On the blog today, a fun card to add to the virtual collection, a 1979 "not so missing" card for future ace Dave Stewart, who made his Big League debut with one single game in 1978:
Stewart
pitched a total of two innings in his 1st taste of the Big Leagues,
allowing one hit while striking out one for the eventual National League
champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
He would be back in the Minors
for all of 1980 before coming back for good in 1981, appearing in 32
games for the World Champ Dodgers.
His Major League career
would be spotty at best for the first seven years of his career before
he hit his stride in 1987, and hit it well, reeling off four straight
20-win seasons as a member of the powerhouse Oakland A's.
He
was the ace of a staff that helped the A's make three straight World
Series, winning it all in 1989 against the San Francisco Giants.
In those four seasons between 1987 and 1990 Stewart finished third, fourth, second and third again in the Cy Young races.
But
he wasn't done yet, joining the Blue Jays in 1993 and helping them win a
World Series when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies.
If you're keeping score at home, that is three World Championships for Stewart, with three different teams.
For
a time there in the late-80's the man was about as dependable as there
was, making 35+ starts each season, leading the American League each and
every season between 1988 and 1991, as well as innings pitched twice.
By
the time he retired after the 1995 season, he finished with a record of
168-129, with an ERA of 3.95 over 523 games and 2629.2 innings of work,
throwing nine shutouts while collecting 19 saves along the way.