Here’s
a card I would consider right on the fence between “missing in action”
and “not really missing in action”, a 1975 card for former relief
pitcher Ed Farmer:
Farmer appeared in 14 games for the Phillies in 1974, with a bloated
8.42 earned run average over 31 innings of work while posting a record
of 2-1. Not really a cup-of-coffee, yet not truly enough action to
consider him “left out” of the 1975 set.
He would miss the following two seasons before making one sole
appearance in 1977 with the Baltimore Orioles and three appearances with
the Milwaukee Brewers the following year.
Finally healthy, Farmer would be a mainstay in Major League bullpens
until the 1983 season, with his finest year coming in 1980 when he saved
30 games for the Chicago White Sox and was named to his only all-star
game.
After his playing days were over he scouted for the Orioles for a few
years before settling into his well familiar role as a Chicago White Sox
radio announcer, a position he has held to this very day, 25 years
running.