What a card: This is Jose Rijo's first Topps base card. He's in the 1984 Topps Traded set, as well as the '84 Fleer Update set. He was also an Oakland A by the time this card arrived, dealt in December of '84 in the big Rickey Henderson trade.
My observation on the front: It's very odd to see Rijo in anything other than an A's or Reds uniform.
More opinion from me: I enjoy it when the Yankees lose players who go on to achieve great things.
Something you might know: Rijo was the MVP of the 1990 World Series, pitching two victories for the Reds, including a two-hitter in the decisive Game 4.
Something you might not know: Rijo was once married to Juan Marichal's daughter, Rosie, but the two divorced the winter after the Reds' World Series win.
My observation on the back: What that sentence is describing is illegal according to MLB rules. They state that prospects must be 16 when they sign with a big-league team.
The blog wants to speak now: A quick update to the Ballgames category, but there's no ball involved.
I remember he got a hall of fame vote after he retired, and then ended pitching again in the bigs.
ReplyDelete"MLB rules....state that prospects must be 16 when they sign with a big-league team."
ReplyDeleteThat's true today, but I'm fairly certain that rule was not yet in effect when Rijo was signed back in 1980.