1992 Triple Play Baseball Forum

But Hill is not wearing sleeves in the sports highlight footage from that day ...

There is another possibility....the photo does not necessarily have to be from 1991. It could be an older photo.

According to baseball reference, Merullo only ever played 1st for the Sox in 1991

Guys, tcdbkrn solved this thing two days ago. The YouTube highlight video he posted clearly shows Mark Whiten with sleeves and gloves that match the baserunner on the card (check timestamp 3:01). Even the dirt on his right pant leg is a match. Other cards show Whiten with cleats matching the baserunner on the card.

for example: https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/76927/cid/5517635/1991-Score-12th-National-Sports-Collectors-Convention-6-Mark-Whiten

Don't be confused by the Getty images of Glenallen Hill which, as tcdbkrn pointed out, are helpful in confirming that the game is indeed 5/11/91 (you can even match up some of the fans' outfit colors), and eliminating Hill as the runner on the card, as his helmet ear flap and (lack of) sleeves are conclusively different from the runner on the card.

According to baseball-reference, Merullo took seven pickoff throws with Whiten on first base that day (4 in the 2nd and 3 in the 8th). There were 10 pickoff throws with Hill on first (all in the 8th). I'd guess the same photographer (Rick Stewart) took all the photos, and probably all in the bottom of the 8th inning.

100% it's Whiten on the card.

I'm good with that. I am going to change the entry in my Excel spreadsheet from "unknown Blue Jay" to Mark whiten.