I Love the 80s - 1982 Montreal Expos

This is a series of posts on a 1980's Frankenset. Each page features a different team, with 9 of my personal favorite cards from that year's team. You might find players repeated, you'll definitely see brands repeated, but hopefully you'll agree that there are some interesting selections from the 1980s!

The Expos clinched their first ever Playoff berth in 1981, despite the team's manager Dick Williams being fired in September by the front office with the team just a game and a half behind the Cardinals in the standings. They would lose 3 of the first 5 games under new skipper Jim Fanning, but squeaked out a narrow half game lead over the Cardinals by the end of the second half. They would go on to beat the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional round, but fell in 5 games to the Dodgers in the NLCS. The franchise would not return to the post season until after the team moved to Washington, D.C.

Despite missing the playoffs in 1982, the Expos were still a very good team, led by a trio of Hall of Famers. Carter, Dawson, and Raines were joined by fellow Expos Al Oliver and ace pitcher Steve Rogers in the All-Star Game. It was hosted for the first time outside of the United States and the only time in Montreal. Rogers pitched well and recorded the win. Ultimately the team finished third in the standings, behind the Cardinals and Phillies in the NL East. Despite the talented trio and more young players on the way, the team never finished higher than 3rd for the rest of the 80s. 

The Cards:

Donruss #114 Gary Carter - By 1982, "The Kid" was a veteran and a team leader. He was just about midway through a run of 10 consecutive All-Star appearances, and took home his 3rd straight Gold Glove and 2nd Silver Slugger award. He paced the Expos with 29 homers, and led the NL in WAR with 8.6 for the season. His final season in Montreal, 1984, he led the NL in RBI, won his 2nd All-Star MVP award, and posted a career high 175 hits. He'd go on to post season glory following a trade to the Mets, winning the World Series in 1986. Carter was elected to the Hall of Fame in his 6th year of eligibility. His 2,056 games caught ranks 4th All-Time in MLB history.

O-Pee-Chee #379 Andre Dawson - I had to break out the OPC for the Canadian teams! Andre, just like Gary, was celebrating 1982 with his 3rd Gold Glove and had appeared in his 2nd of 8 All-Star games. Dawson had the 2nd Highest WAR in the NL just behind Carter, with 7.9 wins above replacement. He played a sterling center field, including 7 outfield assists that year. He led the NL twice in that category from Center Field. He was the 1977 Rookie of the Year in the NL, thanks to displaying skills at all phases of the game. Before injuries sapped his speed, Dawson would average more than 30 steals and nearly 25 homers a year in his prime. He showed his worth again in his first year in Chicago, winning the MVP in the NL by virtue of leading the league in Homers (49) and RBI (137). He was elected to the Hall of Fame in his 9th year of eligibility, with voters citing his lower career totals compared to his healthier peers as a stumbling block. His speed, power, and grace on the field would not be denied!

Topps #3 Tim Raines - While Rickey was dominating the AL on the bases and leading off year after year, it was Tim Raines showing many of the same skills in Montreal. In 1981, Raines had a triple slash of .304/.391/.438 and stole 71 bases in just 88 games (remember, this was a strike shortened season, and Raines was a mid-year call-up!)! Just like his HOF brothers-in-arms, Raines was embarking on a string of numerous All-Star appearances in 1982. It would be his 2nd of 7 straight mid-summer classics. He led the NL in runs scored twice, won a batting title (and OBP title) in 1986, and was the top base stealer in the NL for 4 straight years starting in his rookie campaign. He'd steal at least 10 bases every year for 15 consecutive seasons. He ranks 5th All-Time in the category, with 808 career steals. Raines would have to wait the maximum period of 10 years on the HOF ballot before his induction - he never finished higher than 5th in MVP balloting, didn't have post season success in his prime (though he was a key piece of the 1996 and 98 Yankees teams), and didn't hit for power or reach the 3,000 hit milestone. His final year of eligibility included a successful campaign on behalf of OBP, stolen base %, and the value of a player who rarely got himself out. 

Topps #131 Stan Bahnsen - The 1968 AL Rookie of the year was coming to the end of long and winding road in the big leagues, which included a 20 win season followed by a 20 loss season, and 5 different franchises. 1981 would be his last of 5 seasons in Montreal. He came to the team mid way through 1977 from Oakland, and spent the rest of the year as a member of the starting rotation. He converted to the bullpen in 1978, and had several successful years in that role for the Expos. In 1981, Bahnsen would make his first post season appearance after 15 MLB seasons. He faced 5 batters and retired 4 of them in relief in the NLDS against the Phillies. Like many pitchers to have his staying power, Bahnsen learned how to pitch rather than just throw, as evidenced by the evolution of his nicknames. When he arrived in Yankee pinstripes, he was called "Bahnsen Burner" for his high 90s fastball. Towards the end of his career, he became known as "Stanley Struggle" for getting himself into and then out of jams through wits and guile. He went on to pitch in the Senior League, then in the Netherlands (the first former MLB player to do so).

Fleer #196 Brad Mills - One of the more iconic cards in the 1982 Fleer set, Mills is blowing a big bubble in the dugout. Mills was a rarely used utility infielder for the Expos, playing in 106 total games from 1980 through 1983, giving him plenty of time to work on his chewing gum skills. 1980 was the same year that Mills started professional baseball, going from single A up to the big league club that year. He would play in AAA for several seasons after his last MLB game in 1983. Following an injury that ended his playing career, Mills became a coach and then manager. He led the PCL Colorado Springs Sky Sox to a pennant in 1995, and later managed the Houston Astros for 2 and a half seasons. He's been a close confidant and bench coach in recent years of Cleveland skipper Terry Francona, though Mills sat out during the 2020 season to limit his exposure to the Coronavirus.

Donruss #650 Felipe Alou - Alou joined the Expos organization briefly as a player in 1973, then as a batting coach following his playing career in 1976. Alou would work his way up the ranks with the Expos, and stuck with the franchise even though he was offered a chance to manage the San Francisco Giants in 1985. He would get his chance in Montreal in 1992, and would be the skipper for arguably the best team in Franchise history in 1994. Though the strike ended the season prematurely, the Expos had their lone 1st place finish in Montreal that year. The strike eliminated the chance for the team to play in the post season, and they would not make it back under Alou, who remained the manager until 2001. He retired but was given another shot in San Francisco and led the Giants to a 100 win season in his first year with the club. After his final year as manager in 2003, he continued to work with the club as an instructor and as special assistant to the general manager. 

Topps Traded #7T Tim Blackwell -  Sporting one of the best moustaches of the 1980s, Tim Blackwell was a talented reserve catcher for several teams. He also had a brief period of time as the primary receiver for the Chicago Cubs, posting career highs across the board in 1980. He was drafted in 1970 by the Red Sox, and worked his way into a solid and dependable reserve role while learning the finer points of the game. This would come in handy in his next career choice, managing several minor league teams across all levels. He led the 1991 Columbia Mets and the 1993 Saint Paul Saints to league titles, and finished in 1st place 2 other times. 1982 was his first year in Montreal, and backing up Gary Carter meant not much playing time. He did manage to strikeout against Nolan Ryan in 1983, allowing Ryan to tie Walter Johnson's then record. Ryan would start his own record with the next batter, striking out Brad Mills for #3,509.

O-Pee-Chee #191 Tim Wallach - Like many Montreal Expos, Wallach was under the radar for much of his career. A first round pick in 1979 out of Cal State Fullerton, Wallach played 13 seasons for the Expos, amassing over 1,600 hits and driving in over 900 runs for the team north of the border. He wasn't totally ignored, however, winning 3 gold gloves and appearing on 5 All-Star rosters in his Expos career. His best season was 1987, when he finished 4th in the MVP race behind his former teammate Andre Dawson. That year he led the NL in Doubles while hitting a career high .298 and driving 123 runs. His output may have been directly tied to Dawson's absence in the heart of the Expos order, but he rose to the challenge. He would return to California to close out his career in Dodger blue and a brief stop with the Angels sandwiched between two stints in Chavez Ravine. His 2,054 games played at 3rd base ranks 11th All-Time at the position. He became a coach after his playing career ended and has followed Don Mattingly from the Dodgers to the Marlins as a bench coach. He opted to leave the Marlins for the 2020 season to seek a job in baseball closer to his California home. His son Chad currently plays for the Marlins. 

Fleer #194 Bill Lee - "The Spaceman" was spotted in Canada following a 1979 trade. The crafty and kooky lefty was the team's most successful starter that year, going 16-10 with a 3.04 ERA, his most victories since his heyday with the Red Sox in 1973-74-75. Lee would convert to bullpen duty and showed promise in that role as well, with an excellent run in 1981, posting a 2.94 ERA over 88 innings for the post season bound Expos. His time in Montreal (and his MLB career) came to an abrupt end in 1982 after just 7 games. Lee walked out (in full uniform) in protest for the release of Rodney Scott on May 5, 1982. Scott was one of Lee's best friends on the team, and Lee felt that manager Jim Fanning was exercising a personal grudge against Scott rather than solely a baseball decision. Following his MLB playing career, Lee wrote his (first) autobiography, then continued to pitch semi-professionally for a variety of teams and leagues. At age 65 in 2012, he pitched a complete game for a team in San Rafael, CA.

What is your favorite card of a Montreal Expo from 1982? Doesn't have to be one of these...

Thanks for reading!

1992 Topps Traded Set

The single solid color bricks that served as a calling card for Topps Traded Sets was gone for good in 1992. The longer, thinner boxes that started in 1990 were now the "standard" format, though Topps still had the brick version. Now both versions featured photo reproductions of the cards inside, featuring the big name free agents, rookies, and traded players.

Another change for trade was the back. For the first time since 1981, the traded set backs were the same color as the flagship set - no bright neon traded variation this time. Just like the regular set, a panoramic image of the player's new home was squeezed in whenever possible. There were 3 horizontal cards in the 1992 traded set, the rest are the more familiar portrait format.

Canada was stockpiling Hall of Fame players. Toronto grabbed a pair of Saint Paul, MN heroes, Jack Morris and Dave Winfield. The Expos reclaimed their prodigal son, Gary Carter was no longer the "The Kid," but still a fan favorite. Steady Eddie Murray would be one of several new faces in New York, hoping to power the Mets to the post season again.

The traded set rarely had the biggest of the big name rookies. 1992 would feature the future Rookie of the Year Pat Listach, Team USA standout Jason Varitek, 2-sport star Brian Jordan, and a very young Nomar Garciaparra. Nomar was just a college Freshman, earning his spot as the only walk-on for Team USA. It would be a few years before he'd return to the national spotlight with the Boston Red Sox.

Although 1992 was a big USA Olympic year, the baseball team was on the outside looking in. After losing to Cuba and Japan in the tournament, the US team missed out on all medals.

Canada would not field an Olympic baseball team, but they had the last laugh with the Blue Jays winning the first of two World Series championships. The "other" Canadian team was just showing early signs of the team they would become by the mid 90s.

The Minnesota Twins may have been overconfident following their 1991 World Series victory - they did little to improve their team following the season. They would replace Jack Morris with another 20 game winner, John Smiley. They also added veteran arm Bill Krueger. While the team actually had a better record in 1992, they would fall short of the post season behind the still dangerous Oakland A's.

I tossed in Taubensee and Valera as some of my favorite images from the set.

The Hot Stove may have been cool in the Midwest, but the fires were burning on the coasts. The big free agents flocked to New York, with the Yankees scoring Danny Tartabull and the Mets adding Bobby Bonilla. A pair of trades sent Gary Sheffield and Eric Davis out West. Davis would reunite with his childhood friend Darryl Strawberry, and Sheffield would team up with San Diego legend Tony Gwynn.

Some off-season moves don't work out the way they were planned...

And others work out even better than you had hoped!

Last but not least, here's Kevin Campbell. You may be asking... why? What? Why? Well, to tell you the truth, if I had made this post last week, I would have skipped right past this card. Over the weekend, the Twins were playing the Chicago White Sox and LaTroy Hawkins was doing the commentary alongside play-by-play man Dick Bremer. They were talking about pitch selection and Bremer asked about the 4-seam vs. the 2-seam fastball. According to Hawkins, he never threw a 4-seamer in his entire MLB career - and he owed it all to Kevin Campbell. During Spring Training in his rookie year, Hawkins was warming up in the bullpen and Campbell noticed some fastball command issues from the young righty. He showed Hawkins his grip for his 2-seam fastball and Hawkins found it to be much more comfortable than any pitch he'd thrown before. The rest of his 21 year major league career, that 2-seamer would be LaTroy's bread and butter. So there you go - Kevin Campbell!

Off Base / On Base - The 1990 Topps Traded Set

Lee Smith in a Cardinals' uniform just seems right to me. The 1990 Topps sets is a bit of a mess. I only recently learned that the design is supposed to be inspired by comic books, which, ok I guess is obvious? The borders and (if you look reeeal close) the photos have the iconic Ben-Day dots, which was the printing process for comic books for decades, particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. Again, sure seems obvious, but I was almost as big of a comic book fan in 1990 as I was a baseball fan, and these just don't make me think comics, and the printing process frankly doesn't make me think baseball, either. But enough whining, let's check out the rest of the Hall of Famers!

Dave Winfield was back in SoCal after a contentious stay in the Bronx, Gary Carter was spending a little time by the Bay, Bobby Cox was Managing again after spending time as the team's General Manager, and it turns out he helped himself to a roster that would be pretty good. Red Schoendienst was making another run at managing the Cardinals, he'd last 24 games in 1990, his 3rd and final stint at the helm.

Rookies! I think I'll do an Olerud post at some point in the not to distant future, he was one of may favorite players in the 90s. Dave Justice certainly put his stamp on the decade as well, and was such a big part of Atlanta's success. Carlos Baerga was the silent partner in the Cleveland lineup, with Belle, Thome, Alomar and Lofton getting more attention. I really thought Fryman was going to be an All-Time great back in the early 90s.

1990 was a big off-season for the Reds, adding Hal Morris, World Series MVP Billy Hatcher, and the crazy Randy Myers. The biggest change was probably the addition new skipper Lou Pinella, who was able to take this big group of conflicting personalities (including team owner Marge Schott) and lead them to a 4 game sweep on the 1990 World Series.

I call this color "Fleer" yellow.

So, funny thing - there was a Topps Traded Factory set, but Topps also shipped hobby boxes of packs of Traded Set cards for the first time. The Factory Set has the bright yellow backs, and the wax packs had backs closer to the flagship set backs.

Phenoms! These guys were going to be amazing. Nokes had already had a huge season in Detroit, and was going to challenge Hundley every year for King of New York Catchers - It was like Berra and Campanella all over again! Ben McDonald was about as hyped as you could get for a young starting pitcher. Kevin Maas was going to be chasing down records of all the great Yankee sluggers... Well, you can't always get what you want.

The Minnesota Twins would finish in last place in 1990. They'd do a little better the next year. Scott Erickson would emerge as a top of the rotation starter, Terry Leach became a reliable sidearm/submarine righty in the Twins bullpen. The Candy Man would be out on the road again for the 1991 season, but in 1990 he would be the right guy to bring the Twins Pedro Muñoz and Nelson Liriano in a July deadline deal. 

The biggest addition to the Twins in 1990 was Shane Mack. In his 5 years with the Twins, Mack hit .309 with a 130 OPS+. Only two players in Twins history have had more seasons with a 130 OPS+  - Kirby Puckett and Tony Oliva. He stole 71 bases and hit 67 homers. In the 1991 season, Mack led the Twins with 5 Wins Above Replacement.

Some guys were way off base in the 1990 set - Keith Hernandez doesn't want to talk about it.

On the other hand, some guys seemed like they were right where they belonged. I don't know if it was because I was in the Midwest, but Jack McDowell was one of the most popular non-Twins players in the early 90s in my neighborhood.

(I think the person that did this airbrush job was a little Knackert.)

The Kid Comes of Age in the Big Apple - The 1985 Topps Traded set

It was the beginning of something magical for the Mets, and the beginning of the great Expos of the late 70s and early 80s starting to break up. Gary Carter came to the Mets in a trade that sent Hubie Brooks, catcher Mike Fitzgerald, and prospects Herm Winningham and Floyd Youmans to Montreal. In the New York Times article about the trade, the Mets GM Frank Cashen called it a "Banner day for the Mets." Turns out, he was right!

Carter provided right handed power to complement the phenom Darryl Strawberry's lefty pop, as well as veteran leadership at a core position. The Traded backs take the gross puke green color of the base set and turn it up a notch.

The key rookies in the set include the base stealing virtuoso Vince Coleman, Short Stop turned feisty manager Ozzie Guillen, 2 time world series Champ Mariano Duncan ('90 Reds and '96 Yankees), and the slugging backstop Mickey Tettleton. Coleman was probably the most hyped at the time, followed closely by Duncan.

In addition to Gary Carter, there were four other Hall of Famers in the set. Rickey Henderson left Oakland for the first time, spending a few years in pinstripes. Don Sutton continued his march to 300 career victories with Rickey's former and future team. Bruce Sutter went down to Georgia to finish his career, and Earl Weaver has a card as Orioles Manager - he was the 3rd manager for Baltimore that season, (Joe Altobelli started the season, Cal Ripken, Sr. won the one game he managed, then Weaver was hired.) and he'd stick around for one more season.

Four Twins in the set - Greg Gagne's card is his first Topps card, his rookie was in the 1984 Donruss set. He would be the Twins' starting Short Stop for both World Series championships. Roy Smalley returned to the Twins after an earlier trade to the Yankees. Mark Salas would stick around until part way into the 1987 season, traded to the Yankees for Joe Niekro. Mike Stenhouse played as a part time DH and reserve outfielder for the Twins in 1985- he would move on to Boston the following season.

The set had several more 70s/80s stars changing uniforms - Gary Carter was the big name coming to New York, but they also added the under the radar corner infielder Howard Johnson. Jack Clark was on the move to St. Louis, and Fred Lynn was trying out the AL East again as a member of the Orioles.

I think more so than in recent traded sets, there were a ton of great photos, and I had a hard time picking just a few to sample. Oddibe McDowell was the Rangers #1 Draft pick in '84, he didn't have any stats on the back of his card yet.

One of the few airbrushed logos was this Johnnie LeMaster - DiSaster!

1975 Topps Rookie All-Star Team

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" following the 1975 season and featured in the 1976 Topps set. 

I have completed the run of these up through 2018, specifically all regular issue cards that bear the All-Star Rookie Trophy. 

Right Handed Pitcher - John Montefusco
Rookie Card
San Francisco (N.L.) 1974-1980, Atlanta (N.L.) 1981, San Diego (N.L.) 1982-1983, New York (A.L.) 1983-1986

"The Count of Montefusco" was an immediate runaway success. His first appearance in 1974 included hitting a home run and earning his first major league win. He followed that superb debut by winning the 1975 N.L. Rookie of the Year. He led all National League pitchers in Strikeouts per nine innings that season, and finished 4th in the Cy Young voting. His 215 strikeouts as a rookie was the 2nd highest total in the National League behind Tom Seaver. The following season was perhaps even better-- Montefusco was named to his only All-Star appearance, and hurled 6 shutouts. He tossed his only career no hitter in September of 1976 as well. Like many pitchers in the 60s and 70s, Montefusco was asked to pitched as many innings as his arm could handle. Oddly enough, though, his injury issues did not come from his pitching arm or shoulder - Montefusco lost significant time in 1977 due to a badly sprained ankle. He was also involved in the highly publicized altercation with teammate Bill Madlock that led to Madlock's trade from the Giants to Pittsburgh. His time in San Francisco was best remembered for his contribution to the rivalry between the Giants and the Dodgers. He was often quoted in the paper as disliking the Dodgers (he grew up a Yankees fan in New Jersey), even dedicating a shutout win to Ron Cey, and sparring with Tommy LaSorda through the press. Montefusco finished his MLB career with parts of three seasons in New York, playing for the team he cheered for as a kid. 

Outfield - Fred Lynn
Boston (A.L.) 1974-80, California (A.L.) 1981-84, Baltimore (A.L.) 1985-88, Detroit (A.L.) 1988-89, San Diego (N.L.) 1990

Gold Glove, All-Star, AL Rookie of the Year, AL MVP. That was Fred Lynn's 1975 season. His September call-up in 1974 gave a sneak peek of the historic season to come - he hit .419 and slugged .698 in 15 games. In his first full season, Lynn displayed serious power - hitting a league leading 47 doubles and 21 homers. He also had excellent plate discipline, getting on base at a .401 clip. The 1975 season was tremendous for Lynn, but in his own words it was the team's success that was most rewarding. The 1975 World Series pitting the Red Sox against the Cincinnati Reds was one for the ages. In game 1, Lynn smashed a home run, but also smashed his body into the left field wall trying to secure a Ken Griffey liner. While he tied for the team lead in runs batted in for the series, and did not even leave the game in which he was injured, the crash into the wall did seem to affect him. He would be fully recovered by the next season however, and Lynn would begin a five year assault on the green monster at Fenway. 1979 in particular was a season to remember, as Lynn hit 39 homers and led the AL in batting average, on base, slugging percentage and reeled in his 3rd of 4 Gold Gloves. Was he snubbed for the MVP that season? Don Baylor won with 36 homers, 139 RBI, and 22 stolen bases.
The Free Agency era coincided with Lynn's arrival in the big leagues, and the 5 year deal he signed expired following the 1980 season. Lynn was traded to his hometown team in southern California as the Red Sox did not think they could re-sign Lynn. Adjusting to life away from Fenway was difficult. Combined with nagging injuries and a labor strike, 1981 would be Lynn's worst season to date in his career, though he still made the All-star squad. His time in SoCal was marred by injury, though he did have several All-Star appearances, and played extremely well in the Angels' playoff games, earning ALCS MVP honors in 1982 in a losing effort. As he aged, Lynn had a slow but steady decline in production. He remained a valuable part of each club, however, given the high level of play he once had, even a significant drop off was better than league average. He would retire following the 1990 season, with 1960 hits, over 300 home runs and 1160 Runs batted in. He was a 9X all-Star and a 4X gold glove winner.
Fred Lynn's Rookie Card is 1975 Topps #622 shared with Ed Armbrister, Terry Whitfield and Tom Poquette. 

First Base - Mike Ivie 
San Diego (N.L.) 1971, 1974-77; San Francisco (N.L.) 1978-81; Houston (N.L.) 1981-82; Detroit (A.L.) 1982-83

Mike Ivie was the #1 Overall draft pick in 1970 by the Padres as a Catcher. Ivie made his MLB debut the next year, appearing in 6 games for San Diego as an 18 year old. It would be a few years toiling in the minor leagues and a position change before Ivie would get back to the bigs. Ivie would play both corner infield positions in his first full major league season, though he was primarily considered a first baseman. His 1975 rookie season was solid if unspectacular. In 111 games for the Padres, Ivie played First Base, Third Base, and still appeared behind the plate in a pinch.  He had a rough time at the hot corner, but was considered an excellent defender at first base. He also contributed 26 extra-base hits and drove in 46 runs. For Topps, this selection was forward-thinking. He would go on to much better production in subsequent seasons. He found the most success in his second stop, following a trade from San Diego to San Francisco in 1978. That season Ivie was a key component of the Giants' pennant drive, including a pair of pinch-hit grand slams. He had a career high .308 batting average for the Giants and that off-season was rumored to be included in a deal with the Twins for the services of Rod Carew - he would stay with the Giants, however, and had a breakout season. In 1979, Ivie crushed a career best 27 homers. It looked like he would be the heir apparent to Willie McCovey's role as the Giants' starting third baseman, but a freak accident with a hunting knife relieved Ivie of a chunk of one of his fingers. He struggled the following season and ended up trying to latch on with another club. He did have some success as a DH for Sparky Anderson in Detroit in 1982, but the bulk of his playing career had ended.

Mike Ivie's Rookie Card is 1972 Topps #457 shared with Derrel Thomas and Darcy Fast

Third Base - Larry Parrish
Rookie Card
Montreal (N.L.) 1974-81, Texas (A.L.) 1982-88, Boston (A.L.) 1988
Larry Parrish went undrafted out of high school and was signed by the Expos in 1972 after an appearance on the Florida Junior College All-Star team. He would be the Expos' starting 3rd baseman in 1975 at just 21 years old. He had a respectable rookie season with 10 homers and 65 RBI. He finished third in the NL ROY ballot behind John Montefusco and his teammate Gary Carter. Parrish would go on to be one of the best known players in Expos history, firmly entrenched at the hot corner for the rest of the 1970s. He's still the only Montreal hitter to have 3 different 3 HR games. Parrish reached his peak in Montreal in 1979, clubbing 30 homers and making his first All-Star squad. That year, he had a career high .308 batting average and even garnered enough votes to be 4th in the NL MVP race. He switched leagues in 1981 and spent the bulk of the 80s with the Texas Rangers as a corner outfielder and DH. He would surpass 100 RBI twice with Texas, including his 2nd and final All-Star season in 1987. Following the 1988 season, Parrish was signed to play in Japan, and hit a whopping 42 homers in his first season and added 28 more the next before retiring from pro ball for good.

Second Base - Jerry Remy
Rookie Card
California (A.L.) 1975-77, Boston (A.L.) 1978-84

Remy is now best known as the color commentator for Boston Red Sox games on NESN, a role he's held since 1988. He was a fairly good player in his day as well. Remy's rookie year, he stole 34 bases for the Angels and scored 82 runs. He was better known for his speed and defense than his bat, though he is one of a small handful of MLB players to record 6 hits in a game. Remy spent 3 seasons in California, swiping over 30 bases each year. He was even named as the Angels' team captain in his final season. His hometown team Boston Red Sox came calling and acquired Remy to be their starting second baseman in 1978, where he would spend the remainder of his playing career. In his first season in Boston, Remy was named to his only All-Star team. He would encounter several injuries in the latter part of his career, but he was considered among the best defensive players of his era.

Outfield - Dan Ford
Rookie Card
Minnesota (A.L.) 1975-78, California (A.L.) 1979-81, Baltimore (A.L.) 1982-85

"Disco Dan" Ford came to the Minnesota Twins after several seasons in the Oakland A's minor league system. His rookie campaign with the Twins included 21 doubles, 15 homers, and a .280 average. Ford was a bit of a free-swinger, and racked up more than twice as many Ks as walks in his career. He did hit for modest power numbers and was dependable in the field, usually playing in a corner. Like many of this year's rookie All-Star crop, Ford's best year was 1979. Now playing with the Angels, Ford scored 100 runs for the only time in his career, to go along with 101 runs batted in and 26 homers. He led the AL in sacrifice flies that season, and hit for the cycle against the Mariners that August. Ford was also a World Series Champion as a member of the 1983 Baltimore Orioles, hitting a homer in Game 3 against Steve Carlton, paving the way to a 3-2 Oriole win. Over 11 seasons, Ford had over 1100 career hits and had an OPS+ of 109, making him a better than average hitter for his era.

Outfield - Jim Rice
Hall of Fame
Boston (A.L.) 1974-1989

There was an embarrassment of riches in the Boston Red Sox lineup in 1975, featuring past, present and future MVPs. Yaz won in '67, Fred Lynn was the All-Everything that year, and Jim Rice was on his way to a Hall of Fame career that would include an MVP of his own coming in 1978. If Dan Ford was considered a free-swinger, he had nothing on Jim Rice. Rice would strikeout 122 times in his rookie season, starting a string of 4 straight 100 plus K seasons. It was a testament to his maturation as a player that he was able to reduce those strikeouts without sacrificing his prodigious power later in his career. By the end of his playing days, he'd have more seasons with 100 plus RBI than 100 plus strikeouts. His rookie year, however, he did both. He also hit 22 homers, 29 doubles, and scored 92 times. If not for Lynn's superb campaign, Rice may have been the ROY/MVP - he finished 2nd in ROY voting, 3rd in the MVP vote. If not for a broken hand suffered on September 21st, the Sox/Reds series may have had a different result. Yet that tremendous rookie season was nothing compared to 1978! Rice did lead the AL in strikeouts, but also in Hits, Triples, Homers, RBI, Slugging, OPS, OPS+, and total bases. He played all 163 games for Boston and scored 121 runs. He did all that in his age 25 season, then proceeded to have another decade of excellence for Boston. Left Field in Boston had been set from 1939 until 1989 from Ted Williams, to Yaz, to Jim Rice. Must have been nice to have that kind of stability! Rice retired with 1,249 Runs scored, 2,452 hits, 382 homers, and 1,452 RBI. He was voted by the BBWAA to the Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility.

Jim Rice's Rookie Card is 1975 Topps #616 shared with Dave Augustine, Pepe Mangual, and John Scott.

Left Handed Pitcher - Tom Underwood
Philadelphia (N.L.) 1974-77, St. Louis (N.L.) 1977, Toronto (A.L.) 1978-79, New York (A.L.) 1980-81, Oakland (A.L.) 1981-83, Baltimore (A.L.) 1984

Tom Underwood was a two-sport star in High School as the starting QB and the ace pitcher in Kokomo, Indiana. He was a second round selection by the Phillies in 1972 and rose quickly through the majors after a pair of sterling seasons in the low minors. His first full season in the majors was the most innings he'd ever pitched professionally, though that didn't seem to faze him. He had a winning record at 14-13, and struck out batters at a rate of 5 per 9 innings. He had 7 complete games and a pair of shutouts his rookie season. In 1979, Underwood was the Toronto Blue Jays' Opening Day starter, one season after being named the team's best starting pitcher by his teammates. His brother Pat made his major league debut in May of 1979, and the two brothers faced off as the opposing starters. Tom pitched a complete game, but surrendered a single run in the eighth, allowing his brother to earn his first MLB win. Later in his career with New York and Oakland, he would be used in both a starting role and as a late innings reliever. In 1980 for the Yankees, he recorded 2 saves and 2 complete game shutouts. He would finish his career with an ERA+ of 100, which is exactly league average. His overall record was 86 wins against 87 losses.

Tom Underwood's Rookie Card is 1975 Topps #615 shared with Hank Webb, Pat Darcy, and Dennis Leonard

Short Stop - Tom Veryzer
Detroit (A.L.) 1973-77, Cleveland (A.L.) 1978-81, New York (N.L.) 1982, Chicago (N.L.) 1983-84

The Tigers' First Round selection in 1971, he made a great first impression by being named that year's MVP of the Appalachian League. He got his first taste of MLB action in 1973, playing in 18 games and hitting .300 for the Tigers. His first full season came in 1975, and Veryzer had less than glowing offensive numbers. He did well enough, though, to amass over 100 hits and had career highs in Homers and runs batted in. While his minor league reputation was that of a defensive specialist, he was 4th in the AL in errors committed his rookie season. His next few seasons in Detroit saw similar results with a few minor injuries mixed in to limit his playing time even further. It was his play that allowed for Alan Trammell to get his shot and the rest is history. With Trammell on his way, the Tigers traded Veryzer to Cleveland, and he did have an improved season in 1978 at the plate and in the field. His defense was back to matching the reputation he garnered en route to the majors, and in 1979 he helped turn 90 double plays and had a sparkling .971 fielding percentage at SS. In 1981 with Cleveland, it was his fantastic play on a ground ball up the middle by Toronto's Alfredo Griffin that would turn out to be the first out of Len Barker's perfect game. He would later get a chance for post-season play as well, joining the Cubs for their 1984 NLCS run. He was hitless in his only plate appearance in the series, but was used primarily for defense at that point in his career, and he played in 3 of the Cubs' playoff games. 

Tom Veryzer's Rookie Card is 1975 Topps #623 shared with Phil Garner, Keith Hernandez, and Bob Sheldon

Catcher - Gary Carter
Hall of Famer
Montreal (N.L.) 1974-84, 1992; New York (N.L.) 1985-1989; San Francisco (N.L.) 1990; Los Angeles (N.L.) 1991 

We save possibly the best for last - Gary Carter was in a class by himself. Despite the reigning Topps All-Star Rookie Catcher Barry Foote being on the Expos roster, Carter had no problem proving he was the man, even though everyone called him "The Kid." He played sparingly in 1974 as a late season call-up, but hit .407 in that limited duty, including his first career home run, which came against Hall of Famer Steve Carlton. In 1975, Carter was a 21 year old All-Star and came in 2nd in ROY voting behind Giants' pitcher John Montefusco. Sharing the team's primary catcher duties with Barry Foote, Carter hit 17 home runs and 20 doubles. Montreal had hit the jackpot with Carter. In 1976, Gary was still splitting time with Foote and was getting additional playing time in Right Field. Unfortunately, it was during one of these excursions in the outfield that Carter collided with Pepe Mangual (from Jim Rice's Rookie card) and broke his thumb. 1976 would be Carter's worst season, finishing the season with a .219 average and just 6 homers. He returned in 1977 in a big way, crushing 30 homers and 29 doubles with a .284 average.
His best season? In 1982, he compiled his career high in average, on base, and slugging. He had 91 runs scored, and walked more often than he struck out. But the argument could be made that his best year was one with less impressive personal stats, but intangible impacts that led to the New York Mets' world Championship in 1986. He did lead the NL in one offensive category that year - he ground into 21 double plays. He also came up big late in the playoffs, including an NLCS game 5  game winner in the bottom of the 12th inning, 2 homers in Game 4 of the World Series at Fenway to even the series, and a rally starting single in Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th.
Beyond individual moments, Carter was widely regarded as a leader in the clubhouse, both in his later Expos years and especially in New York. His Mets manager Davey Johnson called him a "one-man scouting department" because of his knowledge of opposing hitters and pitchers, which he would share with his teammates and coaches before each series and throughout the season.
Carter waited 6 years of eligibility before being inducted into the Hall of Fame, though he was among the best catchers of all-time and still today ranks among the best offensive numbers for catchers ever. The 11 time All-Star won 3 Gold Gloves in Montreal, 5 Silver Slugger awards, and is 6th all-time with 298 homers as a catcher. He was on the receiving end of 127 shutouts and one No-hitter in his career. Only 5 catchers (Yogi Berra, Carlton Fisk, Ray Schalk, and Mike Scioscia) have caught more shutouts in MLB history.

Gary Carter's Rookie Card is 1975 Topps #620 shared with Marc Hill, Dan Meyer, and Leon Roberts

I Love the 80s : 1981 Montreal Expos

It's gonna be sad to talk about the Expos during this series on 1980s cardboard - I really hope that the Expos can come back some day. In 1980, the Expos finished second in the NL East with a 90-72 record. They were led by a very fleet of foot outfield, a Hall of Fame Catcher in his prime, and a rotation that blended youth and experience. 

 In 1981, the Expos made the postseason and defeated the defending champion Phillies in the Divisional series, but lost to eventual 1981 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a very hard fought NLCS. Here are my favorite cards of Expos in 1981. Quick story on Ron LeFlore - I realize that is a White Sox card, but I wanted to include another card with the Expos' home uniform, and this was one of the better examples.

The Cards:

Donruss # 89 Larry Parrish - Parrish was the regular 3rd Baseman for the Expos in 1980 and 1981, missing significant time after being hit by a pitch on his wrist.

Fleer #148 Ellis Valentine - Valentine's 22 homers in 1980 marked the third straight season of 20+ homers, and he was just 26 years old. He ended up being traded to the Mets during the first half of the 1981 season for pitching help.

Fleer Star Stickers #123 Andre Dawson -  The Hawk had a bit of a down year in 1980 compared to his 1978 Rookie of the Year campaign, but he still won his first silver slugger award and first Gold Glove. They would be the first of many for the Hall of Famer. 1981 would mark his first All-Star appearance.

O-Pee-Chee #6 Gary Carter - The Kid pretty much killed it in 1980 and 81. He won his first of 3 straight Gold Gloves behind the plate, finished 2nd the MVP balloting (his highest finish), and enjoyed a pair of All-Star appearances. The Hall of Famer was the on field leader of the team.

Topps Traded #816 Tim Raines - I decided to use this Topps card instead the O-P-C card with three Expos rookies on it.

O-Pee-Chee #244 Ellis Valentine - The modified facemask that Ellis wore on his helmet makes this one of my favorite cards of the decade.

Fleer #143 Steve Rogers - Rogers was the Expos Ace in 1980 and 1981, and was a life-long Montreal Expo. He led the National League in complete games in 1980 and finished 5th in the Cy Young voting. He would go on to lead the league in ERA in 1982, and finished his 13 year career in 1985.

Donruss # 538 Tim Raines -  Rock. His career was just getting started in 80/81 - playing in just 15 games for the Expos in 1980, but he was the Minor League Player of the Year. In 1981, he took over Left Field for the Expos and stole 71 bases in just 88 games. He would go on to steal at least 70 in his first 6 full seasons. He should be in the Hall of Fame, hopefully that will be fixed next year.

Donruss # 576 Ron LeFlore - It would be hard to imagine it, but Raines' stolen base totals were actually a drastic reduction from the totals of the 1980 Expos Left Fielder, Ron LeFlore. He stole 97 bases in 1980 for Montreal. He came to the majors with Detroit and then Tigers Manager Billy Martin gave the 26 year old a chance at redemption. LeFlore had a checkered past, but his talent on the field was never in doubt. LeFlore took the opportunity and despite a late start he ran with it. By the time he stole 97 bases for the Expos, he was already 32 years old. With the speedy Raines coming up and seemingly no place for LeFlore in the Expos Outfield, he was allowed to test free agency. He returned to the AL and played his final two seasons for the White Sox.

I Miss Youppi, Too.

 Maybe it was the pack of Bill and Ted movie cards I opened this weekend, but I'm feeling nostalgic. I think I'm going to spend a little time on the forgotten this week.

 I miss the Expos! I miss the awesome logo, and having two teams in Canada.

 Greats like Gary Carter behind the plate and Andre Dawson patrolling the outfield.

 Tim Raines deserves some more hall of fame votes, and so does Larry Walker. I always get a kick out of the J in "Pedro J. Martinez" - makes me think of Homer J. Simpson.

 Some of my favorite Expos cards - including Vlad!

One of my favorite cards of the 1980s - some awesome action, and the grin on Speier's portrait is just amazing.

I'd love to have the Expos back again, to travel to Montreal to watch them play a game... heck, I wouldn't even mind Youppi. Anyone have a Youppi card to send me? I miss the old son of a gun.