#21 - Joe Morgan MG

For several seasons, Topps provided small pictures of each team's manager on a team picture card. The practice was discontinued in the 1982 edition, but Donruss and Fleer, Topps' new competitors, featured manager cards in their sets.

Topps quickly returned managers to their cards in 1983 and varied what they put on the back: Career records, team checklists, and team leaders for the season were all used.

The 1991 set features team leaders. Our first manager is Boston's Joe Morgan, not to be confused with former MVP and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan. A veteran of several teams, the start of Morgan's career was delayed when he served his country in the Korean War. He debuted with the Milwaukee Braves and had small stints with the Kansas City A's, Phillies, Indians and Cardinals. 1990 was Morgan's third year as the Red Sox skipper and he piloted the team to their second division title in three years.

Career Stats

Manager Stats
 

1990 Red Sox Stats

 Ellis Burks and Roger Clemens were the clear batting and pitching leaders.  Note that Burks only led the Sox with nine stolen bases.  I suppose that's not that unusual, though: last season Alex Rodriguez led the Yankees with 13 stolen bases.  I believe that the last team to lead their team with so few stolen bases is the 1962 Twins with outfielders Bob Allison and Lenny Green recording eight swipes each.

UPDATE: Slight grammar revision.

#20 - Pedro Guerrero

Pedro Guerrero was signed by the Cleveland Indians as a 17-year old free agent in 1973. The Dodgers made a shrewd deal by getting him for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen less than a year later. He was first called up to the Dodgers in 1978 and their patience was rewarded when he broke out as one of the NL's top sluggers in 1982. To boost their rotation for their unlikely division run in 1988, Los Angeles traded Pedro to St. Louis for John Tudor.  Pedro remained the Cardinals' starting first baseman when he was able to stay on the field.

Career Stats

'91: 115 G, 472 PA (427 AB), .272/.326/.361, 116 H, 41 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 70 RBI, 4 SB (2 CS), 37 BB, 46 K, 94 OPS+

Best '91 Game: July 7 vs. Cubs: 3-6, R, 2 RBI

Guerrero knocked in the game-tying run with two outs in the ninth off reliever Laddie Renfroe.  Then, after the Cubs took the lead in the 11th, Guerrero again tied the game off Renfroe with a single after Todd Zeile doubled to lead off the 12th.  The Cards went on to prevail 8-7.

After '91: Guerrero totaled just 43 games for the Cards in 1992 thanks to a shoulder injury.  He played with the Sioux Falls Canaries in the independent Northern League in 1993 and 1994, a period with the Mexican League's Jalisco Charros sandwiched in between Canaries stints.

The Angels signed Pedro to a deal in 1995, but he only played with the Class AA Midland Angels in the Texas League before hanging up his spikes.

#19 - Jeff Robinson

Touted as a starting prospect in 1983, Robinson spent his first pro year in Class A Fresno, going 7-6 with a 2.28 ERA in 13 starts. The Giants, devoid of rotation talent, brought him up in 1984 and he failed miserably, the team going 12-21 when he started.

However, Robinson stayed in the majors as a long reliever and had some success. After he was traded to the Pirates in 1987, they tried using him again as a starter in 1989 but to no avail.

Robinson logged the most innings out of any exclusive reliever in 1988, finishing second in relief wins (11) and fourth in strikeouts (87) among them.

Career Stats

'91: (With Angels) 39 G, 0-3, 57 IP, 56 H, 34 R, 34 ER, 29 BB, 57 K, 3 SV, 5.37 ERA, 77 ERA+

Robinson became a free agent after the 1990 World Series and signed with the Angels in January.

Best '91 Game: April 30 vs. Indians - 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Robinson blanked the Tribe from the eighth to tenth innings to keep the score knotted at four when the Angels couldn't put across a run. Bryan Harvey coughed up a run in the 11th, but a game-tying homer by Junior Felix and a pinch-hit walk-off single by Jack Howell gave the Angels a 6-5 win.

After '91: Robinson pitched in the Cubs bullpen in 1992 and spent part of the 1993 season for the Tuscon Toros (Class AAA Astros) in the Pacific Coast League before retiring.