The 1988 Topps baseball card #661 features Baltimore Orioles left-handed relief pitcher Mike Flanagan. The 1988 season would end up being Flanagan’s 16th and final year in Major League Baseball.
By 1988, the 35-year old Flanagan had long since established himself as one of the most durable and consistent relievers in baseball over his career. Originally drafted by the Orioles in the 1st round of the 1972 amateur draft, Flanagan made his MLB debut with Baltimore in 1975 and would go on to spend 12 seasons with the Orioles. He was a key member of Baltimore’s World Series championship teams in 1979 and 1983.
Flanagan’s career highlights with the Orioles included being named American League Cy Young Award winner in 1979 after going 23-9 with a 2.34 ERA and 163 strikeouts. He was also a 3-time All-Star selection (1978, 1979, 1981) and finished in the top 6 of AL Cy Young voting 4 times between 1978-1981 while pitching over 200 innings each season. Arm injuries started to take their toll in the mid-1980s and Flanagan’s effectiveness and durability began to decline.
After the 1986 season, Flanagan signed as a free agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched reasonably well in 1987, going 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 50 relief appearances. The Blue Jays released Flanagan during spring training in 1988. He would sign with the Orioles once again for a final season back in Baltimore.
By 1988, Flanagan seemed to be well past his prime. Having turned 35 that April, he had undergone surgeries on both his elbow and shoulder in recent years and his velocity was considerably down from his All-Star caliber years earlier in his career. However, Flanagan was still a respected veteran presence and the leader of a young Orioles pitching staff.
The 1988 season was difficult for Flanagan statistically. In 36 appearances totaling just 42 1/3 innings pitched, he posted an ugly 5.81 ERA and opponents batted .322 against him. However, Flanagan provided value between starts for the Orioles with his wealth of experience. Despite the high ERA, Baltimore manager Frank Robinson continued to hand the ball to Flanagan in middle and later relief situations throughout the year.
One highlight for Flanagan came on June 6th versus the Chicago White Sox. In relief, he tossed 4 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts to earn the victory in an 11-inning thriller. It was one of just 2 wins Flanagan recorded on the season. That outing showed Flanagan still had flashes of his past dominance left despite his advancing age and injury history catching up to him.
While 1988 turned out to be a struggle statistically, Flanagan proved invaluable to Baltimore’s young staff and was respected in the clubhouse for his leadership. The Orioles finished 78-84, in 4th place in the AL East division. It would bring an end to Flanagan’s 16-year MLB career, all spent with the Orioles except for his one season in Toronto. He retired after the 1988 campaign having compiled a record of 107-91 with a 3.45 ERA and 36 complete games in 511 appearances including 245 starts.
Flanagan’s #661 Topps card from 1988 serves as a reminder of his outstanding career and his respected veteran presence on what would be his last Baltimore team. While far past his prime, Flanagan showed he still had value between starts thanks to his experience. The card captures Flanagan in an Orioles uniform for the final time and stands as a remembrance of his stellar career that included a Cy Young award and valuable contributions to Baltimore’s two World Series championship teams.
