On the blog today, a career-capping "missing" 1973 card for former relief pitcher Pete Mikkelsen, who finished up a very nice nine-year Major League career in 1972 as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers:
Mikkelsen appeared in 33 games
for the Dodgers in 1972, going 5-5 with a 4.06 earned run average over
57.2 innings of work, while saving five games.
Originally up
with the New York Yankees in 1964, Mikkelsen was a solid arm out of the
bullpen his rookie year, posting a record of 7-4 over 50 games, all out
of the 'pen, saving 12 games and striking out 63 batters in 86 innings.
In
1966 he found himself a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he had
perhaps his best year in the Majors, going 9-8 with a 3.07 ERA and 14
saves over 71 games and 126 innings, career bests in all categories
except for ERA.
Over his nine seasons under the Big League
sun, Mikkelsen finished with a record of 45-40, posting a career 3.38
ERA over 364 games and 653.1 innings, with 48 saves and 436 strikeouts
along the way.