2010, 2011 & 2012 Topps Carl Pavano

While combing through some cards looking for league leaders, I came across this interesting trio of Carl Pavano cards.

 

The first time Pavano led the league was in 2009. He spent most of the season with Cleveland before being traded to Minnesota in August. He gave up a combined 113 Earned Runs to lead the American League, narrowly edging out Baltimore pitcher Mark Guthrie's 112. Braden Looper of St. Louis led the National League and tied Pavano for the Major League lead with 113.

 

Fast forward to 2010, a full season with a better team. Now all of a sudden, Pavano falls out of the top 10 for Earned Runs and manages to tie Cliff Lee for the league lead with 7 Complete Games. You don't throw 7 complete games by giving up a ton of runs so naturally, he tied for the league lead in Shutouts as well. He and Oakland pitcher Dallas Braden each threw 2 shutouts.

 

Fast forward another year, and Pavano seems to have fallen a little. This time, he's back in the top 10 for Earned Runs at #5 after breaking 100 again. However, now he's leading the league in Hits with 262, thirty two more than the second place finisher CC Sabathia and eighteen more than National League leader Ricky Nolasco.

 

Pavano missed most of 2012 with a strained shoulder and is currently a free agent. So if he finds a team to sign him and somehow gets a 2013 Topps card, it won't show him leading the league in anything from the most recent season.

 

 

1989 Topps Bert Blyleven

Running a little late today guys, sorry!

 

The other day I mentioned I would lean towards the underdog when it came to League Leaders. I will broaden that slightly to say "unexpected" League Leaders.

 

Now you might be thinking, how does Bert Blyleven fit into that category? He's a Hall of Famer for Pete's sake! Well not all of the categories on the back of cards are necessarily ones you'd like to be proud to lead the league in.

 

 

Despite leading the league in previous seasons in categories such as Complete Games, Shutouts, Games Started, Innings Pitched and Strikeouts, Blyleven followed up the Twins 1987 World Series Championship with a bit of a stinker season in 1988. He not only led the American League in Losses with 17, but also gave up a league leading 125 Earned Runs.

 

So as a Hall of Famer you might have expected him to lead the league a few times, but anyone can have a bad season. You can't tell from the back of this card, but Blyleven did bounce back in 1989 for the California Angels by winning 17 games and leading the league with 5 shutouts.   

 

And for those that like pictures, here is a beard that stood the test of time. Aside from maybe the warmup coat, you wouldn't think that this photo scream 80's like so many others from that era do.