Terrible Card Tuesday: 1978 Mike Fischlin

Thanks to Tom Zuppa for suggesting 1978 Mike Fischlin of the Houston Astros for this week’s tribute to sub-mediocrity.  I can honestly say I’ve never heard of this ballplayer before this week. 

Journeyman infielder Fischlin made his rounds in the late 70s and 80s.  He managed to stick around for 10 years playing five different positions despite a .220 lifetime batting average (see 1979 Darrel Chaney).  By 1978, he hadn’t found his stick yet and only batted .116 in 95 plate appearances.  He hit one double and stole one base. 

It amazes me that Houston actually started him in 29 games.  Perhaps they saw something in the young infielder. 

With numbers like .116/.165/.128, Fischlin gets what he deserves with his 1978 card.  With only twelve 6s behind one 0, his power is well, limited.  After that he’s probably lucky to get two 8s and two 9s which gives him an 11-8, a 55-39 and a 15-23.  If it didn’t make him too strong, Fischlin probably deserved to have a first column 10.  Instead, APBA smartly gave him twelve second column 11s. 

It doesn’t help that Fischlin is rated as a SS-6 either.  His one saving grace is that he’s rated as a Fast base runner making him a prime candidate as a pinch runner.

APBA placed the 12 on 36 in 1978.  A card of Fischlin’s stature deserves both a 33 and a 34 so the card makers put the 33 at 63.  And no, he most certainly did not receive a second 31. 

Another oddity:  Fischlin received a 42-29 and a 43-29.  I don’t know if I’ve seen that number in succession before.  Also, he has three 29s on his card, four 32s and five 30s.  It’s simple math… when you don’t have hits, you have to fill them up with out numbers.  Since Fischlin didn’t strike out a whole lot, we find a lot of ground balls and fly outs. 

Other odd, out-of-place numbers on Fischlin’s ‘78 card:  25-14, 13-32 and 35-32. 

Thanks, Tom!