team collector dilemma, part 4 - the rick honeycutt files

this one is pretty easy - not much of a dilemma at all. clearly, only one of these three 1984 topps rick honeycutt cards makes it into my topps dodger team set binder for 1984, and it's this one.the other two cards celebrate his 1983 (american league) pitching prowess. there's this one recognizing him as the american league era leaderand this one, showing him as the texas rangers' leader (obviously) in the same category
this sort of thing is not unprecedented. in the 1978 topps set, larry hisle is shown as a twin on the league rbi leaders card (he drove in 119 as a twinkie in 1977) but his base card features him in an airbrushed brewers uniform, with whom he signed as a free agent during the offseason.

back to honeycutt - the dodgers traded future ace dave stewart, ricky wright and $200k for honeycutt late in the 1983 season, well after he had amassed enough innings to qualify for the league leader position. honeycutt went on to pitch rather poorly for the dodgers the rest of the way, giving up 6 homeruns and posting a 5.77 era in just 39 innings. poor mike boddicker would have been the al era leader if honeycutt's combined season era (3.03) had been considered. honeycutt would bounce back in 1984, though, and finish 6th in the league in era with a 2.84 era.

here's to you, 1984 topps rick honeycutt! all three of you!