The 1990 Fleer baseball card #616 features former MLB starting pitcher Andy Benes. Benes had a lengthy 14-year career in Major League Baseball from 1988-2001 pitching for the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners.
The 1990 season was Benes’ second full year in the big leagues after making his MLB debut in 1988 with the Padres. He had just turned 24 years old when this Fleer card was produced. Standing tall at 6’5″, Benes was an intimidating right-handed presence on the mound.
In 1989, his rookie season, Benes showed promise by posting a record of 9-8 with a 3.81 ERA in 26 games started for San Diego. He threw 148 innings and struck out 104 batters that year while still adjusting to life as a major leaguer. Fleer decided to include the young pitcher in their 1990 set based on the potential he displayed in his initial cup of coffee in the majors.
The card design itself was distinctive for Fleer sets of that era. A dark blue background with orange and yellow striping provided a sharp, colorful frame around action shots of the players. The bubble gum company was known for including more action posed photos compared to simpler posed studio shots used by rivals like Topps. This helped the cards feel lively and engaging for collectors.
Benes’ card photo shows him in the middle of his windup, right leg lifted high as he prepares to sling the baseball toward the plate. His jersey number 32 is clearly visible on his right sleeve. In the foreground, just above his glove hand, is the yellow Fleer logo along with the card number 616 printed in the same vibrant shade.
Stat lines from Benes’ 1989 season are printed on the back of the card along with career stats to date. Additional details include his date of birth, birthday, height, weight, batting and throwing hands. Scouting reports from Fleer touted his power pitching arsenal and noted he “consistently works both sides of the plate.” Some weaknesses in his control were also acknowledged.
In 1990, Benes took another step forward establishing himself as a quality mid-rotation starter for San Diego. He led the Padres pitching staff in wins that season with a record of 14-11 along with a solid 3.68 ERA over 219 innings pitched in 33 starts. His sparkling 1.19 WHIP and 111 strikeouts proved he was developing excellent command to go along with an overpowering fastball in the low-90s MPH range.
This breakout season increased interest in Benes as a collectors item with fans and the rising star was prominently featured in the popular 1990 Fleer set which had a print run estimated at over 10 million packs produced. Popular players from contending teams like Benes from the Padres saw their rookie cards gain value on the secondary market. In mint condition, the #616 currently sells for around $15-20 depending on grade.
After two great years with the Padres, Benes was traded following the 1991 season to the St. Louis Cardinals where he experienced some of his best MLB seasons. He threw over 200 innings for five straight years from 1992-1996 while regularly posting win totals in the double digits and sub 4.00 ERAs each season in the excellent Cardinals rotation. He twice won 14 games in both 1993 and 1995 for St. Louis.
A career highlight came in 1996 when Benes enjoyed his finest statistical season. Posting career bests of 18 wins against only 8 losses to go along with a stellar 2.95 ERA. Incredibly, he led the National League in both fewest hits (180) and fewest earned runs (66) allowed per 9 innings pitched that season in 33 starts. This dominant performance helped propel the Cardinals to the NL Central Division title.
Injuries began affecting Benes more in the late 1990s which led to declining production. He bounced between the Cardinals and Seattle Mariners over his final few MLB seasons before retiring in 2001 with a career record of 143-121, 3.76 ERA in 461 games started. His impressive career strikeout totals amounted to 1,342 hitters whiffed over 2,470 innings on the mound in parts of 14 seasons.
Since retiring from baseball, Benes has remained actively involved in the game. He currently works as a minor league pitching coach in the Detroit Tigers organization helping develop young hurlers. As evidenced by this in-depth look back at his impressive career, the 1990 Fleer #616 of Andy Benes was certainly a card showcasing an underrated power pitcher who enjoyed success for over a decade in Major League Baseball.
