1992 Topps #990 Jose Gonzalez

 Todays missing Topps card is #990 Jose Gonzalez. 

Jose got his first Big League action in 1985 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played with them through 42 games in the 1991 season. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 3rd, and played 15 games with them before being claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians. He finished the 1991 season with them and then signed with the California Angels as a free agent. He played the 1992 season with the Angels, his last season in the Bigs. 

I was a fan of the 1988 LA Dodgers team as early as 1992 or so. I got Orel Hershiser’s book ‘Out of the Blue’, and got familiar with many of the names on the team. Jose Gonzalez was one of them, and I was surprised that I couldn’t find any cards of him. I finally got his 1990 Donruss card out of a pack around 1994, and probably got his 1991 Topps card a year or so later. I still don’t have too many Gonzalez cards, but I guess I can understand since he was more of a reserve outfielder. 

Jose only got 2 Topps cards, those coming in the 1990 and 1991 Topps sets. He is missing cards from the 1985 Topps Traded, 1986 Topps, 1987 Topps, 1988 Topps, 1989 Topps, 1991 Topps Traded (2 cards, 1 as a Pirate and 1 as an Indian), 1992 Topps Traded, and 1993 Topps sets. 

Besides the 1992 Topps custom, I have made Jose’s 1989 Topps card,

both 1991 Topps Traded cards,

and his 1992 Topps Traded card. 

Reader Paul B. also helped and made his 1993 Topps sunset card. 

Now Jose is just missing cards from the 1985 Topps Traded, 1986 Topps, 1987 Topps, and 1988 Topps sets and his career Topps run will be complete. 

Thanks for checking out my latest post. 

-Jeremy