The 1989 Topps baseball card #505 features Steve Carlisle, a veteran relief pitcher who had spent the previous 11 seasons in the major leagues. The card provides an overview of Carlisle’s playing career up to that point as well as a closer look at his 1988 season statistics.
Steve Carlisle was born on December 21, 1956 in Coalinga, California. He grew up in nearby Huron and attended high school there before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 5th round of the 1975 MLB June Amateur Draft. Carlisle made his major league debut with the Cubs in 1978 at the age of 21. He spent parts of four seasons with Chicago primarily working as a reliever out of the bullpen. His most productive season for the Cubs came in 1980 when he posted a 3.79 ERA in 71 games.
After the 1981 season, Carlisle was traded to the Minnesota Twins along with Larry Gura in exchange for Ted Simmons. He found more success and job stability in Minnesota, spending parts of seven seasons pitching for the Twins from 1982-1988. Carlisle emerged as a reliable setup man and part of the late inning tandem along with closer Ron Davis. In 1983, he set career highs in games (79), innings (128.1), and strikeouts (88). That season he finished with a solid 3.53 ERA and helped the Twins make the playoffs.
Carlisle remained with the Twins through the 1987 season before becoming a free agent. He signed with the Houston Astros for the 1988 campaign, which is the season depicted on the 1989 Topps card. The front of the card includes Carlisle’s picture, some basic stats, and reveals he was playing for the Astros in 1988. That season shaped up to be one of Carlisle’s best at age 31. As the Astros’ primary setup man, he pitched in a career high 81 games and racked up 105 strikeouts over 104.2 innings of work. Carlisle finished 1988 with an impressive 2.57 ERA, allowing just 85 hits and 38 walks.
The back of the 1989 Topps #505 card contains more detailed statistics from Carlisle’s 1988 season with Houston along with career stats spanning his first 11 big league seasons from 1978-1988. It’s evident he was at the peak of his career in 1988 based on the numbers. A brief recap of those stats includes: a 10-3 record, 2.57 ERA, 81 games (3rd in NL), 105 strikeouts, just 17 home runs allowed over 104.2 innings pitched. For his career at that point, Carlisle held a 58-54 record with a 3.68 ERA spanning 812 games over 11 seasons.
While Carlisle enjoyed his best statistical season as an Astro in 1988, it would also end up being his last with Houston. After the season, he signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. Carlisle spent the final two seasons of his major league career providing middle relief for the Mets from 1989-1990 before ultimately retiring at the age of 34. In total, he amassed a 60-57 record with a 3.70 ERA and 891 strikeouts over 897 major league appearances spanning 13 seasons from 1978-1990.
The 1989 Topps baseball card #505 offers baseball card collectors a snapshot look at the accomplished career of journeyman reliever Steve Carlisle up to that point. While he never achieved stardom, Carlisle carved out an impressive 11-year career as a dependable setup man and middle reliever – most notably during his peak seasons with the Twins and Astros in the 1980s. The card provides a nice statistical summary of Carlisle’s most productive campaign in 1988 with Houston prior to wrapping up his big league tenure with the Mets.
