Three random 1989 Topps baseball cards

A new Nine Innings column is on deck, likely to be posted late Sunday night. In the meantime, here's a pretty decent three-man rotation for your consideration . . .


He may have lost his slider, but all these years later, damned if The Unit still doesn't have his boyish good looks.


A heartwarming human interest story who became a hell of a pitcher by any measure, the last Yankee I sincerely rooted for, and as Tim Brown's terrific feature in the L.A. Times this morning reminds us, a decent and honest man. If you don't like Jim Abbott, you're hopeless.


Smoltz and the Braves missed the playoffs the season this card came out. They missed them the next year, too. And they haven't missed them since. Astounding. You might think I've taken one too many tomahawk chops to the head, but even considering their recent nosedive, I'm not writing off Smoltz or Atlanta just yet.