Mark Ross, Buffalo Bisons - 9
This is about as good of spot as any to point out that the pictures in this set are pretty standard, or old-school, if you will. There's guys standing. Guys kneeling. Guys holding bats. Nothing fancy.
That is except for Mark Ross. Mark Ross is the first player depicted doing an actual baseball activity. He's throwing a ball. Or I assume it's a ball, you can't really tell. But he is a pitcher, after all. He's a pitcher that by this point had already been in the majors for brief stints over five seasons. He had also already spent more than a decade in the minors.
Ross was drafted in 1979 by the Astros, making it to Houston by Sept. 12, 1982. The relief pitcher tossed six innings over four games, giving up just one run. Over the next seven years, he got four more cups of coffee.
His final game was this season when the Pirates called him up and put him on the mound for 12.2 innings over nine games. In 42.1 total innings, Ross put up a career ERA of 3.83.
Ross hung on one more year in the minors, catching on with the Braves' AAA team in Richmond. His time with the Braves apparently left an impression. By 1996, he was serving as pitching coach for the Macon Braves, watching over such prospects as Bruce Chen and Jason Marquis.
These days, Ross is back with the team that drafted him, the Astros, helping them draft new players as area scout for the western region.
1990 CMC Tally
Cards Reviewed: 13/880
Major Leaguers: 7
Never Made the Majors: 6
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 2
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 7
