#19 Ed Nunez

About the Front: One of the biggest visual changes to occur in my 20 years of baseball fandom is the cut of uniforms. Players today wear their duds much looser than they did in 1993. Ed Nunez was a big dude (6'5", 235-240 pounds), and he squeezed into those skintight pants. I'd call it a change for the better, but some guys go too far and seem to be wearing pajamas.

About the Back: Because I know you're curious...the trade that sent Nunez from the Brewers to the Rangers was for the infamous Player to Be Named Later. The PTBNL turned out to be minor league pitcher Mark Hampton. I'm sorry for sharing that.

Triple Play:

1. Ed was the youngest player in the league when he debuted with the Mariners in 1982 at age 18. In his second-ever big league game, April 13, he pitched the 12th-17th innings. He allowed one run and struck out five in six innings. The game was suspended in the top of the 18th and resumed the following day, and Gene Nelson took the loss in the 20th for Seattle.

2. In 1985, he was the fifth-busiest reliever in the American League. The righty appeared in 70 games for the Mariners, leading the club with 16 saves.

3. Despite finishing second on the Athletics with 56 games pitched in 1993 (with a 3.83 ERA), Nunez did not make the cut in the 1994 Topps set. He allowed 20 runs in 15 innings in 1994, was released in mid-May, and that was that.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Nunez was another one of those guys that Topps presented differently than other card companies. To Donruss, Fleer, and Score, he was "Edwin". Topps stubbornly stuck with "Ed". Baseball Reference lists him as "Ed", so maybe Topps was in the right here after all. But it was a bit confusing to a kid.

Bill James Said: "Opposing hitters hit .298 against him, but he gave up only two home runs, and his strikeout/walk data was good." Those numbers do seem to indicate that he was walking a tightrope, and fell off in 1994.

On This Date in 1993: June 11. This is taken from the Baseball-Reference Bullpen wiki: "The Yankees-Brewers game at County Stadium is interrupted by some 100 seagulls who swoop down onto the field‚ apparently in search of moths hatching in the infield and outfield grass. The Yankees eventually win the game by a score of 5 - 4‚ winning in the 9th on a two-run pinch homer by Kevin Maas. While no players or seagulls are hurt‚ Wade Boggs calls the situation "terribly dangerous". The seagulls will return for tomorrow night's game‚ but the Brewers will be prepared for the birds. Gus the wonder dog‚ on loan from the Wisconsin waterfowl association‚ will keep them away."