14 February 2012

who's that lurker?

i'll forego the traditional bobby valentine card post on valentine's day to show off a favorite card of mine.  it's steve yeager's 1983 dodgers police issue which i obtained at a dodger game almost 29 years ago.  while i like steve yeager and the daytime image from dodger stadium, my favorite part of the card is the guy lurking in the background.  any guesses who it is?
obviously, it is one steven patrick garvey, patiently waiting on deck for yeager to finish his business.  i am guessing that one of the steves is pinch-hitting for someone since they didn't hit back-to-back in tommy's lineup.  well, what if i told you that they were both pinch-hitters?  well, they are - at least to a certain degree.

assuming this photo is from 1982 (garvey was long gone from chavez ravine in 1983), i can see thanks to baseball reference that yeager only pinch-hit at home a few times.  unfortunately, none of those occurrences came for dusty baker or ron cey or someone who hit in front of garvey in the lineup.  there was, however, the sunday game on august 29 against the cubs.  that day, lasorda sat regulars bill russell, steve yeager, and steve garvey.  both steves were eventually called upon to pinch-hit, with garvey getting the call in the 7th inning to hit for mark belanger after a mike scioscia single.  the garv grounded out (but he moved the runners up!) and stayed in the game batting in belanger's 8th spot.  two innings later, steve yeager pinch-hit for the left-handed hitting scioscia against the cubs' lefty reliever willie (later guillermo) hernandez.  yeager grounded out to end the game with garvey on deck.

i think that's a great card.

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