1989 Topps Dennis Eckersley

For most players from this time, more often than not, their 1989 Topps card is the one I most associate with a player. And Dennis Eckersley's card is no exception. At this point, he'd made a pretty decent run with is career.

 

He was a two-time All-Star, finished in the top 7 for the Cy Young award twice and was a 20-game winner with the Red Sox. According to his Baseball-Reference profile, Eck had led the league in other ratio categories but his 1988 Saves total of 45 was the first of the categories normally recognized by a Topps baseball card.

 

Are these first ballot Hall of Fame stats?!?

It was one shy of Dave Righetti's fairly recent MLB record of 46 and as recently as 1982, John Hiller had held the record for 10 years with 38. Granted, just a few years after Eck's 45, Bobby Thigpen would obliterate it with 57, but at the time it was huge, especially for a converted starter. The times, they were a'changing.

Looking into my crystal ball, I see that Eckersley would only lead the league once more in Saves, although he would be in the top 5 six other times. He certainly passes the Hall of Fame sniff test. But after looking closer at his stats, aside from playing on a couple of better teams earning him a few World Series appearances, I'm not sure how he got in before Lee Smith.

1989 Topps Chuck Crim

My first post a couple of weeks ago featured Tim Burke of the Expos, who lead the league in Games (for a pitcher) with 78.

 

 

Fast forward a couple of years and we have Chuck Crim. In 1988, he led the American League with 70 Games. Remember when the Brewers were in the American League? This total actually tied for third for the Major League lead but was 2 Games more than American League runner-up Bobby Thigpen.

 

Crim's Games total is the lowest amount to earn the American League lead (aside from the strike shortened 1981 season) since John Hiller of the Detroit Tigers had 65 in 1973. And again, aside from strike shortened seasons in 1994-1995, it has not been undercut since then.

 

1989 Topps Willie Wilson

Aside from an inside the park home run, the triple has to be one of the most exciting hits in baseball. A combination of power, speed and maybe some lucky bouncing around in the corner provides one of baseball's rarest hits. Sometimes the league leader barely reaches double digits for the season as was the case in 1988.

 

 

The 1988 season was the last time Willie Wilson led the league in triples, although he had previously done it four other times.  He is currently tied for 56th on the all-time triples list. When he retired in 1994 with 147 triples, he had been the active career leader for the past seven years taking over for teammate George Brett. Maybe playing in Kauffman stadium was a triple hitter's paradise?

 

While I usually only talk about the most recent accomplishment, I though I'd point out that only one player has since topped Wilson's 1985 total of 21 triples. That was Curtis Granderson in 2007 with 23. Something tells me that Chief Wilson seaosn record of 36 and Sam Crawford's career record of 309 are pretty safe.

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.