TTM Stats
- Sent: 1/22/2021 | Received: 4/4/2022 | 432 Days
- ’87 Donruss, ’87 Topps, ’88 Donruss, ’88 Topps
- Address: Home (address from Sports Card Forum)
The Story of the Autograph
Mike Loynd’s baseball career is a story of rapid rise, early promise, and the harsh realities of professional sports. The right-handed pitcher played in just two seasons in 1986 and 1987, both with the Texas Rangers.
Born on March 26, 1964, in St. Louis, Missouri, Loynd’s journey to Major League Baseball (MLB) was swift and filled with early success, though his time in the big leagues was relatively short-lived. He attended Florida State University (FSU), where he became a star pitcher for the Seminoles. Loynd’s college career was nothing short of spectacular. In 1986, he won the Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the best amateur baseball player in the United States. That same year, he led FSU to the College World Series and set a single-season NCAA record with 20 wins, cementing his status as one of the top college pitchers in the country.
Loynd’s success at FSU made him a highly sought-after prospect, and he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the seventh round of the 1986 MLB Draft. The Rangers, impressed by his college performance, fast-tracked him to the majors. Loynd made his MLB debut on July 24, 1986, just weeks after signing with the team. At the time, it was one of the fastest transitions from college to the majors in baseball history.
In his rookie season, Loynd made 8 starts for the Rangers, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 5.36 ERA. Although his performance was inconsistent, he showed flashes of potential that suggested a bright future in the big leagues. However, the transition from college to professional baseball proved to be more challenging than anticipated.
The 1987 season saw Loynd return to the Rangers’ rotation, but he struggled to find the same success he had in college. He finished the year with a 1-5 record and a 6.10 ERA in 26 appearances. Despite his best efforts, Loynd was unable to recapture the form that had made him a standout at FSU.
By 1988, Loynd’s struggles had relegated him to the minor leagues, and he was eventually traded to the Houston Astros. Unfortunately, his time in the Astros’ system did not yield the results he hoped for, and he never made it back to the majors. After several more years of trying to work his way back, Loynd retired from professional baseball in the early 1990s.
Loynd’s story, while marked by the disappointment of an unfulfilled MLB career, is also one of resilience and adaptability. He leveraged the discipline and work ethic he developed as a baseball player into his post-athletic career, finding success in a new field.
This is my second successful return from him. To see the first return, check out my post from February 2021.
The Score on Mike Loynd – 8.0
Mike has a pretty fun autograph. I’m not sure what the litte mark is inside the last loop of his signature is. It’s not like there’s an “i” in his name at that end. On the 1988 Topps card it almost looks like a heart, but I’m sure that’s not it. These came out really great though. I think Mike is high on my list of players with a really high “good signature-to-short career” ratio.
Thanks Mr. Loynd! I’m giving this return an 8.
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Information gathered using Wikipedia and Baseball Reference.