Baseball had a wild decade in the 1990s – chasing, hitting, expanding – there was a lot going on. One thing that remained constant during these turbulent times was the Atlanta Braves’ elite pitching staff. Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine joined forces and effectively formed a defensive shield, helping propel the Braves to a world championship in 1995.
Teams are always trying to build on what the Braves had back in the day, but no amount of money seems to be able to recreate the exact same dominant formula. Pitchers’ sports cards and rookies are rarely as valued as players on the offensive side of the ball, but these three first-ballot Hall of Famers deserve additional consideration.
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TOPPS 1988 TOM GLAVINE
RELATED: The Five Essential 1988 Topps Baseball Cards
Tom Glavine, the powerful left-hander, won over 300 games in his career and won 2 Cy Young awards. Although he finished his career with the New York Mets, he is best remembered for his incredible run with the Braves. He was also the World Series MVP in the only World Series championship the Braves managed to win in the 90s. His 1988 Topps rookie card is also available in the rarer “Tiffany” version for those looking for more of a challenge.
TOPPS 1989 JOHN SMOLTZ
John “Smoltzie” Smoltz was the definition of a team player. He was known for his ability to strike out batters and he always did – he ended up with over 3,000 by the time he called it a day. He had to have Tommy John surgery and missed some time but returned and assumed the role of reliever and closer. He was no longer expected to be a starting pitcher, but he came in and helped the team by becoming dominant in his new role. He was the first pitcher to achieve more than 300 wins and more than 150 saves. Similar to Glavine’s rookie, Smoltz’s 1989 Topps rookie is a nice portrait with white borders. Collectors are also attracted to the Tiffany version.
DONRUSS 1986 GREG MADDUX
4 consecutive Cy Young awards – that’s almost unheard of and yet that’s exactly what Greg Maddux achieved in the 90s. He wasn’t the type to throw 100 mph fastballs and yet he was often almost unhittable. His 1986 rookie Donruss shows him in his Cubs uniform.
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