#105T - Donnie Scott

What a card: Donnie Scott arrived with the Mariners in an April 4, 1985 trade in which Seattle sent catcher Orlando Mercado to the Rangers.

How'd that go: Scott basically duplicated his 1984 good-field, no-hit performance in 1985 with the Mariners. Seattle released him in early 1986 and Scott toiled in the minors until 1991.

Backatya: Oklahoma City has been the Dodgers' Triple A affiliate for the last four years but I still associate them with the Rangers, their parent club during the '80s and '90s.

Back-to-back: Donnie Scott's flagship card is No. 496 and was originally blogged on Jan. 29, 2016. It comes out on top in this comparison.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#92T - Jim Presley

What a card: This is the 23rd rookie card to appear in the 1985 Topps Traded set. Jim Presley appeared in 70 games for Seattle in 1984 and probably should have received a card in the flagship set. But then Presley blasted 28 home runs in 1985 and Topps finally woke up.

My observation on the front: The player in the background is catcher Bob Kearney.

More opinion from me: This isn't the first time in the set that we've seen these particular Mariners uniforms, but I'm sure they're giving some readers a major case of the nostalgies.

Something you might know: Presley began his career as a slugging corner infielder, hitting more than 20 home runs each year between 1985-87.

Something you might not know: When the Mariners traded pitcher Mark Langston to the Expos in 1989, Presley called it "the saddest day in Mariners history." On that sad day, Seattle obtained Randy Johnson.

My observation on the back: Dave Kingman finished with 16 grand slams, which currently ranks 10th in major league history.

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#766 - Paul Mirabella

What a card: Paul Mirabella appeared in 52 games in 1984, his first season with the Mariners. It would be his most games pitched in a single season for his 13-year career.

My observation on the front: I like the stadium seats background effect.

More opinion from me: Mirabella kept that mustache with him his entire career. He got rid of the fu manchu look late in the career, but overall rather impressive to stay that consistent.

Something you might know: Mirabella was part of two large deals involving the Yankees in back-to-back years. He came to New York as part of the deal that sent Sparky Lyle to Texas. That trade also netted the Yankees Dave Righetti. The following year, Mirabella went to Toronto along with Chris Chambliss and Damasco Garcia for Rick Cerone and Tom Underwood.

Something you might know: Mirabella was the only member of the short-lived 1989-90 Senior League to return to the majors for more than a few games. The Brewers picked him up in 1990 and he appeared in 44 games for Milwaukee.

My observation on the back: I see we're back to Trivia Questions for Idiots.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category  is updated with more baseball meeting trade news, this time with a speculated big-name trade that never happened.

#754 - Larry Milbourne

What a card: Larry Milbourne completed his second tour of duty with the Mariners in 1984, appearing in 79 games. He last played for the Mariners from 1977-80.

My observation on the front: It appears to be cold at the game. Also, I think I see a security guard or usher in the background. Or just a guy in a jacket.

More opinion from me: That 2B-SS-3B designation underlines his utility role, which lasted his whole career.

Something you might know: Milbourne proved to be a valuable asset for the 1981 Yankees, appearing in 14 games that postseason. He hit .316 against the Brewers in the ALDS and .462 against the A's in the ALCS.

Something you might not know: Milbourne played a small part in the biggest controversy of  the decisive Game 6 of the 1981 World Series. With the score between the Yankees and Dodgers tied at 1-1 in the fourth inning and the Yankees' Graig Nettles on second base with two out, Milbourne came to the plate. The Dodgers walked Milbourne intentionally, bringing up pitcher Tommy John's spot in the order. But Yankees manager Bob Lemon replaced John with pinch-hitter Bobby Murcer, who flew out. The Yankees bullpen blew the game as the Dodgers scored eight more runs and won the World Series.

My observation on the back: Something about this write-up isn't correct. There is no "Milville High School." There is a "Millville High School" that is in New Jersey, but it is in Millville, N.J., which is in southern New Jersey and not anywhere near Port Jervis, which is in New York (Port Jervis is where you can stand in one spot and be in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania all at the same time. I enjoyed that quite a bit when we would go through there when I was a kid).

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated (Dec. 9th again).

#679 - Bob Kearney

What a card: Bob Kearney was coming off the most playing time he'd enjoy in a single season, appearing in 133 games in his first season with the Mariners in 1984.

My observation on the front: Kearney looks like a big man in some of his other cards, although not so much here. He is listed as 6-feet, 180 pounds, so this is probably an accurate representation.

More opinion from me: Kearney replaced Rick Sweet as the Mariners' starting catcher, which reminds me of just how much Seattle struggled with personnel in their first decade.

Something you might know: Kearney was named the catcher on Topps' All-Rookie Team in 1983. Sadly, Topps wasn't displaying rookie cups on its cards at the time and Kearney missed out.

Something you might not know: Kearney didn't connect with some of his pitchers regarding pitch selection and it came out in the papers after Mariners pitcher Ed Vande Berg was traded to the Dodgers for catcher Steve Yeager. Vande Berg called Kearney a "rockhead," and Kearney responded by saying of Vande Berg, "It's nice to have a good arm but you need to use your noodle a little bit, too."

My observation on the back: I'm coming up with dead-ends on the Mr. San Antonio and substitute teacher references, so I'll just say the trivia question makes me sad.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#656 - Chuck Cottier

What a card: This is Chuck Cottier's first card as a manager. He was named as a replacement for Del Crandall with 27 games left in the Seattle Mariners' 1984 season.

My observation on the front: Gee whiz, an up-close shot of an old dude without a cap? If I was 9 when this set came out this would be my least favorite card.

More opinion from me: I had no idea until I started writing this post that the man on this card is the same guy. And I've had both of these cards for decades.

Something you might know: Cottier managed the Mariners for all of the 1985 season, but was replaced early in the 1986 season. After a one-game stint by Marty Martinez, Dick Williams took over.

Something you might not know: Cottier and Crandall played on the same Milwaukee Braves team in 1960. In fact, Crandall tried to get Braves manager Fred Hane, to call up Cottier from the minors in 1959. The Braves were in a pennant race with the Dodgers and the Braves' starting second baseman Red Schoendienst was out with tuberculosis. None of the fill-ins were working, but Haney didn't call up Cottier and the Dodgers wound up going to the World Series. Twenty-five years later, Cottier was replacing Crandall.

My observation on the back: Cottier was Seattle's third base coach when he was hired as manager.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#640 - Steve Henderson

What a card: Steve Henderson was coming off his second and final season with the Mariners when this card was issued. It was his last year as a regular starter. He signed with the A's in the offseason.

My observation on the front: Henderson has that look of a guy who thinks he hit the ball well ... aaaaand it's foul.

More opinion from me: Henderson wore the No. 5 for most of his career, which is impressive to me as he played for several teams and I'd think that number would have been taken, maybe even retired. Not with the Mariners in 1985, of course, but maybe the Mets, A's or Astros?

Something you might know: Henderson was the most notable player among the four traded to the Mets for Tom Seaver in the famed "Midnight Massacre" in June 1977. He was also traded for Dave Kingman.

Something you might not know: When Henderson arrived with the Mets, pitcher Jerry Koosman promised him that every time Henderson got two hits in a game, Koosman would serve Henderson his postgame meal.

My observation on the back: Another example of 1985 Topps lowering their standards for a card with a number ending in zero. There's nothing about Henderson's '84 stats that merit that. You'd have to go back to 1980 for that.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated. The TV category is also updated (retroactively to Nov. 11).

#625 - Mark Langston

What a card: This is Mark Langston's first flagship card. He appears in traded/update sets for Topps and Fleer in 1984.

My observation on the front: The photo used with this card likely comes from the same time (and possibly the same pitch) as the one used on his 1984 Topps Traded card.

More opinion from me: Another miscut card. There are a lot of things about old cards that I miss, but I'll never miss how often I pulled a miscut card then.

Something you might know: Langston was the AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1984 after leading the league in strikeouts. He would later be traded to the Expos in the spring of 1989 for three players, including a throw-in pitcher named Randy Johnson.

Something you might not know: Langston was involved in a one-sided feud with manager Dick Williams. Williams was fired by the Mariners after leaving Langston in a game too long in 1988. Williams later called Langston "gutless" in a book and openly rooted for Langston to fail in big games later in his career. Langston, to his credit said, "I wish there was nothing between us. There is from his standpoint but not from mine."

 My observation on the back: Armas' home run title in 1984 was the end of an eight-year reign for Red Sox home run hitter. A Red Sox player led the league in home runs from 1977-84 five of the eight years.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated.

#582 - Ken Phelps

What a card: This is Ken Phelps' first Topps card, and 1985 marks his return to cards since Fleer issued a card of him with the Royals in its 1982 set.

My observation on the front: I'm used to Phelps with those large wire-framed glasses. This looks odd.

More opinion from me: You can see by the handle of Phelps' bat that he wore No. 44 with the Mariners. I kind of wince when slugger-types wear No. 44, unless they can measure up to the likes of famed 44 wearers like Hank Aaron and Reggie Jackson.

Something you might know: Phelps' power promise drew the eye of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who dealt a prospect named Jay Buhner to the Mariners for Phelps, who wound up struggling in New York. The deal was mentioned in a 1996 Seinfeld episode in which George's father seemed more upset with Steinbrenner over the trade of Buhner than with the news that Steinbrenner was delivering: that his son was dead. In reply, Steinbrenner said, "He was a good prospect, no question about it. But my baseball people loved Ken Phelps' bat. They kept saying, 'Ken Phelps, Ken Phelps.'"

Something you might not know: Phelps was one of the first stars of ESPN's new beefed-up baseball coverage in 1990. The network had just signed a contract with MLB that allowed it to televise 175 games a year, which brought nationwide viewers West Coast baseball for the first time on a consistent basis. In one of those late games, ESPN cut away from a Dodgers-Astros game to air the Mariners' Brian Holman attempting to throw a perfect game in the ninth inning. Viewers saw Phelps homer off of Holman with two outs in the ninth.

My observation on the back: OK, I had to look up what ASCAP is. It's the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. I'm sure that question threw a few kids for a loop.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#566 - Ed Vande Berg

What a card: Ed Vande Berg was coming off the only major league season in which he worked as a starting pitcher. Granted, 33 of his appearances in 1984 were in relief, but the 17 starts he made were the only ones of his seven-year career.

My observation on the front: Have you ever wondered how things would be different if more modern players followed Rollie Fingers' lead and wore a handlebar mustache? I never did until viewing this card just now.

More opinion from me: The weird placement of the position abbreviation in this set looks even more glaring here with the space in Vande Berg's last name. I just want to throw that P in there and make him "Vandepberg".

Something you might know: Vande Berg was a situational left-handed reliever who appeared in 78 games his rookie year in 1982 and finished fourth in the ROY voting.

Something you might not know: Vande Berg gave up the last hit of Reggie Jackson's career. It came on the final day of the 1987 season. Jackson, pinch-hitting for the A's against Vande Berg's Indians, singled up the middle in the eighth inning and was then removed for a pinch-runner.

My observation on the back: Vande Berg was on the 1978 World Cup roster for the United States. His teammates included Terry Francona, Atlee Hammaker, Tim Leary, Mark Thurmond and Tim Wallach.

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#505 - Jim Beattie

What a card: Jim Beattie had just completed what would be his last full season in the majors when this card was issued. He'd endure injury-plagued seasons for the Mariners in 1985 and 1986 before calling it quits.

My observation on the front: There are stripes everywhere on that uniform.

More opinion from me: I've never forgiven Beattie for winning Game 5 of the 1978 World Series. Prior to that game I thought the Dodgers had a 3-2 lead in the Series made. Then Burt Hooton imploded. ... OK, so I've really never forgiven Hooton.

Something you might know: Beattie was a top-line Yankees prospect who went to Seattle in the deal for Ruppert Jones. Beattie later became known as a general manager, both with the Expos and the Orioles. And he was the guy who traded Pedro Martinez to the Red Sox.

Something you might not know: Beattie's wife, Martha, was a talented rower for Dartmouth, where both attended school. When Beattie was pitching for the Yankees, Martha taught a rowing team at a school in Massachusetts.

My observation on the back: When I was a kid I would puzzle over people "playing squash." How could they play a game with a vegetable?

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.

#485 - Matt Young

What a card: Matt Young was coming off a 1984 season in which he struggled to repeat his solid rookie season. He posted a 5.72 ERA in 22 games and spent a little time in Triple A.

My observation on the front: That's a nice look at those old-fashioned Mariners uniforms. The Mariners aren't a team I get nostalgic over, but I admit looking at this uniform is making me feel a little mushy.

More opinion me: This has to be one of the worst choices for a card ending in the number 5 of all-time. Young's ERA was almost 6 for crying out loud!

Something you might know: While pitching for the Red Sox, Moore did not allow a hit during a 2-1 loss to the Indians on April 12, 1992. He walked seven batters and Boston shortstop Luis Rivera made an error that gave the Indians their first run. Many branded Young the pitcher who lost a no-hitter, but it was not an official no-hitter because Young never pitched the bottom of the ninth.

Something you might not know: Young is the brother-in-law of former longtime L.A. Times sportswriter Chris Dufresne.

My observation on the back: Shelia is the one who married the L.A. Times sportswriter. Also, what a great 1980s reference with the USFL's L.A. Express.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated.

#449 - Phil Bradley

What a card: This is Phil Bradley's first card in Topps flagship. He appeared in 1984 Topps Traded (as well as the Fleer Update set in '84).

My observation on the front: Bradley appears to have taken out the first base coach with that shot.

More opinion from me: The Mariners had two Bradleys on their team during the mid-1980s, with white catcher Scott Bradley also on the roster. I would confuse them periodically. ... hey, it was the Mariners. They're way on the other side of the country.

Something you might know: Bradley was on the verge of his best season when this card came out. He was probably Seattle's best hitter for a three-year period between 1985-87, making the All-Star Game in 1985.

Something you might not know: The Mariners asked Bradley to pose with Mark Langston and Alvin Davis on the roof of the Kingdome for a promotional photo heading into the 1985 season. Bradley refused. It didn't have anything to do with heights, he just thought he didn't deserve to be in that kind of company yet.

My observation on the back: Bradley led Missouri to bowl games three straight years as the Tigers' quarterback. They went to the Liberty Bowl twice and the All-American Bowl once. Missouri won two of the games.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#423 - Barry Bonnell

What a card: Barry Bonnell was coming off his first season with the Mariners as this card hit packs. After a strong 1983 in which he led the Blue Jays in batting average, he fell to a pedestrian .264.

My observation on the front: I see a lit scoreboard in the distance.

More opinion from me: I must have pulled Bonnell's rookie card a few dozen times in 1978. I know that card was double-printed, but damn, so many duplicates.

Something you might know: Bonnell hit .300 in 100 games for the Braves during his rookie season in 1977.

Something you might not know: Bonnell turned Dale Murphy on to Mormonism. A devout Mormon, Bonnell was a minor league teammate of Murphy's, and often would read scripture passages during bus trips in the middle of the night. Murphy was curious about what Bonnell was reading and it led to many religious discussions between the two before Murphy was eventually baptized in the faith.

My observation on the back: Connie Mack, your record is safe forever.

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#373 - Mike Moore

What a card: Mike Moore had completed his third season with the Mariners when this card was issued and he had already lost 39 games for them. Seattle was still a long way from being a quality team.

My observation on the front: Moore looks anxiously toward the umpire for a call.

More opinion from me: I am forever mixing up Mike Moore with Matt Young. I did it when they played and I still do it. I don't know if that's fair to either one.

Something you might know: Moore was the No. 1 pick in the 1981 amateur draft. (He was already featured on this blog). He was the Mariners' second pick from the top spot in the last three years. Moore faired a little better than the Mariners' first choice in 1979, Al Chambers.

Something you might not know: As of last October, Moore was serving as a volunteer coach for a high school baseball team in his native Oklahoma.

My observation on the back: Ruth still holds the runs scored mark. This is one of those records that no one has come near in the last 80-plus years. Jeff Bagwell had the most in recent history with 152 in 2000.

The blog wants to speak now: The TV category is updated.

#349 - Domingo Ramos

What a card: Domingo Ramos was coming off another sub-.200 season after hitting .185 in 59 games for the Mariners. Ramos hit below .200 in five different seasons in his big league career.

My observation on the front: One of the greatest "choking up" photos in baseball card history. You can see the desperation in that grip.

More opinion from me: Ramos is listed as a "SS-2B" but he actually played the majority of his games in 1984 at third base. Sometimes those position designations seem so random.

Something you might know: Ramos was a utility infielder in the major leagues mostly because of his glove. He didn't get more than 200 at-bats in a season until very late in his career with the Cubs.

Something you might not know: Ramos was working for agent Scott Boras in 2010 when the New York Times published a series of articles that raised the possibility that Boras was providing loans in an unethical manner to young players in the Dominican Republic. Ramos worked for Boras in the D.R.

My observation on the back: It'd be nice if the trivia quiz explained what record McCovey tied. Most triples in first game? Most total bases in first game? Most hits? Most singles and triples?

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#344 - Dave Henderson

What a card: Dave Henderson was the primary center fielder for the Mariners in 1984, playing in 112 games in his fourth year with the team.

My observation on the front: There seems to be a lot of base-running shots in 1985 Topps. I should count those up and figure out whether that's the case.

More opinion from me: Wow, now that is an '80s uniform! Good thing Henderson had a yellow wrist band to tie the whole ensemble together.

Something you might know: Henderson hit one of the most famous postseason home runs of all-time in 1986 when he blasted a two-out, two-strike solo shot off of the Angels' Donnie Moore that capped a Red Sox comeback from down 5-2 going into the top of the ninth to a 6-5 lead. The Angels tied it up in the bottom of the ninth, but the Red Sox won on Henderson's 11th-inning sacrifice fly.

Something you might not know: Henderson played for five teams in his major league career, but he played for two of those teams for just one year. Those two teams are playing in the World Series right now, the Giants (1987) and the Royals (1994).

My observation on the back: Steve Carlton lost to the Mets in that game, thanks to a Ron Swoboda two-run home run in the ninth inning (those Miracle Mets!). It was Swoboda's second home run of the game.

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#296 - Ricky Nelson

What a card: This is the final Topps card issued of Ricky Nelson during his career (he had only two Topps cards). It's a little surprising that he's featured in this set since he appeared in only nine major league games in 1984.

My observation on the front: Nelson wore No. 10 for the Mariners in 1983 and 1984. The number on the bat does not appear to be a 10. Must be displaying someone else's lumber.

More opinion from me: The "hero" shot is a classic baseball card pose. I should do a post on this someday (*writes himself a note*).

Something you might know: Nelson made minor noise for the Mariners with his rookie season in 1983, appearing in 98 games and batting .254. He was a noted base stealer in the minors, swiping 43 for Bakersfield in 1982.

Something you might not know: Nelson was drafted ahead of better-known Arizona State and Mariner teammate Alvin Davis in 1981. But Davis was drafted by the A's and he didn't sign. The next year, the Mariners drafted Davis and he signed.

My observation on the back: Sammy Sosa now holds the NL (and MLB) record for home runs in a month. He blasted 20 during the home run summer of 1998.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture category is updated.

#279 - The 1981 No. 1 Draft Pick - Mike Moore

What a card: This card recalls the Mariners selecting Mike Moore with the No. 1 pick in the 1981 MLB draft. Moore went ahead of Joe Carter, who was selected No. 2 by the Cubs. Seattle did pretty good in its first three rounds, selecting Mark Langston in the second round and Phil Bradley in the third.

My observation on the front: This is the third straight card featuring a player in a blue pullover jersey. It's definitely the '80s here.

More opinion from me: Ball in glove or no? That's a toughie, but I say "no".

Something you might know: Moore spent one year in the minors for Seattle and started 27 games for the Mariners in 1982, going 7-14.

Something you might not know: Moore signed without an agent and had a deal with the Mariners in a matter of hours.

My observation on the back: I got nothing. I can't wait until these card backs go away.

The blog wants to speak now: The Movies category is updated.

#277 - The 1979 No. 1 Draft Pick - Al Chambers

What a card: This card recognizes the Mariners selecting Al Chambers with the first pick of the 1979 MLB draft. The Mets picked Tim Leary second.

My observation on the front: It's very cloudy wherever Chambers is.

More opinion from me: This is Chambers' only Topps card. He very nearly didn't make this subset because Topps focused only on No. 1 picks who were still playing in the majors. Chambers would have only four more at-bats in his major league career after the 1984 season.

Something you might know: Chambers is considered one of the biggest busts among No. 1 draft picks in MLB history. He'd play in only 57 MLB games and was done by age 24.

Something you might not know: After his baseball career ended, Chambers got a job mixing the ingredients for chocolate syrup at Hershey Foods.

 

My observation on the back: Reading that is like reading my social studies textbook in 9th grade.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.