Wood vs. Wood #182

Last time 1987 cruised to a 5-2 victory. Who will win this time?

Bob Nieman appears to be growling at someone behind the camera while kneeling for the photographer at Yankee Stadium. The monuments in center field can be seen far off in the distance. Nieman made a huge splash in his major league debut in September of 1951, becoming the first player ever to homer in his first two at bats. The quick start didn't translate into Nieman being a big star, and he was traded three times during the mid-1950s, eventually ending up with the team he started with, now the Baltimore Orioles. He had his best seasons in Baltimore. From 1956 to 1959 he reached double digits in home runs each year and twice topped .320. He was then traded or sold three more times between 1960 and 1962. Overall in 12 seasons for six teams, he played in 1,113 games and hit .295 with 125 HR and 544 RBI. After his career he was a scout for several teams. He died of a heart attack in 1985.

Lee Lacy has brought a glove to the batting cage on his card. In his twenties, Lacy was primarily a utility player, pinch hitter and backup second baseman for the Dodgers. In his thirties, Lacy was primarily a semi-regular and regular outfielder for the Pirates and Orioles. Overall, in 1,523 games over 16 seasons, Lacy hit .286 with 91 HR and 458 RBI. Lacy was one of many players implicated in the Pittsburgh cocaine trials in the 1980s. Since that time he has apparently lived as a model citizen. He owns Asberry Services, an aviation parts procurement business in California, and has been active in public relations for the Dodgers for over 30 years.