#378 Orlando Merced

About the Front: Orlando Merced wasn't much of a threat on the basepaths, as his three career triples and 57-for-86 lifetime stolen base rate indicate. What we see here is a pretty awkward attempt at a pop-up slide into third base.

About the Back: Interestingly, baseball is not listed as one of Merced's high school sports...but volleyball is. That's a rarity. Apparently his school had no baseball team, so he only played American Legion ball.

Triple Play:

1. In 1993, he ranked fourth in the National League with a .414 on-base percentage.

2. Orlando hit 103 career home runs. 11 of those were pinch homers, including a walkoff three-run shot on September 12, 1998 that gave the Cubs a 15-12 win over Bob Wickman and the Brewers.

3. He has had coaching stints with the AA Tulsa Drillers (a Rockies affiliate at the time) and the Class A West Virginia Power (a Pirates affiliate).

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Merced was the only Orlando in the big leagues in 1993. Of course, Orlandos Miller, Palmeiro, Cabrera, Hernandez, and Hudson all debuted in the ensuing decade. It was an Orlando Renaissance!

Bill James Said: "Merced hit .362 before the All-Star break, .242 afterward."

On This Date in 1993: February 19. Army of Darkness, the third movie in Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell's Evil Dead series, premieres.