#722 - Bruce Sutter All-Star

What a card: Bruce Sutter finished a league-high 63 games in 1984.

My observation on the front: Sutter is obviously on the road, judging by his beautiful '80s baby blue uniform. San Francisco I'm guessing?

More opinion from me: I just looked at Sutter's baseball-reference page and mentally rolled my eyes at the mug shot of Sutter in a Braves hat. I'm no Cubs or Cardinals fan, but get a picture of Sutter when he did his finest work, please.

All-Star Game performance: Sutter was selected as a National League pitcher for the 1984 All-Star Game, but when the time came to close out the NL's 3-1 victory, Rich Gossage got the job of finishing out the ninth. Sutter didn't play.

Legitimate All-Star card or fake All-Star card: Fake. My first tip-off that Topps was going off book with the All-Star cards came in 1981 when Sutter and Gossage received All-Star banners, previously reserved for just ASG starters. Obviously, relievers weren't starters.

My observation on the back: It's interesting that Clay Carroll held the record for so long as I barely heard of him while learning about baseball from 1975-85. That's possibly because save number didn't seem to get much attention until the '80s.

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

#370 - Bruce Sutter

What a card: This is Bruce Sutter's final Topps card as a St. Louis Cardinal. He signed with Atlanta as a free agent after the 1984 season.

My observation on the front: The birds on the bat appear to be admiring Sutter's extraordinarily thick beard.

More opinion from me: It's interesting how Sutter's beard was at its fullest when he was at his best with the Cardinals. There was something very Samson-like about it.

Something you might know: Sutter popularized the split-finger pitch -- a.k.a. "The Pitch of the '80s" -- and won the Cy Young Award for the National League in 1979.

Something you might not know: Sutter learned the split-finger pitch in 1973, but before that he struggled in the Cubs' minor league system. Sutter's manager in Quincy, Ill., Walt Dixon, once told the Cubs' minor league department, "When Bruce Sutter is ready for the big leagues, that will be the day the Communists take over."

My observation on the back: I have a feeling a number of collectors weren't down with OBP in 1985. I don't know if the stat has ever appeared on the back of Topps' cards.

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

#9 - Record Breaker, Bruce Sutter

What a card: This card notes Bruce Sutter setting the National League record for saves in a season. He saved 45 games for the Cardinals in 1984. That total tied the major league record, which was initially set in 1983 by the Royals' Dan Quisenberry.

The record is positively quaint when you look up how many times it has been broken since 1985. Sutter is now tied for 33rd place overall with his 45 saves in a season. Francisco Rodriguez holds the record of 62 set four years ago. Eric Gagne holds the N.L. record with 55.

My observation on the front: I never thought I would get nostalgic for powder blue uniforms, but obviously I -- and a lot of baseball fans -- have, because current teams keep trotting out throwback powder blue uniforms.

More opinion from me: This isn't a night card. It looks kind of like a dusk card or a "stormy" card.

Something you might know: Dave Righetti was the first person to break the record by Sutter and Quisenberry. He saved 46 games in 1986.

Something you might not know: Sutter was originally drafted by the Washington Senators. He didn't sign.

My observation on the back: Topps mentions in the headline that Sutter tied the major league record, but doesn't mention who he tied.

The blog wants to speak now: I've updated the Ballgames tab with a little basketball. That'll do for tonight.