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Why This Card Matters

This card was printed before anyone knew what they had. The stat line is a single major-league season and it is not a good one: 2-7 with a 5.48 ERA in 12 games for the 1988 Braves. Underneath sits the tell — at Triple-A Richmond that same year he went 10-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 115 strikeouts and was International League Pitcher of the Week twice in the first five weeks. The back also records that “in his first major league game, John gave up only four hits in eight innings to defeat the powerful Mets 6-1”, and the detail that made the trade famous: he was “originally signed by the Tigers in ’85 right out of high school, and was traded to the Braves for Doyle Alexander in ’87.” Born May 15, 1967 in Detroit, 6'3" and 185 pounds. He retired with 213 wins, 154 saves and 3,084 strikeouts, and entered the Hall of Fame in 2015.

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One of Four 1989 Smoltz Rookies — This Is the Score

Smoltz has recognised rookie-year cards in 1989 Score (#616), 1989 Donruss, 1989 Topps, 1989 Fleer and 1989 Upper Deck, and they are constantly conflated in listings. This is the Score, identifiable by the white border with a blue inner frame and the “© 1989 SCORE” line on the back. To be precise about terminology: the RC logo did not exist in 1989, so nothing on this card says RC — the designation comes from it being a rookie-year issue, which is how the hobby and the sold-comp record both treat it. This card is not autographed; signed copies trade at a multiple.