2024 Topps 1989 retro #89B2-10 Gunnar Henderson

I opened my first pack of 2024T series 2 a few weeks ago and sadly did not get any new Rookie Cup cards, However...

I did get one Rookie Cup from the 1989 Retro insert and it was a good one. 

2024 Topps 1989 retro #89B2-10 Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles

Henderson was the unanimous selection for 2023 AL Rookie of the Year. He led an excellent Junior Circuit Rookie Class in Home Runs, RBI and WAR all while playing Shortstop for the Division Champion Baltimore Orioles. 

And he is not suffering a sophomore jinx. He has 26 Home Runs mid-way through the season, second only to Aaron Judge. Gunnar is leading the league in WAR (5.9) and Runs Scored(70) and is in the top 10 in a bunch of other categories: RBI, Total Bases, Hits, OBP, XBH, BB, OPS. 

There is only one Shortstop in MLB history to post a 50+ Home Run season, Alex Rodriguez (57 2002, 52 2001). If Henderson can match his first half the rest of the season he would join this exclusive club. 

Picture This 

We scoured Getty Images and found the original photo for the card. It was taken by Brandon Sloter who describes himself as a "Funtographer" on Instagram. According to the information attached to the image the picture was taken at Camden Yards during an Orioles 2-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on September 28 2023. It was not a noteworthy game for Henderson who when 0 for 3 with a couple of strikeouts. Since the shot is of him fielding we will note that he had 3 assists in the game which helped Pitcher Dean Kremer to his 13th and final victory of the season. 

In the image we can also see the Memorial Patch dedicated to 16 time gold glove winner Brooks Robinson, which feels appropriate on a card showing a player in the field.  

1989 Topps   

The 35 anniversary insert this year is 1989T. The shortstop on that year's Cup squad also took home Rookie of the Year Honors, Walt Weiss. 

Weiss numbers were not nearly as impressive as Henderson in fact they are pretty pedestrian (.250, 3, 39) with a 2.8 WAR. However Weiss did play for the 1989 Oakland A's who won the World Championship. 

We will tackle the 1989 AL ROY voting in the future, but I will summarize by noting only 2 players had double digit Home Runs, one of them batted .215 and the other was a DH that did not play into the 1990s. So it is safe to say that Walt Weiss won a ROY award but it was partially due to a pretty weak class. 

Sources and Links

2024 Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Subset Index

1989 Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Subset Index

Game Dated Cards Index

Baseball-Ref

Getty Images

NYT - Ken Rosenthal

1989 Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Subset (honoring 1988 cup winners)

This is an Index to postings about the 1988 Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Team that was honored in the 1999 Set.

1989 Topps #156 Dave Gallagher (image stolen from TradingCardDB)

C         Damon Berryhill    Chicago Cubs  

1B       Mark Grace            Chicago Cubs  
2B       Ron Gant               Atlanta Braves  
3B       Chris Sabo             Cincinnati Reds  
SS       Walt Weiss             Oakland Athletics  
OF       Cecil Espy             Texas Rangers  
OF       Dave Gallagher     Chicago White Sox  
OF       Jay Buhner            Seattle Mariners  
RHP    Tim Belcher           Los Angeles Dodgers  
LHP    Paul Gibson           Detroit Tigers   

sources and links

TradingCardDB

Baseball-Reference Bullpen

Rookie Cup Master Index

Greg Harris Lo-Hitter Pt 2: 1989 Topps #627

We are milking journeyman Greg Harris' Lo-Hitter for yet another posting just to show that prior to tossing his no-Hitter he really did pitch for the Phillies.

1989 Topps #627 Greg Harris

Here we have the ubiquitous 1989 Topps. Harris is wearing the Aviator Shades similar in shape and size to the prescription lenses he has on the 1991 Score card we featured a few days back.

Greg Harris pitched a season and a half for the Phils. In 1988 his 2.8 WAR ranked #2 on the team - that tells you a lot about the team which lost 96 games.
 
Sources and Links
Baseball-Ref

The day Nolan Ryan was yanked from a possible record setting No-Hitter

Twenty Five Years ago Nolan Ryan who had already tossed a Major League Record FIVE no-hitters was working on his sixth.

It was an Opening Day Game for the Texas Rangers who were hosting the Toronto Blue Jays.

Unfortunately Bobby Valentine had to remove the future Hall of Famer after just 5 innings and only 91 pitches. 

1992 Topps #1 Nolan Ryan

One may ask how could anyone like Nolan Ryan who still advocates lots of throwing (as opposed to limiting innings) could let himself get taken out after recording just 15 outs.

There really was no other decision for Bobby Valentine.

1989 Topps #314 Bobby Valentine

It was opening day of the 1990 season which had an abbreviated Spring Training due to a player lockout. Prior to his opening day start Ryan had only pitched seven Spring Training innings total and Valentine didn't want to risk an injury to his most valued pitcher.

1990 Year of the No Hitter
This is just an Appetizer for this years planned subset series "1991 Score No-Hit Club".  A card set that commemorated the nine no-hitters pitched the previous season. 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of that season.

In addition to taking a look at each of the nine cards in the subset, we will check in on near no-hitters and other related events.

Nolan Ryan's Opening Day start didn't make the final No-No list - Reliever Mike Jeffcoat retired the first two batters of the 6th inning before giving up a double to Blue Jays Third Baseman Kelly Gruber. The Rangers held on to win 4-2, giving up 3 hits. 

Phungo Nolan Ryan HoF Index
1975 Topps #7 No-Hitter 3: September 28 1974
1977 Topps #650
1984 Topps #4 - 1983 Highlights
1990 Topps #4 - The 1990s - The Astros Years - 4000Ks
1991 Score #417 (300th Win)
1991 Score #701 No-Hit Club (No-Hitter #6 - contains links to several other cards related to Ryan's 6th no-hitter)
2015 Topps Baseball History #14B 4000Ks/Live Aid

Sources & Links
Phungo 1990 Year of the No-Hitter Index 
Topps #1 Club
New York Daily News (Bill Madden)
baseball-ref
Baseball Library
baseball cardpedia
Baseball Card Database
 

USA USA USA: 1988 Topps #71T Mickey Morandini

We continue our 4th of July celebration today by posting this great card of Fan Favorite Mickey Morandini

1988 Topps #71T Mickey Morandini

Morandini was a member of the 1988 Olympic team. He played one game for the USA squad which took first place (Baseball was a non-medal exhibition in 1988) in the tournament.

Today Mickey Morandini is still in the Phillies organization as Bench Coach for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He has been with the Phils in some sort of coaching or instructional role since 2009. It does appear the Phils may be grooming Morandini to be the next Manager of the big club.

Sources
Lehigh Valley IronPigs

1989 Topps #187 Darren Daulton - autograph appearance Granite Run Mall Media PA Sat November 2nd

Darren Daulton will be one of several 1993 Phillies at the Granite Run Mall this weekend for a Poppell.com sponsored card/autograph show.

1989 Topps #187 Darren Daulton

As Phillies fans know, this past summer Darren Daulton was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Poppell is billing this is a rare public appearance and sadly it could one of Daulton's last in the Philadelphia area.

I plan on hitting the show for at least of part of Saturday afternooon, Daulton is scheduleds for 11-1. Other 1993 Phillies expected to appear are Mitch Williams, Lenny Dykstra, Mickey Morandini and Dave Hollins. The Phillies 2 World Champinonship teams will be represented by Dallas Green, Brett Myers, Pedro Feliz and Eric Bruntlett. Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers is also on the Schedule.

There will also be a contingent of Flyers Alums in the house including Rick MacLeish and Jim Watson.

For More info on times and pricing click here.