1975 Topps Set Card 308/660 – #470 – Jeff Burroughs, Rangers

1975 Topps Set Card 308/660 – #470 – Jeff Burroughs, Rangers

Progress: 308/660

Card Number:  470

Player Name:  Jeff Burroughs

Team:  Texas Rangers

Position:  Outfield

Image Style:  Posed Portrait

Years In The Major Leagues: 16 seasons, 1970-85

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Jeff Burroughs played in 152 games for the Texas Rangers in 1975.  He hit just .226 on the year with 132 hits in 585 at-bats.  Of his 132 hits, Burroughs connected for 20 doubles and 29 home runs while also driving in 94 runs and scoring 81 times.  Burroughs also led the NL in strikeouts with 155.

Notes From Career:  Jeff Burroughs is a former AL MVP and 2-time All-Star.  He is a lifetime .261 hitter with 1,443 hits in 1,689 games played.  Burroughs has 230 doubles and 240 home runs on his resume alongside 882 RBI.

1975 Topps Set Card 307/660 – #64 – Dave Chalk, Angels

1975 Topps Set Card 307/660 – #64 – Dave Chalk, Angels

Progress: 307/660

Card Number:  64

Player Name:  Dave Chalk

Team:  California Angels

Position:  Shortstop

Image Style:  Posed Portrait

Years In The Major Leagues: 9 seasons, 1973-81

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Dave Chalk played in a career high 149 games for the California Angels in 1975.  H hit .273 for the club, collecting 140 hits in 513 at-bats.  Chalk had 56 RBI and scored 59 runs in those 149 games while also striking out just 49 times.

Notes From Career:  Dave Chalk is a 2-time All-Star that played for 4 teams during his 9-year major league career.  He has 733 career hits in 903 games played with those four teams.  Chalk is a lifetime .252 hitter with 107 doubles, 9 triples, and 15 home runs to his credit.

1975 Topps Set Card 306/660 – #106 – Mike Hargrove, Rangers

1975 Topps Set Card 306/660 – #106 – Mike Hargrove, Rangers

Progress: 306/660

Card Number:  106

Player Name:  Mike Hargrove

Team:  Texas Rangers

Position:  1st Base

Image Style:  Posed Portrait

Years In The Major Leagues: 12 seasons, 1974-85

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Mike Hargrove played in 145 games for the Texas Rangers in 1975.  He hit .303 for the team with 157 hits in 519 at-bats.  Of his 157 hits, Hargrove connected for 22 doubles, 2 triples, and 11 home runs.  He drove in 62 runs in 1975 while also scoring 82 times.  He was selected to the AL All-Star team for the only time in his career.

Notes From Career:  Mike Hargrove is an All-Star and former Rookie Of The Year award winner that played for three different teams during his 12-season career.  He has a lifetime batting average of .290 with 1,614 hits in 1,666 games played.  Hargrove has 686 career RBI with 783 runs scored.

1973 HEADLINE: Fergie Jenkins Traded To The Texas Rangers

1973 HEADLINE: Fergie Jenkins Traded To The Texas Rangers

On this date in 1973, Fergie Jenkins was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Texas Rangers, of the American League.

The trade was a 2-for-1 deal with Jenkins going to the Rangers in exchange for Bill Madlock and Vic Harris.  At this point, the Cubs were in a major re-building phase as Ernie Banks was retired and their core of Billy Williams, Ron Santo, and Jenkins were all considered as being ‘too old’.

Fergie Jenkins 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter – Mini Black Border Parallel

Fergie Jenkins 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter – Mini Black Border Parallel

Nothing exceptional here, just showing off my latest and final card of Fergie Jenkins that I will be getting from the 2014 Topps Allen & Ginter set.

Unless one of the more rare versions of this card falls into my lap at an unbelievable price, I am done going after Jenkins and his remaining A&G cards.

Too boring for me…

 

Sorry Fergie, it is not your fault!

1975 Topps Set Card 275/660 – #131 – Toby Harrah, Rangers

1975 Topps Set Card 275/660 – #131 – Toby Harrah, Rangers

Progress: 275/660

Card Number:  131

Player Name:  Toby Harrah

Team:  Texas Rangers

Position:  Shortstop

Image Style:  Posed Hitting

Years In The Major Leagues:  17 seasons, 1969, 1971-86

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Toby Harrah appeared in 151 games in the 1975 baseball season for the Texas Rangers.  He hit .293 on the year with 153 hits in 522 at-bats.  Of his 153 hits, Harrah connected for 24 doubles and 20 home runs alongside 93 RBI.  Harrah stole 23 bases in ’75 while scoring 81 runs.  He was chosen as an All-Star for the American League.

Notes From Career:  Toby Harrah is a 4-time All-Star who played for three different clubs during his 17-season career.  Harrah is a career .264 hitter with 1,954 hits.  He offered a very versatile offense as he connected for 307 doubles and 195 home runs while also stealing 238 bases.

1975 Topps Set Card 274/660 – #155 – Jim Bibby, Rangers

1975 Topps Set Card 274/660 – #155 – Jim Bibby, Rangers

Progress: 274/660

Card Number:  155

Player Name:  Jim Bibby

Team:  Texas Rangers

Position:  Pitcher

Image Style:  Posed Pitching

Years In The Major Leagues:  12 seasons, 1972-81, 1983-84

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Jim Bibby played for both the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians during the 1975 baseball season.  Combined, he pitched in 36 games and compiled a 7-15 record with 6 complete games, 1 shutout, and 1 save.  Bibby worked 181 innings in 1975, allowing a total of 172 hits and 89 runs.

Notes From Career:  Jim Bibby is an All-Star pitcher that played for four different clubs during his 12-season career.  Used as both a starter and reliever, Bibby amassed a record of 111-101 with 8 saves during his playing days.  He has a lifetime ERA of 3.76 alongside 1,079 strikeouts in 1,722 innings of work.  Bibby is a member of the 1979 World Series championship winning Pittsburgh Pirates.

Happy Birthday Rafael Palmeiro!!!

Happy Birthday Rafael Palmeiro!!!

Rafael Palmeiro turns 50 years old today.

Rafael Palmeiro quietly put together an amazing career as he reached several baseball milestones that define greatness as an offensive player.  While never considered to be the best player in the league, and even on his team at times, Palmerio’s numbers are rare.

No batting titles.  Only 1 season of 200 or more hits.  But, consistency was Palmeiro’s game.  In his 20-season career, Palmerio collected 3,020 hits.  Hitting between 140-170 hits a year is all it took for Palmeiro to become one of the game’s most consistent offensive players.  His career batting average is .288, and he has 6 seasons of hitting .300 or better.

Palmeiro also had a power game that was rare for such a disciplined contact hitter.  ‘Raffy’ has 569 career home runs which places him in 10th place in baseball history.  Off to a relatively slow start in the beginning of his career, Palmeiro’s power numbers began to take off during the 1991 season.  From 1999-2004, Palmeiro hit at least 22 homers per season with his maximum output being 47 in both the 1999 and 2001 seasons.

‘Raffy’ has also collected 1,835 RBI and has scored 1,663 runs during his playing days.

Palmeiro has finished in the Top 19 for the MVP award 10 times.  He is a 4-time All-star, a 3-time Gold Glove award winner, and a 2-time Silver Slugger winner.

Happy Birthday Raffy!!!

1983 HEADLINE: Ferguson Jenkins Captures Final Win Of His Career, #284

1983 HEADLINE: Ferguson Jenkins Captures Final Win Of His Career, #284

On this day in 1983, Fergie Jenkins recorded the final win of his 19-year major league career.

The win, #284 of his career and #6 of the 1983 baseball season, came in a 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.

Jenkins entered the game in a relief role and blew the save allowing two runs to the Pirates in the top of the seventh inning giving the Bucs the lead.  But, the Cubs scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning giving the Cubs the lead and putting Jenkins on track for the win.

On the night, Jenkins threw 1.2 innings allowing 2 hits and 2 runs while walking 2 batters and striking out 2 others.  He lasted long enough to secure the victory, with Lee Smith picking up the save.

Happy Anniversary Mr. Jenkins!!!

1998 HEADLINE: Alex Rodriguez Joins The ’40/40 Club’

1998 HEADLINE: Alex Rodriguez Joins The ’40/40 Club’

On this day in 1998, Alex Rodriguez stole his 40th base of the baseball season giving him entrance into the elite ’40/40 Club’.

Just the 3rd of 4 members of this group, Rodriguez is the only infielder in the club.

A-Rod finished the season with 42 homers and 46 steals.  And while he never eclipsed more than 28 steals in any year after, he did hit more than 42 home runs in a season six more times.

Congratulations on this elite achievement, and Happy Anniversary A-Rod!!!