1999 Topps All-Star Rookie Second Baseman Warren Morris

 

Many Topps All-Star Rookies have a fun anecdote or two about their path to the big leagues, and Warren Morris is no different. He's best known for his College World Series heroics, and he was also an Olympian, helping Team USA Baseball win Bronze in the 1996 Summer Games. Three years later, he was the Pirates' everyday second baseman as a rookie. His offensive stats were just about league average for a second baseman, but coming in his rookie year, average is very good. His 73 RBI led all NL rookies and were the most by a Pirates' rookie since Ralph Kiner! He collected his first major league hit on Opening Day, a double. He had a torrid first half, hitting .301 with 11 doubles, 9 homers, and 47 RBI. All this made him the obvious choice for the Topps All-Star Rookie team.

The Pirates acquired Morris along with former top prospect Todd Van Poppel from the Rangers close to the Trade deadline in 1998. Morris would be given the chance to be the team's second baseman when the Pirates decided to part ways with Tony Womack before the start of the 1999 season. Morris made his case for the spot in the Arizona Fall League in '98, leading the short season league in slugging percentage, a stat that was never Womack's strong suit.  

Morris was originally drafted by the Texas Rangers out of LSU in the 5th Round of the 1996 June Draft. Morris still found time to lead Team USA in homers in the 1996 Summer Games while hitting a robust .409. Before winning Bronze in the Olympics, Morris was the hero of the 1996 College World Series. He had missed two months of the season and was batting ninth in the order for LSU after breaking his hamate bone early in the season. The Junior would come to the plate in the bottom of the ninth against Miami with two outs, a man on third, and his team trailing by a run (which was knocked in by future Red Sox Skipper Alex Cora). Morris swung at the first pitch curve ball, hoping to make solid contact and keep the line moving, but the ball kept carrying and sailed over the fence for a dramatic walk off win. 

Morris' rookie season with Pittsburgh would be his best in the big leagues. After hitting 15 homers in his rookie year, he'd hit just 3 in 2000. Much was made of his slugging ability in his previous stops in College and the Olympics, and he also had 19 homers and 103 RBI in 1998 for the Rangers and Pirates' AA affiliates. He had a 5 hit game in June of 2000, and a 4 hit game in September, but he wasn't able to translate that to consistent success at the big league level. While he had a career high 31 doubles in 2000, the rest of his offensive stats dipped and the sophomore slump was enough for the Pirates to move on from Morris to former Twin Pat Meares at second in 2001. He would split the 2001 season between AAA and the Pirates, and hit well in the minors, with a .305 average and an OPS over .800, which made him an intriguing option for several teams the following year.

In 2002, the Minnesota Twins picked up Morris after being released by the Pirates, but he was used by the Twins in just 4 big league games. In June, he was traded from the Twins' AAA affiliate to the Cardinals minor league system, and by the end of the season had found his way to Pawtucket via waivers, now playing for Boston's AAA affiliate. He played well enough to pique the interest of the Detroit Tigers, who gave him the everyday 2B job for the 2003 season. He was still a sneaky power bat at the bottom of the order, and had developed into a very good defensive second baseman. He was helped along the way under the wing of Bill Mazeroski, whose tutelage helped Morris to lead the NL in Range Factor for 2B in 2000. For Detroit, Morris appeared in 97 games and added another 6 homers to his career totals. In 2004, he spent the entire season in AAA Toledo, again showing signs of a decent bat and a slick glove. Both Cleveland and Milwaukee gave him a look in the minors in 2005, but Morris decided to call it a career at that point. He returned home to Alexandria, LA to his wife and infant twin daughters and took a job with a local bank, where he's been employed ever since. His degree from LSU is in Zoology- Geaux Tigers!

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!

I Love the 80s - 1982 Texas Rangers

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!

For the Rangers, the 1981 season showed promise of a possible run for the AL West crown, but a rough second half kept them out of the playoffs. The hope going into 1982 was that the team would go even further, but the opposite happened and they would tumble to the basement of the division, finishing with a 64-98 record.

The Rangers had a lineup of veterans and youngsters, but the bats went cold early on and the team tumbled 20 games below .500 before manager Don Zimmer was dismissed. The team would continue to struggle throughout the 80s- 1994 would have been their next 1st place finish. 

The Cards:

Fleer #313 Buddy Bell - In 1982, Bell made his 3rd straight All-Star team, and the 4th straight Gold Glove at third base. The award was no mirage- he led the league in range factor and fielding pct in 1982, and was the league leader in defensive WAR in 1981. Buddy's father Gus was a long time MLB player, and Buddy's sons David and Mike played several MLB seasons as well. Buddy's grandson Luke was drafted in 2019 by the Diamondbacks in the 34th round. 

Donruss #394 Mario Mendoza - Mario was unfairly tagged as the namesake of "the Mendoza Line," as a late surge towards the end of his career would vault him above the line, retiring with a robust .215 average. Mendoza's 1981 season included a .245 average to make the big difference. His claim to fame notwithstanding, Mendoza's best skill was his glove, and in 1981 he did rank 9th overall in defensive WAR, given the full time role at short. 

Topps #298 Danny Darwin - Darwin had a great season in 1980 primarily out of the bullpen, then a rough season in 1981 as a full-time starter. In 1982, Darwin returned to the bullpen and found success again with a 10-8 record, with 7 saves and a 3.44 ERA. Starting in 1983, he would flip back again to a full time starter, which would be his role for the remainder of his career. He was the NL ERA title winner in 1990 with the Astros, but was not part of the Cy Young vote. He spent 8 seasons with the Rangers and had 5 shutouts for the team.

Topps #718 Charlie Hough - Hough shows off the knuckleball grip. Hough spent the entire decade of the 1980s as a starter in the Rangers rotation, and became the team's all-time leader in Wins, Strikeouts, complete games, and losses. He had just converted to a knuckleball pitcher in 1979, and the pitch allowed him to move from the bullpen to become a starter. He'd win at least 10 games a season from 1982 to 1990, and ended his career with a symmetrical 216-216 record.

Donruss #195 Don Zimmer - 1982 was a rough one for the Rangers' skipper, losing the gig after starting the season with 38-58 record. He was the 1989 Manager of the Year, taking the Cubs to an NL East Division Title. He was nicknamed "The Gerbil" by Bill Lee 

Topps #624 Fergie Jenkins - The Hall of Fame hurler was making his second run with the Texas Rangers in 1980 and '81. He had probably his best MLB season his first time through the Rangers' org in 1974, when he posted a 25-12 record and an eye-popping 29 Complete Games. Doing so in the oppressive heat of Texas makes it all the more impressive. In 1980, Jenkins was 12-12 with 12 complete games. He would pitch another season in Texas, then two more campaigns with the Chicago Cubs before retiring with 286 career victories.

Topps #590 Al Oliver - "Scoop" took over for Richie Zisk as the Rangers primary DH in 1981, but had an even bigger post-Texas season in 1982. Now with Montreal, Oliver would win the NL Batting Title, while also leading the league in hits, doubles, total bases and RBI. He'd finish 3rd in the NL MVP vote that year. For his career, he had over 2700 hits and was a 7 time All-Star.

Donruss #268 Jim Sundberg - A Six Time Gold Glove winner behind the plate, Jim Sundberg also collected over 1,400 career hits. Sundberg was part of the 1985 KC Royals Championship team. He led the AL in runners caught stealing 3 times. He was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame in 2003 as one of its charter members. Jim was the Rangers' primary catcher in 1982 and had 10 homers with a .251/.322/.383 Triple slash.

Donruss #550 John Henry Johnson - John Henry was a short relievin' man. He spent 1982 in the Red Sox minor league system. He made 74 appearances over 3 seasons in Texas - he posted a 3.86 ERA. He was a 1978 Topps All-Star Rookie, and was part of the 7 for 1 deal that send Vida Blue to the San Francisco Giants. Over his career, Johnson had a 3.90 ERA over 214 appearances, pitching for 4 different teams. 

 

 

1996 Topps All-Star Rookie Right Handed Pitcher Alan Benes

Move over Dizzy and Daffy, the 1996 Cardinals have a new Sibling-fueled 1-2 punch against National League hitters. Big brother Andy was the Ace of the Cardinals' rotation in '96, but Alan matched him with 3 complete games and both authored shutouts during the season. Benes the younger was named the National League's Rookie Pitcher of the Year, which is a solid foundation to be named to the Topps All-Star Rookie squad as well.

Alan's 13-10 record and 32 starts ranked 3rd on the Saint Louis staff. He struck out 131 batters and his 6.2 K/9 rate was second only to his big bro for the Cards. Benes proved that he was ready for a bigger challenge, getting a start in the 1996 NLCS against Atlanta legend Greg Maddux. While he took the loss, he showed poise and polish allowing a pair of runs over 5 tough innings.

The Cardinals made Benes their 1st round pick in 1993 out of Creighton University. He was a standout for the Bluejays, the same school that Bob Gibson excelled at in the 1950s. Benes helped Creighton make an appearance at the 1991 College World Series, and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the year in 1992. You can see Benes in this clip rocking a rally cap (uniform #29, about 32 seconds in) during "the throw" in the '91 CWS.
Benes would rise through the ranks in the Cardinals system quickly. In his second pro season he jumped from Single A to AAA, Ranking #14 by Baseball America. The following year he was the #5 Prospect in all of baseball and by the end of 1995, his third pro season, he was making his MLB debut.
In his cup of coffee in 1995, Benes struck out 20 batters in 16 innings.

In 1997, his second full season, Benes was establishing himself as one of the best pitchers in the game. By July he ranked 3rd in the league in Strikeouts, and his 2.89 ERA had him in 6th place in the NL. A shoulder injury ended his season, and nearly finished his career. His ERA+ for the shortened 1997 season was a robust 144, 44% better than the average NL pitcher. Benes would miss all of the 1998 season and made just 2 appearances in 1999.

Benes would adjust to a role in the bullpen with the Cardinals in 2000, but his strikeout stuff had left him following the shoulder issues. He would move on to the Cubs in 2002 and 2003, appearing in 10 games, then on to Texas to conclude his MLB career with an attempt to return to an MLB starting rotation. He made 4 starts for the Rangers, allowing 20 runs in 15 innings pitched. Benes would go on to be a scout and instructor in the Cardinals organization.

Benes is another one of those Topps All-Star Rookies who showed tremendous talent, only to have that potential undone by the misfortune of injury. Alan's best season was also his brother Andy's best year - the two combined for 31 victories in 1996 en route to a division championship, and took the NLCS to 7 games.

Benes was inducted into the Creighton University Hall of Fame in 2011.

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

1996 Topps All-Star Rookie Outfielder Todd Hollandsworth

Todd Hollandsworth was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1996, joining the ever growing list of Dodger phenoms to break into the big leagues. With similar tools to 1994 RoY Raul Mondesi, Hollandsworth flashed power, speed, and a strong outfield arm. He spent a good part of 1995 recovering from various nagging injuries, in 1996 it was his turn to fill in for the regular centerfielder, Brett Butler.

Todd hit 12 homers, stole 21 bases and had a 113 OPS+ while playing all three outfield positions. There is quite a bit of copy written bout Todd as a "gamer" aka a player who "plays the game the right way," and Brett Butler was even quoted as saying that Todd was never thinking "How cool do I look?" in a Clint Eastwood-esque get-off-my-lawn.

Todd had a big year in 1994 for Albuquerque, paving the way for his big league debut. He bashed 19 homers, drove in 91 runs, and stole 15 bases. It was his third season in a row with double digits in homers and steals, and he finally managed to get his strikeouts under 100 for the season. He was always a doubles machine, and had 31 for the Dukes in '94, the highest total of his minor league career.

Hollandsworth was the Dodgers' 3rd round selection in 1991, having lost picks in rounds 1 and 2 as compensation for adding Darryl Strawberry and Kevin Gross. They would add a 3rd rounder though as compensation for losing Kirk Gibson to Kansas City. He was born in Dayton, OH, and went to High School in Bellevue, Washington. As a Senior he hit .368 with a pair of homers, and was named "Athlete of the Year" by the Seattle Times and was a member of the Washington All-State Team. In addition to baseball, Hollandsworth also played for the Newport High Football squad (he rushed for over 1,000 yards) and their basketball team.

Following his Dodgers tenure, Hollandsworth spent time with 7 different teams- Colorado, Texas, Florida, Atlanta, the Cubs, and in his final MLB season, he played for both Ohio franchises. Hollandsworth didn't become the toolsy superstar hinted at by his rookie year, but he was a solid 4th outfielder for 12 MLB seasons. His best seasons were 2000, split between LA and the Rockies, and 2002, which was split between the Rockies and Rangers. The following season, Hollandsworth became a World Series Champion as a member of the Florida Marlins.

After his playing career, Hollandsworth has been a broadcaster for several teams, currently a member of the Marlins tv broadcast team.

Let's hear your Hollandsworth stories! Thanks for reading!

I Love the 80s : 1981 Texas Rangers

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!

In 1980, The Texas Rangers finished 4th in the AL West with a 76-85 record. In '81, they improved to finish 2nd in the West, their highest ranking in the standings until 1994, when the team finished in 1st place, but missed the playoffs (along with all other teams) due to the '94 Strike that prematurely ended the season. 

The 1981 Rangers were led by Manager Don Zimmer, who would be fired in 1982 but asked to interview candidates to replace him in a move that typified the bizarre and contentious relationship with team owner Eddie Chiles. The 1981 squad had a Silver Slugger (Al Oliver) and a pair of Gold Gloves (Jim Sundberg and Buddy Bell), but ultimately trailed the Royals and Athletics in the standings.

The Cards:
Fleer #620 Richie Zisk - Zisk completed his 3rd and Final season in Texas in 1980, tying for the team lead in Homers with 19. His best season came in 1977 with the White Sox hitting 30 homers and driving in 101 runs. Zisk was a two-time All-Star in '77 and '78.  

Donruss #387 Al Oliver - "Scoop" took over for Zisk as the Rangers primary DH in 1981, but had an even bigger post-Texas season in 1982. Now with Montreal, Oliver would win the NL Batting Title, while also leading the league in hits, doubles, total bases and RBI. He'd finish 3rd in the NL MVP vote that year.

Topps #158 Fergie Jenkins - The Hall of Fame hurler was making his second run with the Texas Rangers in 1980 and '81. He had probably his best MLB season his first time through the Rangers' org in 1974, when he posted a 25-12 record and an eye-popping 29 Complete Games. Doing so in the oppressive heat of Texas makes it all the more impressive. In 1980, Jenkins was 12-12 with 12 complete games. He would pitch another season in Texas, then two more campaigns with the Chicago Cubs before retiring with 286 career victories.

Donruss #25 Bump Wills - Son of Dodger great Maury Wills, Bump was a chip off the old block on the base paths. The switch hitting second baseman led the Rangers in stolen bases in 1980 and 81, He'd steal 196 over the course of his career, ranking at the top of the Rangers' all-time leaderboard. 

Topps #517 Richie Zisk - After his time in Texas, Zisk went to the Pacific Northwest for a terrific trident of seasons in Seattle. He was used solely as the Mariners' DH, and bumped up his slash line compared to his time in Texas. He'd retire with 1,477 hits and nearly 800 RBI. 

Fleer #629 Rusty Staub - Staub was used mostly as a DH for Texas in 1980, hitting for average and getting on base at a high rate (.370). His .828 OPS was the highest since his All-Star campaign in 1971 with the Expos. Starting in 1981, Staub would become the Mets' main pinch hitting option until his retirement following the 1985 season. 

Fleer #626 Al Oliver - Oliver was a Texas Ranger for 4 seasons, and won the Silver Slugger award in 2 of those 4 campaigns. His .319/.358/.456 triple slash as a Ranger were the highest rates of any of his stops in the big leagues. He'd have notable success north of the border for both the Expos and the Blue Jays. In 1985 with Toronto, Oliver hit .375 in a losing effort in the ALCS. 

Donruss #496 Mickey Rivers - Rivers was the everyday Center Fielder for the Rangers in 1980 and 81, leading the team in batting with a .333 average in 1980 and in runs scored in 1981. He came to the Rangers in 1979 from the Yankees in the Oscar Gamble trade. Rivers would finish his 15 year career with 1,660 hits, 499 RBI, 267 stolen bases, and a .295 average.

Topps #371 Charlie Hough - Hough spent the entire decade of the 1980s as a starter in the Rangers rotation, and became the team's all-time leader in Wins, Strikeouts, complete games, and losses. He had just converted to a knuckleball pitcher in 1979, and the pitch allowed him to move from the bullpen to become a starter. He'd win at least 10 games a season from 1982 to 1990, and ended his career with a symmetrical 216-216 record.

Oddballs from Out West

Sunday night I was losing auctions for Willians Astudillo parallels (which I must say are selling much higher that they ought to, IMO), I switched gears and turned my attention to some older Player collections. Searching for Elmer Valo cards now usually has just one or two results for "new to me" cards, but this time I found this odd item - a magazine (?) page, promo photo (?) pasted onto a three hole punch scrapbook page. He's (I'm pretty sure) sporting a Philadelphia A's uni (might be KC, but I think they had a diff. hat), so my best guess is that this is from the early to mid 50s. He played for the A's through 1956 in KC. Not sure if there's anything on the back. The corners are a little loose, and can be peeled back a little, but I hesitate to do much more for fear of tearing it. ODD!

A season after the trade from MN to TX, Bert Blyleven posed for this Postcard. My gcrl research tells me that the #4 armband is in memory of teammate Danny Thompson, who was the other player Texas received in the Blyleven trade. Thompson died at the age of 29 in the 1976 offseason after succumbing to Leukemia. Blyleven would toss 11 shutouts for Texas over a season and a half, and was the AL leader in WHIP in 1977.

Here's the back of the postcard, printed in Los Angeles.

Mark Hoyle a while back sent some gorgeous 1963 Western Oil and Fuel company prints by artist Nicholas Volpe. Local grocery chain SuperValu got into the fine art act in 1970, producing a series of Twins prints by John Wheeldon. This is roughly an 8X10.

Here's the back of the print- All of these items came from the same San Fran based seller on eBay, who had an eclectic array of postcards, scorecards, prints, programs, pins and random miscellany. He combined shipping on all the items, and everything was well packaged. Here's the seller's page, if any of those items intrigue you...

The 1974 Topps Rookie All-Star Team - Claudell Washington

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" by a vote of fellow MLB players following the 1974 season and featured in the 1975 Topps set. 

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

Topps decided to skip the Trophies on the 1974 Topps Set, but they made a triumphant return in 1975. I wanted to show my appreciation for this expression of good judgement, so for the 1974 Lineup, I will do a separate post for each player. This was a pretty good crop of players, so let's dive in! 

Washington did not play organized baseball in high school - instead he was a track and field star. Similar to the grooming of Herb Washington, Claudell was a speedster that was destined to be a pinch runner for Charlie Finley's A's. There was just one problem with that plan - the guy could hit pretty well, too!

Despite his limited experience, Washington breezed through several levels of minor league ball and wound up on the MLB roster in his 2nd full professional season. He stole 80 bases in the minors and was a major leaguer for good at age 19. He was used as the team's 4th outfielder and Lefty DH in the second half and was a key part of Oakland's third straight World Series title.

That would be his only trip to the World Series in his 17 year career. He did show impressive speed and power early on, however, and made his first All-Star appearance in 1975 at just 20 years old. While base stealing was considered his biggest asset, it was his tape measure home runs that really caused fans and rival GMs to take notice. His power potential made him an attractive trade piece 5 times in his career. He was swapped for other outfield bats like Bobby Bonds (in a trade from Texas to the White Sox) and Ken Griffey, Sr. (from Atlanta to the Yankees).

The Braves signed Washington to a five year, $3.5MM contract after the 1980 season, in which he stole 21 bases and hit 11 homers for the White Sox and the Mets. The contract had some scratching their heads, but the truth was that Washington had not been given a regular starting role at any point in his career and was motivated to show what he could do. In 6 seasons in Atlanta, Washington had 647 hits, and 115 stolen bases including his 2nd and final All-Star selection in 1984. It was also during this stint that he hit a memorable foul ball at Wrigley Field, the footage of which was used for the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Washington did have some off field issues in the 80s, and was one of several players implicated during the infamous Pittsburgh cocaine trial. For his part, Washington sought treatment and donated a portion of his Braves' contract to drug treatment and prevention programs. His character and reputation was damaged but not destroyed, and it was his years in pinstripes that saw a late career renaissance. His 1988 season in particular was a return to his early career form, batting over .300, while stealing 15 bases and hitting 11 homers. He had worked diligently over the years on his defense in the outfield, his one glaring weakness as a player had become a strength.

Another season of double digit homers and steals pushed his career totals to 163 round trippers to go along with 308 steals. Some highlights from his career include 3-Homer games in both the AL and the NL, hitting the 10,000th homer in Yankees' history, as well as a walk off blast in the 18th inning for a marathon victory for New York over Detroit in 1988. He would finish his career in 1990, with a brief stint with the Angels before being traded to the Yankees for his final 33 games. He finished with over 1,800 career hits, 334 doubles and 824 runs batted in. 

The 1974 Topps Rookie All-Star Team - Bucky Dent

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" following the 1974 season and featured in the 1975 Topps set. 

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

Topps decided to skip the Trophies on the 1974 Topps Set, but they made a triumphant return in 1975. I wanted to show my appreciation for this expression of good judgement, so for the 1974 Lineup, I will do a separate post for each player. This was a pretty good crop of players, so let's dive in! 

Shortstop - Bucky Dent

Bucky Dent was the 6th overall pick in the June 1970 MLB Draft, though he had already been drafted twice before by Saint Louis without signing a contract. Dent would agree to sign with the White Sox and became the heir apparent to the position long held by Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio on the South Side of Chicago.

Whoa - Thanks to this card, it has been revealed that the Youth of America have been disenfranchised! The Rookie All-Star team is now voted on by MLB players. Dent began his White Sox career at just 21 years old. In his first full season, he finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, and led the AL in Sacrifice Hits. His batting average of .274 would be a career high.

Expectations for Chicago Shortstops would always be high - whether the player is trying to replace Aparicio or Banks. Comparisons would never really go away. He did make his first All-Star roster in 1975, this time as a reserve. He would enter the game as a pinch hitter (batting for Reggie Jackson), and struck out.

Sharing this for the cartoon - Dent's family history was complicated, I don't want to make light of it. You can read all about it in his SABR biography.  While Dent wasn't exactly setting the world on fire at the plate or in the field, there was a intangible quality to his play on the field, and it was that "grit," "heart," and/or "hustle" which appealed to the New York Yankees.

The Yankees gave up Oscar Gamble, LaMarr Hoyt, a minor leaguer and $200,000 to get their new Short Stop, and both teams went away thinking they made out like bandits. Dent would continue to play regularly at short, and despite mediocre statistics, he was widely regarded as a team leader.

I won't bore you with the details, but he's given much of the credit for the Yankees' 1978 World Series victory over the Dodgers -- He hit .417 and drove in two big runs in the deciding 6th game. 1978 of course was his 2nd World Series victory, the first coming the year prior.

Dent would be on the move again in 1982, traded to Texas for Lee Mazzilli following two straight All-Star appearances. In Texas, Dent would find it more difficult to get those fan votes. His time in Texas was unremarkable. If not for his above average defense, we would have been an exactly replacement level player, earning 0.0 offensive WAR.

In 1984, Dent was released by the Rangers in April. He was granted a mini-reunion in New York - the Yankees signed him in June. He would not appear in a single game and was granted his release in July. The Kansas City Royals called, and he played his final 11 Major League games in the City of Fountains. After his playing career ended, Dent would return to the Yankees as minor league manager, moving quickly from single A to AAA. He briefly managed the major league team at the tail end of 1989 and the start of 1990, but was caught in George Steinbrenner's coaching carousel and was fired early in the 1990 season. He would join Joe Torre's staff in Saint Louis with the team that originally drafted him from 1991-1994, then coached in the Rangers system until 2001.

The 1974 Topps Rookie All-Star Team - Bill Madlock

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" following the 1974 season and featured in the 1975 Topps set. 

I have completed the run of these up through 2017 Series One, at least all regular issue cards that bear the All-Star Rookie Trophy. 

Topps decided to skip the Trophies on the 1974 Topps Set, but they made a triumphant return in 1975. I wanted to show my appreciation for this expression of good judgement, so for the 1974 Lineup, I will do a separate post for each player. This was a pretty good crop of players, so let's dive in! 

Third Baseman - Bill Madlock

It was a tall task for Mad Dog in his first full major league season - replace a Hall of Fame fan favorite at a vital position. Madlock was asked to take the place of the recently traded Ron Santo as the Cubs' Third Baseman.

He responded with a tremendous rookie year at the plate, then reeled off a pair of batting titles. The Cubs couldn't agree to a contract with Madlock following 1976. They decided instead to trade him to the San Francisco Giants. They moved Madlock from 3rd to 2nd base, but the position change didn't slow down his bat. His stint in the Bay Area could be called tumultuous, and his reception chilly as a windy day at Candlestick. He managed to get into a much publicized fight with teammate John Montefusco during Spring Training. Madlock had heard that Montefusco had told the press that the Giants were a "team of losers," so he confronted "The Count" mid-interview at his locker. The two men had to be separated by teammates. 

The following season didn't start any better off the field. A rumor was passed around that Madlock was instrumental in sabotaging the team's efforts to acquire Rod Carew in the off-season. Further complicating things, the rumor seems to have started from the Giants' owner Bob Lurie. The situation seemed to leak onto the field as well. His batting average in 1979 was well below his career numbers, and his slump did nothing to improve his mood. The famously short-fused Madlock tangled with Braves' pitcher Bo McLaughlin after a night of ducking fastballs high and tight. Mad Dog's elbow ignited a bench clearing brawl. Two days later, he was traded to the Pirates.   

The change of scenery did wonders for Madlock, and he found a clubhouse that embraced him as a member of the Fam-A-Lee. His bat turned around as well, hitting .328 for the remainder of the season and .375 in the World Series. He would go on to win 2 more N.L. batting titles in Pittsburgh, and became Willie Stargell's successor as Pirates' team captain.

Madlock was traded to the Dodgers in 1985 - He finished the season hitting .360 for LA. He had some injury issues in the years that followed, limiting his effectiveness. He was released in early 1987 by the Dodgers, but found himself back in the thick of another pennant race.

The last stop in his playing career came with Detroit, making one more trip to the post season and providing a little extra veteran leadership. In 1988, he played in Japan and hit a career high 19 homers. He had over 2,000 hits in the major leagues and his 4 batting titles place him among elite company.