1977 keith hernandez

just like they had for graig nettles (as shown a few days ago), in 1977 o-pee-chee went for a close up of keith hernandez, while also adjusting the location of his facsimile autograph.  here is hernandez's 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

hernandez played in 161 games in 1977 for the cards, and he hit 41 doubles and 15 home runs in what was his first full season as a regular first baseman.  one reason for his full-time status in 1977 was that he proved that he could hit leftys pretty well.  in 1976, his batting average splits showed a .306 average against right handed pitchers, but only .250 versus leftys.  in 1977, he turned that around by hitting .313 against leftys, and 8 of his 15 home runs were hit off of southpaws.

it should be noted that he did not win the gold glove award (1977 was the last of four consecutive years that steve garvey received the award), but would begin a streak of 11 straight seasons as the recipient of the award in 1978.  i still think garvey should have won it again in 1978 (he had one less error in 87 more chances and actually had a better range factor/game than hernandez in 1978 and was the incumbent although he had fewer assists) but nobody asked me what i thought.

voici à vous, 1977 keith hernandez!

1990 keith hernandez

keith hernandez signed a free agent deal with the indians in december of 1989.  here is his 1990 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

for 16 years in the national league, from 1974 through 1988, only two people won gold gloves at first base - steve garvey and keith hernandez.  i didn't understand range too much as a kid, so i resented hernandez for stopping garvey's streak of gold gloves at 4 and then going on a 12-year run of his own.  i still don't care for hernandez, but i can admit that he was a better fielder than garvey.  wes parker still rules, however.

anyway, mex was a free agent after the 1989 season and went off to the american league east to try his luck.  he wound up playing in only 43 games due to injury and hit .200 on the button.  he played in his last major league game in july of 1990 before going on the disabled list for the rest of the season.  he remained on the indians roster in 1991, but spent the entire year on the dl.

voici à vous, 1990 keith hernandez!