#468 Matt Whiteside

About the Front: Say what you will about the changes in baseball fashions over the past two decades, but at least the jackets look nicer now.

About the Back: It's good to see such drastically different composition in the front and back photos. At least Matt Whiteside is facing in the opposite direction. So, which is his good side, do you think?

Triple Play:

1. His nickname is "Whitey", proving once again how inventive ballplayers can be when it comes to monikers.

2. Matt was a guest judge for the 1996 Miss USA Pageant.

3. Whiteside now lives in Missouri and is a pitching instructor and owner of All-Star Performance Baseball Camps and Clinics.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I seem to recall confusing him with Dan Smith, another Texas rookie pitcher with a dull card in this set. We'll see him on card #607.

Bill James Said: "Excellent control, best pitch is a sinking fastball, doesn't throw 90."

On This Date in 1993: August 14. The Smashing Pumpkins play their entire Siamese Dream album live in concert at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago, IL.

#467 Lee Stevens

About the Front: Lee Stevens is rocking a sweatshirt underneath his jersey, so I'm guessing it's pretty chilly wherever he is. (Cleveland?) Maybe that accounts for the near-total lack of fans in the bleachers behind him.

About the Back: "Mark Snipp" sounds like a Harry Potter character. He needs a more outlandish first name though. I'd suggest Maurelius Snipp.

Triple Play:

1. After batting .262/.325/.495 with 43 home runs and 136 RBI in 222 games with Japan's Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1994-1995, Stevens returned to America and played another seven seasons for the Rangers, Expos, and Indians.

2. He hit 144 home runs in the major leagues, including three in one game against the Tigers on April 13, 1998...but never had a walkoff homer.

3. Lee has been the hitting coach for the Rookie-level Grand Junction Rockies since 2013.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I never had the opportunity to wear eye black in Little League. I have a hunch that the visual effect would have been hilarious.

Bill James Said: Nothing, since Lee spent the 1993 season with Toronto's AAA Syracuse club, batting .264/.328/.449 in 116 games.

On This Date in 1993: August 13. Johnny Gaudreau is born in Salem, NJ. In 2014, he would be the NCAA's Hobey Baker Award winner, recognized as the top collegiate hockey player for his efforts at Boston College. He would join the NHL's Calgary Flames that same year, making the All-Star team as a rookie.

#466 Mike Felder

About the Front: Mike Felder looks somewhat embarrassed to be running to first base. "Is it even worth running out this little dribbler?"

About the Back: Felder's bases-clearing triple on May 27, 1992 came in the top of the ninth with two outs and the Giants clinging to a 2-1 lead, so it was pretty crucial. He scored San Francisco's sixth run on a Willie McGee single, and the Giants went on to win 6-2.

Triple Play:

1. Mike was the National League Player of the Week for May 26-June 1, 1991. In seven games over that span, he batted .467 (14-for-30) with two doubles, two triples, six runs scored, five RBI, and three steals in as many chances. He had five multi-hit games out of the seven.

2. He was the recipient of the Willie Mac Award in 1992. Since 1980, the Giants have honored one player each year who best represents the spirit and leadership of Hall of Famer Willie McCovey. The Giants' players and coaches vote on the award.

3. Mike last played in the majors with the Astros in 1994, but continued his career in various independent leagues and in Mexico through the 1998 season.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I couldn't tell you much about Mike Felder, but after all these years, I still remember his nickname - "Tiny". Such are the indignities of the 5'8", 160-pound athlete.

Bill James Said: "Felder signed with Seattle as a free agent, and opened the season as their regular left fielder, in which role he was a miserable failure (surprise, surprise, isn't this like the fourth time we've learned this?)." I'd say Bill was being needlessly cruel, but Felder's .211/.262/.269 line (43 OPS+) with one homer, 20 RBI, and 15-for-24 stolen bases makes me wonder how in God's name the Mariners allowed him to collect 374 plate appearances in 1993.

On This Date in 1993: August 12. The number one song in the U.S. is UB40's cover of Can't Help Falling in Love. Man, I never liked those guys.

#465 Tony Fernandez

About the Front: Great picture, with Barry Bonds barreling into second base in an attempt to break up the double play and Tony Fernandez suspended in midair, completing the relay throw to first. My crack research shows that this shot was taken during the May 17, 1992 game in Pittsburgh. In the bottom of the first, Bonds was hit by an Andy Benes pitch to load the bases. Gary Varsho slapped a grounder to second baseman Tim Teufel. Teufel threw to Fernandez to force Bonds at second base, but Varsho beat out the relay to first and Orlando Merced scored from third. Ultimately the Padres won 6-5, with Fernandez collecting a pair of singles, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored in five plate appearances.

About the Back: Tony's 17 triples in 1990 blew away the competition, with National League leader Mariano Duncan totaling 11 three-baggers and American League runner-up Sammy Sosa notching 10.

Triple Play:

1. Fernandez won four straight Gold Gloves at shortstop, 1986-1989. He also made the All-Star team in 1986, 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1999. The 1999 season saw him reach career highs with a .328 average, .427 on-base percentage, 41 doubles, 75 RBI, and a 125 OPS+ at age 37.

2. Tony batted .327 in 43 career postseason games, and drove in nine runs for Toronto in the 1993 World Series.

3. To date, he is the Blue Jays' all-time leader in Baseball Reference's defensive WAR (11.9) as well as games played (1,450), hits (1,583), and triples (72).

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I didn't like Fernandez when I was 11 and he helped those blasted Jays beat the Phillies in the World Series. But I REALLY developed a distaste for him four years later when he jumped on a first-pitch slider by Armando Benitez with two outs in the top of the 11th in Game Six of the ALCS, sending the best Orioles team of my lifetime home for the winter without a ring. Lousy bum.

Bill James Said: "It is assumed at this writing that Fernandez will leave the Blue Jays for greener bank accounts, leaving Alex Gonzalez to play short for Toronto." Tony did indeed sign with the Reds as a free agent, but for just half a million dollars plus incentives.

On This Date in 1993: August 11. The Cubs blow leads of 5-0, 7-5, 10-7, and finally, 11-10 on the road against the Marlins. Randy Myers hands Florida a walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with one out on a walk, a single, a stolen base, and an intentional walk. Jeff Conine's sacrifice fly ties it up, and Gary Sheffield ends the game with an RBI single.

#464 Greg Colbrunn

About the Front: What's up with the blank white panels on the wall behind Greg Colbrunn? My guess would be that Topps is covering up advertisements, but I'm not sure that they've ever done that.

About the Back: The Expos actually brought Greg up to the majors in September of 1990 so he could work on his defense as a catcher. He blew out his elbow throwing to second base, and missed the entire 1991 season.

Triple Play:

1. Colbrunn did his best work as a part-time player with the Diamondbacks later in his career, batting .310/.384/.527 (126 OPS+) in 337 games over parts of five seasons. He started at first base for Arizona in Game Six of the 2001 World Series, going 2-for-5 with a walk, two runs scored, and an RBI in a 15-2 rout of New York.

2. On September 18, 2002, he hit for the cycle against the Padres, going 5-for-6 with a pair of homers and four RBI.

3. He coached for the Yankees' Single-A Charleston club from 2007-2012, including a stint as the team's manager in 2010. Greg was the Red Sox' hitting coach in 2013-2014, resigning due to health concerns. In 2015, he returned to the Charleston coaching staff.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: Colbrunn was one of the weak links on the Expos team that I favored in the SNES Ken Griffey, Jr. baseball game, probably due to his .255/.282/.392 batting line in 1993.

Bill James Said: "Although he hits well for a catcher he doesn't hit enough to be a regular first baseman, and when Cliff Floyd showed up the Expos released him."

On This Date in 1993: August 10. Mets pitcher Bret Saberhagen admits to having sprayed bleach at three reporters on July 27, and agrees to donate $15,384.61 - one day's pay - to the Eye Research Foundation.

#463 Scott Aldred

About the Front: I'd like to imagine that Scott Aldred is pitching to a raccoon and receiving signs from a grizzly bear in a catcher's mask.

About the Back: Aldred didn't even have particularly impressive minor league numbers. I wonder what it was that compelled the Rockies to tab him in the expansion draft.

Triple Play:

1. Scott was a winner in his big league debut on September 9, 1990, somehow keeping the Brewers from scoring despite walking five and yielding four hits in five innings.

2. Aldred hung around for parts of nine major league seasons, with his best overall performance coming in a lefty specialist role out of the Devil Rays' bullpen in 1998 (3.73 ERA, 128 ERA+ in 31.1 innings and 48 games).

3. He has spent the last decade coaching in the Yankee farm system, including six seasons in his current position as pitching coach of the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre club.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I don't think it ever occurred to me just how strange it was to stage baseball card photos in the middle of the forest.

Bill James Said: "A hard-throwing lefthander who knows as much about pitching as a giraffe knows about NAFTA." Ouch. I guess the first part of that sentence answers my question about why the Rockies drafted him.

On This Date in 1993: August 6. Cecil "Tex" Hughson, a three-time All-Star who pitched for the Red Sox from 1941-1944 and 1946-1949, dies of kidney failure at age 77.

#462 Felix Fermin

About the Front: Cameo alert! Is Joe Carter safe or out? Either way, it's a great photo. It's always fun to see the cloud of dirt kick up.

About the Back: That's right, it took Felix Fermin 4,234 professional plate appearances to hit his first home run. The unfortunate victim was White Sox reliever Donn Pall.

Triple Play:

1. In 1989, Fermin was the runaway American League leader in sacrifice bunts, amassing 32 for the Indians. Be still, my heart!

2. His son Andy was a 32nd-round pick of the Blue Jays in the 2010 draft. He has a career batting line of .267/.346/.379 in six minor league seasons.

3. Felix has managed in the Dominican Republic and in Mexico, and has won a record five Dominican Winter League championships. In 2007, he also helmed the Mexican League champions, Sultanes de Monterrey.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: His name is much more amusing when you pronounce it like "vermin".

Bill James Said: "Led American League in errors, with 23, was last in fielding percentage for a regular shortstop (.960)." And somehow the Indians flipped him and Reggie Jefferson for Omar Vizquel. Nice trade, Seattle.

On This Date in 1993: August 5. Magic: The Gathering, a fantasy-based trading card game, is released.

#461 Steve Reed

About the Front: Steve Reed is lost in the inky black abyss.

About the Back: What does it take for an undrafted submarine-style pitcher to make it to the big leagues? Just five-plus seasons in the minors with a sub-2.00 ERA - including his 12.1 scoreless innings at AAA Colorado Springs in 1993, Reed had a career earned run average of 1.99 and 110 saves in 261 appearances in the minors.

Triple Play:

1. His personal-best season was 1995, when he appeared in a career-high 71 games for the Rockies, going 5-2 with a 2.14 ERA and three saves. He struck out 79 batters in 84 innings and had three scoreless appearances in the NLDS.

2. Reed earned his first big-league save on July 11, 1993. He relieved Gary Wayne after the latter had allowed an RBI pinch single to Mark Whiten, cutting Colorado's lead to 2-1 with no outs in the eighth inning. Danny Sheaffer threw out pinch runner Ozzie Smith attempting to steal second, and Reed struck out four of the final five St. Louis batters.

3. Steve lives in Golden, CO with his wife and two sons. He enjoys golf, fishing, and hunting.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: I'll defer to 20-year-old Kevin, who had the misfortune of watching a 40-year-old Steve Reed run out of gas with the 2005 Orioles. That year, the reliever posted a 6.61 ERA in 30 appearances, allowing 24 runs on 41 hits and 11 walks in 32.2 innings. The O's released him in mid-July, signalling the end of his career.

Bill James Said: "If anybody can succeed despite this park, he's the man." In seven years with the Rockies, Reed had a 3.63 ERA and a 140 ERA+. Once you account for the offense-heavy era and ballpark in which he played, he was 40% better than the league average.

On This Date in 1993: August 4. Happy anniversary, Robin Ventura! It's been 22 years to the day since your ill-advised mound visit with Nolan Ryan.

#460 Randy Johnson

About the Front: I think the horizontal format was necessary in order to fit Randy Johnson's massive wingspan on the card.

About the Back: Later in his career, the Big Unit topped that 18-K performance three times, culminating in an MLB-record-tying 20 strikeouts against the Reds on May 8, 2001.

Triple Play:

1. Johnson no-hit the Tigers on June 2, 1990, scattering six walks. On May 18, 2004, he hurled a perfect game against the Braves, striking out 13 batters.

2. An exhaustive yet non-comprehensive list of Randy's accolades includes: a 303-166 record, 3.29 ERA (135 ERA+), 100 complete games, 37 shutouts, and 4,875 strikeouts (second only to Nolan Ryan). His 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings is the best career ratio in MLB history. The towering lefty led his league in winning percentage and ERA four times each and was a nine-time league leader in strikeouts. He won five Cy Young Awards (including four straight, 1999-2002), and was runner-up in three other seasons. He was co-MVP with Curt Schilling in the 2001 World Series, when he earned the win in three of the Diamondbacks' four Series wins and allowed two runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out 19 batters in 17.1 innings. Just last month, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot.

3. After retiring from baseball, Johnson took up photojournalism, and can be seen plying his trade at rock concerts and NASCAR events.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: On June 5, 1995, I sat in Oriole Park at Camden Yards and watched Randy hurl a three-hit, one-walk, 12-strikeout gem against Baltimore. He got 18 straight outs to end the game.

Bill James Said: "His control has improved dramatically, his walks per game dropping by 49% in the last two years."

On This Date in 1993: August 3. 45-year-old Charlie Hough's knuckleball confounds the Cardinals, as he tosses eight scoreless innings while allowing six hits and a walk and whiffing five. A Benito Santiago home run off of Donovan Osbourne accounts for all of the scoring in a 1-0 Marlins victory. Bryan Harvey pitches a perfect ninth for his 32nd save.