The basics: Carlos Baerga appears for the second time in the 1993 Upper Deck set. He joined his Cleveland teammates in the Teammates subset back at card #45.
Card thoughts: Baerga is landing on the Angels base runner in a second base scene you used to see a lot more often. There are two cameos on this card. Baerga's infield teammate, Omar Vizquel Felix Fermin, is one.
The other is the Angels player trying to upend Baerga. He looks to be dark-skinned with shorter hair. There are several candidates on the Angels in 1992. I found a May 29 game between the Indians and Angels in Anaheim in which Hubie Brooks is retired at second on a double play. That's good enough for me. I didn't look any farther.
1992 was arguably Baerga's best year (it's either '92 or '93). He was an All-Star for the first time. It was certainly his most active year as he appeared in 161 games. In 1993 he became the first switch-hitter to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning.
More from '93: Dodgers pitching great Don Drysdale died of a heart attack at age 56 in Montreal on this date in 1993. Drysdale had been broadcasting the Dodgers game against the Expos' and suffered the episode after returning to his hotel room.
That's Felix Fermin at short, traded with Reggie Jefferson to Seattle after the '93 season for Vizquel.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why I'm doing this blog, I just don't know '90s players like I know '70s and '80s players.
DeleteGavin - Nice baseball knowledge (identifying Felix).
ReplyDeleteNight Owl - Nice baseball knowledge (first switch hitter to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning).
I see a catcher silhouette from 73 Topps in the shadow
ReplyDelete