This Angel Had an Unlikely Triple Triple
And rubbed elbows (on the field) with some all-time greats
Today’s Lineup…
👶 Card of the Day - Baby food cardboard
🛍️ Smoke(y) in the Hall
1986 Craig Gerber Rookies - Cards of the Day
To hear his coaches and peers tell it (see his Wikipedia page, for example), Craig Gerber was never cut out to be a hitting star in Major League Baseball.
Heck, he spent the vast majority of his time in pro ball just trying to run his way out of the minor leagues after the Angels picked him in the 20th round of the 1981 draft.
It turned out to be a long, slow sprint.
Typical of the age, Gerber was a shortstop with a steady glove, a spaghetti bat, and a set of turbo wheels.
That combination led to a .251 batting average with 2 home runs and 101 stolen bases in six minor league seasons.
But along the way, Gerber also proved to be smart, coachable, and adaptable. When Angels coaches and managers, including Gene Mauch, suggested that Gerber might find a path to the majors by improving on his bunting and learning other infield positions, the youngster got to work.
Team brass noticed Gerber’s efforts and decided his glove was strong enough to warrant a look in Spring Training of 1985, despite a .230 batting average at Triple-A Edmonton in 1984.
And wouldn’t you know it? Gerber not only made the team out of Spring Training, he stuck in Anaheim all year long as the Angels battled for a division title.
That summer, Gerber made 65 appearances for the Halos, mostly at short and third, though he did see action as a second baseman, pinch runner, and (what?) designated hitter.
The results were mixed — .264 batting average, 0-for-3 in stolen base attempts, good glovework. But the 26-year-old rookie earned his hobby stripes, appearing on three rookie cards the next year, as shown above:
1986 Donruss Craig Gerber (#545)
1986 Fleer Craig Gerber (#156)
1986 Topps Craig Gerber (#222)
But even though Gerber proved to be a passable backup for Dick Schofield in the hole (read that Wikipedia page for a fun story from Joe Maddon regarding Gerber, Schofield, and some bikers), he didn’t make it back the next season.
While the Angels were busy winning the American League West and nearly taking the 1986 ALCS, Gerber was back in the minors.
He’d be out of baseball in 1987 before returning for one last minor league romp in 1988. That left him with a triple triple in the majors: 3 rookie cards, 3 extra-base hits (a double and 2 triples), 3 caught-stealings (and 0 stolen bases).
Craig Gerber turns 65 years old today. Happy birthday!
Smoke(y) in the Hall
Those 1985 Angels may not have won anything, technically, other than a bunch of games. But they were a “seasoned” group loaded with huge names and Hall of Fame-level talent.
The actual eventual Cooperstown enshrinees on that team included Reggie Jackson, Rod Carew, and Don Sutton.
And then there were those with plenty of HOF supporters but who remain on the outside as of early 2024: Tommy John, Bobby Grich, and manager Gene Mauch.
All of those guys, save Sutton, were part of the 24-card 1985 Smokey Bear Angels set handed out to young fans at the July 14 game against the Blue Jays at Anaheim Stadium.
Regional sets like this seemed to be all over the place in the 1980s, and they were fun, if not quite works of art. But all these years later, you can still find (for instance) this Angels issue for less than $10 on eBay most days.
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Hope your Monday is a good one. If it’s not, maybe grab a few baseball cards and think back to some happy, sunny day at the ballpark that you stashed away in your heart and mind for just such a moment as this.
I recommend trying to include Dan Driessen or Cesar Cedeno or Tom Hume or Mario Soto — maybe even a 1983 Phillie or two, like Ivan de Jesus or Bob Dernier — in your daydream.
That sorta thing always helps me, at least.
Take care, and thanks for reading.
—Adam