Here’s
another one of those cards that requires a closer look, a 1972 card
showing former rookie stand-out Roy Foster as a Texas Ranger:
Foster, who was the runner-up to Thurman Munson for the American League
rookie of the year in 1970 as an Indians player, never actually suited
up with the Texas Rangers.
As a matter of fact, not only did he play with the Cleveland Indians in 1971, but he also played for them in 1972!
Turns out, after a disappointing year in Cleveland in 1971 which saw him
bat .245 with 18 homers and 45 runs batted in after posting a .268
average with 23 homers and 63 ribbies in his rookie year, he was traded
to the new Rangers organization in December of 1971 in a deal that
included seven other players.
In what seems like a common thing in that era, it turns out that he
would end up getting traded BACK to Cleveland right before the new
season started, ending up playing what would turn out to be the final 73
games of his brief career, batting .224 with only four homers and 13
runs batted in, before spending the 1973 season in the Minors and the
following couple of years in the Mexican League before retiring for
good.