 20 year old, and in 1996 he moved up 3 levels and made his MLB debut as a 21 year old.

In his second full MLB season, Rolen won his first Gold Glove at third base. He also hit 31 homers and drove in 110 runs for the Phillies, leading the team in both categories. He was also the Phillies leader in Wins Above Replacement. In 1999 he had an OPS+ of 120, and followed it up with another outstanding season in 2000, winning his 2nd Gold Glove and once again hitting big in the middle of the order. The team was struggling however, and Phils Manager Terry Francona was fired in the off-season. Larry Bowa was brought in to replace him, and friction between Rolen and Bowa began almost immediately. When Bowa openly criticized Rolen for not hitting in a series against Boston, the relationship took a turn for the worse. Rolen later played through criticism from general manager Dallas Green that August, stating that Rolen was "not a great player," so the following spring, entering his final season of his contract, Rolen expressed the desire to be traded, and also that he wanted to leave because they didn't want him, and weren't likely to keep him (or the rest of the talented young core) for the long haul. He would be ripped by the media as well that season, being labeled a "clubhouse cancer" for his earlier comments about management.

The Phillies would trade Rolen to St. Louis in exchange for Placido Polanco, Mike Timlin, and Bud Smith. The Cardinals organization was a great landing spot for Rolen, who had an appreciation for Rolen's style of play and of course his skill both on offense and defense. He would make an immediate impact in St. Louis, hitting .429 in the NLDS, though his post season was cut short due to injury and missed the NLCS. His best individual season was 2004, when he hit 34 homers and drove in 124 runs, finishing 4th in the MVP voting. He slashed .314/.409/.598. He had a 158 OPS+ and had a WAR of 9.2 - good for 3rd best in the NL that year (Thanks Barry). But his best season in Saint Louis was probably actually 2006, because it was the year his team became World Series Champs. After going hitless in the 2004 Series, Rolen would redeem himself by hitting .421 in 5 games including a home run.

Following his tenure in Saint Louis, Rolen was traded to Toronto, where he had a subpar offensive season, then hit .320 in the first half and the Jays traded him again, back to the NL central to play for the Reds. In Cincinnati, Rolen was the veteran presence that would lead by example. He would return to the All-Star game for the 6th and 7th time as a Red, won his 8th Gold Glove, and helped take the Reds to the post season in 2010 and 2012.

Rolen's 8 Gold Gloves are 3rd most all-time for a third basemen, trailing only Brooks Robinson and Mike Schmidt. Rolen played every inning in the field as a third baseman in the big leagues, Over 17,000 innings and is 12th All-Time in Games Played at 3rd. It is ironic, then, that the biggest knock on his Hall of Fame case is the time he missed. Injuries ended his season in 1996, ended his post season prematurely in 2002, and cost him a large portion of his season in 2005. He was also limited in 2007 and in the following seasons due to injuries to his shoulder and hand. As a hitter, Rolen combined walks, hits, and power in a way that few major leaguers could match. While 2,077 hits, 517 doubles, 316 homers, and 899 walks doesn't seem all that impressive, only 23 players in the history of the game have had that level of success across all of those categories.

During his time in baseball, his batting average was 13 points higher than the league average, his OBP was 25 points higher than the league, and his slugging was 61 points higher than league average (don't forget that this is in the Steroid Era, when slugging was potentially artificially inflated, and expansion had diluted the league's pitching.). So the resulting picture is one of the best fielding and one of the best hitting 3rd Baseman of all time. On the 2020 ballot, his support doubled from the prior year, now over 35%. Hopefully that trend continues, and voters appreciate the player Rolen was.

Do you have any good Scott Rolen memories? I'd love to hear them!