1981 Topps Craig Minetto

 

The front: Simple headshot, but looks like he's going to have a bad case of hat-head.

The back: I couldn't find anything about the Lodi stint, but in 1975 he pitched for a team in the Italian professional league that was sponsored by a wine manufacturer. His 252 strikeouts in 174.1 innings were one shy of the record held by national legend Giacomo Bertoni.

The player: Minetto hadn't had much major league success when this card was printed. He would pitch in eight games in 1981, allowing two runs in 6.2 innings. Though he would hang on in the minors for a few more seasons, that was the extent of his big league career.

The man: After being released by the Giants in 1985 spring training, he returned to his hometown of Stockton, CA, where his family had owned the Alpine Nursery and Tank House Gift shop since 1937. Minetto managed the business until 2012, when he retired and closed down the business.

My collection: I have three of his cards, from 1980 to 1984. I would be interested in trading for 1980 TCMA Ogden A's #3.