#151 Bruce Sutter Super Veteran

Topps awards Sutter with a Super Veteran card although at the time this card came out he was only 30 years old and had just seven seasons under his belt.  He was super and he was technically a veteran, he just doesn't have the tenure of most of the Super Veterans in this set.

Then and Now:  The use of B/W photos in the early picture gives it a nostalgic feel but doesn't seem right for '76.  I like how Topps has similar angles on both pics.  And of course the beard Sutter sports makes me wonder if he shaved at all in the years in between.

Career Span: 5/9/76 - 9/9/88.  Sutter was battery mates with a veteran Randy Hundley in Chicago and teammates with greenhorns Tom Glavine and John Smoltz in Atlanta.

All Star: Sutter was a six time NL All-Star.  His splitter baffled the Junior Circuit as he pitched 6.2 scoreless innings in four games.  He earned the win in the '78 and '79 contests and the save in '80 and '81.

League Leaders:  Led the NL in saves five times and games finished once.

All-Time:  Sutter retired with 300 saves which was third all-time at that point.  He is currently 22nd on the list.

Postseason: Won one ring with the Cardinals in '82.  In his only year in the playoffs he was 2-0 with 3 saves and a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings.

Cy Young: Sutter won the award in '79 and finished third twice, fifth once, and sixth once.

MVP:  Received votes in six different seasons finishing fifth, sixth, seventh (2x), eighth, and twentieth. 

Hall of Fame: Elected in 2006 his 13th year on the ballot, receiving 76.9% of the vote.