I'm Fine With The Expos

In my new tradition of not buying current products, I skipped doing much with this year's Topps Archives product.  You know that they always have great autographs in that set though, so I had to go check out what was available on Ebay.  The Cardinals selection was underwhelming, but there were former Cardinals in the set wearing other uniforms. 

They are in the Expos Anniversary Set. 

I'm fine with the Expos.  It's not like it's the Cubs Anniversary set, but even then, if it's the right Cardinals player I am going to go for it.  Let's check out the cards. 

This is Ken Hill's second appearance on the blog this week.  Personal best for writing about Ken Hill.  Solid starting pitcher during the 1990s, he actually made his Major League debut as a Cardinal, but was traded to the Expos after a few years.  Hill's best years were as an Expo, so it's probably pretty fair to put him in an Expos set.  Although, I am not sure how many people would associate him with that team? 

This guy is definitely an Expo, or maybe a Rockie. 

Nobody remembers Andres Galarraga playing for the Cardinals, and I have a feeling that if you asked Andres about it he would prefer you forget about it too.  Not his best year.  Interestingly enough he was traded to the Cardinals for Ken Hill.  Kind of connects my two former Cardinals cards here.  Hill ended up getting traded back to the Cardinals, Galarraga went on to hit a lot of home runs and win a batting title or two with the Rockies.  

All the Expos cards in the Topps Archives set are on the 1969 Topps design.  There are also non-autographed versions of all these cards.  Might have to get the Bartolo Colon Expos cards, not willing to shill out for the autograph.  

A 1980s Card Part 15 - 1989 Topps Traded Ken Hill

Ken Hill was originally in the Tigers Minor League system, but the Cardinals picked him up in trade for catcher Mike Heath.  When you watched Ken Hill pitch, he looked the part of a very good pitcher.  He threw hard, could rack up the Ks, and for a few years he was the best young pitcher the Cardinals had in their rotation.  The front office's patience wained a bit, and he was traded to the Expos for Andres Galarraga. 

Ken Hill was great for the Expos.  He won 16 games his first year in Montreal, and then led the National League in wins during the strike shortened 1994 season. 

I found this video from an Expos broadcast that seems to give a little bit into Ken Hill's career....

Know that the Expos traded him back to the Cardinals where he continued his trend of looking like a really good pitcher, but getting none of the results.  Ken Hill would go on to pitch for 14 years in the Majors, finishing with a 117-109 record, and an ERA just above 4.00.  If only he could have pitched 15 years for the Expos....

On to the card.  

The Cardinals roster started turning over from the WhiteyBall era players in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Half of the team left via free agency, and there were a lot of young players on the way up to the team.  Todd Zeile was sort of the most highly regarded prospect of the bunch, but the Cardinals also had Ray Lankford, Bernard Gilkey, Geronimo Pena, and Hill. 

I wouldn't say that Hill was a bust, he just turned out to be an end of the rotation starter with a front of the rotation arm.  He was really the Cardinals only decent young arm from the early 1990s though.  The rest all seemed to turn into relievers.  See Rheal Cormier. 

Back of the card. 

Hill was called up to the Cardinals from Double A.  While his Minor League numbers look pedestrian, when the Cardinals sent him back down to work at Triple A, he was pretty much untouchable.  Hill went 6-1 with a 1.79 ERA and 104 strikeouts in just 85 innings.  He pitched with the Cardinals in 1990 and 1991, he the trade with the Expos happened before the 1992 season.