1987 Donruss mystery... who's the Yankees "Rated Rookie" on the box?

digicat

The card only appears on the box. He's not in the set.

The only info we can extract from the picture is..

he's a righty or a switch hitter (maybe, sometimes Donruss took pictures of pitchers hitting).
He looks caucasian.
He's got dark hair

Right/Switch caucasian Yankees rookies in 1987:
Jay Buhner
Phil Lombardi
Jeff Moronko

Of course, it doesn't necessarly need to be a guy who even played in 1987 for the Yanks. Maybe the card got deleted due to the guy not making the roster?

burke23

"Why'd you trade Buhner?!!!"
- Frank Costanza

CrimsonTider

Thats Dale Murphy and he did not play for ths Yankees. Whats my prize?

digicat

<< <i>Thats Dale Murphy and he did not play for ths Yankees. Whats my prize? >>

jacksoncoupage

I am going to go with Phil Lombardi on this one.

I'll update if I uncover any new info. Great thread!

peterose4hof

Excellent Question!!!

I always thought it was Scott Bradley, but looking up his bio, he only hit left handed. Unless he was just posing right handed as a goof, but I doubt it.

digicat

Here's Lombardi's card from the set.

To me, it doesn't look like the jaw and ear match up.

Reljac

I tend to think it's not Lombardi. My reasoning is that on 1987 Donruss the position immediately follows the name and as you can see on the actual produced Phil Lombardi card his name + position carries almost the entire name section of the card.

of course it could've been editted out, knowing they removed the card...

saucywombat

Here's Buhner in a similar pose in 1988 Donruss. Doesn't look like him.

saucywombat

Some images I could find for Moronko.



From his 1986 Pro Card OKC



Hard to say

lsutigers1973

Randy Velarde

WinPitcher

I'll second Velarde.

Steve

larryallen73

Heck of a good thread! I have no clue of the answer but it's a great thread. Somebody here will know the answer I am sure.

lsutigers1973

<< <i>Somebody here will know the answer I am sure. >>



I already gave the answer.

digicat

<< <i>Randy Velarde >>



Possibly. Velarde looks like he's a little more brown though.

jdmi32

I'll have to go with Michael Caine, 'cause he was in just about everything at that time.

lsutigers1973

If I have to say Velarde again, I may ban myself this time.

GDM67

Cut it out and submit it

digicat

<< <i>If I have to say Velarde again, I may ban myself this time. >>



Are you providing a concrete fact, or are you making an educated guess?

lsutigers1973

I remember it from a Beckett back in the late 80s.

otwcards

Looks a lot like Brian Dayett, although he was with the Cubs by that time... Old stock photo?

saucywombat

I'm going to vote Velarde at this point as well. The shape of the face and the way his hair bobs a little off his neck seem to match.

Mattingly I thought I told you to get rid of those sideburns!

This would be easier if the guys all didn't have the same haircut.

scooter729

Shoeless Joe Jackson - 100% guarantee

This card will now go up 5000% in value!

hammered

<< <i>I'm going to vote Velarde at this point as well. The shape of the face and the way his hair bobs a little off his neck seem to match. >>



I'm also convinced by the way his hair bobs off his neck, as well as the rosy blush of his cheeks, and the graceful taper of his ear.

ICE9

<< <i>

<< <i>I'm going to vote Velarde at this point as well. The shape of the face and the way his hair bobs a little off his neck seem to match. >>



I'm also convinced by the way his hair bobs off his neck, as well as the rosy blush of his cheeks, and the graceful taper of his ear. >>



...not that there's anything wrong with that...

saucywombat

well played sir

richtree

After thinking this over wasn't there an article on this back in the 80's.


The rumor was that it was always Randy Valarde, as it seemed Valarde was the answer you every Yankee Triva question at the time.


I remember it being a lesser known player and I think it was confirmed NOT to be Randy V.


anyone remember this besides me ?

fkw

Need a better picture of the box card....

The ears will guide you

greencrow

How about this name..........Bob Geren?

digicat

<< <i>Need a better picture of the box card.... >>



Anyone got a 1987 Donruss box they can scan?

greencrow

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gerenbo01 Bob Geren

digicat

billwaltonsbeard

Steve George

Donyoguy

Thinking about mysteries from 1987 today, I stumbled across this decade old question that was apparently never answered. I think I have a guess.

First off, apologies to banned user lsutigers1973, but it's 100% not Randy Velarde. He was in the White Sox organization until a trade sent him to the Yankees in early 1987, so there would have been no photo of him in a Yankees cap until spring training that year, well after this set was released. It's likewise not Jay Buhner, Jeff Moronko or Phil Lombardi (who already has a card in the set), as this guy looks nothing like them.

This seems to be the only other guy from the '86 Yankees organization that makes sense.

Lindsey would have been in camp with the Yankees in spring 1986 to have his photo taken, and he put up decent numbers in Albany that year, albeit as a 26-year old AA catcher. The Yanks didn't really have a #1 catcher going into 1987 after Butch Wynegar quit the team, so the player selection team at Donruss probably figured the starting job was up for grabs and might fall to the most experienced rookie. Granted Phil Lombardi was a level higher in the system and actually played for the big club in '86, but Donruss had made more head-scratching decisions than this with their Rated Rookie selections in the past (see: Russ Stephans in 1985, another 26-year old catcher with no major league experience, and a minor league photo to boot.)

Lindsey was shipped to the White Sox on December 24, 1986, which would make his removal from the set logical, assuming the release hadn't gone to press yet. Does anyone know what the release date for this set was? I can't find it anywhere on the internet.

And yes, I am aware that I have too much free time on my hands.

doubledragon

@Donyoguy said:
Thinking about mysteries from 1987 today, I stumbled across this decade old question that was apparently never answered. I think I have a guess.

First off, apologies to banned user lsutigers1973, but it's 100% not Randy Velarde. He was in the White Sox organization until a trade sent him to the Yankees in early 1987, so there would have been no photo of him in a Yankees cap until spring training that year, well after this set was released. It's likewise not Jay Buhner, Jeff Moronko or Phil Lombardi (who already has a card in the set), as this guy looks nothing like them.

This seems to be the only other guy from the '86 Yankees organization that makes sense.

Lindsey would have been in camp with the Yankees in spring 1986 to have his photo taken, and he put up decent numbers in Albany that year, albeit as a 26-year old AA catcher. The Yanks didn't really have a #1 catcher going into 1987 after Butch Wynegar quit the team, so the player selection team at Donruss probably figured the starting job was up for grabs and might fall to the most experienced rookie. Granted Phil Lombardi was a level higher in the system and actually played for the big club in '86, but Donruss had made more head-scratching decisions than this with their Rated Rookie selections in the past (see: Russ Stephans in 1985, another 26-year old catcher with no major league experience, and a minor league photo to boot.)

Lindsey was shipped to the White Sox on December 24, 1986, which would make his removal from the set logical, assuming the release hadn't gone to press yet. Does anyone know what the release date for this set was? I can't find it anywhere on the internet.

And yes, I am aware that I have too much free time on my hands.

Not bad detective work, I think you may have just wrapped this case up!

billwaltonsbeard

nice.