The Blurbs: Diamond Kings by Default

Being designated a Diamond King is supposed to be a good thing, a cap to a breakout season. But for Gerald Perry, Dave Schmidt and Steve Bedrosian, the Donruss copywriters couldn’t help but point out that the company had to choose one player from each team, no matter how bad they were the previous season. So while they may have respectively put together good campaigns in the summer of ’88, you end up feeling bad for them.

I like to think my pessimistic streak comes from Donruss copywriters. So thanks for that, guys.

“The preseason odds of Gerald Perry winning the National League batting title were probably greater than the Braves’ chances of winning the pennant. Tony Gwynn and Tim Raines battle for batting crowns, not Perry, a lifetime .261 hitter entering the ’88 season. Yet there he was, above the .300 mark the whole year. A flash in the pan? When September rolled around, Perry was still leading the league in hitting. Perry was one of very few bright spots on the Braves last year.”

“After winning the National League Cy Young Award in 1987, a few cracks developed in Steve ‘Bedrock’ Bedrosian. The Philadelphia reliever contracted ‘walking pneumonia’ in spring training and missed the first few weeks of the season.”

“Dave Schmidt is not a household name like Roger Clemens or Dwight Gooden, but rival general managers know him—as evidenced by the demand for him from pennant contenders late last season. His versatility is what makes Schmidt so valuable…So in a year when Baltimore set an AL record for most losses to start the season, the Orioles had at least one bright spot on their pitching staff.”

All cards from 1989 Donruss.