One of the troubling realities of being an Orioles fan who collects and blogs about baseball cards is that I have no less than fifteen different cards of Luis Mercedes. Fifteen! On most of these cards, the former outfield prospect is pictured wearing a batting helmet with what seems like a ridiculously excessive amount of white foam padding. I just don't know why that's the case. I suppose that he could have had a concussion in the recent past and it's a protective measure, like the MacGyvered face masks that adorned the helmets of Gary Roenicke, Dave Parker, and others after coming back from beanings. But I tend to think that this ultra-plush helmet was employed by Luis to preserve his luscious jheri curls.
Since I've dragged jheri curls into the conversation, let me just add another early-90s observation: the stadium in the background (most likely Anaheim's ballpark) has a half-visible Bud Dry sign. "Why Ask Why? Dry Bud Dry." It terrifies me that I remember that slogan and yet managed to get all the way to the checkout line at Walmart tonight before realizing that I had left my wallet in the car.
Your Luis Mercedes is my Steve Jeltz.
ReplyDeleteActually I would estimate Randy Ready is the heavy in my Phils collection.
ReplyDeleteJim - Funny that you mention Steve! I just came across a 1991 minor league card of him with the Rochester Red Wings! It's chilling to think that he would have been a Cal Ripken injury away from an Orioles uniform.
ReplyDeletedeal - There's a name you don't hear enough these days.