Operation Topps – Topps 1986 (Pack 38)

It seems as if the second box is running like the first. We are seeing about 7 doubles per pack. If this holds up (which I am sure it won’t) the set can be finished with 10 cards to spare. What is your feeling? Can this happen? Yes it can! So what does everyone think so far? I think it’s starting to get exciting. I am past the halfway point and on my way to 500 cards. I also am going to look into a third box just in case these 2 aren’t going to cut it. So I am running out of things to say, lets cut into pack number 38.

1. Al Jones – P – White Sox – 227 – Al had a very brief stint in the pros.  It lasted from 1983 – 1985, where he pitched a total of 27 games for 28.2 innings, he won two, and lost one, and five saves.  At least he get’s to say he played in the pros.  But really, that is about it.

2. Jackie Gutierrez – SS – Red Sox – 633 – Jackie was essentially the back up at short for the Orioles in 1986 and since Cal Ripken was there at that point you know he didn’t get too many at bats.  He was a starter in 1984 for the Sox but with a falling batting average and no power or speed to speak of, he quickly became backup material.

3. Terry Forster – Braves – 363 – 1986 would be Terry’s last year in the majors, and he played for California.  His listed height and weight on his card is 6’4″ and 220lbs. I just don’t think so from the picture on the card below. Now he is no David Wells, but without the help of buttons, he certainly looks like he is pushing the 260 – 270 look, especially if he is really 6’4″.  The uniforms back then were just so ill fitting, also check out the belt area, where it has flipped a bit from his belly.

4. Dane Iorg – OF/1B – Royals – 269 – One of a few brother combinations in the major leagues in the mid eighties.  His brother Garth was reviewed on here earlier.  Garth was the starter in the family, while Dane ended up as the career backup.  1986 would be Dan’s last season in the bigs, as he would spend it playing for the Padres.  Never really known for anything other than his glove, Dane managed to grind out 10 years in the bigs.  From the look of the picture below Danes seems to be real scared about something falling on his head.  I can’t imagine it was a ball since he would have had his glove up to catch it, so it might be a water baloon or something, he seems genuinely frightened.

5. Tom Paciorek – OF/1B – Mets – 362 – Wow, I had to rub my eyes to see if this was correct.  He was in the major leagues for 18  seasons and was a starter for two of them.  I am truly stunned by how long someone could be a back up in this league.  He had a cool nickname (Wimpy) and also had 2 brothers in the majors (John and Jim) as well as two others in the minors.  He went on to a long broadcast career and is still announcing today.  He is best being known as a real homer for anyone who pays his salary.  His objectivity he keeps in a drawer at home somewhere.

6. Bruce Kison – P – Red Sox – 117 – Here is another one who left the game in 1985 and never played in 1986.  He was a starter for most of his career and had a few 10+ win seasons. One thing of note for Kison, was that he was known as a beanball pitcher.  I always love a pitcher who isn’t afraid of knocking down a batter. I included the picture below because I thought it was funny to see the posed pictures they used to take.  Clearly most of the pictures were taken during spring training and many of them posed.

7. Ron Roenicke – OF – Giants – 63 – Speaking of posed players, can this get any more posed?  Just from the look of it, the photographer bent him so many ways, he actually looks very uncomfortable.  Of the two Roenicke brothers (gary being the other), Ron was definitely the worse.  They were both back-ups but Ron really didn’t get much playing time at all plus he had a much shorter career than Gary.

8. Junior Ortiz – C – Pirates -  682 – This guy just looks like a monster hitter, but you’d be as surprised as I was that in reality he was a career back-up who only had 5 homers and 8 stolen bases in his entire 13 year career.  Does that say a lot about his prowess as a hitter or what?  In 1986 he had a decent hitting season (relatively speaking) where he hit 0.336/0/14 in about 110 at bats. He was a nice defensive replacements and he could hit for average.  I guess thats why he stuck around the majors for so ong.

9. Steve Garvey – 1B – Padres – 660 – Double, previously reviewed in pack 24.

10. Tom Herr – 2B – Cardinals – 550 – Double, previously reviewed in pack 24.

11. Ted Simmons – DH/C – Brewers – 237 – Double, previously reviewed in pack 9.

12. Ozzie Smith – SS – Cardinals  – 730 – Double, previously reviewed in pack 9.

13. Luis DeLeon – P – Padres – 286 – Double, previously reviewed in pack 17.

14. Marc Hill – C – White Sox – 552 – At first I though Marc was a double, but in fact I hadn’t.  But what can you say about a third string catcher.  I mean they had Fisk starting and Karkovice as a backup.  1986 would actually be his last year where he managed to steal 19 at bats and get 3 hits.  Not a whole lot from Marc as you can plainly see, but like all the other Sox from that year, he was photographed during batting practice.

15. – Dave Anderson 3B/SS – Dodgers – 758 -  Double, previously reviewed in pack 23.

Overall the pack was a dud as far as the cards I don’t have were concerned, but it did have one Hall of Famer and 2 solid contributers.  So let’s give this pack a 2 star rating.  Lately it’s been my standard rating, but hey what can I say, give me a pack I can be proud of and I will ive it a 5 star rating.  I am sorry for getting this out late today, but work is busy and I’ve been trying to get everything fit into schedule.  Thanks for taking the time to visit my other site badhits, I know because my visitor count is slowly progressing.