Roger Salkeld

Salkeld was one of the illustrious 1990 Score Draft Picks, and one of the cooler ones, at that. I really had a feeling Salkeld was going to be a top of the rotation hurler. Unfortunately, I think he got injured somewhere in there and never quite lived up to his potential. One of the unfortunate victims of the days when pitchers were abused more readily.

I was ambivalent on this card. I liked Salkeld and the shot is cool, but it felt superfluous after the Score card, much like some of the other rookies. Still, worth a look.

Rich Garces

1991 Topps 1990 Debut

I’m trying to remember when I first read about Rich Garces. I can’t remember exactly…but I know that my first actual glimpse of the player was in the 1990 Classic set. I had read somewhere that he was expected to anchor this amazing Twins rotation with Willie Banks and Alan Newman. The group looked like they were going to set the world on fire back then.

 

Of course the reality was nowhere close to that. Oh, Garces ended up with a decent enough Major League career, even if he was a bit of a laughingstock by the end of it, but yeah…none of those guys lived up to the perception. It just shows how far the scouting of pitchers has come in recent years. I don’t think Garces would ever have been hyped these days – his peripherals just wouldn’t justify it.