1977 Topps Baseball #472 - Rookie Pitchers - Don Aase, Bob McClure, Gil Patterson, Dave Wehrmeister
- Don Aase
- Debut: 26 July 1977
- 1977 record:
- Pawtucket (AAA): 6-6, 5.04 ERA in 18 starts
- Boston Red Sox: 6-2, 3.12 ERA in 13 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- Don Aase was signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1972. He had a rough time in his first two seasons in the minors. Don was 0-10 with a 5.81 ERA in 1972 and he led the Florida State League in losses (15) in 1973. Aase turned things around in 1974 and moved up the Boston Red Sox system for the next few years.
- Aase was brought up to the majors on July 24, 1977 to shore up Boston's starting pitching. The 22-year-old Aase paid immediate dividends by winning his first three starts. Don ended up pitching much better for the Red Sox than he did in AAA.
- After the 1977 season Don was traded (with Rick Miller) to the California Angels for second baseman Jerry Remy. The Red Sox really needed the middle infield help, but they hated to part with Aase.
- Don was a starting pitcher in 1978 (11-8, 4.03 ERA in 29 starts). Aase was a starter for most of the 1979 season (9-10, 4.81 ERA in 37 games/28 starts), but he went to the bullpen in mid August after having some trouble with the wear and tear of starting every fourth day. Don appeared in two games for the Angels in the 1979 AL Championship Series and was 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in 5 innings.
- In 1980 (8-13, 4.06 ERA in 40 games/21 starts) Don was a starter through the end of July and then was moved to the bullpen. Aase ended up being a reliever for the rest of his career.
- Aase had a good year as a reliever in 1981 (4-4, 2.34 ERA, 11 saves in 39 games).
- Don had injury problems in 1982 (3-3, 3.46 ERA, 4 saves in 24 games). He was on the disabled list for much of June and then went out for the remainder of the season in mid-July. Aase had elbow surgery in October 1982 and missed all of the 1983 season.
- After a rehab assignment in the minors, Don came back to the Angels in June 1984. Aase had a good year, going 4-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 23 games. After the 1984 season Don signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. The Orioles made a much better offer (4 years, $2.4 million guaranteed) than the Angels did (2 years, $475,000 per year, only one of the years guaranteed).
- For two seasons Aase was able to be a dependable pitcher from the bullpen. He was 10-6 with 14 saves and had a 3.78 ERA in 54 games in 1985.
- Don was an AL All Star for the only time in his career in 1986. Don got Chris Brown to hit into a game-ending double play and earned the save in the AL's 3-2 win. Aase was 6-7 with 34 saves and had a 2.98 ERA in 66 games in 1986.
- Aase had an injury-riddled 1987 season (1-0, 2.25 ERA, 2 saves in 7 games). He was placed on the disabled list in April with tendinitis in his right shoulder. Don came back in May but was shut down at the end of May when the tendinitis came back. Don had shoulder surgery in July and missed the rest of the season.
- Aase came back in May 1988. He was bombed in his first game back -- he allowed four runs without retiring a batter. But as the year went on Don's ERA steadily decreased. He ended up with a 0-0 record and had a 4.05 ERA in 35 games.
- Don was released after the 1988 season. Aase tried out with the New York Mets in 1989 and made the team. He was used mostly as a setup man in 1989 and was 1-5 with 2 saves and had an ERA of 3.94 in 49 games.
- After the 1989 season Aase became a free agent and signed with the LA Dodgers. In 1990 Don was 3-1 with 3 saves and had a 4.97 ERA in 32 games. He spent six weeks on the disabled list in July and August. After the 1990 season Don became a free agent rather than report to the Dodgers' AAA club in Albuquerque. After due consideration Don decided to retire.
- Bob McClure
- Debut: August 13, 1975
- 1977 Stats: 2-1, 6 saves, 2.52 ERA in 68 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- This was Bob McClure's first full season in the majors. Bob was sent from the Kansas City Royals to the Milwaukee Brewers as the player to be named later in a trade made in December 1976.
- I remember Bob McClure as one of those left-handed relievers who would come in to face 1-2 batters. Bob was actually a starting pitcher for a few years in the 1980s.
- McClure had a 19-year pitching career, pitching from 1975-1993. Except for a few years in the early 1980s, Bob was a reliever for his entire career.
- Bob was a pitching coach in the minors and majors for several clubs from 1999-2012.
- McClure was the pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox in 2012, but he and manager Bobby Valentine clashed. Bob took a two-week leave of absence to tend to a child's medical emergency. McClure was let go as pitching coach in mid-August.
- Gil Patterson
- Debut: April 19, 1977
- 1977 Stats:
- New York Yankees: 1-2, 1 save, 5.40 ERA in 10 games (6 starts)
- Syracuse Chiefs (AAA): 2-1, 4.82 ERA in 7 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- May 25: Allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings and earned his only major league victory as the Yankees beat the Texas Rangers (and starter Bert Blyleven) 3-2.
- Other card blogs: none
- Gil Patterson was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 1975 draft. Gil had two good seasons in the minor leagues and was brought up to the Yankees in 1977.
- Patterson pitched sparingly for the Yankees in 1977. He spent some time in AAA Syracuse in the middle of the season.
- Gil was injured and missed the entire 1978 and 1979 seasons. He tried to come back a few times from 1980-1982, but never again rose above Class A level.
- Patterson has spent time as a coach and as a minor league pitching coordinator for several years after his playing career. Here is an interview with Gil from 2012.
- Dave Wehrmeister
- Debut: April 16, 1976
- 1977 Stats:
- San Diego Padres: 1-3, 6.07 ERA in 30 games (6 starts)
- Hawaii Islanders (AAA): 2-2, 2.54 ERA in 5 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- May 30: Allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings and earned the win in San Diego's 9-8 win over the San Francisco Giants.
- Other card blogs: none
- Dave Wehrmeister pitched for 14 seasons, mostly at the AAA level. Dave was drafted in the first round (3rd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 1973. Wehrmeister made the San Diego ballclub in 1976, but was sent back down in late May after going 0-4 with a 7.45 ERA in seven games.
- Dave started the 1977 season in AAA and was brought up in late May. Wehrmeister saw the most major league action of his career in 1977, appearing in 30 games (1-3, 6.07 ERA).
- In 1978 Wehrmeister started the season with the Padres but was sent down in late April after only four appearances (0-1, 6.14 ERA).
- Dave started the 1979 season in AAA Hawaii. On June 15 he was traded to the New York Yankees for Jay Johnstone. Wehrmeister stayed in the minors (AAA Columbus) for the rest of the 1979 season and for the entire 1980 season.
- After the 1980 season Wehrmeister was taken by the Kansas City Royals in the Rule 5 draft. Dave was returned to the Yankees in April 1981. He spent most of the 1981 season in Columbus, but he made five appearances for the Yankees (0-0, 5.14 ERA) in August after the strike.
- Wehrmeister pitched in Columbus for the entire 1982 season. He started the 1983 season in Columbus but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on June 17 for two minor leaguers. Dave finished the 1983 season in AAA Portland.
- In 1984 Wehrmeister mostly pitched in Portland. He was brought up to Philadelphia for about a month in June and July (0-0, 7.20 ERA in 7 games). A 1984 Topps Traded card was created for him by Jim at The Phillies Room.
- Dave became a free agent after the 1984 season and signed with the Chicago White Sox. He pitched for AAA Buffalo for the first four months of the season. Dave was brought up to the White Sox in August and was 2-2 with 2 saves and had a 3.43 ERA in 20 games.
- Wehrmeister was in Buffalo again in 1986 and then retired after the season.
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