PCPCs part 4: Lary Sorensen

Previously:  Jim Paciorek, Gary Wayne, Tom Grieve

Today's player is RHP Lary Sorensen, whose oddly-spelled first name was a nod to former Tigers hurler Frank Lary.  As I was doing some more digging for this post I found that Sorensen was the opposite of a role model during and after his playing career, both as part of the cocaine scandal in the 80s (and later), and then as a repeat offender drunk-driver.  I especially have no tolerance for the latter whether or not they avoid killing anyone, so that leads me to two conclusions:  I still have interest in Sorensen as a member of my card collection but not as a person, and I no longer have much of a reason not to collect his fellow idiot Steve Howe, so that may be something I'll pursue in the future.

This is one of those times collecting can pull you in different directions, and it's something I've faced in the past with players that have done incredibly stupid things like Miguel Cabrera and Taylor Lewan.  It's hard to decide whether or not to pursue a collection or dump the player, so I don't envy those that were or are fans of guys like Chad Curtis or Oscar Taveras.

Anyway, that's as dark as I'm willing to get here, so at this point I'll just say that I'm collecting Sorensen as a former Wolverines baseball player but don't condone his actions, and I'll leave it at that.

Lary was drafted by the Brewers in the 8th round in 1976, made the bigs the following year, then was an All-Star in '78 as part of a career-best 18-12 campaign.  He went on to play for six other teams from 1981-88 (with 1986 lost to suspension and a season in the minors):  St. Louis, Cleveland, Oakland, the Chicago Cubs, Montreal, and San Francisco.  Sorensen has 36 total cards spanning the years 1978-1987, and each of those teams is represented except for the Giants.  I already owned his '86 Topps base card due to having the complete set, but since I decided to scan these in nines instead of individually, I decided to include it here as well.

So here's a look at his 36-card run:

1978 Topps RC; 1979 O-Pee Chee; 1979 Topps; 

1980 O-Pee-Chee; 1980 Topps; 1981 Donruss

1981 Fleer; 1981 Topps; 1981 Topps Traded

1982 Donruss; 1982 Fleer; 1982 O-Pee Chee;

1982 Topps; 1982 Topps Traded; 1983 Donruss;

1983 Fleer; 1983 O-Pee-Chee; 1983 Topps

1984 Donruss; 1984 Fleer; 1984 Fleer Update;

1984 O-Pee Chee; 1984 Topps (#286); 1984 Topps (#546, with Mike Hargrove);

1984 Topps Tiffany (#286); 1984 Topps Tiffany (#546, with Mike Hargrove); 1984 Topps Traded

1984 Topps Traded Tiffany; 1985 Donruss; 1985 Fleer;

1985 Fleer Update; 1986 Fleer; 1986 Topps;

1986 Topps Tiffany; 1987 Fleer Update; 1987 Fleer Update Glossy

Sorensen is my 12th completed PC, and I have one player left to show off, plus a nice little stack of Larkins, so watch for those posts soon, probably this week.