Operation Topps – Topps 1986 (pack 60)

I haven’t done the latest tally, but I believe we are in the 190s in the amount of cards left. Only 12 more packs to open that means 180 cards left. I’ve been excited though because a few of the last packs had 12 cards out of 15 that were new. So I’m not giving up hope on getting under 85. Today was almost a disaster as my hard drive on my computer failed. The boys (and ladies) of ITS got it straightened out and now I’m back and better than ever. One of the only draw backs was that I left my thumbdrive in the lab and now I can’t find it, which is a pain because I had lots of scans on it. Now I am going to have to re-scan and re-crop all the pictures. Well enoug of this crap, let’s rip open number 60 and see what we get.

1. Bob Ojeda – P – Red Sox -11 – Oh yeah, I almost forgot about old man Ojeda. He is one of those guys who switched from Boston to the Mets in the 1985 off season, and I bet he was glad he did. I mean after all he got a ring out of it. In 1986 he pitched lights out, going 18-5/2.57/1.09 and being one of the main cogs in that pitching arsenal that propelled the Mets to the World Series victory.

2. George Brett – AL All Star – 714 – I couldn’t think of a more appropriate thing to put on the back of this card. It is the 1985 AL batting average leaders. I remember in the eighties, when Brett was at the top of that list almost every year, at least until Boggs arrived. In 1985 he was 2nd behind Boggs hitting 0.335.

3. Tom Seaver – P – White Sox – 390 – Small printed stats alert. Tom had been around since 1967 at that point. He had won over 300 games and 1986 was his swan song. The ability to pitch beyond 300 and to go out on his own terms. He started the season in Chicago but ended it in Boston. He went a combined 7-13/4.03/1.34 and faded out after this season. I think he got another card in 1987 but I’m not sure about that.

4. Carlton Fisk – C – White Sox – 290 – Did he and Seaver make up the oldest battery mates in baseball. In 1986 Seaver was 41 and Fisk was 38 for a grand total of 79 years. Fisk was just a spry guy back then, after all he played until he was 45. In 1986 he went 0.221/14/63, not too good a year, but then again who were they gonna start? Ron Karkovice?

5. Rick Reuschel – P – Pirates – 779 – I remember when Rick played and I have to tell you, I didn’t think he was in the league that long. The truth is he played since 1972. He was actually a pretty good pitcher all through the 70s. In 1986 he was still with the Pirates and went 9-16/3.96/1.34. A very off year for his since the next year he almost wins the Cy Young.

6. Tim Raines – OF – Expos – 280 – I think I am going to call this pack theFountain of Youth pack. The players in here, most of them played into their 40s. Rock is another example of that, but this was during his prime. In 1986 he was doing some solid stat stuffing, there were even rumblings of Hall of Fame entry. He went 0.334/9/62/70 . Not to shabby from the 2nd best player on that team.

7. Damasco Garcia – AL All Star – 713 – I had to look him up because, I didn’t remember him. But this was one of 2 All Star appearances for him. In 1985 he had 28 stolen bases. That would have placed him 11th in the top AL stolen bases leaders for 1985 which is what was on the back of his card.

8. Mookie Wilson – OF – Mets – 315 – Mookie was a big stolen base guy, and also of course he was a key guy for winning the 1986 World Series. In 1986 he went 0.289/9/45/25, definitely one of the better years he had. One of the lower stolen base totals though.

9. Gary Lavelle – P – Blue Jays – 622 – Gary had a very long career, he went for 13 years and he was completely marginal. I guess it’s true that lefties can pitch forever in the league. He actually missed the entire 1986 season due to injury. So let’s go with his 1985 stats, where he went 5-7/3.10/1.24 with 8 saves. Not too shabby a season.

10. Andre Thorton – DH – Indians – 59 – Andre’s early career was quite eratic, he came up when he was 23 and clearly wasn’t ready. Sure, he’d pop some nice homers but his average really suffered. When he was 27 in 1977, he made the leap and became one of the better hitters in the league. In 1986 he went 0.229/17/66 in what would be his second to last year. He was 36 by this point and was definitely on the down side of his career, but still but up some nice totals. Even if he was only hitting his weight.

11. Jerry Mumphrey – OF – Astros – 282 – Jerry was another long standing guy. He played for 15 seasons and started his career in 1974. In 1986 he was actually with the Cubs, and was platooning. His speed and power all but gone. He put up a 0.304/5/32 season. Always a solid hitter who got the hits when needed, he was able to rake out a couple more years after this one.

12. Roy Lee Jackson – P – Padres – 634 – Roy started his career in 1977, so not quite as old as the other guys I reviewed in this pack, but not a youngster either. In 1986 he was with the Twins. It was his last stop in the majors as he would hang it up after this season. He went 0-1/3.86/1.25, which is not bad for a reliever, but nothing too go nuts over either.

13. Dan Driessen – 1B – Giants – 65 – Double, first reviewed in pack 52.

14. Ray Searage – P – Brewers – 642 – Double, first reviewed in pack 28.

15. Pete Filson – P – Twins – 122 – Double, first reviewed in pack 1. This was the first card I reviewed for the set.

Overall, what a pack. Loaded to the gills with some of the best players of that era. You had three Hall of Famers in Fisk, Seaver and Brett. I have to rate this one 5.0 stars, I don’t remember any other pack haveing 9 scans. We may never see something like that again. So I am going to treasure this pack, as it might just very well be my last 12+ non doubles pack.