We have finally reached the last pack in the box. When it’s all said and done, this box will leave us about 250 cards short of the 792. No bad at all! Are far as the seeding goes, it still looks like certain cards are in series, as pack 35 illustraded by having 9 cards being doubles of one pack. I was kicking around ideas for my next year (1988 ) and since there is already a 1988 topps blog, maybe I’ll go with 1988 Donruss or Fleer (there is also a 1988 score blog). That’s all still up in the air right now. I’m curious though as to what you think I should do, 88 Fleer, 88 Donruss, or 88 Topps by team? Anyways, on to pack 36.
1. Don Carmen
Position: P
Team: Phillies
Card Number: 355
Age: 26
1987 Stats: 13-11/4.22/1.25
Awards: None
Player Notes: A decent pitcher, he should have been hitting his peak at this point in his career. This would be the most wins he ever had in a season. He didn’t have overpowing stuff, but held his own on some bad Phillies teams.
Fun Facts: He led his high school to the Oklahoma state title. His hobbies include sketching and he and his wife have one son.
2. Scott Sanderson
Position: P
Team: Cubs
Card Number: 534
Age: 30
1987 Stats: 8-9/4.29/1.42
Awards: None
Player Notes: For years Sanderson was a solid pitcher, sure he wasn’t electric, but you could count on him for 9 wins, a sub 4.00 ERA and a WHIP around 1.18. Not too shabby for a guy many of you never heard of.
Fun Facts: None
3. Darrell Evans
Position: DH/1B
Team: Tigers
Card Number: 265
Age: 40
1987 Stats: 0.257/34/99
Awards: 12th in MVP voting
Player Notes: It was feast or famine for Darrell throughout his career. The average always homered in the 0.250-0.255 region, but he could hit 40+ homers in a season as easily as 20. He was still bringing it at 40 though (34 homers!)
Fun Facts: None
4. Cardinals Leaders
Batting Leaders: Vince Coleman, Tommy Herr, and Andy Van Slyke
Pitching Leaders: Todd Worrell and Bob Forsch
5. Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd
Position: P
Team: Red Sox
Card Number: 285
Age: 27
1987 Stats: 1-3/5.89/1.53
Awards: None
Player Notes: He was shut down very early in the season because of blood clots. He was never able to fully recover from them and in the end it made him retire from the MLB.
Fun Facts: He attended Jackson State university
6. Dickie Thon
Position: SS
Team: Astros
Card Number: 386
Age: 29
1987 Stats: 0.212/1/3
Awards: None
Player Notes: I know what you are thinking, scrub. But really he was just unlucky. He was 7th in MVP voting in 1983 but during the 1984 season he was hit in the eye by a pitch and played sparingly over the next 5 years until he landed in Philly. Makes you wonder what kind of career he would have had if hit didn’t take on in the eye.
Fun Facts: None
7. Kirby Puckett
Position: OF
Team: Twins
Card Number: 450
Age: 27
1987 Stats: 0.332/28/99/12
Awards: 3rd in MVP voting, 2nd Silver Slugger, 2nd All Star appearance
Player Notes: By far and away one of my favorite baseball players growing up. A truly nice guy (at least while he was a player). This was probably one of his best seasons.
Fun Facts: He batted leadoff in the 1986 All Star Game.
8. John Moses
Position: OF
Team: Mariners
Card Number: 284
Age: 29
1987 Stats: 0.246/3/38/23
Awards: None
Player Notes: A pretty quick guy, this was his second season as a starter, I can’t help but think that if he was on almost any other team, he would have been a backup.
Fun Facts: He lettered in baseball and basketball in high school. He enjoys water skiing and bowling.
9. Tim Wallach
Position: 3B
Team: Expos
Card Number: 55
Age: 29
1987 Stats: 0.298/26/123
Awards: 4th in MVP voting, 2nd Silver Slugger, and 3rd All Star appearance.
Player Notes: This was really his hey day. It was easily his best season in the majors. Made me a fan of his because of this season.
Fun Facts: He enjoys playing raquetball and golf.
10. Ron Romanick – Retired
Position: P
Team: Angels
Card Number: 136
Age: 26
1987 Stats: None
Awards: None
Player Notes: He palyed in 3 seasons, in 1986 he went 5-8/5.50/1.58 before his demotion to Edmonton. He never made it back to the pros.
Fun Facts: He once appeared on a TV soap opera.
11. Keith Hernandez – NL All Star Card
Position: 1B
Team: Mets
Card Number: 595
All Star Appearances: 5 total (this was his fifth)
Stat on the back: Runs – he was 6th with 94.
12. Bill Wegman
Position: P
Team: Brewerrs
Card Number: 179
Age: 24
1987 Stats: 12-11/4.24/1.25
Awards: None
Player Notes: Not a bad pitcher although no on remembers him. He won 10 or more games 4 times in his career. He’s a career 4.50 ERA pitcher so put him as just your average 4th or 5th starter.
Fun Facts: He and his wife have one child.
13. Ron Cey – Final Season
Position: 3B
Team: Cubs (Played for the A’s)
Card Number: 767
Age: 39
1987 Stats: 0.221/4/11
Awards: None
Player Notes: The final year of his long career. He was a solid defensive player, he had a career 0.260 batting average. But not really a power or speed threat.
Fun Facts: He is affectionately known as the Penguin.
14. John Denny – Retired
Position: P
Team: Reds
Card Number: 644
Age: 34
1987 Stats: None
Awards: None
Player Notes: Another one of those guys who never played again after 1986. He had a 13 year career and once won 19 games (1983). So overall he stood the test of time and came out as average.
Fun Facts: None
15. Tom Browning
Position: P
Team: Reds
Card Number: 65
Age: 27
1987 Stats: 10-13/5.02/1.43
Awards: None
Player Notes: This was still fairly early in his career. Tom was one of those guys I always tried to get him on my fantasy team. Ever since he threw the perfect game, I was always a fan until the end of his career.
Fun Facts: He and his wife have one daughter.
16. Jeff Sellers
Position: P
Team: Red Sox
Card Number: 12
Age: 23
1987 Stats: 7-8/5.28/1.59
Awards: None
Player Notes: This would be the second to last year for Jeff. He just didn’t have what it took to stay in the pros.
Fun Facts: He and his wife have one son.
17. Don Sutton
Position: P
Team: Angels
Card Number: 673
Age: 42
1987 Stats: 11-11/4.70/1.25
Awards: None
Player Notes: You can make all the jokes you want about him, but in the end, he is a Hall of Famer, and you aren’t. Of his 23 major league seasons, there were only 2 seasons he didn’t win 10 or more games. He finished with a career ERA of 3.26 and a WHIP of 1.14, not to mention his 324 wins. Without a doubt he deserved to be in the Hall of Fame.
Fun Facts: None
This pack was about as good as you can get. We had two Hall of Famers plus quite a few big name players. Overall I am going to give this pack 5.0 stars. I think I’ve only given that rating twice before.With two solid guys like Puckett and Sutton this pack deserves it too. I don’t think you could ask more from a pack.
If you go with 88 Donruss, you can get a couple of boxes for free from me.
With all the bad things people say about it, I actually like ’88 Donruss, aside from the poor quality cardstock. So I think it’s got my vote too.
Although, you can never get enough 88 Topps goodness.