1984 mike easler

mike easler was traded from the pirates to the red sox in december of 1983. here is his 1984 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

this was the second time the red sox acquired easler, but the first time he would play for them. they had purchased his contract from the pirates after the 1978 season, but then traded him back to pittsburgh during spring training in 1979. in 1984 with the red sox, easler set career highs in just about every offensive category. he hit .313 with 27 home runs and 91 rbi, and also had a 20-game hitting streak as he lived up to his 'hit man' nickname. his first home run of the season came in the second game of the year and was a 2-run homer in the top of the 9th to give the bosox a 2-1 lead against the angels. he also had a 12th inning walk-off later in the year against the white sox. he played one more year for the red sox before they sent him to the yankees.


voici à vous, 1984 mike easler!

1987 mike easler

the yankees traded mike 'hit man' easler to the phillies in december of 1986.  here is his 1987 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

the yankees had given up don baylor (who quickly became the key to getting to the world series in the late 80's) to acquire easler a year earlier, and they got pitcher charles hudson in return for him from the phillies.  easler was the phillies' every day left fielder for the 33 games in which he appeared.  he hit .282 in those games, but had an ops of just .662. 

meanwhile, back in the bronx, the gary ward/claudell washington/ron kittle trio wasn't doing too much, so the yankees decided to bring easler back.  he was reacquired by new york in june of 1987 for keith hughes and shane turner.  in 65 games for the yankees as their dh and sometime left fielder, easler hit .281 with an ops of .726.  he was released by the yankees at the end of the season, ending his big league playing career.

voici à vous, 1987 mike easler!