why did i scan these cards?

these cards have been sitting in my scanned folder for a really long time.  so long, that i forgot why i bothered to scan them in the first place.  maybe i will be able to jog my memory by doing some stream of consciousness posting.  here's a 1990 classic eddie murray card

why did i scan that card?

1. to show off the 'zubaz' border?  i realize that night owl just named this the saved by the bell set, but i disagree.  it's the zubaz set.
2. the perfect symmetry of steady eddie's legs, evenly distributed from the y-axis that is his bat?
3. the discarded catcher's mask that made me think that they were playing 'arrow roulette' and that murray is the last man standing?

actually, it was probably meant for murray's double dipper post - i think i wanted to use a seldomly seen card to kick that post off, but wound up going the 1990 leaf route, which was another set night owl recently named.  i agree that it looks like part of the opening to a james bond movie, but i think of a sailfish when i see that set.

how about this 1988 procards chris gwynn card?

why did i scan that card?

clearly it was for a dissertation on the need for fill-in flash.  duh.

and then there is this 1991 dodgers police jim neidlinger card

why did i scan that card?

it's another shot featuring the visitor's bullpen out in right field.  at some point i was going to do a 'people behind the fence' post, but there are other cards to use for that post.  if i ever get around to doing it.  maybe it was for a post about players who appeared in the majors during only one season, had some success while doing so, but then spent the next four seasons in aaa.  yeah, that must have been it.

finally, here's a 2010 upper deck hiroki kuroda portraits insert

why did i scan that card?

1.  i collect cards showing extreme neck strain?

2.  as far as we know, kuroda could have been doing just about anything when the picture was taken thanks to the tight crop - maybe i was going to do a humorous sketch of the rest of kuroda's body showing him engaged in some unexpected activity but lost interest in carrying out that plan.  but if you are interested in doing something along those lines, feel free to do so and please share the results with the rest of us.

3.  i was scanning some other cards and needed one more to fill up the image tray?  that's probably more like it.

so, while i'm not completely sure why i scanned these cards, at least i was able to wring a post out of them.  and, when i think about it, that's why i scan all the cards.

speaking of debuts...

with all of the attention that steven strasburg, mike stanton, carlos santana and others received this week regarding their debuts, i thought i would take a look at some dodger debuts courtesy of the 1991 topps debut '90 set.

we'll start with dave hansen, pinch hitter extraordinaire:

september 16, 1990 against the reds.  pinch hit for rick dempsey and went 0 for 1 with a strikeout against rob dibble.

yawn.  how about darren holmes?

september 1, 1990 against the expos.  relieved don aase and pitched 2 innings, giving up 1 hit, two walks with two strikeouts.  received no decision.  first batter faced was oil can boyd (he grounded out).  first strikeout victim was dave martinez.  not too bad.

luis lopez?

september 14, 1990 against the reds.  pinch hit for mike sharperson and went 0 for 1 against tim birtsas.  his fly ball was caught by glenn braggs who then threw home to get fernando valenzuela for a 9-2 double play.  alomst an rbi!

how about jim neidlinger?

august 1, 1990 against the giants.  started the game and went 6 innings, giving up 7 hits and one run (earned) with a walk and three strikeouts and was not involved in the decision.  first batter faced was brett butler (he grounded out) and first strikeout victim was jose uribe.  that's pretty good for a debut.

how did jose offerman fare?

august 19, 1990 against the expos.  started the game batting leadoff and playing shortstop and went 3 for 5 (3 for 4 against dennis martinez, 0 for 1 against steve frey).  hit a homerun in his first at bat, leading off the bottom of the first.  singled in the third and fifth innings, before grounding out in his final two at bats.  he also stole a base, turned a double play and didn't make an error.  well done, jose!

jim poole, olympian:

june 15, 1990 against the padres.  relieved jay howell in the 11th inning and struck out the first and only batter he faced - tony gwynn.  now that is making a debut!

brian traxler?

april 24, 1990 against the cardinals.  pinch hit for eddie murray and went 0 for 1 with a strikeout against bob tewksbury.  pretty memorable for traxler, i am sure, as he hit for a hall of famer.

dave walsh?

august 13, 1990 against the braves.  relieved fernando valenzuela and pitched 2 innings, giving up 2 runs (both earned).  gave up 3 hits, 2 walks and struck out 2 with no decision.  first batter faced was jeff blauser (he flew out) and first strikeout victim was john smoltz.  meh.

terry wells?

july 3, 1990 against the cubs.  started the game, going 6 innings and gave up 6 runs (4 earned) and 8 hits.  walked 1 and struck out 6 and got no decision.  first batter faced was doug dascenzo (he popped out) and first strikeout victim was the second batter he faced, ryne sandberg.  not a bad start to the game, but not a great overall debut.

carlos hernandez was also in this set, although i can't find his card to scan.  we'll assess his debut anyway: 

april 20, 1990 against the astros.  started the game at catcher and went 1 for 3 against jim deshaies.  flew out in his first at bat, doubled and scored his second time up, and grounded out his last time up.

i give the nod to offerman, although i contend that homering in his first at bat was the worst thing that could have happened as he seemed to fancy himself a power hitter after that and flew out all the time, rather than hit ground balls and use his speed.  regardless, no strasburg-esque debuts in this lot!