1994 Bowman Top Whatever
What if early 1990's Stadium Club made 1994 Bowman, instead of Topps? (Yes, Stadium Club is made by Topps, as is Bowman, but you'll see what I mean.)
Since 1989's relaunch of the brand, Bowman has closely resembled Topps in appearance. But for one year only, Bowman bore a strong resemblance to Stadium Club. And I loved this set for it.
In addition to being one of the most attractive base sets of Bowman cards, 1994 is also one of the last of the "big" Bowman sets. They weighed in at 704 cards in 1991, 705 in 1992 and 708 in 1993. The great 1994 set is 686 cards, then Topps decided to shrink Bowman way down 439 in 1995, 385 in 1996, then back up to 440 in 1997...
Early in this sets run, Coach's Corner sold me a complete set of 1994 Bowman for $80. A similar deal came up for 1995 Bowman. I hated 1996 Bowman, hand collected a complete set of 1997 Bowman... And that's it for me collecting Bowman complete sets...
Didn't buy a whole lot of Bowman wax in 1994, but what I kept in my albumed collection is a decent representative of a very attractive set of cards. Simple, borderless photos with a minimally invasive, yet distinct, design.
Second year card, though Wilson was still four years from playing in the Majors at this point. After his debut with the Mets in 2008, he was quickly dealt to the Florida Marlins in the Mike Piazza trade, then to the Rockies in the Mike Hampton salary dump. WIlson would lead the National league with 141 RBI's in 2003, but was out of baseball after the 2007 season, at age 32.
Watching him play for the Rockies, I thought he was a no doubt superstar. He is now an analyst with the MLB Network.
These FOIL subset cards are atrocious to scan... And the foil die-cut out isn't consistent with the photos in most cases. Oh, and if you were wondering what that weird light flash coming out of Kent's pants is, it's supposed to be a foil-etched diamond...
However, I can't get enough of that sweet Major League Baseball 125th Anniversary patch on Kent's right sleeve. That patch was worn by all 28 teams for the 1994 season, and has always looked awesome.
The current St. Louis Cardinals manager's Brewers rookie card. Unremarkable, but another pretty cool arm patch. Which is much better than Milwaukee's terrible team logo. They abandoned the classic ball-in-glove, made to look like an MB, in favor of something drawn by Windows 95's random pipe screensaver?
In my opinion, there were too many Indians cards in this set that looked exactly like this. Eddie Murray... Kenny Lofton... Albert Belle... They all had the same post swing, road greys, same road stadium... But Manny has the 1994 patch!
It may seem like I'm picking on the Mets by ranking them this low, but that's not the case... Isringhausen would rank higher if I could see whatever was on his shoulder that has him mesmorized...
As a rookie first baseman for Oakland, all you could do in the early/mid 1990's was bide your time until the inevitable annual Mark McGwire injury. Spiezio just ran out of time and ended up with the St. Louis Cardinals... Who then traded for Mark McGwire in 1997...
The only other thing I remember about Spiezio was that he kept a long soul patch, that would occasionally be dyed the dominant color of whatever team he was playing for... Red with St. Louis, and I remember a blue soul patch for his short stint with the Mariners...
This card would have shot up the Whatever if you could see anything reflected in Lansing's Oakley's...
Mark had a respectable 15 year career with the Brewers, Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers and Astros. But I don't think those are his real eyes...
Almost as if the background for this photo was blacked out for censorship reasons. Bright and sunny on his face, cold and dark behind his back. Congratulations on emerging from the void Shannon...
So not a fan of Montreal's red catcher's gear. But I've already griped about it. Though it looks particularly annoying put up against a heavily green backdrop.
I've always liked Tony Gwynn as a player, but he really had a long run of sub-par cards. Throughout (and beyond) his Hall of Fame career, he had very few cards that stood out in my mind. This is another...
You could always pick out the cards shot at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Those deep blue outfield walls were a dead giveaway. And they did provide a great backdrop for Atlanta's pitching staff... But I still don't like them...
As far as baseball posed close-ups go, this is a really good one. Of course I'm biased due to team loyalty...
I see where Pat Mahomes son was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is expected to start as the Chiefs Quarterback for the 2018 season, as a 22 year old. I remember getting Pat Mahomes Sr.'s autograph after a Twins game, when he was a 22 year old rookie. And I was only 17 then... I feel really old...
Pretty sure I've mentioned that I never liked Sheffield as a player. But this card is one of the few Sheffield cards I like. Mainly because it is very grey. And Black. With a touch of Marlins Skull Crushing Teal, amongst the lack of character that existed at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.
Tapani marks the first appearance of Topps' patented Wacky Pitcher Face, in the 1994 Bowman Top Whatever... Though it's greatly subdued compared to what Topps puts out these days...
Does anybody like Kevin Brown? He had a some good seasons, made a hell of a lot of money, but I don't think I've ever read anything positive about the guy. Most of his cards look like he's pouting and completely unhappy to be a major leaguer for 19 seasons.
I think the blueish smeary stuff in the lower left corner of the card was on either the album page or the scanner. I don't think there was anything on the card itself. Actually I think this card is ranked a bit too low for it's use of Tiger Stadium. Not only can the upper deck be seen behind Edmonds head, but a reflection of the same upper deck (with light standard), can be seen in his helmet. Great image!
Something strange is going on behind Hill. It looks like the lower seating area is behind swallowed up by a giant pinkish-orange blob... Pretty sure it's Shea Stadium in New York. But that's been torn down, so we can't check...
Better cropping on this photo would have included more of the mountain behind Thompson. Taken at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe Arizona, that mountain has been featured on hundreds of cards throughout the years. You'd think it would be a popular gimmick to include on Rockies cards?
While he's likely looking at a cut on his hand from sliding, I prefer to think Alou is sitting on second base, clapping at himself for just hitting a double!
That's definitely Shea Stadium, and despite White trying to fend off the giant pinkish orange blob with his bat, some rather unfortunate spectators behind him are being devoured alive...
In case this isn't a tip off, I'm also throwing in some singles from the 1994 Bowman Preview insert card set, into this Whatever. Technically a separate set, these were inserted at a rate of one card per box of 1994 Stadium Club Series 2. I put together the full 10 card preview set back in 1994, but not all of them made the cut...
The previews are different from the regular set by the foil. Previews got rainbow foil, while the regular set got the standard gold foil. Obviously the regular set wouldn't feature the cumbersome 94 Preview logo in the corner. Thankfully, regular Bowman got no intrusive foil blobs at all.
One of the few foil inserts where the foil kind of works, but there is awkwardness with the Bowman B. Only white where it interferes with Chipper's leg. Not as bad as some of the foil cards, but it's still just another card of Larry...
Pudge fielding in one of the first action photos I saw from the Rangers brand new ballpark. The Rangers opened their massive ballpark in 1994. It's already obsolete in their eyes, so a new Texas Rangers ballpark is currently being built. Not sure if that more accurately points out my age, this set's age, or how short sighted the governing bodies of Arlington, Texas have been. At least I can't blame George Bush Jr. this time around.
Pettitte's rookie card appeared in 1993 Bowman, so this would be his second. He didn't make the major leagues until 1995, so this was another card featuring him as a top Yankees prospect. And there were many top Yankees prospects in the early 1990's. As their record in the late 1990's will attest...
Here's another... The Yankees dealt Hutton to the Florida Marlins in 1996, and he pitched pretty well. They traded him to the Rockies in 1997 and he pitched pretty horrible. They traded him to the Reds in 1997 and he pitched even worse. The Reds released him and he signed with Tampa Bay for 1999, but never played in the Majors with the Devil Rays.
Yeah, it's pretty safe to say there is no player in the history of baseball that I dislike more than Bonds. And I know I'm not alone in those thoughts. But I do like this photo.
Topps did a good job on fitting this photo on the card. Wetteland was a favorite Expo back in the day. A floundering starter with the Dodgers, they traded him to Cincinnati after the 1991 season. He was a Red for nearly two full weeks before they flipped him to the Expos. Who made Wetteland their closer. In three seasons with Montreal, Wetteland saved 105 games.
With his sidewinding delivery, Eckersley cards were always interesting to see how the photo would be cropped to fit on the card. This example is one of my favorites.
As I was writing this, the Rockies were playing the Padres at Coors Field. Andy Green had been ejected for arguing over a Carlos Gonzalez home run, so McGwire (currently San Diego's bench coach) stepped in the manage the rest of the game for the Padres. He looked so small and almost frail, compared to his playing (and Andro taking) days.
McGwire's 1994 Bowman card has no card number on the back, due to an uncorrected printing error. I can never remember where in the set the card is supposed to fall. (Oh, it is supposed to be card #192.)
After playing parts of four seasons with the Expos, Rueter was traded to San Francisco (where I'm pretty sure this photo was taken). This is really a cool bullpen warm-up shot, with the catcher's helmet in the corner. Too bad you can't tell which catcher it is....
To keep collectors motivated during the 1994 players strike, some special retail packages were sold during the Christmas season. WalMarts sold a "Tin Pack" of 1994 Bowman. Consisting of four Jumbo packs and one pack of 1994 Bowman's Best, housed in a collector tin.
I know I have several copies of that Ken Griffey Jr. card. But none of them were available as scans for this story. I can think of a few other cards from this set, that I know I own, that are missing from this Whatever... Griffey being the biggest, and a possible top ten card.
Others include Yankees top prospect Brien Taylor, Cubs top prospects Hector Trinidad and Amaury Telemaco, and of course, William VanLandingham...
Key member of the Former Expos Player Hall of Fame (that exists only in my head). Along with a John Kruk cameo? This card is criminally underranked...
Rather pedestrian effort for this Molitor picture. I'd like to think there were better shots available with as well as Molitor played for Toronto between 1993 and 1995. Pretty sure there was even a recent World Series win that a certain Molitor played a key role in making happen... A cool shot from those games perhaps?
Speaking of cards that should have featured better images... This was the star of the 10 card Bowman Preview set. The last Becketts I looked at still had this as a $10 card.
You could tell Topps felt Floyd was going to amount to something, given all the Floyd cards they tried to cram into sets in the mid 1990's. As a foil card, Floyd doesn't feature the Expos logo, or a large diamond. The foil etching behind Floyd is a giant frisbee. Actually it's supposed to be Olympic Stadium. Those are the three subjects for foil in 1994 Bowman: team logo, team stadium or big diamond, each meant something else to recognize the featured player.
This photo of the Yankees right fielder rounding third base is taken from an angle not often seen on cards. I would assume this was taken from a higher position on the field than the usual dugout adjacent camera well shots. Never liked O'Neill as a player, but this card can stay.
Once Wild Thing served up one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, I knew he'd end up on a different team for the 1994 season.
Going into the bottom of the 9th in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Phillies up 6-5 on the Blue Jays. Toronto up 3 games to 2 in the series. Phillies manager Jim Fregosi brings in Williams to close out the victory, and force Game 7 the following night.
Williams walks Rickey Henderson on 4 pitches to lead off the bottom of the 9th. And that's never a good thing. Devon White flew out to deep left field, then Paul Molitor singled to center, moving Rickey to 2nd. With Joe Carter at the plate, he crushed a 2-2 pitch into the left field stands to walk off a World Series winner.
Philadelphia traded Williams to the Houston Astros, a month after the World Series ended. Unfortunately, Williams wasn't the same. His gimmick was already a hard throwing relief pitcher with control issues. By 1994, those issues became so pronounced that his career was effectively over. Despite 3 more years of comeback attempts with the Angels, the Phillies again, and the Royals before moving on from baseball.
So much teal! It's almost Skull Crushing! Major bonus points for the neighborhood park this picture was taken in. Chain link backstops! Leafless trees! Partly cloudy conditions!
After winning a World Series ring with Toronto, Henderson doubled down and signed a two year deal to return to Oakland. Where he went right back to stealing bases.
Did he hit it out or pop it up? After leading the 1994 Expos to the best record in baseball (before the strike ended the season in August), Walker's next Bowman card would feature him with the Colorado Rockies. Where he would play right field at an MVP level until an August 2004 trade to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Walker has remained a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, staying on the ballot each year, though doesn't likely have a great shot at being voted in. Damn Coors Field bias...
Another strange angle for a pitching photo. If only Johnson would have stayed with Seattle (Or gone back to Montreal), Johnson would have been one of my favorite pitchers of all time. But too many seasons spent with teams I don't like (Yankees, Astros, Giants and D-Bags), dropped his stature in my eyes...
Although the foil card is a great example of how Topps wasn't able to get the foil etching plate registered to the image used on the card. Which is unfortunate, since this a pretty good photo of Delgado during his days as a top catching prospect. Delgado actually caught only two games in the major leagues, before moving to left field for bits and pieces of the 1994-1995 season. Ultimately, Delgado ended up at first base. Playing for the Blue Jays, Marlins and Mets until 2009, hitting 473 home runs during his 17 year career.
This style of warm up jacket was just starting to catch on with major league teams in 1994. Lima quickly became a fan favorite during his 13 year career with the Tigers, Astros, Royals, Dodgers and Mets. Game days were known as "Lima Time" in his home stadiums. After leaving major league baseball, Lima pitched at the professional level in leagues from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Korea and Canada.
In contrast to Lima's new hip and trendy jacket, you have Aguilera's thin and flappy windbreaker. I'd hardly label the Detroit Tigers as one of the mid 1990's big budget spenders, but now they're just making the Twins look bad. However, Aguilera ranks higher because he's throwing in front of a chain link fence. Lima just has sky while he's standing there, showing off his new coat.
As far as I can remember, Piazza was a pioneer of the grey catching gear. Back in the early 1990's, my exposure to non-Twins baseball was limited to whatever ESPN felt like showing. (Or Braves and Cubs games...) I do miss late 1980's and early 1990's ESPN. After the network's sale to Disney, that channel has been completely unwatchable. But I distinctly remember seeing video of Pizza catching, wear grey shin guards and chest protector, blending into his Dodger road greys, before seeing any other catcher wearing them...
I also remember announcers calling the gear ugly. I never felt that strongly about it. They weren't good or bad, just different.
Montreal's second round draft pick in 1992, out of the University of Kentucky. He pitched in 3 games for a total of 6 2/3 innings. Giving up 9 hits and 7 walks in those innings. He spent the next few seasons pitching ineffectively at AA and AAA, until Montreal released him in May 1998. Henderson quickly signed with the Milwaukee Brewers, and made two appearances at the major league level, with the Brewers that season. Coincidentally, I watched one of those games and was surprised Henderson was still in the game. After not hearing much of him with the Expos after his brief 1994 stint. Henderson bounced around the minor leagues until leaving baseball in 2001.
This photo would have made a much better card without the foil or the diamond shooting from Mattingly's pants...
At least the orangey-pinky blob looks a little more like stadium seats here, I'd like to make a note of the Shea Stadium dugout, with the wood panelling and pay phones stuck to the walls. I'd thought that wood panelling had been removed before 1993. I remember it from photos and video of Shea from the mid 1980's...
No way this card (a rookie card of a briefly significant major leaguer as well) would rank this high if it weren't for one simple thing... Chain link fence!
After multiple seasons of above average production as Minnesota's starting catcher, Harper signed with Milwaukee for the 1994 season. The Twins were going in a different catching direction for 1994, and apparently really wanted to wear the new flashy Windows 95 random pipe screensaver logo for the Brewers...
Not sure what the Astros were thinking with this uniform change, though all is better with that 125th Anniversary patch.
In the early 1990's, I had Baseball Simulator 1.000 for the SupaNoFriendo. You were only allowed to simulate a six team league, so I would make a six team league of prospects from the 28 teams. Based on the format of the Arizona Fall League, which was a relatively new thing in the early 1990's. Pozo was usually the strongest second baseman during season simulating. Unfortunately, success in the world of SupaNoFriendo doesn't exactly translate to the major leagues.
Pozo got one at-bat with the 1995 Mariners, then was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Getting into only 25 games with Boston over the 1996-1997 seasons. Batting .189 with 1 home run, 14 RBI's and 1 stolen base in 80 career plate appearances.
I've never been a Schilling shiller, but at least he was at his lesser level of obnoxiousness in 1994. Plus, the amount of dark shades of red and grey work well in this instance.
Bowman decided his first name should be spelled Ellkis for some reason... I never liked the Boston Red Sox, but I did keep a small stash of Ellis Burks rookie cards from 1987-88, as I thought he would develop into a good player. He did, but it was mainly with the Rockies and Indians. However, I do really like the look of this card...
Piazza is sporting the more traditional Dodgers blue catchers gear to go with the Dodgers home whites. His Dodgers mullet flowing from under his Dodgers helmet... Dodgers Diamond Dodgers...
Another top prospect card in Toronto catcher Carlos Delgado. This card is far superior to the foil version because the foil had has normal catcher Carlos face. His regular Bowman card features Carlos MONSTER face! Seriously, check out that mouth! Terrifying!
Far superior picture to Lopez regular Bowman card (which didn't make the Whatever). You've got catcher's gear... You've got chain link fence... And you've got what appears to be a really small catcher's mitt? Atlanta's pitching staff of the mid 1990's was of legendary status. But even that crew didn't show that kind of control...
The foil is an absolute fail here. They should have just gone with this picture without foil. It's very good on it's own merit. Becker was a five tool prospect in center field, who was given the starting position in 1995, and held it until a trade to the New York Mets after the 1997 season. He put up solid, but not spectacular stats during his years with the Twins.
Over the next three seasons, Becker would struggle to get his career back on track after the trade to New York. Logging time with the Orioles, Brewers, Athletics and Tigers in the majors. 2001 was spent with the Marlins AAA team in Calgary, but didn't play in the major leagues. Becker signed with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the independent Northern League for the 2002 season. He called it a career after that stint in Fargo.
After years of being a perennial prospect for the Houston Astros, they finally got sick of waiting for him to develop into a star, so they flipped him to Seattle for actual prospect, Mike Hampton. Hampton developed into an All Star (his 2001-2002 stints with the Rockies notwithstanding), while Anthony only lasted one season with the Mariners.
Eric Anothony did get into 32 games with the 1996 Colorado Rockies, and spent most of 1997 Spring Training with the Twins. After a brief cameo with the Dodgers in 1997, Anthony never played another game in the majors.
Minnesota's second round draft pick out of a South Carolina High School in 1992, seemed on the fast track to become the Twins next third baseman. Unfortunately for Roper, he never hit enough to advance beyond AA. Never making the major leagues. At least he did get this nice looking card out of his efforts!
Here was a top prospect that did pan out... To some degree anyway. Without getting into too much detail, Perez spent six seasons with the Rockies and did an acceptable job as our shortstop during that time. His career fell apart after the Rockies traded him to Kansas City in 2001, he bounced around the league without hitting enough to hold a job. Perez did manage to hang on until 2007, when he appeared in 33 games with the Detroit Tigers, at age 34. Oh yeah, there was also a big PED suspension that was a big factor in his downfall.
When it opened in 1991, new Comiskey Park was a bright and cheery, deep blue ballpark. However, as Comiskey Park II entered it's teenage years, it took a semi-goth turn and became really dark. The deep cheery clue was replate by a menacing dark green, black and grey look.
Lowe's warm-ups are so top secret, the chain link fence must be obscured by a muddy blue and purple translucent tarp...
Signing autographs in a section of Shea Stadium so predominantly blue and green, it looks more like Olympic Stadium in Montreal. In fact this REALLY looks like an Expos card... So it really should be ranked higher!
Looney pitched a total of 8 innings with Montreal during the 1993-1994 seasons, giving up 12 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 9. During the 1994 players strike, Looney was traded to the Boston Red Sox for nothing... I couldn't find any information on that trade other than it was a conditional deal. But so much weirdness took place during the 1994-95 strike, it's hard to keep track of it all.
Looney resurfaced, pitching in three games with the 1995 Boston Red Sox. That would be the extent of Looney's major league career. On August 26, 1996, the Minnesota Twins traded Pat Mahomes (#116 on this Whatever) to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later. On December 17, 1996, the Red Sox sent Brian Looney to Minnesota to complete that trade. Looney pitched in 17 games for the 1997 Salt Lake Buzz, Minnesota's AAA affiliate.
I also learned that Looney pitched in 3 games for the Colorado Rockies AAA team in Colorado Springs in 2003. While he only appeared in the majors for the Expos, Looney makes the short list of players to appear in all three of the organizations I collect!
Rekar did appear in the majors. Pitching fairly terrible for three seasons with the Rockies, and slightly less terrible for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, from 1998-2001, after being selected in the 1998 expansion draft. I do like the dark and cloudy day this photo was taken, for a backdrop....
With so much chain link fence around him, I'd have to speculate as to why the 1995 American League Rookie of the Year is locked up in detention... I know Cranky Tom Kelly wasn't a big fan, but I didn't think his offences were criminal...
The lesser end of the collection of early 1990's Atlanta Braves pitching prospects. After multiple chances to crack the vaunted Braves rotation, Smith found himself in New York, pitching for the Mets. I'm not sure which Florida Spring Training complex Smith is throwing in here, but I like the silver bleachers behind him.
Johnson starred in the late 1980's with the New York Mets, after arriving in a 1985 trade with the Detroit Tigers. After an injury plagued 1993 season, Johnson left New York and signed a one year deal with Colorado. He appeared in 93 games with Colorado, mostly as a pinch hitter. He did hit 10 home runs and had 40 RBI's, but managed only a .211 batting average. After the strike was settled, Johnson played the 1995 season with the Chicago Cubs, batting only .195.
Former top Yankees pitching prospect, traded from New York in December 1993, for a player who is ranked a little higher on this Whatever. I'll reveal their return a little later on, because I'm all about building suspense... Karp kinda stunk for Philadelphia, pitching just 2 innings in 1995, then another 15 innings in 1997. And that was it for Karp...
Ta-Da! It's the veteran starting pitcher the Yankees acquired for Karp (and others). After pitching effectively in Philadelphia's rotation since mid-1989, the Yankees looked to Mulholland to solidify the middle of their rotation. Unfortunately, Mulholland didn't adapt well to the American League. He went only 6-7, but his ERA skyrocketed. He posted a 3.25 ERA in 1993 with the Phillies, but a nasty 6.49 ERA in 1994 with the Yankees... Who sent him to San Francisco for 1995.
Mulholland carved out a nice career despite his poor showing with the Yankees. He bounced around the league, but pitched in a total of 20 major league seasons, retiring after the 2006 season. Pitching mostly in a swingman role, alternating between the rotation and bullpen during stays with Seattle, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Cleveland, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs, and even 88 games (15 starts) with the Minnesota Twins in 2004-2005.
As I mentioned earlier, Minnesota elected to let Brian Harper walk in Free Agency to the Windows 95 Brewers, as they had a new plan for their starting catcher. Matt Walbeck! Who? Well, no one besides Terry Ryan felt like this was a good idea. Walbeck came to the Twins in exchange for pitcher Willie Banks, after an 11 game appearance in 1993 with the Chicago Cubs. He was great defensively, but just didn't hit enough to stick. Minnesota gave Walbeck three years at catcher, and he was only able to put up a .571 OPS in just over 1000 plate appearances.
Minnesota traded Walbeck to Detroit after the 1996 season. He would be replaced by free agent local son Terry Steinbach, coming over from the Oakland Athletics. Walbeck would then spend time with the Tigers, Angels and Phillies, until retiring after the 2003 season.
After coaching in several teams farm systems, Walbeck opened the Walbeck Baseball Academy in Rancho Cordova, California.
I've only been doing this blog for only 9 months, but I can never remember if I've written about Joey Eischen yet. He was one of my favorite Expos prospects of the early 1990's, and went on to be a steady situational left handed relief pitcher, appearing in major league games over the course of 11 seasons. I do plan on that being a future story to put up here sometime... But I guess I haven't written it yet...
Piazza finally chose a chest protector color, and he went with blue... Of all the 1994 Bowman related Piazza cards, this was my favorite card of the future Florida Marlin backstop...
Ritchie was a top Texas high school pitching prospect going into the 1990 Draft (almost as heralded as Todd Van Poppel!), going 12th overall to Minnesota. Van Poppel was the 14th overall pick by Oakland. And while Van Poppel was the more heralded, Ritchie had the better career.
I'm not going into much more here, the similar careers both pitchers took is a story I'm planning on writing in the future...
The white and green score board behind Maddux really stands out for me on this card. I don't know what it is, but Maddux cards with the Braves always looked better than any other Braves cards...
And while I don't remember any real similarities, the image of Maddux compared to the image of Ritchie show some common elements in their delivery. Not taken at the exact same moment of course, but I've stared at it too long...
This card is ranked way too high. The picture is nothing special. Even the green and white outfield walls are inferior to the background in Maddux card... Even my Rockies bias shouldn't have vaulted Nied this high...
Kruk was a favorite of mine dating back to his first few years with the Padres. And how could you not love the dirtball Phillies of 1993? Come on, John Kruk was played by Chris Farley on SNL! You cant top that!
We go from Kruk to Thomas. Both fielding images of top first basemen in 1993. Both future teammates on the White Sox in 1995. Both future color analysts for network baseball broadcasts. See, on the surface, Kruk and Thomas seemingly have little in common, but you'd be wrong...
After the Marlins entered the major leagues, they shared a spring training facility with the Montreal Expos in Jupiter, Florida. When it opened, the stadium had seats that matched the Marlins jerseys. Any Spring Training game photo from Jupiter could immediately be identified by the bright teal seats.
Darensbourg pitched in relief for five solid, but unspectacular, seasons with the Marlins. He was included in the Marlins /Rockies Mike Hampton salary dump of November 2002, but only pitched in 3 games for Colorado in the 2003 season. After being released in July, Darensbourg signed with the Montreal Expos, but only got into 6 games with them.
I'm not going to hold Cone's late 1990's stint with the New York Yankees against him because I'm a big David Cone fan. Dating back to watching him pitch for the Mets via early 1990's ESPN.
I spent upwards of 20 minutes searching the internets for a picture of David Cone's Royals promotional mug shot used by MLB. This head shot was used during TV broadcasts and sent around the league for scoreboard images. For his 1994 head shot, Cone decided to have some fun and smiled HUGE for his picture. Distinctly remember seeing it during a Twins game, promoting an upcoming series against Kansas, showing the probable pitching match-ups. The announcers were commenting on Cone's goofy face picture. I really wanted that picture for this story...
Jean was a top prospect for the Yankees in the early 1990's, and someone whose minor league career I was following, and already had several of his minor league cards. As well as Jean's 1992 Bowman, which was just a head shot, in his street clothes.
Which came in handy in August 1993... I had gone to a Yankees game at the Metrodome, on a Friday night. During the middle innings, I walked to the men's room and past the right field service elevator that opened to the lower concourse. Out of the elevator walked a man in formal business attire, who looked EXACTLY like the 1992 Bowman Domingo Jean card...
But Domingo Jean was pitching (well) for AAA Columbus, after pitching very well for AA Albany, earlier in the season... Had the Yankees called up one of their top prospects, and I was one of the first to know? Well, the next morning's Star Tribune confirmed the Yankees had recalled Jean, and he would be starting Sunday's game against the Twins...
He pitched okay in his debut against the Twins; 6 2/3 innings, 7 hits, 0 walks, 5 K, 4 ER. The Yankees won the game on a two run home run by Don Mattingly, breaking a 10th inning tie. Domingo Jean also wore uniform number 42. Before Mariano Rivera would become the last active player to wear that number.
Jean finished the 1993 season with the Yankees. Pitching 40 innings, going 1-1, 4.46 ERA. After the 1993 season, Jean was traded to the Houston Astros, and never played in the major leagues again.
This card was featured heavily on all the 1994 Bowman promotional material. Mondesi was the 1993 National League Rookie of the Year, so that definitely is appropriate to this set. It's a good photo, but nothing to write home about. Yet it's one of the first cards I think of when I think of 1994 Bowman.
Future Minnesota Twins failed prospect... I read comparisons to Pedro Martinez in regards to Parra, and was excited when he was traded to Minnesota, in a July deadline package for longtime Twins pitchers Kevin Tapani and Mark Guthrie. I'd hoped the Twins made a shrewd move and would set themselves up with their return... Nope. Parra had no control, Chris Latham was a marginal 5th outfielder, and Ron Coomer was an All Star in the sense that every team must have a representative...
Better than Mondesi even though it's almost the same picture... Why? While I suspect that they are with Mondesi (though those could be Braves players), there is no doubt DeShields' at-bat is being watched by a buncha Expos. Even more fitting as they had just traded DeShields to the Dodgers for a little guy you may have heard of...
Briefly covered Van Poppel as I talked of Todd Ritchie. However in this case, Van Poppel's backdrop of chain link and translucent fence coverings are far superior to an already nice Todd Ritchie card...
Damn, the Rockies got some pretty nice photos in this set. It's chain link, but a different take on chain link... Wright was Colorado's 1st round draft pick in 1993, out of an Oklahoma City High School. He made the major leagues in 1996, at age 21. Wright would go on to pitch in 19 major league seasons, 6 of which with the Rockies, before retiring after the 2014 season.
I think it's safe to say that Jamey Wright would be the Rockies second most successful 1st Round Draft Pick in the team's history. I'll let you guess who the top 1st round pick would be...
This would be the top rookie card in 1994 Bowman. I don't need to tell you why. It's a nice card. Full of pleasing blue tones and a nice example of sticking your crotch out between pitches. Something you don't often get with cards...
If you were to rank the previous three cards as to who was the Yankees top three prospects in 1994, it would have gone Posada, Jeter, then Rivera. But not Mariano... His cousin Ruben was easily the Yankees top prospect in 1994. And this card -Rivera's only card- in 1994 was a huge seller. A 20 year old five tool prospect as a center fielder, Rivera had all the talent in the world. So everyone wanted this card. I had (and still have) five of them.
In early 1997, Rivera was traded to the Padres for Hideki Irabu. That turned out to be a colossal failure all around. Not only was Irabu a fat toad, but Rivera turned into a non-baseball player. He never learned to hit, his baserunning deteriorated and Rivera was done at an age where most players are just entering their prime.
Even a team stacked with dirt balls needs one squeaky clean choir boy. For the 1993 Phillies, that would have been Stocker. The all glove, little bat shortstop was called up in the 1993 season and provided a spark that the team needed to get to the World Series. Stocker never did hit much, or anywhere near what he did as a 23 year old rookie. Stocker was sent to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in an Expansion Draft day trade, fleecing the new team for Bobby Abreu in exchange for a shortstop, not long for the game...
Also, the Greg Maddux familiar white and green scroeboard... Both Hall of Famers, but Pedro is sporting a mid-90's mullet here. That, with the Expos bias is more than enough to rank Pedro at #17.
White was a prospect I'd been following since being drafted in the 1st round in 1990, 28th overall. He made his debut for the Expos in May 1994, and was traded to Cincinnati after the 1995 season. His career as a relief pitcher in the Majors lasted until the 2005 season. Including two years with the Rockies (2000-2001, that were amongst his two best seasons).
The slow takeover of Florida black from Marlins teal, started as early as 1994 Spring Training. By the 2003 World Series, teal was all but ditched in favor of black in the Marlins wardrobe. But with the blurry palm trees behind him, this is a pretty appropriate backdrop for a Marlins card of the day. Valdes was Florida's 1st Round Draft Pick in 1993, but was claimed off waivers in December 1996, by the Montreal Expos. He would appear in 68 games (11 starts) for Montreal in the 1997-98 seasons. After a few more seasons, pitching sparingly with Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia's 4th round draft pick in 1992, as a catcher out of Cal State Fullerton. After 4 seasons, Moler called it a career, with only 44 games at AAA (in 1994), after the 1996 season. This was one of my favorite Bowman cards. The netting of the batting cage, blurring the greenish, blueish and whitish background. Based on how much I liked this card, I expected Moler to make it, but he never appeared in the major leagues.
After an Expansion Draft day trade with Milwaukee in November 1992, Bichette found a home in Colorado, and the Rockies found their first superstar. Hitting 40 home runs for multiple seasons, for a new team in a town starving for baseball will do that. And with the Rockies drawing between 75,000-80,000 per home game in 1993-94, Bichette was the Rockies. More than Galarraga, Castilla, Burks or EY even.
Only a teenager here, Dye would play in 98 games with Atlanta in 1996 as a 22 year old, then shockingly get traded to the Kansas City Royals, during 1997 Spring Training. Dye became a star in Kansas and Oakland in the early 2000's. Dye signed a five year contract with the Chicago White Sox in December, 2004, and led them to their first World Series win in close to 100 years, in October 2005.
There's way more Dodgers on this Whatever than I would have expected. But Park was a top rookie card in the set, and with that photo looking as cool as it does, it's almost ranked too low. Unfortunately for Park, that Texas Rangers contract happened, and he never lived up to the potential he came into the league with.
Minnesota opened their new Spring Training home in Ft. Myers, FL, in 1991. Back in the early 1990's, photos taken at the Twins Spring home were distinct and common, given that Red Sox camp is five miles away. The fence and areas behind home plate were a deep green, but the aisle stairs between the seating rows had bright yellow paint to alert unaware climbers. I've always loved picking out these stairs from cards of this era.
Chuck Knoblauch had only a year and half of minor league experience in 1991. At the shocking urge of Cranky Tom Kelly, he wanted Knoblauch at second to open the 1991 season. Chuck made the team out of camp and helped lead the Twins to win the 1991 World Series. Topping off his year with the 1991 American League Rookie of the Year award. He will forever have a prominent place in my collection for his 1991 season.
This is such a great picture... Some great bleachers providing a backdrop... Majestic Expos Batting Practice Jersey... Love this card...
Years later (1998 I think), Bowman Chrome had an insert set reprinting classic Bowman cards from the last five years, with special refractor versions, and I pulled the Chromey Refractory version of this card from one of the first packs I bought. And it looks 10 times as awesome!
Fullmer was the Expos second round pick in 1993, out of high school. He made the majors for the first time at the end of the 1997 season. Fullmer started slow with the 1998 Expos, when he opened the season as their first baseman. He played a steady first base for two seasons with the Expos, and in a Loria move that still has me scratching my head, was traded to the Blue Jays after the 1999 Season (where he broke out with a career high 32 home runs). He was well on his way to a great career before injuries halted it.
Fullmer left baseball at age 29, with a very good career .822 OPS in 807 major league games, over 8 seasons.
Lets just take a quick inventory of all the awesomeness going on here... Riverfront Stadium... Floating baseball... Cecil Espy... Eric freaking Gregg!
Shots like this aren't seen very often in card sets, but when they do, they're almost magical. There's a whole lot of story in this picture. As well as a whole lot of what-happened-next? Of course now I can just look up baseballreference.com, and within a few minutes of searching, find out exactly what happened. I couldn't do that in 1994...
So I'd look at a card like this and wonder... Was Espy safe or out? Did the ball tip off Grace's glove and go down the right field line? Did Espy break a finger sliding? Did Eric Greg pull a sammich out of his pocket and have a snack?
Well, according to baseballreference.com, this picture was taken on May 2, 1993. Cecil Espy walked three times in four plate appearances, and stole second base in the second inning on a 2-0 count. So it's conceivable this pick off throw came shortly before Espy stole second. It is also conceivable this pickoff throw came later in the game. After Espy drew two more walks...
Another shot from Minnesota's Florida Spring home, featuring the future Hall of Famer with a giant-sized Shake Weight. Until I figured out this was Fort Myers, I couldn't figure out where the Twins were playing outdoors in their home uniforms. After all, it couldn't be Spring Training because they always wear their dark blue BP jerseys for those games...
Tarped off netting, just a few shades lighter than his Mariners jersey. This picture is 17 shades of awesome.
If you are wondering what the N on his left forearm means, it means "not gonna be a Mariner!" (Yet...)
Shown here as a 20 year old middle infielder, Relaford would become an on-base machine in the low minors. However, he was traded to Philadelphia (for our old friend Terry Mulholland) in July 1996. After playing for parts of five seasons with the Phillies, Relaford spent time with the Padres and Mets before playing the 2002 season as a Seattle Mariner. After two slightly below average seasons with the Royals, Relaford spent part of 2005 with the Colorado Rockies. Who released him in July.
Minnesota's first round pick (20th overall) in the 1993 Draft, was a skinny 18 year old kid from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I was listening to the Twins game on the radio at the 99 Spillihp, when he signed with Minnesota, a month or so after the draft.
Hunter had a few nice 1994 cards (Classic, Score and Pinnacle all made Hunter draft pick cards), but Bowman's Hunter card features the Twins Spring home in Fort Myers, Florida, with no one in those deep green seats... And there's no one here to not trip on the yellow painted stairs.
First off, when 1994 Bowman came out, it gave me one of my first glimpses of the former Orioles closer (and the guy that stole the 1989 AL ROY Award from Ken Griffey Jr.) as an Atlanta Brave.
Once I was beyond that, I had to really appreciate what all was going on here. First off, mega bonus points for the milk crate stolen from the neighborhood Piggly Wiggly full of baseballs. Beyond that is some weird swirling clash of multiple colors, which look as much like a tarp, as they do stadium seats. Ranked this high on a team I really hate... That's a testament to all the coolness going on here...
As a Junk Wax Prospector, I put a lot of stock into Cliff Floyd. Former first round draft pick (1991), power hitting outfielder/first baseman, who made his major league debut at age 20. And he's an Expo? Of course I'm going to collect him! I doesn't hurt that his cards usually looked really cool, standing out amongst even the best Expos in a team set. Like this one... That picture rules!
Throwing the first pitch in Florida Marlins history was 93 year old, chain smoking knuckleballer, Charlie Hough. The first pitch of the actual first game. Not the pre-game ceremonial celebrity toss. That was done by former Yankee legend, Joe DiMaggio. (Who was actually a few years younger than Hough.)
All kidding aside, Charlie Hough was both fun and frustrating for me to watch as a kid. Pitching mostly for the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, while I was a kid. I would watch Twins hitters flailing away at 65mph fluttering knuckleballs that could never be squared up. When Hough signed with Florida, I figured it was for retirement, not more work... He looks really out of place in a Marlins uniform, but pitched reasonably well in 1993 and 1994. I wondered if he'd come back for the 1995 season, but Hough did not return after the players strike ended.
I'm thinking this photo is from a night game at Joe Robbie Stadium. The lighting doesn't look natural, and the color is a little oversaturated (you can barely see the teal pinstripes). Yet, it's a card I really love.
Puckett has a bunch of really bad looking cards (such as appearing topless on a 1991 Score Dream Team card?) and a bunch of really great looking ones. As Puckett's career advanced, his photos got better. Ironically, once he went blind in one eye and had to retire, his cards really started to look awesome.
The composition of this photo is incredible. Cast against the deep blue Tiger Stadium (pretty sure of that) dugout, with the dark blue Twins hat, batting gloves, jacket and turtleneck, what stands out is Puckett's face and especially his bat. Highlighting what was key to the player's greatness.
The people at Topps take a lot of criticism from the hobby (much of it warranted), but you can always find examples of things they do right.
As I said earlier, 1994 Bowman is a great set. The photos are sharp and diverse, the colors are bright and vibrant, the design is simple and doesn't get in the way. Player selection is top notch and I can't think of any notable omissions. (Alex Rodriguez' contract arrogance being the exception...)
I like this set a lot. However, since I bought it complete early on, I never took a lot of time to appreciate it. Not in the way I would have if I had attempted to put it together by pack and box. That complete set has stayed housed in it's 800 box since the day I bought it, nearly 22 years ago now.
(Aaron) Judging from how nuts people are going over Shohei Ohtani, I see the 2018 retail card market being an instant replay of last years. Which really sucks. I want to be able to pick up a pack or two of something other than flagship Topps while I'm out buying frozen sausage patties and multipacks of paper towel rolls...
I'm never going to pull one of those high dollar Ohtani autographs at ridiculous odds, nor do I really even want to.
I'm content with stuff like this Leaf promotional thing I got the other night. Thrown in one-per-blaster style in a (not a) Fairfield Repack loose wax pack collection, currently being sold at WalMarts. My blaster included two packs of that strange HonusBonus stuff from last year... Call me intrigued on that product...
Since 1989's relaunch of the brand, Bowman has closely resembled Topps in appearance. But for one year only, Bowman bore a strong resemblance to Stadium Club. And I loved this set for it.
There was a noticeable reduction in your standard baseball mug shots.
In addition to being one of the most attractive base sets of Bowman cards, 1994 is also one of the last of the "big" Bowman sets. They weighed in at 704 cards in 1991, 705 in 1992 and 708 in 1993. The great 1994 set is 686 cards, then Topps decided to shrink Bowman way down 439 in 1995, 385 in 1996, then back up to 440 in 1997...
Why the lack of consistency Bowman?
Still sore from the players strike?
Didn't buy a whole lot of Bowman wax in 1994, but what I kept in my albumed collection is a decent representative of a very attractive set of cards. Simple, borderless photos with a minimally invasive, yet distinct, design.
You know the rules... Here is the top whatever cards in a given set.
Criteria being, how much I like any given card.
Weighted towards my favorite teams/players, with consideration given to overall hobby significance.
But all rules are fluid and can change on my whims...
The set being Whatevered today is 1994 Bowman.
And in this instance, I have 132 cards worth ranking.
So here are the top 132 cards from my 1994 Bowman albums...
Whatever...
#132 - Preston Wilson - New York Mets
Watching him play for the Rockies, I thought he was a no doubt superstar. He is now an analyst with the MLB Network.
#131 - Jeff Kent FOIL - New York Mets
These FOIL subset cards are atrocious to scan... And the foil die-cut out isn't consistent with the photos in most cases. Oh, and if you were wondering what that weird light flash coming out of Kent's pants is, it's supposed to be a foil-etched diamond...
Because that's what the hobby needs...
#130 - Mike Matheny - Milwaukee Brewers
The current St. Louis Cardinals manager's Brewers rookie card. Unremarkable, but another pretty cool arm patch. Which is much better than Milwaukee's terrible team logo. They abandoned the classic ball-in-glove, made to look like an MB, in favor of something drawn by Windows 95's random pipe screensaver?
#129 - Manny Ramirez - Cleveland Indians
Manny being Manny before being Manny meant anny thing...
#128 - Jason Isringhausen - New York Mets
It may seem like I'm picking on the Mets by ranking them this low, but that's not the case... Isringhausen would rank higher if I could see whatever was on his shoulder that has him mesmorized...
#127 - Brian Barber FOIL - St. Louis Cardinals
I've previous discussed Barber at great length in a story you can find here...
The foil blob behind Barber is the Cardinals logo. Which is a lot better than a diamond...
#126 - Scott Spiezio - Oakland Athletics
The only other thing I remember about Spiezio was that he kept a long soul patch, that would occasionally be dyed the dominant color of whatever team he was playing for... Red with St. Louis, and I remember a blue soul patch for his short stint with the Mariners...
#125 - Mike Lansing - Montreal Expos
This card would have shot up the Whatever if you could see anything reflected in Lansing's Oakley's...
#124 - Mark Loretta - Milwaukee Brewers
Mark had a respectable 15 year career with the Brewers, Padres, Red Sox, Dodgers and Astros. But I don't think those are his real eyes...
#123 - Shannon Stewart - Toronto Blue Jays
Almost as if the background for this photo was blacked out for censorship reasons. Bright and sunny on his face, cold and dark behind his back. Congratulations on emerging from the void Shannon...
#122 - Darrin Fletcher - Montreal Expos
So not a fan of Montreal's red catcher's gear. But I've already griped about it. Though it looks particularly annoying put up against a heavily green backdrop.
#121 - Chipper Jones - Atlanta Braves
Were it not for the pole supporting Chipper's Adam's Apple, this card could make a good yin to Shannon Stewart's yang...
That sounds dirty...
I don't like Chipper Jones...
#120 - Tony Gwynn - San Diego Padres
#119 - John Smoltz - Atlanta Braves
You could always pick out the cards shot at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Those deep blue outfield walls were a dead giveaway. And they did provide a great backdrop for Atlanta's pitching staff... But I still don't like them...
#118 - Ryne Sandberg FOIL - Chicago Cubs
At least the stupid foil diamond isn't coming out of Ryne's pants...
#117 - Pat Mahomes - Minnesota Twins
As far as baseball posed close-ups go, this is a really good one. Of course I'm biased due to team loyalty...
I see where Pat Mahomes son was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, by the Kansas City Chiefs. He is expected to start as the Chiefs Quarterback for the 2018 season, as a 22 year old. I remember getting Pat Mahomes Sr.'s autograph after a Twins game, when he was a 22 year old rookie. And I was only 17 then... I feel really old...
#116 - Gary Sheffield - Florida Marlins
Pretty sure I've mentioned that I never liked Sheffield as a player. But this card is one of the few Sheffield cards I like. Mainly because it is very grey. And Black. With a touch of Marlins Skull Crushing Teal, amongst the lack of character that existed at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.
#115 - Kevin Tapani - Minnesota Twins
#114 - Tom Glavine - Atlanta Braves
See Smoltz, slightly different angle...
#113 - Ugueth Urbina - Montreal Expos
You can read all about Ugueth Urbina here.
#112 - Kevin Brown - Texas Rangers
Does anybody like Kevin Brown? He had a some good seasons, made a hell of a lot of money, but I don't think I've ever read anything positive about the guy. Most of his cards look like he's pouting and completely unhappy to be a major leaguer for 19 seasons.
#111 - Jim Edmonds - California Angels
I think the blueish smeary stuff in the lower left corner of the card was on either the album page or the scanner. I don't think there was anything on the card itself. Actually I think this card is ranked a bit too low for it's use of Tiger Stadium. Not only can the upper deck be seen behind Edmonds head, but a reflection of the same upper deck (with light standard), can be seen in his helmet. Great image!
#110 - Ken Hill - Montreal Expos
Something strange is going on behind Hill. It looks like the lower seating area is behind swallowed up by a giant pinkish-orange blob... Pretty sure it's Shea Stadium in New York. But that's been torn down, so we can't check...
#109 - Mark Thompson - Colorado Rockies
Better cropping on this photo would have included more of the mountain behind Thompson. Taken at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe Arizona, that mountain has been featured on hundreds of cards throughout the years. You'd think it would be a popular gimmick to include on Rockies cards?
#108 - Moises Alou - Montreal Expos
While he's likely looking at a cut on his hand from sliding, I prefer to think Alou is sitting on second base, clapping at himself for just hitting a double!
Now it's a much happier card!
#107 - Rondell White - Montreal Expos
That's definitely Shea Stadium, and despite White trying to fend off the giant pinkish orange blob with his bat, some rather unfortunate spectators behind him are being devoured alive...
The horror!
#106 - Derrek Lee - San Diego Padres
Just then, Derrek Lee flew down from the sky (with his even bigger bat) and saved the day!
But the Expos still beat the Padres... And Mets...
It was a doubleheader...
I'm tired...
#105 - Derek Jeter FOIL - New York Yankees
Those etched team logos so don't work...
#104 - David McCarty - Minnesota Twins
Read all about David McCarty here!
#103 - Albert Belle (Bowman Preview) - Cleveland Indians
In case this isn't a tip off, I'm also throwing in some singles from the 1994 Bowman Preview insert card set, into this Whatever. Technically a separate set, these were inserted at a rate of one card per box of 1994 Stadium Club Series 2. I put together the full 10 card preview set back in 1994, but not all of them made the cut...
The previews are different from the regular set by the foil. Previews got rainbow foil, while the regular set got the standard gold foil. Obviously the regular set wouldn't feature the cumbersome 94 Preview logo in the corner. Thankfully, regular Bowman got no intrusive foil blobs at all.
Also, something is seriously wrong with Albert Belle.
#102 - Bernie Williams - New York Yankees
I just like this card.
#101 - Wil Cordero - Montreal Expos
Nice fielding shot of an Expo at Shea. There's a lot of action photos taken at Shea in this set...
#100 - Chipper Jones FOIL - Atlanta Braves
One of the few foil inserts where the foil kind of works, but there is awkwardness with the Bowman B. Only white where it interferes with Chipper's leg. Not as bad as some of the foil cards, but it's still just another card of Larry...
#99 - Ivan Rodriguez - Texas Rangers
Pudge fielding in one of the first action photos I saw from the Rangers brand new ballpark. The Rangers opened their massive ballpark in 1994. It's already obsolete in their eyes, so a new Texas Rangers ballpark is currently being built. Not sure if that more accurately points out my age, this set's age, or how short sighted the governing bodies of Arlington, Texas have been. At least I can't blame George Bush Jr. this time around.
I really hate the Texas Rangers...
That being said, Rodriguez was the greatest catcher I've ever seen play.
Congrats on making the Hall of Fame.
#98 - Rondell White FOIL - Montreal Expos
This one scanned pretty well...
#97 - Keith Garagozzo - Minnesota Twins
Forgettable, anonymous Twin I've already talked about.
But I do like the fence and trees behind him...
#96 - Sammy Sosa - Chicago Cubs
Sammy's head is looking rather large in relation to his body, even back then... But I do like the look of this card. Classic Cubs home uniform, set against a blurred Wrigley 3rd base dugout.
Great card...
Not so great legacy...
#95 - Andy Pettitte - New York Yankees
Pettitte's rookie card appeared in 1993 Bowman, so this would be his second. He didn't make the major leagues until 1995, so this was another card featuring him as a top Yankees prospect. And there were many top Yankees prospects in the early 1990's. As their record in the late 1990's will attest...
#94 - Mark Hutton - New York Yankees
Here's another... The Yankees dealt Hutton to the Florida Marlins in 1996, and he pitched pretty well. They traded him to the Rockies in 1997 and he pitched pretty horrible. They traded him to the Reds in 1997 and he pitched even worse. The Reds released him and he signed with Tampa Bay for 1999, but never played in the Majors with the Devil Rays.
Hutton ranks ahead of Pettitte due to the outfield wall behind him.
#93 - Barry Bonds - San Francisco Giants
Yeah, it's pretty safe to say there is no player in the history of baseball that I dislike more than Bonds. And I know I'm not alone in those thoughts. But I do like this photo.
#92 - John Wetteland - Montreal Expos
Topps did a good job on fitting this photo on the card. Wetteland was a favorite Expo back in the day. A floundering starter with the Dodgers, they traded him to Cincinnati after the 1991 season. He was a Red for nearly two full weeks before they flipped him to the Expos. Who made Wetteland their closer. In three seasons with Montreal, Wetteland saved 105 games.
Then he became too expensive and was traded to the Yankees...
Figures...
#91 - Dennis Eckersley - Oakland Athletics
With his sidewinding delivery, Eckersley cards were always interesting to see how the photo would be cropped to fit on the card. This example is one of my favorites.
#90 - Mark McGwire - Oakland Athletics
As I was writing this, the Rockies were playing the Padres at Coors Field. Andy Green had been ejected for arguing over a Carlos Gonzalez home run, so McGwire (currently San Diego's bench coach) stepped in the manage the rest of the game for the Padres. He looked so small and almost frail, compared to his playing (and Andro taking) days.
McGwire's 1994 Bowman card has no card number on the back, due to an uncorrected printing error. I can never remember where in the set the card is supposed to fall. (Oh, it is supposed to be card #192.)
#89 - Kirk Rueter - Montreal Expos
******
Let's take a break from the Whatever and look at the only packaging I still have from 1994 Bowman...
To keep collectors motivated during the 1994 players strike, some special retail packages were sold during the Christmas season. WalMarts sold a "Tin Pack" of 1994 Bowman. Consisting of four Jumbo packs and one pack of 1994 Bowman's Best, housed in a collector tin.
They were a pretty decent value and disappeared from shelves quickly.
The tin box had images of 1994 Bowman cards, wrapped around the outside.
My tin holds spare change these days.
Others include Yankees top prospect Brien Taylor, Cubs top prospects Hector Trinidad and Amaury Telemaco, and of course, William VanLandingham...
******
Back to Whatever...
#88 - Archi Cianfrocco - San Diego Padres
#87 - Edgar Martinez - Seattle Mariners
Next year Edgar makes the Hall of Fame. It is just wrong that he is not a member yet.
#86 - Paul Molitor - Toronto Blue Jays
#85 - Frank Thomas (Bowman Preview) - Chicago White Sox
Speaking of cards that should have featured better images... This was the star of the 10 card Bowman Preview set. The last Becketts I looked at still had this as a $10 card.
Yeah right...
#84 - Cliff Floyd FOIL - Montreal Expos
You could tell Topps felt Floyd was going to amount to something, given all the Floyd cards they tried to cram into sets in the mid 1990's. As a foil card, Floyd doesn't feature the Expos logo, or a large diamond. The foil etching behind Floyd is a giant frisbee. Actually it's supposed to be Olympic Stadium. Those are the three subjects for foil in 1994 Bowman: team logo, team stadium or big diamond, each meant something else to recognize the featured player.
#83 - Paul O'Neill - New York Yankees
This photo of the Yankees right fielder rounding third base is taken from an angle not often seen on cards. I would assume this was taken from a higher position on the field than the usual dugout adjacent camera well shots. Never liked O'Neill as a player, but this card can stay.
#82 - Mitch Williams - Houston Astros
Once Wild Thing served up one of the most famous home runs in baseball history, I knew he'd end up on a different team for the 1994 season.
Going into the bottom of the 9th in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series. Phillies up 6-5 on the Blue Jays. Toronto up 3 games to 2 in the series. Phillies manager Jim Fregosi brings in Williams to close out the victory, and force Game 7 the following night.
Williams walks Rickey Henderson on 4 pitches to lead off the bottom of the 9th. And that's never a good thing. Devon White flew out to deep left field, then Paul Molitor singled to center, moving Rickey to 2nd. With Joe Carter at the plate, he crushed a 2-2 pitch into the left field stands to walk off a World Series winner.
Philadelphia traded Williams to the Houston Astros, a month after the World Series ended. Unfortunately, Williams wasn't the same. His gimmick was already a hard throwing relief pitcher with control issues. By 1994, those issues became so pronounced that his career was effectively over. Despite 3 more years of comeback attempts with the Angels, the Phillies again, and the Royals before moving on from baseball.
#81 - Marquis Grissom - Montreal Expos
Running the bases at Wrigley... A timeless classic photo...
#80 - Edgar Renteria - Florida Marlins
So much teal! It's almost Skull Crushing! Major bonus points for the neighborhood park this picture was taken in. Chain link backstops! Leafless trees! Partly cloudy conditions!
#79 - Rickey Henderson - Oakland Athletics
After winning a World Series ring with Toronto, Henderson doubled down and signed a two year deal to return to Oakland. Where he went right back to stealing bases.
Literally.
#78 - Pat Borders - Toronto Blue Jays
Speaking of the 1993 World Champions, here's their starting catcher. In a very blue card...
#77 - Larry Walker - Montreal Expos
Walker has remained a borderline Hall of Fame candidate, staying on the ballot each year, though doesn't likely have a great shot at being voted in. Damn Coors Field bias...
#76 - Randy Johnson - Seattle Mariners
Another strange angle for a pitching photo. If only Johnson would have stayed with Seattle (Or gone back to Montreal), Johnson would have been one of my favorite pitchers of all time. But too many seasons spent with teams I don't like (Yankees, Astros, Giants and D-Bags), dropped his stature in my eyes...
Just kidding... Randy Johnson is one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
Even though his Hall of Fame plaque has him under the big block stripey A for Arizona.
#75 - Carlos Delgado FOIL - Toronto Blue Jays
#74 - Jose Lima - Detroit Tigers
This style of warm up jacket was just starting to catch on with major league teams in 1994. Lima quickly became a fan favorite during his 13 year career with the Tigers, Astros, Royals, Dodgers and Mets. Game days were known as "Lima Time" in his home stadiums. After leaving major league baseball, Lima pitched at the professional level in leagues from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Korea and Canada.
Jose Lima died of a heart attack in his Pasadena, CA home in May, 2010. He was 37 years old.
#73 - Rick Aguilera - Minnesota Twins
In contrast to Lima's new hip and trendy jacket, you have Aguilera's thin and flappy windbreaker. I'd hardly label the Detroit Tigers as one of the mid 1990's big budget spenders, but now they're just making the Twins look bad. However, Aguilera ranks higher because he's throwing in front of a chain link fence. Lima just has sky while he's standing there, showing off his new coat.
#72 - Mike Piazza - Los Angeles Dodgers
As far as I can remember, Piazza was a pioneer of the grey catching gear. Back in the early 1990's, my exposure to non-Twins baseball was limited to whatever ESPN felt like showing. (Or Braves and Cubs games...) I do miss late 1980's and early 1990's ESPN. After the network's sale to Disney, that channel has been completely unwatchable. But I distinctly remember seeing video of Pizza catching, wear grey shin guards and chest protector, blending into his Dodger road greys, before seeing any other catcher wearing them...
I also remember announcers calling the gear ugly. I never felt that strongly about it. They weren't good or bad, just different.
#71 - Craig Biggio - Houston Astros
Never liked the Astros, but you gotta like Craig Biggio.
#70 - Rod Henderson - Montreal Expos
#69 - Don Mattingly FOIL - New York Yankees
This photo would have made a much better card without the foil or the diamond shooting from Mattingly's pants...
#68 - Cliff Floyd (Bowman Preview) - Montreal Expos
At least the orangey-pinky blob looks a little more like stadium seats here, I'd like to make a note of the Shea Stadium dugout, with the wood panelling and pay phones stuck to the walls. I'd thought that wood panelling had been removed before 1993. I remember it from photos and video of Shea from the mid 1980's...
#67 - Richard Hidalgo - Houston Astros
No way this card (a rookie card of a briefly significant major leaguer as well) would rank this high if it weren't for one simple thing... Chain link fence!
#66 - Ryne Sandberg - Chicago Cubs
One Hall of Famer using a take out slide on another Hall of Famer... This card is underranked...
#65 - Cal Ripken Jr. - Baltimore Orioles
A non-Hall of Famer not using a take out slide on a Hall of Famer... This card is also underranked...
#64 - Brian Harper - Milwaukee Brewers
#63 - Johnny Damon FOIL - Kansas City Royals
The big foil Royals logo stuffed behind Damn actually looks pretty good here...
#62 - Luis Gonzalez - Houston Astros
Not sure what the Astros were thinking with this uniform change, though all is better with that 125th Anniversary patch.
#61 - Arquimedez Pozo - Seattle Mariners
In the early 1990's, I had Baseball Simulator 1.000 for the SupaNoFriendo. You were only allowed to simulate a six team league, so I would make a six team league of prospects from the 28 teams. Based on the format of the Arizona Fall League, which was a relatively new thing in the early 1990's. Pozo was usually the strongest second baseman during season simulating. Unfortunately, success in the world of SupaNoFriendo doesn't exactly translate to the major leagues.
Pozo got one at-bat with the 1995 Mariners, then was traded to the Boston Red Sox. Getting into only 25 games with Boston over the 1996-1997 seasons. Batting .189 with 1 home run, 14 RBI's and 1 stolen base in 80 career plate appearances.
#60 - Curt Schilling - Philadelphia Phillies
#59 - Ellis Burks - Colorado Rockies
Bowman decided his first name should be spelled Ellkis for some reason... I never liked the Boston Red Sox, but I did keep a small stash of Ellis Burks rookie cards from 1987-88, as I thought he would develop into a good player. He did, but it was mainly with the Rockies and Indians. However, I do really like the look of this card...
#58 - Mike Piazza FOIL - Los Angeles Dodgers
Piazza is sporting the more traditional Dodgers blue catchers gear to go with the Dodgers home whites. His Dodgers mullet flowing from under his Dodgers helmet... Dodgers Diamond Dodgers...
#57 - Carlos Delgado - Toronto Blue Jays
Another top prospect card in Toronto catcher Carlos Delgado. This card is far superior to the foil version because the foil had has normal catcher Carlos face. His regular Bowman card features Carlos MONSTER face! Seriously, check out that mouth! Terrifying!
#56 - Javy Lopez (Bowman Preview) - Atlanta Braves
Far superior picture to Lopez regular Bowman card (which didn't make the Whatever). You've got catcher's gear... You've got chain link fence... And you've got what appears to be a really small catcher's mitt? Atlanta's pitching staff of the mid 1990's was of legendary status. But even that crew didn't show that kind of control...
Especially with as far off the plate as Glavine would typically get calls...
#55 - Rich Becker FOIL - Minnesota Twins
The foil is an absolute fail here. They should have just gone with this picture without foil. It's very good on it's own merit. Becker was a five tool prospect in center field, who was given the starting position in 1995, and held it until a trade to the New York Mets after the 1997 season. He put up solid, but not spectacular stats during his years with the Twins.
Over the next three seasons, Becker would struggle to get his career back on track after the trade to New York. Logging time with the Orioles, Brewers, Athletics and Tigers in the majors. 2001 was spent with the Marlins AAA team in Calgary, but didn't play in the major leagues. Becker signed with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the independent Northern League for the 2002 season. He called it a career after that stint in Fargo.
And who could blame him?
#54 - Eric Anthony - Seattle Mariners
After years of being a perennial prospect for the Houston Astros, they finally got sick of waiting for him to develop into a star, so they flipped him to Seattle for actual prospect, Mike Hampton. Hampton developed into an All Star (his 2001-2002 stints with the Rockies notwithstanding), while Anthony only lasted one season with the Mariners.
Eric Anothony did get into 32 games with the 1996 Colorado Rockies, and spent most of 1997 Spring Training with the Twins. After a brief cameo with the Dodgers in 1997, Anthony never played another game in the majors.
#53 - Chad Roper - Minnesota Twins
Minnesota's second round draft pick out of a South Carolina High School in 1992, seemed on the fast track to become the Twins next third baseman. Unfortunately for Roper, he never hit enough to advance beyond AA. Never making the major leagues. At least he did get this nice looking card out of his efforts!
#52 - Neifi Perez - Colorado Rockies
#51 - Jeff Bagwell - Houston Astros
Batting cage... Yay!!
Hall of Famer... Yay!!
Houston Astro? Booo!
#50 - Wilson Alvarez - Chicago White Sox
When it opened in 1991, new Comiskey Park was a bright and cheery, deep blue ballpark. However, as Comiskey Park II entered it's teenage years, it took a semi-goth turn and became really dark. The deep cheery clue was replate by a menacing dark green, black and grey look.
Have to say, I fully approve!
#49 - Derek Lowe - Seattle Mariners
Lowe's warm-ups are so top secret, the chain link fence must be obscured by a muddy blue and purple translucent tarp...
#48 - Brian Anderson - California Angels
While Anderson gets to throw out in the open, amongst white score boards in the bright Arizona sun.
#47 - Bobby Jones - New York Mets
Signing autographs in a section of Shea Stadium so predominantly blue and green, it looks more like Olympic Stadium in Montreal. In fact this REALLY looks like an Expos card... So it really should be ranked higher!
#46 - Brian Looney - Montreal Expos
Looney resurfaced, pitching in three games with the 1995 Boston Red Sox. That would be the extent of Looney's major league career. On August 26, 1996, the Minnesota Twins traded Pat Mahomes (#116 on this Whatever) to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named later. On December 17, 1996, the Red Sox sent Brian Looney to Minnesota to complete that trade. Looney pitched in 17 games for the 1997 Salt Lake Buzz, Minnesota's AAA affiliate.
I just learned that tonight...
#45 - Bryan Rekar - Colorado Rockies
Rekar did appear in the majors. Pitching fairly terrible for three seasons with the Rockies, and slightly less terrible for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, from 1998-2001, after being selected in the 1998 expansion draft. I do like the dark and cloudy day this photo was taken, for a backdrop....
*****
Let's take another break and look at the other two panels of the "Tin Pack"!
(I'm grasping for straws in trying to find some bonus material to cover in my Whatever intermission.)
(SPOILER!) That card of Brett Butler does not make the Whatever... I do not have doubles of it, so my only copy is locked away in an 800 box, with the rest of the set.
106
(SPOILER!) I haven't talked about these two cards yet!
Well, this little break was rather pointless...
Back to the Whatever!
******
#44 - Marty Cordova - Minnesota Twins
With so much chain link fence around him, I'd have to speculate as to why the 1995 American League Rookie of the Year is locked up in detention... I know Cranky Tom Kelly wasn't a big fan, but I didn't think his offences were criminal...
#43 - Pete Smith - New York Mets
The lesser end of the collection of early 1990's Atlanta Braves pitching prospects. After multiple chances to crack the vaunted Braves rotation, Smith found himself in New York, pitching for the Mets. I'm not sure which Florida Spring Training complex Smith is throwing in here, but I like the silver bleachers behind him.
#42 - Howard Johnson - Colorado Rockies
I'm so not going to make a discount hotel and restaurant chain joke here...
Johnson starred in the late 1980's with the New York Mets, after arriving in a 1985 trade with the Detroit Tigers. After an injury plagued 1993 season, Johnson left New York and signed a one year deal with Colorado. He appeared in 93 games with Colorado, mostly as a pinch hitter. He did hit 10 home runs and had 40 RBI's, but managed only a .211 batting average. After the strike was settled, Johnson played the 1995 season with the Chicago Cubs, batting only .195.
Johnson took down the orange roof after the 1995 season...
Damat!
#41 - Ryan Karp - Philadelphia Phillies
Former top Yankees pitching prospect, traded from New York in December 1993, for a player who is ranked a little higher on this Whatever. I'll reveal their return a little later on, because I'm all about building suspense... Karp kinda stunk for Philadelphia, pitching just 2 innings in 1995, then another 15 innings in 1997. And that was it for Karp...
#40 - Terry Mulholland - New York Yankees
Mulholland carved out a nice career despite his poor showing with the Yankees. He bounced around the league, but pitched in a total of 20 major league seasons, retiring after the 2006 season. Pitching mostly in a swingman role, alternating between the rotation and bullpen during stays with Seattle, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Cleveland, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs, and even 88 games (15 starts) with the Minnesota Twins in 2004-2005.
Truly a sign that left handers can have a damn fine career if they can pitch even mildly effective...
#39 - Matt Walbeck - Minnesota Twins
As I mentioned earlier, Minnesota elected to let Brian Harper walk in Free Agency to the Windows 95 Brewers, as they had a new plan for their starting catcher. Matt Walbeck! Who? Well, no one besides Terry Ryan felt like this was a good idea. Walbeck came to the Twins in exchange for pitcher Willie Banks, after an 11 game appearance in 1993 with the Chicago Cubs. He was great defensively, but just didn't hit enough to stick. Minnesota gave Walbeck three years at catcher, and he was only able to put up a .571 OPS in just over 1000 plate appearances.
Minnesota traded Walbeck to Detroit after the 1996 season. He would be replaced by free agent local son Terry Steinbach, coming over from the Oakland Athletics. Walbeck would then spend time with the Tigers, Angels and Phillies, until retiring after the 2003 season.
After coaching in several teams farm systems, Walbeck opened the Walbeck Baseball Academy in Rancho Cordova, California.
And he looks like Brian Dewan...
(No one gets that...)
#38 - Joey Eischen - Montreal Expos
I've only been doing this blog for only 9 months, but I can never remember if I've written about Joey Eischen yet. He was one of my favorite Expos prospects of the early 1990's, and went on to be a steady situational left handed relief pitcher, appearing in major league games over the course of 11 seasons. I do plan on that being a future story to put up here sometime... But I guess I haven't written it yet...
#37 - Mike Piazza (Bowman Preview) - Los Angeles Dodgers
Piazza finally chose a chest protector color, and he went with blue... Of all the 1994 Bowman related Piazza cards, this was my favorite card of the future Florida Marlin backstop...
#36 - Todd Ritchie - Minnesota Twins
Ritchie was a top Texas high school pitching prospect going into the 1990 Draft (almost as heralded as Todd Van Poppel!), going 12th overall to Minnesota. Van Poppel was the 14th overall pick by Oakland. And while Van Poppel was the more heralded, Ritchie had the better career.
I'm not going into much more here, the similar careers both pitchers took is a story I'm planning on writing in the future...
#35 - Greg Maddux - Atlanta Braves
The white and green score board behind Maddux really stands out for me on this card. I don't know what it is, but Maddux cards with the Braves always looked better than any other Braves cards...
And while I don't remember any real similarities, the image of Maddux compared to the image of Ritchie show some common elements in their delivery. Not taken at the exact same moment of course, but I've stared at it too long...
#34 - David Nied - Colorado Rockies
Nied was a subject of a previous edition of Junk Wax Prospector. So if you're really curious...
#33 - John Kruk - Philadelphia Phillies
#32 - Frank Thomas - Chicago White Sox
We go from Kruk to Thomas. Both fielding images of top first basemen in 1993. Both future teammates on the White Sox in 1995. Both future color analysts for network baseball broadcasts. See, on the surface, Kruk and Thomas seemingly have little in common, but you'd be wrong...
Too bad Frank Thomas never had a mullet...
#31 - Vic Darensbourg - Florida Marlins
So much Skull Crushing Teal!!!
After the Marlins entered the major leagues, they shared a spring training facility with the Montreal Expos in Jupiter, Florida. When it opened, the stadium had seats that matched the Marlins jerseys. Any Spring Training game photo from Jupiter could immediately be identified by the bright teal seats.
Darensbourg pitched in relief for five solid, but unspectacular, seasons with the Marlins. He was included in the Marlins /Rockies Mike Hampton salary dump of November 2002, but only pitched in 3 games for Colorado in the 2003 season. After being released in July, Darensbourg signed with the Montreal Expos, but only got into 6 games with them.
#30 - David Cone - Kansas City Royals
I'm not going to hold Cone's late 1990's stint with the New York Yankees against him because I'm a big David Cone fan. Dating back to watching him pitch for the Mets via early 1990's ESPN.
I spent upwards of 20 minutes searching the internets for a picture of David Cone's Royals promotional mug shot used by MLB. This head shot was used during TV broadcasts and sent around the league for scoreboard images. For his 1994 head shot, Cone decided to have some fun and smiled HUGE for his picture. Distinctly remember seeing it during a Twins game, promoting an upcoming series against Kansas, showing the probable pitching match-ups. The announcers were commenting on Cone's goofy face picture. I really wanted that picture for this story...
#29 - Andres Galarraga - Colorado Rockies
Lots to like here: Batting cage, tree, former Expo, readable label on bat, good pose, Rockies pinstripes...
#28 - Domingo Jean- Houston Astros
Jean was a top prospect for the Yankees in the early 1990's, and someone whose minor league career I was following, and already had several of his minor league cards. As well as Jean's 1992 Bowman, which was just a head shot, in his street clothes.
Which came in handy in August 1993... I had gone to a Yankees game at the Metrodome, on a Friday night. During the middle innings, I walked to the men's room and past the right field service elevator that opened to the lower concourse. Out of the elevator walked a man in formal business attire, who looked EXACTLY like the 1992 Bowman Domingo Jean card...
But Domingo Jean was pitching (well) for AAA Columbus, after pitching very well for AA Albany, earlier in the season... Had the Yankees called up one of their top prospects, and I was one of the first to know? Well, the next morning's Star Tribune confirmed the Yankees had recalled Jean, and he would be starting Sunday's game against the Twins...
Unfortunately it was too late to get tickets to Domingo Jean's major league debut...
Jean finished the 1993 season with the Yankees. Pitching 40 innings, going 1-1, 4.46 ERA. After the 1993 season, Jean was traded to the Houston Astros, and never played in the major leagues again.
#27 - Raul Mondesi - Los Angeles Dodgers
This card was featured heavily on all the 1994 Bowman promotional material. Mondesi was the 1993 National League Rookie of the Year, so that definitely is appropriate to this set. It's a good photo, but nothing to write home about. Yet it's one of the first cards I think of when I think of 1994 Bowman.
#26 - Jose Parra - Los Angeles Dodgers
Future Minnesota Twins failed prospect... I read comparisons to Pedro Martinez in regards to Parra, and was excited when he was traded to Minnesota, in a July deadline package for longtime Twins pitchers Kevin Tapani and Mark Guthrie. I'd hoped the Twins made a shrewd move and would set themselves up with their return... Nope. Parra had no control, Chris Latham was a marginal 5th outfielder, and Ron Coomer was an All Star in the sense that every team must have a representative...
#25 - Delino DeShields - Los Angeles Dodgers
Better than Mondesi even though it's almost the same picture... Why? While I suspect that they are with Mondesi (though those could be Braves players), there is no doubt DeShields' at-bat is being watched by a buncha Expos. Even more fitting as they had just traded DeShields to the Dodgers for a little guy you may have heard of...
#24 - Mark Langston - California Angels
The blue tarp cover above Langston's shoulders makes this card...
#23 - Todd Van Poppel - Oakland Athletics
Briefly covered Van Poppel as I talked of Todd Ritchie. However in this case, Van Poppel's backdrop of chain link and translucent fence coverings are far superior to an already nice Todd Ritchie card...
#22 - Jamey Wright - Colorado Rockies
Damn, the Rockies got some pretty nice photos in this set. It's chain link, but a different take on chain link... Wright was Colorado's 1st round draft pick in 1993, out of an Oklahoma City High School. He made the major leagues in 1996, at age 21. Wright would go on to pitch in 19 major league seasons, 6 of which with the Rockies, before retiring after the 2014 season.
I think it's safe to say that Jamey Wright would be the Rockies second most successful 1st Round Draft Pick in the team's history. I'll let you guess who the top 1st round pick would be...
(Hint: He does not have a card in 1994 Bowman. That wouldn't happen until the 1996 set.)
#21 - Jorge Posada - New York Yankees
This would be the top rookie card in 1994 Bowman. I don't need to tell you why. It's a nice card. Full of pleasing blue tones and a nice example of sticking your crotch out between pitches. Something you don't often get with cards...
#20 - Derek Jeter - New York Yankees
Someone looks like an awkward 19 year old kid!
Wonder what ever happened to this guy?
#19 - Ruben Rivera FOIL - New York Yankees
In early 1997, Rivera was traded to the Padres for Hideki Irabu. That turned out to be a colossal failure all around. Not only was Irabu a fat toad, but Rivera turned into a non-baseball player. He never learned to hit, his baserunning deteriorated and Rivera was done at an age where most players are just entering their prime.
#18 - Kevin Stocker - Philadelphia Phillies
Even a team stacked with dirt balls needs one squeaky clean choir boy. For the 1993 Phillies, that would have been Stocker. The all glove, little bat shortstop was called up in the 1993 season and provided a spark that the team needed to get to the World Series. Stocker never did hit much, or anywhere near what he did as a 23 year old rookie. Stocker was sent to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in an Expansion Draft day trade, fleecing the new team for Bobby Abreu in exchange for a shortstop, not long for the game...
#17 - Pedro Martinez - Montreal Expos
Hey, it's that guy who was traded for #25!
Also, the Greg Maddux familiar white and green scroeboard... Both Hall of Famers, but Pedro is sporting a mid-90's mullet here. That, with the Expos bias is more than enough to rank Pedro at #17.
One spot below fellow Expo...
#16 - Gabe White - Montreal Expos
White was a prospect I'd been following since being drafted in the 1st round in 1990, 28th overall. He made his debut for the Expos in May 1994, and was traded to Cincinnati after the 1995 season. His career as a relief pitcher in the Majors lasted until the 2005 season. Including two years with the Rockies (2000-2001, that were amongst his two best seasons).
#15 - Marc Valdes - Florida Marlins
The slow takeover of Florida black from Marlins teal, started as early as 1994 Spring Training. By the 2003 World Series, teal was all but ditched in favor of black in the Marlins wardrobe. But with the blurry palm trees behind him, this is a pretty appropriate backdrop for a Marlins card of the day. Valdes was Florida's 1st Round Draft Pick in 1993, but was claimed off waivers in December 1996, by the Montreal Expos. He would appear in 68 games (11 starts) for Montreal in the 1997-98 seasons. After a few more seasons, pitching sparingly with Atlanta and Pittsburgh.
#14 - Jason Moler - Philadelphia Phillies
#13 - Dante Bichette - Colorado Rockies
After an Expansion Draft day trade with Milwaukee in November 1992, Bichette found a home in Colorado, and the Rockies found their first superstar. Hitting 40 home runs for multiple seasons, for a new team in a town starving for baseball will do that. And with the Rockies drawing between 75,000-80,000 per home game in 1993-94, Bichette was the Rockies. More than Galarraga, Castilla, Burks or EY even.
Until Coors Field and Larry Walker arrived a year later.
#12 - Jermaine Dye - Atlanta Braves
Batting cage overload! There's like six of them going on here!
Only a teenager here, Dye would play in 98 games with Atlanta in 1996 as a 22 year old, then shockingly get traded to the Kansas City Royals, during 1997 Spring Training. Dye became a star in Kansas and Oakland in the early 2000's. Dye signed a five year contract with the Chicago White Sox in December, 2004, and led them to their first World Series win in close to 100 years, in October 2005.
#11 - Chan Ho Park - Los Angeles Dodgers
There's way more Dodgers on this Whatever than I would have expected. But Park was a top rookie card in the set, and with that photo looking as cool as it does, it's almost ranked too low. Unfortunately for Park, that Texas Rangers contract happened, and he never lived up to the potential he came into the league with.
#10 - Chuck Knoblauch - Minnesota Twins
Chuck Knoblauch had only a year and half of minor league experience in 1991. At the shocking urge of Cranky Tom Kelly, he wanted Knoblauch at second to open the 1991 season. Chuck made the team out of camp and helped lead the Twins to win the 1991 World Series. Topping off his year with the 1991 American League Rookie of the Year award. He will forever have a prominent place in my collection for his 1991 season.
For everything else that happened since with Knoblauch, not so much...
#9 - Brad Fullmer - Montreal Expos
Years later (1998 I think), Bowman Chrome had an insert set reprinting classic Bowman cards from the last five years, with special refractor versions, and I pulled the Chromey Refractory version of this card from one of the first packs I bought. And it looks 10 times as awesome!
Fullmer was the Expos second round pick in 1993, out of high school. He made the majors for the first time at the end of the 1997 season. Fullmer started slow with the 1998 Expos, when he opened the season as their first baseman. He played a steady first base for two seasons with the Expos, and in a Loria move that still has me scratching my head, was traded to the Blue Jays after the 1999 Season (where he broke out with a career high 32 home runs). He was well on his way to a great career before injuries halted it.
Fullmer left baseball at age 29, with a very good career .822 OPS in 807 major league games, over 8 seasons.
#8 - Mark Grace - Chicago Cubs
Lets just take a quick inventory of all the awesomeness going on here... Riverfront Stadium... Floating baseball... Cecil Espy... Eric freaking Gregg!
Shots like this aren't seen very often in card sets, but when they do, they're almost magical. There's a whole lot of story in this picture. As well as a whole lot of what-happened-next? Of course now I can just look up baseballreference.com, and within a few minutes of searching, find out exactly what happened. I couldn't do that in 1994...
So I'd look at a card like this and wonder... Was Espy safe or out? Did the ball tip off Grace's glove and go down the right field line? Did Espy break a finger sliding? Did Eric Greg pull a sammich out of his pocket and have a snack?
So much could have happened...
Yeah well... The world will never know...
I need to move on...
#7 - Dave Winfield - Minnesota Twins
Another shot from Minnesota's Florida Spring home, featuring the future Hall of Famer with a giant-sized Shake Weight. Until I figured out this was Fort Myers, I couldn't figure out where the Twins were playing outdoors in their home uniforms. After all, it couldn't be Spring Training because they always wear their dark blue BP jerseys for those games...
Not always.
Dave kind of looks like he's in pain too...
Still, a card I like a whole lot.
#6 - Desi Relaford - Seattle Mariners
If you are wondering what the N on his left forearm means, it means "not gonna be a Mariner!" (Yet...)
Shown here as a 20 year old middle infielder, Relaford would become an on-base machine in the low minors. However, he was traded to Philadelphia (for our old friend Terry Mulholland) in July 1996. After playing for parts of five seasons with the Phillies, Relaford spent time with the Padres and Mets before playing the 2002 season as a Seattle Mariner. After two slightly below average seasons with the Royals, Relaford spent part of 2005 with the Colorado Rockies. Who released him in July.
Still, a great card...
#5 - Torii Hunter - Minnesota Twins
I heard that he turned out fairly well.
Hunter had a few nice 1994 cards (Classic, Score and Pinnacle all made Hunter draft pick cards), but Bowman's Hunter card features the Twins Spring home in Fort Myers, Florida, with no one in those deep green seats... And there's no one here to not trip on the yellow painted stairs.
Great picture on a Bowman card of it's day...
#4 - Gregg Olson - Atlanta Braves
Once I was beyond that, I had to really appreciate what all was going on here. First off, mega bonus points for the milk crate stolen from the neighborhood Piggly Wiggly full of baseballs. Beyond that is some weird swirling clash of multiple colors, which look as much like a tarp, as they do stadium seats. Ranked this high on a team I really hate... That's a testament to all the coolness going on here...
#3 - Cliff Floyd - Montreal Expos
As a Junk Wax Prospector, I put a lot of stock into Cliff Floyd. Former first round draft pick (1991), power hitting outfielder/first baseman, who made his major league debut at age 20. And he's an Expo? Of course I'm going to collect him! I doesn't hurt that his cards usually looked really cool, standing out amongst even the best Expos in a team set. Like this one... That picture rules!
#2 - Charlie Hough - Florida Marlins
Throwing the first pitch in Florida Marlins history was 93 year old, chain smoking knuckleballer, Charlie Hough. The first pitch of the actual first game. Not the pre-game ceremonial celebrity toss. That was done by former Yankee legend, Joe DiMaggio. (Who was actually a few years younger than Hough.)
All kidding aside, Charlie Hough was both fun and frustrating for me to watch as a kid. Pitching mostly for the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, while I was a kid. I would watch Twins hitters flailing away at 65mph fluttering knuckleballs that could never be squared up. When Hough signed with Florida, I figured it was for retirement, not more work... He looks really out of place in a Marlins uniform, but pitched reasonably well in 1993 and 1994. I wondered if he'd come back for the 1995 season, but Hough did not return after the players strike ended.
I'm thinking this photo is from a night game at Joe Robbie Stadium. The lighting doesn't look natural, and the color is a little oversaturated (you can barely see the teal pinstripes). Yet, it's a card I really love.
But there's one ranking ahead of it...
#1 - Kirby Puckett - Minnesota Twins
Puckett has a bunch of really bad looking cards (such as appearing topless on a 1991 Score Dream Team card?) and a bunch of really great looking ones. As Puckett's career advanced, his photos got better. Ironically, once he went blind in one eye and had to retire, his cards really started to look awesome.
Too bad he couldn't see them!
Ha!
I really hate myself for making that joke...
The composition of this photo is incredible. Cast against the deep blue Tiger Stadium (pretty sure of that) dugout, with the dark blue Twins hat, batting gloves, jacket and turtleneck, what stands out is Puckett's face and especially his bat. Highlighting what was key to the player's greatness.
The people at Topps take a lot of criticism from the hobby (much of it warranted), but you can always find examples of things they do right.
This Puckett card is right.
And that will wrap up the 1994 Bowman Top Whatever...
******
As I said earlier, 1994 Bowman is a great set. The photos are sharp and diverse, the colors are bright and vibrant, the design is simple and doesn't get in the way. Player selection is top notch and I can't think of any notable omissions. (Alex Rodriguez' contract arrogance being the exception...)
I like this set a lot. However, since I bought it complete early on, I never took a lot of time to appreciate it. Not in the way I would have if I had attempted to put it together by pack and box. That complete set has stayed housed in it's 800 box since the day I bought it, nearly 22 years ago now.
My albums have these 132 cards, plus a few more that didn't make the cut.
Whatever...
******
(Aaron) Judging from how nuts people are going over Shohei Ohtani, I see the 2018 retail card market being an instant replay of last years. Which really sucks. I want to be able to pick up a pack or two of something other than flagship Topps while I'm out buying frozen sausage patties and multipacks of paper towel rolls...
I'm never going to pull one of those high dollar Ohtani autographs at ridiculous odds, nor do I really even want to.
Damn lottery hijacked hobby...
As for Shohei, I predict him tailing off as the season goes. Both as a pitcher and a hitter.
But for now, it's interesting enough to watch.
While rooting against the Angels...
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