Operation Topps – 1987 Topps (Pack 1)

I have been kicking around some ideas of how to tackle this from now on.  I mean I have reviewed almost every player in baseball in 1985/1986.  So do I do it all over again?  That woulds seem lame.  So, instead I think I am going to do a write up on rookies, All Stars, MVPs, and Cy Youngs, also I’ll continue to make fun of pictures.  For every player I will tell you their stats for 1987, any accolades they received, and the blurb that Topps put on the back of the card.  If you would like to see anything different, please leave me a comment.  So here we are at 1987 pack 1.  Best of the bunch are Bo Jackson, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire.  Let’s see what we can get.

1. Dusty Baker – OF/1B – A’s – 565 – I never realized how much young Dusty looks like Keith David.  The comparison is very similar. 1986 was Dusty’s final year, a 19 year career that started in 1968.  He went 0.240/4/19 in 242 at bats and he knew along with everyone else that his career was over.

2. Atlee Hammaker – P – Giants – 781 – Atlee missed all of 1986 with an injury, in 1987 he went 10-10/3.58/1.28.  He pitched in the Alaskan League for the US team in the World Amateur Tourney in Italy in 1978 (taken right from the back of his card).  Who the heckwrote those things?  I can’t make heads or tails of it.

3. Juan Samuel – 2B – Phillies – 255 – 1987 was a big year for Juan, he turned 26, was awarded his first Silver Slugger award, his second All Star appearance, and was 13th in MVP voting.  His statline was 0.272/28/100/35 which was a phenomenal season by anyone’s standards. Did you know his hobbies include music and movies?  Doesn’t everyone’s? What a cop out.

4. Brad Havens – P – Orioles – 398 – Nothing special for Brad in 1987, he went 0-0/1 save/4.33/1.50.  Did you know that in the 1977 Michigan high school playoffs, he threw a no hitter.  Hey at least he can say he did that!  Because he didn’t do much in the majors.

5. Ben Oglivie – OF – Brewers – 586 – Shame on the photographer for taking the picture of Ben just after he had his leg bashed in by an errant baseball bat. Ben’s final year was 1986 where he went 0.283/5/53 in 346 plate appearances.

6. Moose Haas – P – A’s – 413 – This would be Moose’s last season, where in just 9 starts, he would go 2-2/5.75/1.62.  Did you know he has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, he is an amateur magician and a certified locksmith? I understand the Tae Kwon Do, and maybe the magic but can you imagine a current player being a certified locksmith?  Locked out of your house?  Just call Moose!

7. Mike Loynd – P – Rangers – 126 – I cringe everytime I see a picture of him.  You know he doesn’t have a girlfriend, because if he did she would have gotten him to do something, anything with his eyebrows. 1987 would be Mike’s final go around in the majors.  He went  1-5/6.10/1.73 in a miserable season.  On a side note, he had a 45-10 career record at FSU.  He was 20-3 with a 2.45 ERA in 1986 and tied the NCAA Division 1 record for wins in a season. He led the NCAA with 223 strikeouts in 1986.  He only pitched 5 games in the minors before landing on the Rangers roster.  Has that ever worked?  Maybe Jim Abbott, but I can’t think of anyone else it worked for (see Joey Devine).

8. Philies Leaders – 481 – No Dean of the Phillies for the 1987 season.  The offensive leaders were Mike Schmidt and Von Hayes, while the pitching leaders were Kevin Gross and Steve Bedrosian.

9. Fernando Valenzuela – NL All Star – 604 – Wow could they get a more unattractive picture for Nando?  I think sometimes it’s just best to get an action shot (see Mike Loynd).  In this picture Nando looks like a clean shaven caveman.  On the back of the card it has the 1986 NL Wins leaders of which Nando was first with 21 wins.

10. Manny Trillo – 2B/3B – Cubs – 732 – As a part time player at this point in his career, Manny went 0.294/8/26.  Did you know that Manny participated in high school volleyball? Hey guess what so did I and so did everyone else who ever had a gym class.

11. Mark Eichhorn – P – Blue Jays – 371 – I believe this is Mark’s rookie card, although he did pitch for Toronto in 1982 which would make me think he might have a 1983 card, but I doubt it.  In 1987 Mark went 10-6/3.17/1.27, not quite as good as his 1986 season where he was 3rd in ROY voting and 6th in CY voting. Did you know Make played both baseballa dn basketball in high school.  Not a very popular combination but he was 6’3″ so it makes sense.

12. Carmen Castillo – OF – Indians – 513 – Carmen was a power hitting back up, in 1987 he went 0.250/11/31.  Did you know that he was selected as the Dominican Republic League Rookie of the Year for the 1981 season?  Must have been a real down year for the league that year.

13. Claudell Washington – OF – Yankees – 15 -  His best years were way behind him, but he still had some pop and speed left.  He went 0.279/9/44/10 in 1987 as a back up.  Did you know that he and his wife have three children?  Good for Claudell and his wife!

14. Tim Lollar – P – Red Sox – 396 – 1986 was Tim’s last season.  He was a middle reliever and went 2-0/6.91/1.98 in 32 games.  Wow, I don’t think I have ever seen a WHIP that high with as many games as he pitched in.  I guess we know why 1986 was his last season.  Did you know that he majored in forestry at the U of Arkansas?  I guess that was the hot jock major at the time?

15. Jim Wohlford – OF – Expos – 527 – We seem to be getting a lot of guys retiring in 1986 or 1987.  Jim was one of those guys too.  He retired in 1986 and went 0.266/1/11.  Did you know Jim once worked as a life insurance salesman? Something tells me he still does.

16. Dennis Powell – P – Dodgers – 47 – Dennis was a career spot starter and 1987 was his 3rd year in the bigs.  He went 1-3/3.15/1.37 over the course of the season.  His hobbies include fishing and swimming.  What is he 12?  Give me some real hobbies.

17. Orlando Mercado – C – Rangers – 514 – He started the season in Detroit and ended it with the Dodgers.  He went 0.222/0/2 in 27 at bats.  He led his Mickey Mantle League team to a world title. Plus he and his wife have two children.  Woohoo!

It was a surprise to me that there were 17 cards.  I guess I forgot that they increased the card count for 1987.  Overall it was fun reviewing this pack, I am going to give it 2.0 stars. I liked the Baker, Valenzuela, Samuel and Eichhorn cards, I think this set is going to be a lot of fun.  Let me know what you think of the new review format.  Also read my needs list for the 1986 set.