The 1998 Pinnacle brand baseball card set was notable for featuring many superstar players who were having incredible seasons and career years. Pinnacle cards from this year provide a snapshot of some true performances at the pinnacle of the players’ abilities.
Mark McGwire’s monster 1998 home run season with the St. Louis Cardinals saw him shatter the single season home run record of 61, blasting an astounding 70 long balls. His Pinnacle card from that year immortalizes “Big Mac” amid his chase for baseball immortality. While steroid allegations would later cloud his record-setting feat, collectors at the time were eager to obtain McGwire’s iconic 1998 Pinnacle card to commemorate one of baseball’s most hallowed achievements.
Sammy Sosa also had a mammoth 1998 with the Chicago Cubs, belting 66 homers of his own to finish second to McGwire in the home run race. Sosa’s Pinnacle card from that season is a valuable piece of memorabilia from one of the most exciting individual player performances in baseball history. While McGwire got more attention due to playing for a more prominent Cardinals franchise, Sosa’s titanic power display was equally sensational and helped usher in a home run hitting renaissance.
Roger Clemens put together one of the finest pitching seasons ever seen in 1998. At age 35, the Boston Red Sox ace went 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA and led the American League with 271 strikeouts en route to his record 7th career Cy Young Award. His 1998 Pinnacle card is a true symbol of what is often called the pinnacle or peak performance level attainable in a player’s career. Many consider Clemens’ 1998 campaign to be the greatest single season ever by a pitcher.
Pedro Martinez dominated for the Red Sox in 1998 as well, going 17-8 with a career best 1.90 ERA and 313 strikeouts. Martinez’s 1998 Pinnacle card highlights the dominance of the young fireballer who would go on to have a Hall of Fame career. Martinez joined Clemens to form perhaps the most potent 1-2 pitching punch baseball has ever seen, finishing 1-2 in AL Cy Young voting that year respectively.
Ken Griffey Jr. was in his absolute prime with the Seattle Mariners in 1998. That season, Griffey blasted 56 home runs, scored 147 runs and batted .295 en route to his 6th straight Gold Glove and 7th career All-Star nod. His 1998 Pinnacle card is emblematic of the beautiful five-tool skillset that made “The Kid” one of the most electrifying players of his or any generation. Injuries would slow Griffey later on, but 1998 represented the absolute pinnacle of his Hall of Fame career.
Cal Ripken Jr. played in his 2,632nd consecutive game on September 6th, 1995, breaking Lou Gehrig’s storied “Iron Man” record that had stood for over 50 years. Ripken’s pursuit and achievement of baseball’s “unbreakable” record made him a global sporting icon. His 1998 Pinnacle card commemorates Ripken in the midst of cementing his place among the games’ true legends as he continued etching his name into the record books each and every night he took the field. At 37, Ripken was still a productive force for the Baltimore Orioles in 1998.
Jeff Bagwell put up monstrous offensive numbers for the Houston Astros in 1998, batting .304 with 49 doubles, 43 homers and 141 RBI en route to winning the National League MVP award. His 1998 Pinnacle card encapsulates the brunt of Bagwell’s otherworldly all-around talents that captivated baseball during its offensive renaissance of the late 1990s. An underrated defensive first baseman as well, Bagwell’s 1998 campaign epitomized the word “MVP.”
Many other superstar players had incredible 1998 seasons too, like Juan Gonzalez winning his 2nd consecutive AL MVP award with the Texas Rangers by slugging 45 homers, Terry Pendleton batting .336 en route to retiring after helping the Atlanta Braves to yet another division title, Craig Biggio putting up 5.2 WAR as one of baseball’s most versatile talents for Houston, and Chipper Jones hitting .310 with 19 homers and 86 RBI in the first of his many All-Star campaigns for the Braves.
Collectors eagerly snapped up 1998 Pinnacle cards of these future Hall of Famers and other star players, knowing they were bearing witness to some truly remarkable individual seasons and careers reaching their finest moments of excellence. While scandal and controversies have since arisen around baseball in the late 1990s, Pinnacle cards from the era provide a snapshot of performances that were larger than life at the time. From McGwire and Sosa’s home run duel, to Griffey, Ripken, Bagwell, Clemens and Martinez establishing new standards of excellence, Pinnacle’s 1998 release captured baseball at arguably its most exciting offensive peak. The cards remain prized collectibles for any fan who appreciates the game’s history and those who performed at the true pinnacle of their immense talents.
