2023 Topps, Sandy Alcantara

Card No. 107

The list of players to win an N.L. Cy Young award while wearing a Marlins uniform is exactly one name long, and that name is Sandy Alcantara....The Dominican right-hander led all pitchers with 228 2/3 IP and 6 CG during his award-winning 2022 campaign....Was part of the trade package Miami received from St. Louis in exchange for OF Marcell Ozuna in December 2017....His rookie card can be found in the '18 Topps set (#594)....Sandy recorded 3 CG during the '23 season, including a 3-hit shutout vs. MIN, 4/4/22.

*MK*

1992 Topps, Gary Sheffield

Card No. 695

Despite Hall of Fame credentials, Gary Sheffield still remains on the outside looking in as of press time....Author of 509 career homers and 1,676 RBIs over 22 seasons....While playing for the Mets, Gary joined the 500 Home Run Club with a game-tying blast at Citi Field, 4/17/09....Drafted sixth overall by Milwaukee in 1986....Spent the first four years of his career with the Brew Crew, producing just 21 long balls....Sheff's rookie card can be found in the '89 Topps set....Gary was swapped to the Padres in a multiplayer deal, 3/26/92.

*MK*

1985 Topps, Andre Dawson

Card No. 420

Back when I was a kid, the WGN Superstation was available nationwide and I used to watch Andre Dawson during Cubs telecasts....Before he was a Cubbie, "The Hawk" broke in with Montreal....In 11 years with the Expos, Andre made three All-Star teams and collected six Gold Gloves....He first appeared in a Topps set in 1977 on a Rookie Outfielders quad card....His final standard Topps card was in the '96 set....Andre smashed 23 HRs in 1985 and won the last of his six Gold Gloves as an Expo.

*MK*

1964 Topps, Ron Santo

Card No. 375

Hall-of-Famer Ron Santo, aka Mr. Cub, is the newest 'vintage' feature on the Jukebox and the third card from the handsome 1964 Topps set to be showcased on the blog....Played 14 of his 15 big league seasons on the Southside before concluding his career with the ChiSox in '74....Ranks top-5 in Cubs annals in career HR (337) and RBIs (1290)....This is his fourth Topps card....His rookie card appeared in the '61 set....Ron led the league in both triples (13) and walks (86) during the '64 season.

*MK*

1973 Topps, Ted Simmons

Card No. 85

Not until I sat down to write this post did I realize that Ted Simmons will become a baseball Hall of Famer during the summer of 2021....Simmons will be part of a Cooperstown class that also includes Derek Jeter, Larry Walker and union rep Marvin Miller....Ted authored more than 2,400 hits and batted .286 over 21 seasons....This is his third Topps card....His rookie card appeared in the 1971 set....His final Topps card came in '88....Ted enjoyed an All-Star campaign in 1973, batting .310 and collecting 91 RBIs.

*MK*

2015 Topps, Yoenis Cespedes

Card No. 120

Few big leaguers throughout history racked up more frequent flyer miles in a shorter span of time than Yoenis Cespedes did between 2014 and '15....The Cuban superstar was dealt from Oakland to Boston in July 2014 and was subsequently swapped to Detroit in December of that same year....The Mets acquired Yoenis from the Tigers at the '15 deadline....Cespedes was featured in the '15 Update series as a Met....His rookie card can be found in the '12 set....La Potencia slugged five homers with 33 RBIs in 51 games for the Red Sox in '14.

*MK*

1962 Topps, Jim Fregosi

Card No. 209

Has any franchise experienced more of an identity crisis than the Angels?....The club dropped "Los Angeles" and became "California" in 1965....The "Anaheim" era began in '97 and thankfully they're back to just "Los Angeles" as of 2016....Fair or not, Jim Fregosi the player is probably most remembered as the guy the Mets got from the Angels in the disastrous Nolan Ryan trade....As the little gold star indicates this is indeed Jim's rookie card....The future MLB skipper batted .291 in 58 games for the Halos during the '62 season.

*MK*