Next
up on the “Missing Rookie Cup” line is a fix for the 1974 Steve Rogers
card, when Topps decided to do-away with the cool rookie trophy:
Rogers, who would go on to play all 13 years of his career with the
Montreal Expos, had himself a wonderful rookie campaign in 1973,
finishing second in the league’s rookie of the year voting with a 10-5
record along with a microscopic 1.54 earned run average with three
shutouts over 17 starts and 134 innings pitched.
I always felt he should have won the award over Garry Mathews actually,
completing seven of his starts and giving up only 23 earned runs while
striking out 64.
Of course Rogers would go on to become an all-star pitcher, having five
such nods over his career, while finishing second in the Cy Young vote
in 1982, then coming in fourth the following season.
Arm trouble cut his career somewhat short at the age of 35 in 1985, as
he retired with a record of 158-152, pitching on some tough losing teams
early in his MLB tenure.
Nevertheless, the man put in some stellar performances on a Big League
mound, leading the league in shutouts twice, ERA in 1982, and ending up
with 37 shutouts over 399 appearances.