The basics: Mark Lemke was coming off his first full season as a starter when this card was issued. He reached 400 at-bats for the first time. He still couldn't hit .230 but Lemke wasn't there for his bat and his offense would improve in the following years.
Card thoughts: This is the third straight card showing a second baseman in the field, retiring someone at second base. We get a little dirt flying this time, and the runner's leg.
Backs are important in '93 UD: I don't know what is so pleasant about the inside of Rafael Belliard's glove. Did he find a baby bird in there? Lemke is positively gleeful about it. Also, those are some sharp goggles he's wearing. Lemke usually wore contacts but was known to don glasses, too.
I associated Lemke completely with the Braves, yet he grew up an hour-and-half from me in Upstate N.Y.
More from '93: On this date in 1993, "can't-miss" propect Alexandre Daigle was drafted by the Ottawa Senators with the first pick in the NHL draft. Daigle lasted a handful of years in the NHL and never lived up to expectations.
That is some back!
ReplyDeleteIs it me, or were there more smiling baseball players back in the day?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Alexandre Daigle... oof. An all-time bust. I remember his infamous quote about being happy to be drafted 1st overall because "No one remembers #2."
#2 was HOFer, Stanley Cup Champion, and league MVP Chris Pronger. Daigle had to be wrong on top of being disappointing.
Daigle is part of my Sports Bust PC. He tallied over 300 points over a ten year career... but when you're a "can't miss" prospect who is the #1 overall pick... expectations are pretty high.
ReplyDelete