1982 frank tanana

as was mentioned in yesterday's post, frank tanana joined the texas rangers as a free agent after the 1981 season. here's his 1982 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

 now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

o-pee-chee got the text right this time.  i also find it interesting that tanana is the last variation in the 1981 o-pee-chee set and the first in the 1982 set, numerically speaking. it's pretty safe to say that 1982 turned into the worst season of tanana's 21 year career. he lost 18 games, had a then career worst 4.21 era, and posted a career low k/9 ratio of 4.0. he turned it around in 1983, shaving over a run off of his era, and then continued his success in 1984 when he won 15 games for the lowly rangers who posted just 69 victories the entire season.

the rangers traded tanana to his hometown detroit tigers during the 1985 season, and he put up some good numbers there over the next 7 seasons. his biggest win as a tiger came on the final day of the 1987 season, when he shut out the blue jays to clinch the american league east championship. tanana finished his career in 1993 with the mets and yankees, and with 240 career wins, he stands as the winningest pitcher in major league history to never win 20 games in a season.

voici à vous, 1982 frank tanana!