Let’s give former San Diego Padres outfielder Luis Melendez a proper baseball card send-ff with a “not so missing” career-capper:
Though still only 27 years of age, Melendez played what turned out to be
the last of his Major League games in 1977, appearing in eight games
and going 0-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Making his debut in 1970 Melendez played his whole career with St. Louis
before moving on to San Diego during the 1976 season, and after those
last eight games in 1977 his pro career would come to a close.
All told, he put in eight seasons in the Big Leagues, and would finish
with a .248 average with 366 hits over 1477 at-bats in 641 lifetime
games, with 167 runs scored and 122 RBI’s, playing all but one game in
the outfield between 1970 and 1977.