With a record of 22-50 in the rookie-level Pioneer League and a negative run differential of 231, they were a collectively atrocious lot.
The Baby Jays also had not just one, but two baseball card sets that were equally hard on the eyes.
We’ve already reviewed one of those lackluster sets for In The Cards, but let’s take a look at the second edition.
Created by the Medicine Hat News, the yellow-bordered cards bring back memories of the 1991 Fleer set of baseball cards, which were largely regarded as ugly by collectors.
The photos themselves feature standard mug shots in front of empty bleachers at Athletic Park. Those blue “MH” hats are a thing of beauty, but the images are otherwise uninspired.
Flipping over to the back doesn’t offer collectors any better of a view. There is minimal information about each player and no statistics. More than half of the back is covered by an advertisement. So, if you’re looking for info on Moritz Masonry & Tile Supply or Intra Kabet Travel, you’re in luck. In fairness, the Monarch Box Office 88-cent Tuesday deal did seem like it was worth checking out, but I digress.
I should also provide an editor’s note here, as well. This set was purchased from a previous owner via Kijiji and it’s unclear if this is, in fact, a complete set. The other cardboard collectibles highlighting this team were part of a 33-card set that included the coaching staff. There are only 21 cards in this one and it is very difficult to find information about this set through online searches. If you do know more about it, send us a note.
Alright, onto the cards and a bit more information on some of the pitchers and hitters:
Catcher Jose Umbria (top middle) was a bit of an oddity in that he played parts of three seasons in Medicine Hat. Most players at that level were either climbing the minor-league ladder or finished their pro careers after one season in the Pioneer League. Some returned for a second season in the Gas City but three was uncommon. Umbria played 99 games for the Baby Jays between 1996 and 2000 after originally joining the team as an 18-year-old from Venezuela. He was a sub .200 hitter in his first two seasons in the minors but the backstop steadily improved at the plate from there. The right-handed batter peaked at the Triple-A level as a member of the Syracuse SkyChiefs in 2002 and 2003. Following a decade in the Blue Jays organization, Umbria latched on with the indy league Alexandria Aces for two years in 2007 and 2008. That marked the end of his playing days, but Umbria remained in baseball as a coach in Seattle’s minor-league system for more than a decade. He was the bench coach with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers when they won the Texas League championship in 2024.Outfielder Randy Albaral (top left) was a menace on the base paths for Medicine Hat. In his 60 games with the Jays, the Louisiana leadoff hitter swiped 33 bags, which made him the team leader in stolen bases. In addition, the 36th-round pick in the 1995 MLB Draft scored 50 runs, registered 19 runs batted in (RBI) and batted .259. Albaral played the 1997 season for the St. Catharine’s Stompers of the New York-Penn League, where he roamed the outfield alongside Vernon Wells. “Randy is a big asset to this ball club,” said Rocker Wheeler, the manager of the Stompers. “He makes a big impact because he does so many things. He can steal, bunt – there’s no substitution for speed.” Albaral was eager to just keep playing. “I just want to stick with baseball as long as I can,” he told The Standard newspaper. His final season of professional baseball took place in 1998 with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League.First baseman Tim Giles (bottom right) was a reliable hitter for the Baby Jays. In his 68 games and 258 at bats in the Pioneer League, the lefty slugger converted 36 runs, 17 doubles and 10 homers into 116 total bases. The 20th-round pick out of Maryland also posted 45 RBI, five stolen bases and a .267 batting average. He went on to play two seasons of Double-A ball in Tennessee, where he was a Southern League All-Star in 1999.Lorenzo Bagley (bottom left) paced the offence for Medicine Hat. The Florida product – a 16th-round draft pick for Toronto in 1996 – led the team in home runs (13), RBI (46), runs (61) and on-base percentage (.404). The outfielder also finished second on the roster with 14 stolen bases. Bagley’s big bat helped him earn kudos as the Baby Jays most popular player when the team named its award winners at the end of the summer. He continued to play professionally until 2000 and later worked as a baseball coach at North Marion High School in Florida.University of Florida and Oklahoma State University alum Sean McClellan (right) was one of the older players on the squad, and like many on that pitching staff, he was just trying to survive the summer. The righthander logged 51-plus innings in 12 appearances, including eight starts. In that time, the 6-foot-2 hurler went 3-3 with a save and a 6.10 ERA. His 61 strikeouts and 1.37 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning) were tops on the team. McClellan persevered and made it to the Triple-A Syracuse SkyChiefs in 1999. While he fell short of his goal of stepping on a major-league mound, his overall numbers in the minors were solid. In 123 pro games in the Jays system, he went 14-10 with 24 saves, a 3.43 ERA, and 296 strikeouts over 257.1 innings pitched. McClellan was a multi-sport athlete, who played football and basketball in high school. He also spent some time on the silver screen, making an appearance in Major League: Back to the Minors and the 2008 baseball drama Favorite Son.What’s better than free pizza for kids every Tuesday? How about a career in Major League Baseball? Catcher Josh Phelps (middle) was the only batter from the 1996 roster to break through to the bigs. The Alaska-born backstop played 59 games for Medicine Hat, batting .241 with five homers and 29 RBI. He was the Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. He also earned American League (AL) Rookie of the Month honours in August and September of 2002. Phelps played 465 MLB games, the majority of them in a Blue Jays uniform. His career numbers included a .273 batting average, 64 home runs, 244 RBI and 198 runs.
Thanks for looking through this set with us. We encourage you to leave a comment about the players and cards below.
We are currently developing an online digital archive of Alberta baseball card sets with our In The Cards series. If you have baseball cards you’d like to donate to our cause, please email us at AlbertaDugoutStories@gmail.com with more information and to make arrangements.
