request fulfilled - a 1989 topps mario soto card that should have been!

back when i featured the 1989 score mario soto card, i gave false hope to jason at the writer's journey that another card of the reds' ace as a dodger existed.  alas, soto is not included in the 1990 target dodger set, as he did not appear in a big league game as member of the big blue wrecking crew.  then, on my recent post calling for requests, jason asked for a dodger soto card using a different photo than the one score used.

well, i took a shot and came up with this - the 1989 topps mario soto card that should have been:

the dodgers signed soto right after the reds released him in june of 1988 because of worries about fernando and don sutton.  soto never was able to get back on track, although the dodgers signed him for 1989 just in case.  luckily, tim belcher and tim leary pitched so well in '88 to compensate for the loss of 'nando and sutton's release without needing another retread like soto.

hope you enjoy this mario soto card that should have been jason!

more score and 19 years ago...

in the last post, i extolled the virtues of the 1988 score steve garvey and the fact that it was his only regular issue 1988 card – the bookend to his career. he’s not alone.

enter garvey nemesis don sutton, who was unceremoniously cut by the dodgers in august of their 1988 campaign, and mario soto who was signed by the dodgers in mid season 1988 but got hurt and never pitched for them in a game.

in 1989, score issued cards for both of them, with their final career stats on the back. now, to be fair, topps did issue a 1989 don sutton card as a box bottom card, but not a regular base set card with the career stats on the back.

and aside from the comprehensive 1990 target set, i believe this is the only mario soto card featuring him in a dodger uniform. for that, i am grateful. i also like how score did not use the same color palettes for all players from the same team. it makes my dodgers page that much more colorful.