First, a big thanks to Matt for giving us all the opportunity to post our suggestions of players to be added to the ATG9 series. Secondly, thanks to Andy for posting the actual numbers showing on the suggested player's card, as not all of us have the SOM card viewer. As an aside, wouldn't it just be easier for SOM to let us see the images of nominated cards?
Just by sheer numbers, I know the chances of having a player I suggest get selected are slim and none, but I'm posting here nonetheless in the hope that someone will see a worthy player and nominate him during the new card selection process, which BC15NY does a great job overseeing, with nominations starting June 1.
All of the players below have no ATG9 card.
1966
Jim Nash, RHSP, A's 12-1 2.06 1.050 Career bests in W%, ERA, HR9 & H9. Near career bests in WHIP & SO/9. 2nd in AL ROY voting. Career journeyman put it all together for a couple of seasons for the up and coming A's before getting derailed by arm trouble. 3L. No BP singles vs. lefties and no HR chances on entire card. No ATG card.
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/38756/1660/1/601971
Joe Grzenda, LHRP, Senators, 5-2 1.92 1.009 Career best ERA, WHIP, H9, W9, BB9, SO9, SO/BB ratio. Grzenda was a mediocre lefty specialist and fringe major leaguer his entire career, who at the age of 34 put together one magical season. Arguably the best lefty reliever card in the '71 card set, perhaps even better than the '71 Mingori card. No ATG card.
1971 Joe Grzenda, TEX, Throws-L, 3R Balance, R3
LH--2b-10.2, 3b-1.8, HR-0, BB-0, 167/167/294, .461 OPS
RH--2b-4, 3b-0, HR-0, BB-0, 124/124/161, .284 OPS
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/734732/1670/1/701971
Don Wilson, RHSP, Astros, 5R 16-10 2.45 1.022 Career bests in ERA, WHIP, H9. Led league in H9. Had 2 career no hitters and another 8 inning no hitter when lifted for a pinch hitter. 5R with no BP singles or HRs against righties. No ATG card.
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/743023/1670/1/701973
Fred Beene, RHP, Yankees 6-0 1.68 1.033 Career bests in IP, ERA, WHIP, SO, H9, HR9, BB9. Beene made just 19 appearances in 1973, including 4 starts, so he should be a S/R (he was a S/R with the original 1973 card set, but SOM changed him to a RP only when the set was re-issued years later), but this may be a close call with SOM. Beene pitched a career high 91 innings in 1973. There are 87 no* SPs in the ATG series who pitched less than Beene's 91 innings, including Paige, Ehmke, Moret, Pineiro, Heredia, Sutton, Messersmith & Lanier. Newly carded Rich Hill, Guy Hecker, Tim Keefe, Dave Righetti, Mel Stottlemyre, Jim Kaat, J.R. Richard and Marius Russo all pitched slightly more innings on their best no* SP cards than Beene. Also, Beene pitched 21 more innings than 1974 Dale Murray! All of the aforementioned players are used regularly or semi-regularly. If they all get cards, why not 1973 Beene? I'd hate to see a player's card not get into the set because it's TOO good, while others with fewer IP and less impressive or even mediocre cards are common. No ATG card
1984
Alejandro Pena, RHSP, Dodgers 12-6 2.48 1.164 Led N.L. in ERA and ShO. Career bests in GS, W, IP, ShO, HR9, K and BB/9. Pena blew out his arm the following year, but reinvented himself as a pretty good relief pitcher. No ATG card.
2003
Esteban Loaiza, RHSP, White Sox, 4R 21-9 2.90 1.113 Career bests in W, W%, ERA, IP, K, WHIP, H9, HR9, BB9, SO9, SO/W. 2nd in Cy Young voting. Career journeyman put it all together for one year. Loaiza took great pride in breaking Fernando Valenzuela’s record for most wins by a Mexican pitcher. 4R, with no BP singles against righties and no BP HRs. No ATG card
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/3805/1690/1/901971
Ken Forsch, Astros 8-8 2.53 1.142 S/R. Career bests as a SP in ERA & H9. 2nd career best in WHIP. At 3L, Forsch is a good reverso RHP. Just 1 ATG card
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/733914/1670/1/70 1978
Bob Knepper, Giants 17-11 2.63 1.165 Career bests in WINS & HR9. Second career bests in ERA, H9, with near career low WHIP. This would be Knepper's best Giants card.
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/736507/1670/1/701981
Bob Knepper, Astros 9-5 2.18 1.060 Career bests in ERA, WHIP, H9 & HR9 in strike shortened season. This would be Knepper's best Astros card.
1981
Burt Hooton, Dodgers 11-6 2.28 1.103 Career bests in ERA, BB9 & HR9 in strike shortened season. Hooton was renowned for his signature pitch, the knucklecurve.
1976
Vida Blue, A's 18-13 2.35 1.109 While it would be tough to match the numbers from Blue's 1971 season, 1976 was Blue's second best season in a year when Charlie Finley was in the process of breaking up the A's. This card would probably be more usable than the 1971 card. Blue won 200+ games in his career and deserves a better card.
1965
Sonny Siebert, Indians 16-8 2.43 0.981. Led A.L. with 4.15 SO/BB ratio. Career bests in WHIP, BB9, SO9. 2nd career best in ERA, H9. Won 140 career games, with a .551 WIN% pitching for some bad teams. Just 1 ATG card.
1968
Bobby Bolin, Giants 10-5 1.99 0.985. Career bests in in ERA, WHIP, HR9, H9 and near career best in BB9. Bolin pitched in relative anonymity his entire career, and in typical fashion, had his best year in 1968 when Bob Gibson & Juan Marichal stole all the NL pitching headlines. Was 2nd in NL in ERA & H9, & 4th in WHIP. Bolin may be the only starting pitcher from the '50s, '60s or '70s with 170+ IP and an ERA under 2 without a card.
1988
Joe Magrane, Cardinals 5-9 2.18 1.113 Led N.L. in ERA. Career bests in ERA, WHIP & H9. Just 1 ATG card.
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/37390/1690/1/901943
Max Lanier, Cardinals 15-7 1.90 Career best ERA & W-L%. Led NL in ERA.
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/587c5c761974
Mike Jorgensen, LHB, Expos, .310 .444 .488 .931 in 131 games & 366 PA, a 1 at 1B and a 3(0)e6 corner OFer. The grown up version of Ken Smith, Jorgensen can actually hit lefties and righties equally well, knock in some runs with positive clutch hitting and has a crazy high, for the expansion era, .444 OBP. No ATG card.
1974 Mike Jorgensen, MON, Bats-L, E Balance, 1b-1e3, LF/RF-3(0)e6, CF-4(0)e6
LH--6.1 2b, 0 3b, 5 HR, 25 BB 346/509/606, 1.115 OPS
RH--4.8 2b, 0 3b, 4.3 HR, 32 BB 355/558/591, 1.149 OPS
https://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/736118/1670/1/70 2001
Paul Lo Duca, Dodgers, C, RHB. .320 25 90 .374 .543 .917. Career highs in BA, HR, RBI, OBP, SLG, TB, OPS & OPS+. 2(-1) e3, T-1-7 (pb-1). As a bonus, he is a respectable 3e14 at 1B. No ATG card
2010
Alexei Ramirez RHB, SS, White Sox .282 18 70 .313 .431 .744. Career highs in RUNS. Near career highs in HITS, BA, HR, SLG, OPS & OPS+. Silver Slugger. SS 1e21. No ATG card.
http://365.strat-o-matic.com/player/1394/2010/1/20714
Wed May 20, 2020 2:22 pm