10 - JOE VITKO, STAR ROOKIE

 
The basics: You are looking at Joe Vitko's Upper Deck debut ... and his final card for the card company. Vitko appeared on just three cards as a big leaguer, 1993 Upper Deck and Donruss and 1992 Bowman. He pitched just three major league games.
 
Card thoughts: Vitko is displaying the racing-stripe home unis that the Mets wore from 1983-92. So this photo was taken either in spring training or in one of the three September '92 games Vitko pitched for the Mets.
 

Backs are important in '93 UD: Goodness, mentioning Seaver, Koosman and Gooden within the first two sentences? No pressure. ... Vitko made his professional debut with the short-season Class A Pittsfield Mets in 1989. That's the same year I covered the New York-Penn League. But I never saw Vitko.

More from '93: Pioneering tennis great Arthur Ashe died at age 49, thirty years ago tomorrow, from AIDS-related pneumonia.

Comments

  1. I recall him looking like a giant on the 93 Donruss card. 6'8"!!!

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  2. At least UD didn't add Nolan Ryan to that already intimidating list of pitchers. Can't say I remember Vitko... but considering he only has 3 cards and I didn't open any packs of 1992 Bowman or 1993 Donruss... I'll give myself a pass.

    As for Ashe, he was a little before my time... but I know he was a legend... and I remember his passing making headlines among sports fans.

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  3. I keep wanting to say his name in a bad European accent like the guy from Ghostbusters 2: "He is Vitko! The scourge of Carpathia!"

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  4. I've never heard of these last two rookies, but given how short their careers were, I don't feel too bad for not knowing who they are.

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  5. Wow, and I thought Matt Harvey was overhyped!

    No idea how you're going to come up with something interesting to say about all 830+ cards in this set, but I know you will.

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