Two Random Rynos

In this weekly series, I show off two random Ryne Sandberg cards from my 600+ card PC. One will be from his playing days (pre-1998) and one since his retirement (1998-present).

Another week, another two random Ryne Sandberg cards.

Playing Days:

Ames, a since defunct chain of discount stores, issued 33-card sets in 1989 (20/20 players) and 1990 (All-Stars). Today's card is from the former set. Andre Dawson was also a Cub in this set and the only Cub in the 1990 set, despite Sandberg, Rick Sutcliffe and Mitch Williams being Cubs All-Star representatives in 1989.

The term "20/20" references the unique blend of power and speed that honors players who accumulated 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season. The interesting thing about this set is that the players represented didn't do it the previous season. They had just done it at some point.

Sandberg's lone 20/20 season to this point had come in 1985. He would also later join the club in 1990 and 1991. Sandberg was one home run shy of the feat in both 1984 and 1988, and three solen bases shy in 1992. His 162-game average over the course of his 16-year career was 21 home runs and 26 stolen bases.

Last season, 118 players hit at least 20 home runs but only 29 players had at least 20 stolen bases. Just eight players make the combined 20/20 list (Jose Altuve, Mookie Betts, Elvis Andrus, Brett Gardner, Mike Trout, Keon Broxton, Wil Myers, Andrew Benintendi) and none of them made the 30/30 club. In fact, we haven't seen 30/30 since 2012 when Mike Trout and Ryan Braun* did it. Maybe I'm out of the loop as an old fogey and a total Cubs homer, but does that list inspire a set the way the players of the 80's did?

The Cubs had six players with twenty home runs in 2017, setting their franchise record. Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez tied for the team lead in stolen bases with just ten.

Alfonso Soriano hit 29 home runs and stole 19 bases in 2008 and 33/19 in 2007 but the last actual 20/20 player for the Cubs was Corey Patterson who had 24 home runs and 32 stolen bases in 2004.

Maybe the new speedy Kyle Schwarber can get on base and pull it off?

Post Retirement:

I know I'm not in the minority when I say I'm a big fan of Stadium Club. Full bleed photos, thick card stock, minimal design aspect. Perfect. If I had the disposable income, I would try to build these sets every year but for now, I stick to the Cubs.

This card comes out of the 2015 set. The Cubs wore these alternate jerseys from 1994-1996. Sandberg's first retirement was from halfway through the 1994 and all of 1995, so the photo is most likely from the 1996 season when he came back.

I don't think I knew Sandberg was the son of a mortician until I first picked up this card. I've read his autobiography several times but not in the past ten years. If it was mentioned there, I'd forgotten about it.