Trying by the 1988 Topps baseball card set generally is a enjoyable stroll down reminiscence lane.
Although it comprises solely 132 playing cards, it is filled with a few of the largest names of the “Junk Period.”
Many of those guys turned a few of the brightest stars of the Nineteen Nineties.
And a few turned out to be Corridor-of-Famers…
That includes the identical design because the 1988 Topps flagship design, collectors may discover younger call-ups, gamers who had been traded and even members of the USA Olympic crew.
It delivered precisely what you’d anticipate from a late-80s Topps Traded set.
And on this information, we’ll check out the 15 Most worthy.
Let’s bounce proper in!
1988 Topps Traded #1T Jim Abbott Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $55
Jim Abbott is a obtrusive instance of somebody overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to pursue their dream.
In Abbott’s case, his dream was to be a beginning pitcher within the Majors.
And he set out to take action regardless of being born with out a proper hand.
After a profitable three-year collegiate profession on the College of Michigan, the California Angels chosen Abbott with the eighth choose of the 1988 MLB Draft.
And the Angels had been so excessive on Abbott that they promoted him on to their 1989 beginning rotation.
Abbott’s dream had grow to be a actuality.
The 21-year-old Flint, Michigan native went 12-12 over 29 begins with a 3.92 ERA, ending fifth within the AL Rookie-of-the-Yr race.
Abbott spent ten seasons within the Majors with the Angels, Yankees, White Sox and Brewers.
And he was at his finest in 1991, successful 18 video games for the Angels with a 2.89 ERA whereas ending third within the Cy Younger race.
His story stays as inspiring as we speak because it was then.
And collectors nonetheless maintain his rookie card in excessive regard.
1988 Topps Traded #4T Roberto Alomar Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
Roberto Alomar completed the ’88 MLB season because the San Diego Padres’ beginning second baseman, hitting .266 with 9 homers, 24 doubles, six triples, 24 stolen bases, 84 runs scored, and 41 RBIs in 143 video games.
He additionally completed fifth within the NL Rookie-of-the-Yr race.
Nonetheless, issues did not begin precisely how Alomar would’ve preferred.
Alomar was devastated when he discovered that then-manager Larry Bowa did not ink him on the Padres’ roster throughout Spring Coaching.
“I simply informed him to maintain his head up, that it is a lengthy season,” supervisor Larry Bowa stated. “The probabilities of Robbie coming to the massive leagues in 1988 are fairly good.”
Bowa was proper.
Alomar turned his disappointment into pure manufacturing within the Minors, incomes a promotion by mid-April.
Nonetheless, Bowa solely lasted round a month and a half.
The Padres fired him after a 16-30 begin.
New supervisor Jack McKeon turned issues round, pushing the Padres to a 67-48 end and third place within the Nationwide League West.
Alomar’s Spring Coaching disappointment was firmly behind him.
And he would quickly entrench himself as a perennial All-Star and Gold Glover for years to return.
1988 Topps Traded #42T Mark Grace Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
When the Chicago Cubs drafted Mark Grace within the twenty fourth spherical of the 1985 MLB Draft, few would have guessed he’d wind up as a franchise legend.
But his work ethic, willpower and uncooked expertise acquired him there.
Grace’s bat ability shone early as he sailed by Single and Double-A, postting a mixed OPS close to .940.
And 21 video games in Triple-A was all it took earlier than the Cubs referred to as him up in 1988.
The 24-year outdated first baseman wasted no time attending to work, elevating eyebrows along with his Gold Glove-caliber protection and stable bat.
After solely three weeks, the beginning job was his.
The Cubs had seen sufficient and shipped the earlier starter, Leon Durham, to Cincinnati.
Chicago’s confidence of their younger, budding begin paid off.
Grace completed runner-up to Cincinnati’s Chris Sabo within the NL Rookie of the Yr voting with a .296/.371/.403 slash line, 7 homers, 23 doubles, 4 triples, 65 runs scored, and 57 RBIs.
Grace would spend 13 years in Chicago, incomes three All-Star appearances and 4 Gold Gloves.
1988 Topps Traded #98T Chris Sabo Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $35
For a half-decade, it felt like Chris Sabo’s time would by no means come.
A second-round number of the Cincinnati Reds within the 1983 Draft, Sabo underwhelmed in 5 minor-league seasons.
Although universally beloved by teammates for his effort stage and aggressive spirit, Sabo’s lack of manufacturing was a difficulty.
So when 1988 Spring Coaching rolled round, no one thought that the 26-year-old third baseman had a prayer to make the membership.
Pete Rose felt in a different way.
And it is smart: why would not “Charlie Hustle” be a fan of a participant like Sabo?
Named the crew’s beginning third baseman with Buddy Bell on the injured record, Sabo by no means gave up the job.
Edging out Cubs first baseman Mark Grace for NL Rookie of the Yr, the ’88 NL All-Star turned simply the fourth participant in MLB historical past (and the primary rookie) to put up 40 stolen bases (46) and 40 doubles in a single season.
He hit to a .271/.314/.414 slash line for the second-place Reds with 11 homers and 44 RBIs in 137 video games.
1988 Topps Traded #39T Ron Gant
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
The 1988 season was a historic low level for the Braves.
Atlanta did nothing proper (or notably good) beneath managers Chuck Tanner and Russ Nixon, ending the marketing campaign with an MLB-worst 54-106 document.
It stays an all-time low level within the Atlanta period (1966-present) and is the worst document for the membership since 1935.
Nonetheless, each season has a silver lining, regardless of how faint.
And for the 1988 Braves, that was Ron Gant.
After a 21-game debut in 1987 and a brief stint in Triple-A, Gant stepped in as an on a regular basis second and third baseman.
Throughout in any other case quiet house video games, the 23-year-old rookie offered energy, velocity, and a wanted spark.
The Braves drew simply over 10,000 followers a recreation in 1988, falling wanting 1,000,000 on the gate for the primary time for the reason that strike-shortened 1981 marketing campaign.
Falling one homer and one stolen base shy of a 20/20 season, Gant slashed .259/.317/.439 with 28 doubles, eight triples, 85 runs scored, and 60 RBIs in 146 video games.
He positioned fourth on the Nationwide League’s Rookie of the Yr poll.
1988 Topps Traded #110T Lee Smith
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
It doesn’t matter what Lee Smith did in 1988, his weight continued to make him a goal for criticism.
Smith admitted to Cubs administration that his weight was turning into a difficulty, exacerbating his knee issues because the season progressed.
The Cubs continued to observe Smith’s offseason progress and finally traded Smith to Boston for pitchers Calvin Schiraldi and Al Nipper.
“The one factor that ticked me off was that it took so lengthy,” Smith stated later. “I needed to get traded from the Cubs after 1985 and go someplace the place I may win.”
Contemplating the sorry state of the Cubs, it is no shock that they whiffed on their analysis of Smith.
The 30-year-old righty proved his doubters mistaken in ’88, pushing by his knee points to avoid wasting 29 video games in 64 appearances.
He appeared in the identical variety of innings because the yr earlier than (83.2), but gave up 12 fewer hits (82) with a greater ERA (2.80).
Smith was the ultimate boss for the AL East’s finest crew and would go on to avoid wasting slightly below 300 video games over the following decade.
The Purple Sox bowed out in three straight to the A’s, however Smith’s place as a top-tier nearer was secured, no matter what the dimensions would possibly learn.
1988 Topps Traded #124T Robin Ventura Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
Even earlier than he was drafted, Robin Ventura was on the quick observe to the Majors.
In three years at Oklahoma State, Ventura emerged as among the best collegiate hitters of the Eighties.
It was all highlighted by an impressive sophomore marketing campaign during which he hit .428 with 20 homers, 110 RBIs, and a wild 58-game hitting streak.
When the Chicago White Sox grabbed Ventura with the Tenth choose of the 1988 Draft, the consensus was that he was a ready-made Main Leaguer.
Ventura’s glove projected very effectively for an MLB third baseman, and he had already proven an elite capability to hit for energy and common.
The White Sox dealt with Ventura with all this in thoughts, sending him to Double-A for only one season (1989) earlier than selling him to the big-league membership to remain.
He’d go on to play components of ten campaigns on the Southside, notching 5 Gold Gloves and a 1992 All-Star nod in a Sox uniform.
1988 Topps Traded #128T David Wells Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30
Probably the most constant and efficient beginning pitchers of the 90s and 2000s, David Wells could not purchase a begin in his first few years as a Main Leaguer.
Chosen by the Blue Jays within the 1982 MLB Draft, Wells began all 52 of his minor-league appearances from 1982 to 1984.
He appeared ticketed for the Jays’ beginning rotation sooner moderately than later.
Plans modified when Wells misplaced the 1985 season following Tommy John surgical procedure.
After getting back from damage, he began simply 22 of his remaining 71 appearances on the minor-league stage.
Blue Jays supervisor Jimy Williams remained cautious with Wells’ arm after his everlasting promotion in 1988.
Williams used Wells as a full-time reliever moderately than giving him a glance within the rotation or as a spot starter.
The outcomes had been iffy at finest.
The 25-year-old lefty appeared in 41 video games for the third-place Jays, posting a 3-5 document with an unseemly 4.62 ERA.
His 1.492 WHIP could be his worst for a full season till his remaining yr in 2007.
Wells bounced again with a implausible 1989 out of the ‘pen earlier than transitioning again to a beginning position on the flip of the last decade.
1988 Topps Traded #5T Brady Anderson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
It took 41 video games for the Boston Purple Sox to surrender on Brady Anderson.
Named Baseball America’s prime AL East prospect for 1988, the previous Tenth-round choose began the marketing campaign as an damage alternative for Ellis Burks.
It was a difficult proposition.
The Purple Sox had been again in rivalry and did not have time to let Anderson be taught on the fly.
The younger outfielder was on a brief rope.
Anderson opened the yr in wonderful type, but fell right into a deep hunch by the top of Could.
Sitting at 25-24 and on the lookout for a shake-up, the Sox despatched Anderson again to Triple-A for seasoning.
Or at the very least that is what he thought.
The 24-year-old performed 49 video games for Pawtucket earlier than he was shipped to Baltimore for 20-game winner Mike Boddicker.
The transition from one AL East rival to a different was fruitful, although awkward at first.
Anderson completed the yr as Baltimore’s beginning heart fielder, hitting .198 with a homer and 9 RBIs.
It could take 4 years for him to determine it out–time the Orioles had, and the Purple Sox didn’t.
1988 Topps Traded #21T Jay Buhner
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
You already know you’ve got made it when your title will get dropped on Seinfeld.
“What did you commerce Jay Buhner for?” George Constanza requested Larry David, the stand-in for Yankees proprietor George Steinbrenner. “You do not know what you are doing!”
It took a couple of years, however New York ultimately rued the day they dealt Buhner to the Mariners for power-hitting DH Ken Phelps.
Buhner was a uncooked expertise able to be unlocked, and Phelps was on the point of a steep decline.
It turned out to be one in all Steinbrenner’s most obtrusive commerce snafus.
Buhner’s 124 mixed homers from 1995-97 may have added much more juice to a burgeoning Yankees dynasty.
In 1998, although, Buhner was an expendable venture with years to go.
He hit simply .215/.302/.421 in 25 video games for the Yankees, hanging out 25 occasions in simply 76 plate appearances.
After his transfer to Seattle, Buhner got here round, hitting .224 with a decent .778 OPS, ten homers, and 25 RBIs in 223 plate appearances (192 at-bats).
The strikeouts remained a difficulty (68), however there was undoubtedly one thing there.
1988 Topps Traded #40T Kirk Gibson
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
Kirk Gibson did not precisely win the 1988 NL MVP award out of spite.
But, it wasn’t far off.
After 9 years with the Detroit Tigers and a World Collection title in 1984, Gibson was performed.
Granted free company attributable to a collusion ruling towards MLB homeowners, the 31-year-old left fielder headed West, inking a three-year, $4.5 million take care of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That despatched new Tigers proprietor Tom Monaghan right into a media tirade as he ripped Gibson on each media platform he may discover.
Gibson answered along with his bat.
On a tear from April to September, Gibson ended the yr slashing .290/.377/.483 with 25 homers, 28 doubles, 106 runs scored, and 76 RBIs in 150 video games en path to his first-and-only league MVP award.
Los Angeles received the NL West by seven video games, organising a traditional seven-game NLCS with the New York Mets.
Gibson damage his knee on a slide in Sport 6 and was compelled to play by intense ache in Los Angeles’ 6-0 Sport 7 win.
That is when historical past got here knocking.
Unable to begin Sport 1 of the World Collection towards Oakland, Gibson stewed on the bench with ice on each knees.
Down 4-3 after a Jose Canseco grand slam and right down to their final out, the Dodgers referred to as on a hobbled Gibson with a runner on first.
What adopted is now important baseball lore.
Gibson hit an iconic walk-off blast on one leg, sending Dodger Stadium right into a frenzy.
Los Angeles shocked the juggernaut A’s in 5 for Gibson’s second World Collection ring.
1988 Topps Traded #41T Goose Gossage
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
You need to hand it to the Cubs.
Till breaking the curse in 2006, the lovable losers repeatedly doubled down on their errors in epic style.
After buying and selling away Lee Smith over considerations about his well being, Chicago acquired Goose Gossage in a take care of the Padres.
The concept was to shake off Smith’s weight issues and troublesome knee points in favor of a nine-time All-Star and perennial Cy Younger candidate.
The issue, as at all times for the Cubs, was timing.
Gossage was firmly on the downslope and was compelled to experiment “with off-speed pitches to compensate for a diminished fastball.”
Gossage had at all times used his blazing fastball to overwhelm opposing hitters within the clutch.
Now, he wanted an arsenal of junk to stave off Father Time.
Gossage pitched to a 4.33 ERA in 1988, the third worst of his 17-year profession to this point.
He touched double-digit saves (13) for the final time, and his Okay/9 charge (6.2) dipped to effectively under his profession 7.5 common.
The long run Corridor-of-Famer was launched after the season.
1988 Topps Traded #66T Tino Martinez Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
You received’t discover a higher Division II participant than Tino Martinez.
After two state championships at two totally different excessive colleges, Martinez enrolled on the College of Tampa, notching three consecutive All-American nominations and incomes finalist consideration for the Golden Spikes Award (finest newbie baseball participant).
No Division II standout has ever received stated honor.
Martinez’s legend on the College of Tampa skyrocketed his draft inventory in 1988.
Seeking an influence energy bat, the Mariners jumped on Tino with the 14th total choose.
Different notable names picked earlier than Martinez embody Jim Abbott, Robin Ventura, and Steve Avery.
After his choice within the ‘88 Draft, Martinez took an abbreviated path to his MLB debut.
He skipped rookie ball and Single-A fully, opening his skilled profession in 1989 with a full-season stint at Double-A Williamsport.
He performed three years of Minor-League ball, posting a mixed OPS of slightly below .950 in his final two seasons at Triple-A Calgary.
1988 Topps Traded #68T Jack McDowell
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25
Jack McDowell was going to be a Cy Younger candidate or a bust.
The Chicago White Sox did not give him an in-between.
“The third day I used to be in Chicago, Floyd Bannister informed me, ‘Hey, all people goes to need a piece of you,'” McDowell stated. “They get a man who’s 22 and a tough thrower within the massive leagues, they usually need you to be the perfect, however generally they will get a bit carried away.”
His teammate’s phrases hit it proper on the nostril.
Chosen fifth total within the 1987 MLB Draft, McDowell already had the fastball and the explosive secondary break to be an ace.
There have been, nonetheless, hidden points.
After an excellent four-start debut in 1987, McDowell began 26 video games for the White Sox in ’88, ending 5-10 with a stable 3.97 ERA.
It seemed like he was able to hammer down a spot within the rotation earlier than a groin damage took him down for the ultimate 5 weeks of the marketing campaign.
That is when all of it took a flip.
McDowell would quickly be recognized with a power hip downside that brought on him to change his mechanics with out pondering.
The issue stored getting worse, and his fastball took the brunt earlier than the ’89 season.
It could get higher, but it surely sucked in the meanwhile.
1988 Topps Traded #126T Walt Weiss Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $55
It is not usually {that a} Rookie of the Yr season ends in utter disappointment.
Sadly, that was the case for Oakland A’s shortstop Walt Weiss.
Weiss was removed from an influence hitter for the ’88 AL champs, however that was to be anticipated in an period of light-hitting center infielders.
His paltry .250/.312/.321 slash line meant little in comparison with his sensible protection and steadying presence on the six.
In 700 regular-season probabilities, Weiss dedicated simply 15 errors for a sterling .979 fielding share.
That is what made his brutal error in Sport 4 of the 1988 World Collection so disheartening.
Down two video games to 1 to the upstart Dodgers, the A’s had momentum after taking Sport 3 at house.
Nonetheless, the crew’s hopes of tying the Collection took a loss of life blow within the prime of the third inning.
Trailing 2-1, A’s ace Dave Stewart induced a routine line drive to Weiss at brief.
The younger infielder reacted too slowly and bungled the play, permitting Franklin Stubbs to attain a vital third run.
Oakland fell 4-3 and misplaced the Collection in 5.
Weiss’ award-winning yr now had a painful “what if” hooked up to it.
1988 Topps Traded Baseball Playing cards In Evaluate
So, there you may have it.
Whereas their values might not break the financial institution as some playing cards in as we speak’s market will, the 1988 Topps Traded set affords loads of great-looking playing cards of a few of the largest stars of the day.
And there’s a lot postseason historical past tied up with a few of these guys, too.
Kirk Gibson wants no introduction in that division.
Roberto Alomar, Ron Gant, Tino Martinez and others would additionally come up massive for his or her groups at varied factors within the playoffs, too.
With solely 132 playing cards within the guidelines, there wasn’t a variety of room for influence.
However most of the gamers on this guidelines, and this record particularly, got here up massive and would have extraordinarily spectacular careers.
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