1977 Topps Baseball #259 - New York Mets / Joe Frazier

• Joe Frazier played briefly for the Cleveland Indians in 1947 (.071 in 14 at bats) and for three other teams from 1954-1956. He had a .241 lifetime batting average in 217 major league games.
• Frazier played four more years in the minors (1957-1960) and then became a coach and a manager in the  minors.
• Joe was a successful manager in the minors. During his years in the New York  Mets system (1969-1975) Frazier had only one sub-.500 season.
• After winning the International League championship with the Tidewater Tides in 1975 Frazier was hired to manage the Mets. The club did well in 1976, going 86-76 and finishing in third place.
• The Mets were racked with turmoil and dissension in 1977. Frazier clashed with Dave Kingman, who wanted to play out his option and become a free agent. Tom Seaver wanted to be traded, and Jon Matlack was also unhappy with management for not doing enough to improve the club. After the team started 15-30, Frazier was relieved of his managerial duties on May 31.
• In 1982 Frazier managed the Louisville Redbirds to a first place finish in the American Association.
• Joe Frazier passed away in 2011 at the age of 88.
• It must have been a really tough time to be a New York Mets fan in 1977. It can be argued that this was the most tumultuous season in franchise history. The Mets finished last in the NL East and only the hapless Atlanta Braves kept the Mets from having the worst record in the league.
• Team Highlights
• March 1 - Kicked Topps' Sy Berger out of the clubhouse during spring training. The MLB Promotions Corporation was in a dispute with Topps over royalty payments at the time.
• March 17 - Sued the New York Jets to prevent them from playing two of their scheduled home games in Giants Stadium in New Jersey instead of Shea Stadium. The Jets had been in a conflict with the Mets and New York City about the use of Shea Stadium and provisions for rainouts during the baseball season.
• April 26 - Traded for troubled Texas infielder Lenny Randle. Randle had been suspended for punching his manager.
• May 11 - Jon Matlack is the latest Met to demand to be traded. On the same day a judge rules that the football Jets have to play all of their games in Shea Stadium in 1977;.
• May 31 - The Mets fired manager Joe Frazier after they started off 15-30 and made Joe Torre the player/manager.
• June 15 - The Mets made two big trades, trading Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds and Dave Kingman to the San Diego Padres.
• June 17 - Joe Torre put himself in as a pinch hitter and flied out. Torre retired as a player after the game.
• July 13 - A big blackout in New York City forced the suspension of the Mets' game against the Chicago Cubs
• Aug 14 - Secondbaseman Felix Millan has surgery for a separated right shoulder. Millan was injured during a fight with Pittsburgh catcher Ed Ott on August 12. Millan threw the first punch after a hard slide by Ott, but Ott finished it by bodyslamming Millan to the ground. It would end up being the final major league game for Millan.
• Sept 21 - Jerry Koosman loses his 20th game of the season. Koosman was 21-10 in 1976 and finished second in NL Cy Young Award voting, but he went 8-20 in 1977/
• Record: 64-98, 6th in NL East, 37 games behind Philadelphia
• Joe Frazier: 15-30
• Joe Torre: 49-68
• Attendance:  1,066,825 (10th in NL)
• Team Batting: .244 (12th in NL)
• Team HR: 88 (12th in NL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 98 (8th in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.77 (6th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .978 (4th in NL)
• All Stars: John Stearns (C)
• Awards: none
• NL Leaders: Jerry Koosman (Losses - 20)  
• Batting Leader: Lenny Randle (.304)
• Home Run Leader: John Stearns / John Milner / Steve Henderson (12)
• RBI Leader: Steve Henderson (65)
• Stolen Base Leader: Lenny Randle (33)
• Victories Leader: Nino Espinosa (10)
• Losses Leader: Jerry Koosman (20)
• Strikeout Leader: Jerry Koosman (192)
• Saves Leader: Skip Lockwood (20)
• ERA Leader (starters): Nino Espinosa (3.42) - Tom Seaver not included since he was traded in mid season
• ERA Leader (relievers): Skip Lockwood (3.38)
• Players who could have had Mets cards in 1977 (batters with over 100 AB, pitchers with over 40 innings) : 
• Steve Henderson OF (acquired in Seaver trade) - .297, 12 HR, 65 RBI in 99 games
• Lenny Randle 3B (acquired in a trade) - .304, 5 HR, 27 RBI in 136 games
• Doug Flynn IF (acquired in Seaver trade) - .191, 0 HR, 14 RBI in 90 games
• Joel Youngblood 2B - .253, 0 HR, 11 RBI in 70 games
• Jerry Grote C - .270 in 42 games
• Jackson Todd P - 3-6, 4.77 ERA in 19 games (10 starts)
• Bob Myrick - 2-2, 2 saves, 3.61 ERA in 44 games (4 starts)
• Pat Zachry P (acquired in Seaver trade) - 7-6, 3.76 ERA in 19 starts