#112T - Mike Stenhouse

What a card: Mike Stenhouse came to the Twins in a Jan. 9, 1985 trade in which he went to Minnesota in exchange for pitcher Jack O'Connor, who went to Montreal. This is Stenhouse's third card between Topps' main set and the Update set.

How'd that go: Stenhouse achieved a slightly more productive season for Minnesota in '85 than with Montreal in '84, but it was essentially the same low output (.223 average in 81 games) and he'd never receive that much playing time the rest of his MLB career.

Backatya: I made a comment on the post of Stenhouse's flagship card that it was nice when the trivia question on the back matched up with the team shown on the front. That obviously isn't the case anymore as Stenhouse switched from the Expos to the Twins but the trivia question remained Montreal-specific.

Back-to-back: Stenhouse added the "DH" position by virtue of traveling to an American League team. He also added a really BRIGHT red cap.

The flagship card is No. 658 and was originally blogged on May 11, 2017.

The blog want to speak now: Nope. March is almost over but it isn't done trying to kill me. Today was very taxing. Hitting the nest early.

#111T - Chris Speier

What a card: Chris Speier signed as a free agent with the Cubs on April 8, 1985. It marked his fourth team in a nine-month period.

How'd that go: Speier played in 106 games for the Cubs in 1985, his most playing time since 1982 when he was with the Expos. The season helped him get back on track after the whirlwind of 1984.

Backatya: The Ste. Adele, Quebec hometown listing is interesting just because I don't remember hearing about players living in Quebec that much, although it makes sense for someone who played with the Expos for a period. Speier's home started being listed as in Quebec with his 1981 Topps card and switched to Scottsdale, Ariz., with his 1987 card.

Back-to-back: Speier redeems himself -- or should I say 'Topps redeems itself' -- with the Traded card, after that airbrushed alternate reality item from flagship.

Speier's flagship card is No. 577 and was originally blogged on Sept. 19, 2016.

The blog wants to speak now: The Ballgames category is updated with the first "summing up" of categories for this blog.

#110T - Nate Snell

What a card: This is the 28th rookie card in the 1985 Topps Update set. Nate Snell appeared in 43 games as a reliever in 1985, posting the only five saves he would have in his four-year MLB career.

My observation on the front: Snell appears to be in mid-toss during spring training drills. It'd be nice if it wasn't cropped so close so we could see what he was doing.

More opinion from me: The first Nate Snell card I think of is his 1987 Topps card. I didn't buy a lot of '87 Topps, but I think he was in every pack I bought.

Something you might know: Snell spent eight years in the minor leagues before he finally received his first big-league playing time in 1984, appearing in four games for Baltimore that year.

Something you might not know: After his baseball career ended, Snell took a job with the United Postal Service and as of 2015 was still working for UPS.

My observation on the back: The informative bio is offset by a big, fat uncorrected error in the stats. Snell is given hitter's categories (which just so happen to be the same number of columns as the pitching categories) with all of his pitching stats. That leads to some disorienting reading if you forgot he's a pitcher: what the hell, 45 home runs and just 28 RBIs? 81 2/3 at-bats? Batting 2,000?

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#109T - Lonnie Smith

What a card: Lonnie Smith arrived with his third major league team when the Cardinals traded him to K.C. on May 17, 1985 for outfielder John Morris.

How'd that go: How it always went for Lonnie. He joined a new team and suddenly that team found itself in the World Series. The Royals won a World Series in 1985 and it marked the third time that Smith had won a Series in his first full season with a team (Phillies in 1980 and Cardinals in 1982).

Backatya: When Lonnie Smith confessed to Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog that he had a drug problem and needed help, not only did many of his teammates say they were surprised Smith had an issue (at least those who weren't Keith Hernandez and Joaquin Andujar who Smith testified had partook in drugs with him during the '82 World Series), but so did his wife, Pearl. She said she never noticed Smith using drugs at home.

Back-to-back: On his Traded card, Smith looks like he was just thrown out on the bases and is walking back to the dugout.

Smith's flagship card is No. 255 in the set and was originally blogged on Jan. 23, 2014.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#108T - Roy Smalley

What a card: Roy Smalley returned home to the Twins in a February 1985 trade in which the White Sox received minor leaguer Rob Scheer and Randy Johnson (Not that Randy Johnson, this Randy Johnson).

How'd that go: Coming back to where he spent 10 years of his playing career worked well for Smalley. He shed that terrible 1984 season and delivered three decent years for the Twins from 1985-87.

Backatya: I wonder if Smalley heard any stories from Uncle Gene about how mean Philadelphia fans are.

Back-to-back: Don't you miss 1980s logos more than anything?

I see that the Twins decided that playing three positions in a season might be a little much. The flagship card is No. 26 and was originally blogged on March 13, 2012.

The blog wants to speak now: Not tonight. It's later than I usually write these things these days and I've got to get some shut-eye.

#107T - Don Slaught

What a card: Don Slaught was traded from the Royals to the Rangers in the monster four-team deal on Jan. 18, 1985 that included the Mets and Brewers. Other players dealt included Jim Sundberg, Danny Darwin and Tim Leary.

How'd that go: OK. Slaught missed out on the Royals' 1985 World Series title, but he provided three solid platoon years for the Rangers before heading off to the Yankees and Pirates.

Backatya: Regarding the trivia quiz: It's not 40 anymore!!!!!

Back-to-back: Catchers get all the best cards.

I've already raved about Slaught's flagship card. It is No. 542 in the set and was originally blogged on June 13, 2016.

The Traded card reminds me that you don't know what you'll miss when it's gone and I miss old-style chest protectors. Also, note to those who don't have an MLB license: this is how you show catchers on your baseball cards.

The blog wants to speak now: The Other Cards category is updated.

#106T - Larry Sheets

What a card: This is the 27th rookie card in the 1985 Topps Traded set. Larry Sheets appeared in 113 games during his rookie year in 1985, hitting 17 home runs.

My observation on the front: He just looks like a slugger.

More opinion from me: Sheets was one of those players you heard coming before he even made the majors. That 1983 season for Charlotte made some noise.

Something you might know: Sheets enjoyed one grand season the majors. That was in 1987 when he hit 31 home runs and batted .316 in 469 at-bats (the following year, he hit .230 with 10 homers).

Something you might not know: Sheets left baseball after his first year in pro ball to attend college. He came back with three games left in the season. The following year, he didn't show up for spring training and told the Orioles he was retiring before changing his mind again and reporting in June to his minor league club.

My observation on the back: Sheets stepped away from the game once again in 1981 and truly "did not play." He came back for good in June of 1982.

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#105T - Donnie Scott

What a card: Donnie Scott arrived with the Mariners in an April 4, 1985 trade in which Seattle sent catcher Orlando Mercado to the Rangers.

How'd that go: Scott basically duplicated his 1984 good-field, no-hit performance in 1985 with the Mariners. Seattle released him in early 1986 and Scott toiled in the minors until 1991.

Backatya: Oklahoma City has been the Dodgers' Triple A affiliate for the last four years but I still associate them with the Rangers, their parent club during the '80s and '90s.

Back-to-back: Donnie Scott's flagship card is No. 496 and was originally blogged on Jan. 29, 2016. It comes out on top in this comparison.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#104T - Rick Schu

What a card: This is the 26th rookie card in the 1985 Topps Traded set. Rick Schu started at third base for the Phillies in 1985 as veteran Mike Schmidt was moved to first base.

My observation on the front: Move that logo over to the left a little bit and it would fit perfectly on Schu's jersey.

More opinion from me: There is just something about a guy named "Schu" that makes you want to root for him.

Something you might know: Schu was expected to be the heir apparent to Schmidt at third base, but his .252 batting average and seven home runs in 1985 did not impress and Schmidt returned to third for 1986. Schu went to the bench.

Something you might not know: The independent rock band named after former Phillie Von Hayes wrote a tribute song to Schu called "Schu Schu Baby".

My observation on the back: Rick Schu's father, Ken, pitched in the White Sox's minor league organization in 1955.

The blog wants to speak now: The Music category is updated.

#103T - Joe Sambito

What a card: After eight seasons with the Astros, Joe Sambito was released by Houston in April, 1985 and signed with the Mets later in the month.

How'd that go: Pretty lousy. Sambito pitched in just eight games for the Mets and allowed 15 runs. He accepted a demotion to the minors but never got back on track and was released by New York in August. After disappearing off of baseball cards in 1984, Sambito was a no-show again in 1986 flagship (but he did reappear in '86 Traded with Boston).

Backatya: Those years between 1979-81 are pretty awesome to view.

Back-to-back: There you see the throwing life of a pitcher, warming up in the bullpen and game action. All we're missing here is long-tossing.

The flagship card is No. 264 in the set and was originally blogged on Feb. 19, 2014.

The blog wants to speak now:  The News category is updated.

#102T - Luis Salazar

What a card: Luis Salazar came to the White Sox in the big trade that sent Ozzie Guillen, Tim Lollar and Bill Long to Chicago in exchange for LaMarr Hoyt coming to the Padres.

How'd that go: Well, Salazar received more playing time with the White Sox in 1985 than he was getting with the Padres. But the results were basically the same and the following year, Salazar returned to the Padres after getting released.

Backatya: Here is a nice picture of Luis Salazar with his wife before a game when he was managing in Lynchburg, Va., in 2011.

Back-to-back: Salazar's flagship card is No. 789 in the set and was originally blogged on May 17, 2018. It also shows that action photos aren't always the best choices.

The blog wants to speak now: The Pop Culture tab is updated.

#101T - Mark Salas

What a card: This is the 25th rookie card -- or "pre-rookie card" -- to appear in the Topps Update set. Mark Salas finished eighth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting after producing the best season of his eight-year major league career in 1985.

My observation on the front: I associate Salas with being a veteran catcher and that's what he looks like to me here. He doesn't look like a rookie.

More opinion from me: The red Twins helmets and caps -- always a good look.

Something you might know: Mark Salas is one of those major league players whose last name is a palindrome. Of the 10 players wikipedia lists as having palindromes for a last name, four of them are named "Salas."

Something you might not know: Salas hit a home run for the Twins after being traded to the Yankees. The home run tied the game in the ninth and sent the Twins and Rangers into extra innings. Minnesota won the game in 13 innings. During the game, the Twins and Yankees worked out a deal to send Salas to New York for pitcher Joe Niekro. In the 12th inning, Salas learned of the trade from home plate umpire Durwood Merrill.

My observation on the back: The Garv is still the NL record-holder for consecutive games played and still in fourth place overall. He could be there for some time. Only Miguel Tejada has come close to the big four (Ripken Jr.-Gehrig-Everett Scott-Garvey) in recent times.

The blog wants to speak now: The News category is updated.