Mike Cuellar---1967
Mike Cuellar gave a rather timid look
when he posed for his 1967 card.
Looking at the card, the term ‘Future
Cy Young Award Winner’ doesn’t
jump to the forefront of our thoughts.
Yet, just two years later, after being
dealt to the Orioles prior to the 1969
season, the southpaw tamed the
American League to share Cy Young
honors with Detroit’s Denny McClain.
Possibly he just never felt
comfortable with the Astros, thus the
soft look. Despite setting the Houston
franchise mark for wins in a season
with 16 in 1967; Cuellar was denied
permission for his annual ritual of
pitching winter ball. His 1968 season
started with a sore shoulder, which
he claimed was caused by having his
winter off, leading the Astros to deal
the lefty to Baltimore for primarily
Curt Blefray following an 8-11, 2.74
campaign in ‘68.
With a five-pitch arsenal that was
punctuated with a killer screwball,
Cuellar carved his way to a 23-11,
2.38 mark in his Orioles debut of ‘69.
Stumbling out of the gate with a 6-5
record in early June, primarily due to
silent Baltimore bats, Cuellar was
bypassed for All-Star consideration
despite his 10 wins and 2.35 ERA at
the break. We guess the snub must
have lit a fire under the Cuban, as
Cuellar went 13-2 the rest of the way
to lead the Orioles to the playoffs.
Cuellar would go on to log four 20-
win seasons for the O’s, en route to
143 wins in an Orioles uniform. For
Baltimore, the 5-11 lefty would pitch
in three World Series and represent
the franchise in three All-Star
Games. However, when kids opened
their packs of cards in 1967 and
found this card meekly staring back
at them, we figure that they didn’t
jump for joy with the excitement of
knowing that they just scored a card
of a potential future Cy Young Award
winner.
(10/16/08)
Editor's Note: Cuellar passed away
the other day, thus the rerun of his
card. Here's a link to his obit if you
missed it... Cuellar Passes Away at
Age 62, The New York Times
(4/7/10)
when he posed for his 1967 card.
Looking at the card, the term ‘Future
Cy Young Award Winner’ doesn’t
jump to the forefront of our thoughts.
Yet, just two years later, after being
dealt to the Orioles prior to the 1969
season, the southpaw tamed the
American League to share Cy Young
honors with Detroit’s Denny McClain.
Possibly he just never felt
comfortable with the Astros, thus the
soft look. Despite setting the Houston
franchise mark for wins in a season
with 16 in 1967; Cuellar was denied
permission for his annual ritual of
pitching winter ball. His 1968 season
started with a sore shoulder, which
he claimed was caused by having his
winter off, leading the Astros to deal
the lefty to Baltimore for primarily
Curt Blefray following an 8-11, 2.74
campaign in ‘68.
With a five-pitch arsenal that was
punctuated with a killer screwball,
Cuellar carved his way to a 23-11,
2.38 mark in his Orioles debut of ‘69.
Stumbling out of the gate with a 6-5
record in early June, primarily due to
silent Baltimore bats, Cuellar was
bypassed for All-Star consideration
despite his 10 wins and 2.35 ERA at
the break. We guess the snub must
have lit a fire under the Cuban, as
Cuellar went 13-2 the rest of the way
to lead the Orioles to the playoffs.
Cuellar would go on to log four 20-
win seasons for the O’s, en route to
143 wins in an Orioles uniform. For
Baltimore, the 5-11 lefty would pitch
in three World Series and represent
the franchise in three All-Star
Games. However, when kids opened
their packs of cards in 1967 and
found this card meekly staring back
at them, we figure that they didn’t
jump for joy with the excitement of
knowing that they just scored a card
of a potential future Cy Young Award
winner.
(10/16/08)
Editor's Note: Cuellar passed away
the other day, thus the rerun of his
card. Here's a link to his obit if you
missed it... Cuellar Passes Away at
Age 62, The New York Times
(4/7/10)
