2023 trade package #30: Sport Card Collectors

My final post of 2023 is my Christmas gift from Matt of the group of blogs I still refer to as Sport Card Collectors. Not that long after the second of the latest two PWEs he sent me materialized in my mailbox I had another envelope with even more goodies. As it turns out, he treated me to a bunch of Tigers IP/TTM autos from expert in that field Dion, so thanks to both of them for this outstanding collaboration:

We'll start with Bartee (1997 Topps), who's one of the most notable names in the group. It's not like his MLB career was much to write home about, but the six-year MLBer returned to Detroit in 2021, eventually serving as the first base coach, and he was due to return the following season before he tragically died suddenly from a brain tumor at just 49 years old.

Crosby (2012 Bowman Draft RC) was a top-50 pitching prospect drafted by the Tigers out of high school in 2007, though as with many such selections in the past 20 years he didn't pan out, lasting just one season in the bigs. It looks like the lefty was given a chance by the Twins in 2018 and he otherwise played in indy ball in 2017 and 2019-20.

Duran (1998 Stadium Club RC) wins the award for this post's best card design/signature combo for sure. That's an excellent legible autograph running up the right edge under his pitching arm. Roberto pitched out of the 'pen in 31 games over 1997 and '98 on a couple forgettable teams. He didn't get to appear on any certified autos so kudos to the Domincan hurler for a great signature he didn't have to practice as often as players these days.

Edmondson's (1993 Bowman) name is one I'm not familiar with, but after looking him up it's probably because he never pitched for the Tigers. Drafted out of high school in 1991, he later bounced around between the Mets, Braves, and Marlins, getting a nice tour of the current NL East. His MLB career consisted of a 9-12 record over 121 games between 1998-99, then he finished his minor league career in the Detroit system again before a season in indy ball. It looks like he's since landed on his feet, going into coaching future pitchers.

Another guy that's very notable for me is Fields (2013 Panini Prizm Perennial Draft Picks), for a couple reasons. Drafted out of a local high school in 2009, he was surely even more familiar to the Tigers as the son of Bruce Fields, who played briefly for the team in 1986 and then worked for the franchise as a minor league manager and hitting coach. Another connection for me is that Daniel was thought to be leaning towards his commitment to play baseball at Michigan. A $1,625,000 signing bonus (as a 6th rounder) changed his mind. Unfortunately he saw just three plate appearances in his lone MLB game (in 2015, though at least he doubled and scored.

Foucault (1978 Topps) is the oldest player in this bunch, and amazingly he pitched for six MLB seasons (including 1977-78  with Detroit) despite being a 43rd(!) round draft pick back in 1969. There were about 20 fewer teams back then, but still! His claim to fame for the Tigers would be the player the team received in a deal that sent fan favorite Willie Horton to Texas in 1977. The card he signed above, quite legibly, I should add, is his lone cardboard appearance with the Tigers.

On to the second scan! Greisinger (1999 Topps) was the biggest prospect of this group, I would think, as the 6th overall pick out of Virginia in 1996. He was a top-100 prospect to Baseball America the following season, then made his debut in '98, winning six of his 21 starts. The injury bug got him soon after, though, and he'd spend just 21 more games in the bigs with the Tigers, Twins, and Braves. He had a much better time in Korea and then Japan, though, spending nine mostly successful seasons there. And he has a pretty interesting signature to boot!

Heath (2002 Topps Chrome Traded) is a guy I had to look up, and for good reason: he was a 31st round pick in 2000! It looks like he never got above high-A ball with Detroit or the Angels so I'm not sure why Topps considered him a prospect, but I'm happy he got himself a card and I'm bet he was happy to sign this one. He's another guy that appears to have gone into coaching, in his case, high school ball.

Lowry (1987 Donruss RC) was a backup catcher (and occasional 1B) for the Tigers in 1984, '86, and '87 after being drafted out of UNC in 1980. It doesn't look like he appeared in the playoffs for the '84 champs but it must have still been amazing to be part of the wire-to-wire champs! He managed in the franchise's minor league system from 1995 until his untimely death in 1997 from a heart attack at just 39. His Wikipedia article mentions that the Tigers named their Player Development Man of the Year Award in his honor.

Back when signing players out of Asia was much less common (though growing, thanks to the rousing success of Hideo Nomo), the Tigers took a gamble on Taiwanese lefty Fu-Te Ni (2009 Bowman Draft RC) before the start of the '09 season. The Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang's success had lots of teams looking to replicate that strategy. Ni pitched quite well in 36 games out of the 'pen that season, but his numbers went the wrong way the following season. While MLB didn't work out for him he did go on to play through 2020 for various indy and foreign leagues. His signature didn't scan especially well here but it's easily one of the coolest of the bunch.

Time to come clean again: I had no idea who Yuri Sanchez (1992 Classic Draft Picks) was. That surprised me a bit more because the Dominican IF was actually a second round pick in 1992 out of a Massachusetts high school. The player selected right after him? Todd Helton (who, to be fair, didn't sign and ended up going to college, not playing for the Padres). He appears to have spent 1992-2000 in several teams' systems but never made it higher than AAA with the Reds in '96. Sanchez then played parts of six seasons in indy ball.

And last up tonight is Larry Sheets (1991 Upper Deck), whose last MLB cards were produced after his single year in Detroit--1990 (though he did play 11 games for Seattle in '93). The 1978 Baltimore second rounder--the first of four Orioles picks that round, and it took two more for them to select a local kid named Ripken--his 1984 cup of coffee led to a solid five-season run with the O's that included 83 homers. Detroit made a deal for him in January of '90 and he put up not-awful numbers as mostly a DH doing spot work in the outfield corners. I think I remember him best thanks to some of those late 80s NES baseball games, and mostly as an Oriole.

Many thanks again to Matt (and Dion for the assist!) for these 12 autographs of Tigers, some of which I knew well and others I obviously didn't. I'm always happy to learn more about who I collect, though, so this was a very educational post for me, at least, in addition to a great Christmas present. I hope both guys I mentioned here had a fantastic holiday as well and I look forward to Matt's reaction to my gift to him whenever he's ready.

And as for everyone else, I hope you all had a great year of collecting in 2023, and here's to a fantastic '24. Happy New Year!