Monday, February 25, 2013

Yutaka Entasu, Milwaukee Brewer

I've been intrigued for a while about the fact that a 36 year old Yutaka Enatsu went to spring training as a non-roster invitee with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1985, ten years before Hideo Nomo joined the Dodgers.  I was curious if there was anything out there showing him with the Brewers.  Last week, I finally hit the jackpot - an AP photo from March 13, 1985 showing him making his Cactus League debut against the Giants (San Francisco as opposed to Yomiuri):


He had also merited an appearance in the Brewer's Media Guide that spring:


I don't know how many appearances he made for the Brew-Crew that spring, but obviously he didn't make the club and he retired.

I know that Topps did cards of Jose Canseco in their Second Series in both 2001 and 2002 with teams that he went to spring training with but never made a regular season appearance with (IIRC it was the Angels in 2001 and the Expos in 2002).  Too bad Topps couldn't have done an Enatsu card in the 1985 set.

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