#26 Skeeter Barnes

About the Front: Here's another truly odd photo. Skeeter Barnes is staring up at his own right hand as he throws the ball, as if to say, "Yep, I've still got the ball. Am I doing this right?". Or possibly, just as he was winding up to throw, a plane buzzed over top of the stadium. Hopefully he wasn't that easily distracted.

About the Back: There's a good visual representation of a journeyman's career. In the eight years from his MLB debut with the Reds to his arrival in Detroit, he totaled 75 games in five seasons, and didn't even get a sniff of the majors in the other three seasons. Besides the Reds, Expos, and Cardinals, Barnes also passed through the Phillies, Brewers, and Pirates organizations before getting his shot with the Tigers at age 34 in 1991. Talk about resilient!

Triple Play:

1. His birth name is William Henry Barnes.

2. His lack of a true defensive position and his struggles in various cups of coffee in the big leagues kept Barnes in the bus leagues for more than a decade despite his minor league batting line of .296/.348/.431.

3. Skeeter has coached in the Tigers and Rays organizations, and is currently Tampa Bay's minor league coordinator for base running.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Skeeter is a great name. You've got to have something to distinguish yourself when you're a utility player.

Bill James Said: "He's now 37 years old, but in great shape, and one of the most reliable bench players in the American League." After going 6-for-21 (.286) in 24 games in 1994, Barnes was sent back to AAA Toledo. He retired at season's end.

On This Date in 1993: June 21. Jeromy Burnitz debuted for the Mets, replacing Bobby Bonilla in right field and in the cleanup spot in the seventh inning of an 8-3 win over the Expos. He struck out looking in his only at-bat, the first of 1,376 punchouts in a 14-year career. (He would also hit 315 home runs, which is pretty swell.)

NOTE: I will be away at the beach for the next week, so the 1993 Topps blog will be pretty quiet for the rest of the month. See you later!