I Love The 1990s Cardinals Part 19 - Rich Gedman

Every baseball team needs a backup catcher.  In 1990,  the Cardinals had their highly regarded prospect Todd Zeile behind the plate and defensive stand out Tom Pagnozzi on the bench.  The following off season the team moved Zeile to third base to get him out from behind the plate and give Pagnozzi a chance to start.

There was not a good Minor League option at that time, so the Cardinals signed long-time Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman in February of 1991.

Always loved his 1986 card.

Gedman's best years in professional baseball were in the mid 1980s starting in 1984.  He showed the ability to hit with power, ending the 84 season with 24 home runs, 26 doubles, and 72 RBIs, to help the Red Sox win 86 games in a tough American League East.  Gedman was also a good defensive catcher while he was playing in Boston.  His on-field performance helped him earn a spot on the American League All-Star team in 1985 and 1986.

By the late 1980s Gedman was hitting in the low .200s with no power.  The Red Sox traded him the the Astros, where he played 39 games in 1990.  Houston did not resign him and he landed with the Cardinals as a free agent.

I am not even sure how the Cardinals kept Gedman on the roster for both 1991 and 1992.  There have been players cut for far less hitting than Gedman did in his two years for the Cardinals.  In 1991 he hit .106/.140/.213 in 46 games.  Seriously.

Bob Tewksbury, pitcher, hit .155 that season.  Bryn Smith, pitcher, hit .246 with 8 RBIs which tied Gedman.  Omar Oliveras his .226 and Rheal Cormier hit .238.  You get the point.

Gedman actually improved the next season when he returned to the Cardinals.  Having him on the roster was a bad idea in 1991, not sure how he was on the roster in 1992.  Gedman ended the season with a .219/.291/ .286 slash line.

So, on to the baseball cards.  Not even sure how there were Gedman baseball cards in a Cardinals uniform, but I managed to narrow down to a final two cards.  Yes, there are several.

First up is a 1991 Leaf card.

I like the grey border on these cards.  Really simple designs are nice sometimes.  Plus, Rich Gedman is on the card.  I get the 1991 cards were based on his numbers the previous season with the Red Sox and Astros, but those were nearly as bad as the numbers he had as a Cardinal.

Last card.

Not only did Gedman get a baseball card for hitting .100 during a season, it's actually in a nice set.  If only Fleer were not bankrupt these days, we could ask what got Gedman into the set.