5 September Call-Ups Who Stoked the Baseball Card Market

Who will be the next stretch-run sensation?

If the baseball season were a movie or television show, then September would be the big reveal. The denouement of the plot. The twist untwisted … or corkscrewed harder.

When your team is racing toward the finish, September can feel like a Rocky fight.

Or it can feel like The Sopranos finale if you’re rooting for, say, the 1978 Boston Red Sox.

And, if you’ve been clinging to hope all summer long only to wake up in September to the jarring realization of your team’s true destiny, well, welcome to The Sixth Sense.

But, no matter where you fall on the team-fate spectrum as baseball rounds third looking for Wendell Kim to wave it home, there is another source of hope: the September call-ups.

These are the guys that maybe you’ve heard about, and maybe you haven’t, but who you know will help shape future Septembers for your club (or not so much).

And, when they hit big as the weather starts to cool, they’re the types of guys who can light the card market on fire.

Remember these lighter-fluid dudes?

Fernando Valenzuela - 1980

In September of 1980, the Dodgers were in a fight for their playoff lives with the Houston Astros in the old National League West. The two teams would end up tied after 162 games, and then the Astros beat L.A. in a one-game playoff in game #163.

Dave Goltz got roughed up early in that one, giving up four runs in three innings, and then was spelled by a literal handful of other Dodger hurlers.

One of those was 19-year-old Fernando Valenzuela, who pitched two scoreless innings in the losing cause.

But Fernando had already caused a Blue Stir, appearing in ten games from September 15 through the end of the season and allowing ZERO runs and striking out 16 in 17.2 innings.

It was merely a warmup for the Fernandomania to come, but it was enough to make collectors thrilled to pull a 1981 Topps or Fleer Fernando (“Fernand” in the case of Fleer) rookie card the next season.

Jose Canseco - 1985

Canseco climbed steadily through the A’s farm system from 1982 through 1984, then broke out for 36 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A in 1985. That got minors-aware fans chattering, and then came the call-up.

In 29 games, Canseco hit .302 with five bombs and shot to the top of the 1986 prospect list.

Donruss and Fleer were listening, and so were collectors, who drove up prices for his 1986 rookie cards right out of the pack.

Kevin Seitzer - 1986

While Canseco was putting the finishing touches on his Rookie-of-the-Year season in September of 1986, the defending champion Royals were circling the drain and starting to plan for 1987.

Part of that scheming was a look-see for 24-year-old Kevin Seitzer, who some K.C. faithful may have heard was the heir apparent to George Brett at third base, but who was an unknown to the rest of us.

That all changed after Seitzer put up a .323 batting average in 28 games and staked his claim to a roster spot for ‘87. He held that spot through Spring Training, and then really did take over at third base.

He also hit .323 again, this time in 161 games, collecting a league-leading 207 hits in the process.

Oh, and quickly relegating John Stefero to second fiddle on their shared rookie card.

Gregg Jefferies - 1987 (and 1988)

Way before the 1988 season was even a twinkle in anybody’s eye, Gregg Jefferies was anointed the “next Mickey Mantle.”

He was going to be the next in the line of great, young Mets who would keep the team winning for decades.

And, after three years of minor league seasoning, Jefferies got the call to Shea in September of 1987. It was more of a courtesy nod for a young player after a great season, but the six games got fans and collectors hungry for more.

Fleer and Donruss obliged by issuing Jefferies RCs in 1988, and they instantly became hobby royalty.

Another solid season at Triple-A followed, with a longer and productive call-up in September of 1988.

You couldn’t even hold Jefferies cards in your hand that winter, lest they melt your fingerprints right off.

Juan Gonzalez - 1989 (and 1990)

Gonzalez didn’t come with the sort of advance hype that Jefferies did, but when he started crushing minor league pitching as a teenager, pundits began to notice.

His 24-game call-up in September of 1989 was uninspiring, but it was enough to land him on some 1990 rookie cards. And, when he smacked 29 home runs that summer, collectors started to take notice.

Another September call-up — this one at the tender age of 20 — produced four long balls and set the stage for a winter of Juan Gone cardboard speculation.

—

What September call-ups do YOU most remember?

And did they spark any extra activity on the hobby front for you?

I’d love to hear your stories!

Thanks for reading.

—Adam