2016 N.L. Wildcard Game: Mets vs. Giants

For the 2016 postseason I am making Cards That Never Were of Hall of Famers from each team but with a couple of twists. The first twist is that they will appear on cards that coincide with the year they were inducted into Cooperstown. The second twist is that these are not the teams they are best known for playing.

1995 Topps Richie Ashburn

After 12 Hall of Fame seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Richie Ashburn was traded to the Cubs where he spent the 1960 and 1961 seasons. In 1962 he was purchased by the newly formed Mets. There he was selected as the Mets sole representative to the 1962 All Star games. Although present for both games, he only saw action in the second. He was used as a pinch hitter. He singled and scored a run but the National League lost 9-4. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1995.

2015 Topps Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson played in 22 MLB seasons for six different teams. He ended his career in San Francisco in 2009 at the age of 46. Although he is best known for his time in Seattle and Arizona, he began with the Expos and also had short stints with the Astros and Yankees. He was a first-ballot selection to the Hall of Fame in 2015.

1975 Hostess Gary Carter

Montreal Expos CTNW Favorites #1

Although Gary Carter would have a Hall of Fame career behind the plate, most of his rookie season was spent in the outfield. The Expos primary backstop was Barry Foote. Foote was named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team in 1974 and Expos manager Gene Mauch called him "the next Johnny Bench". Meanwhile "The Kid" was selected to the All Star team as an outfielder and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. During his career he was selected to 10 more All Star teams (twice winning the All Star MVP) and won 3 Gold Gloves. All of them as a catcher.

On a side note, the 5 players I picked for my favorite Expos all had great nicknames. This wasn't deliberate, just a lucky coincidence.

"The Rock"

"The Big Unit"

"Rusty" and "Le Grand Orange"

"The Hawk"

"The Kid"

1988 Donruss Randy Johnson

Montreal Expos CTNW Favorites #4

In single-A ball in 1986 Randy Johnson averaged 10 strikeouts every 9 innings. The next year in Double-A he averaged 10.5. At AAA Indianapolis he had 111 K's in 113.1 innings when the Expos called him up in September of 1988. He had an immediate impact going 3-0 in 4 starts and hurling 25 K's in 26 innings. Although his time in Montreal was brief he showed signs of the pitcher he would become.