#457 Padres Rookies Card

Odd lot here,  two eventual Friar regulars and another player who did not play after 1970...

Darcy Fast  Strange name “Darcy did you know your name is an adverb?”....interesting story given he pitched 10 inning for the Cubs in 1968...called the “missing Cub” of because his role in the 1969 season....he has written a book about himself with that title.....starting in 1967 pitched well in Cub’s low minors and made an adequate jump to upper minors....had a great AAA season in 1969....seemed geared for midseason call up maybe the factor that puts the Cubs over the top....Called up all right, to military service....Something must of happened while in service of his country, lost all effectiveness while being assigned to minors 1970...ballooned ERA and mounting losses (2-13 W-L) and never played again....wound up in SD organization in an unknown transaction later on during season henceforth a Padres prospect....a mysterious baseball career, became an ordained minister which he still does...

Derrel Thomas  Highly touted prospect acquired from the Astros...Anticipation of speed and hitting....Padres traded one of their finer pitchers Dave Roberts for him...Career with San Diego consisted of a three stint 1972-74 and a return in 1978....seemingly hoodwinked when in a Padres uniform ending up with a career .237 BA....did better for Giants and Dodgers....long career spanning 1971 to 1985 with 5000 plus plate appearances....some good seasons here, once reaching .276 BA.....Use speed in his stock and trade but not overwhelming so...a career best stolen bases was 28 in his career year of 1975.... irony:  traded back to SD was for fellow card mate...

Mike Ivie....Mike was overall #1 pick in 1970 draft....initially sought as a catcher, their first home grown non castoff,  turns out it was a position that never suited him....no fast track here, took a while (5 years) to get to the bigs to stay....fair to good hitter....as a whole career did better than most Padres prospects...like Thomas did better outside of SD however...line drive hitter with Padres, paradoxically gains a home run stroke with Giants hitting 11 and 27 in the 1978-79 season despite Candlestick’s winds....cools off in 1980 with drops in BA and power...1981 is hampered by 3 month stint on the DL...released by Houston early 1982 has a slight comeback with Detroit hitting 14 home runs...released in 1983 after poor start.