- Matt Alexander was one of Charlie Finley's "designated runners" in the mid 1970s. Alexander was more than just a runner and was respected more by his Oakland teammates than the others.
- Manager Jack McKeon and Finley came up with an interesting experiment in late May. Alexander would start the game at shortstop, get one at bat, and then be replaced by regular shortstop Rob Picciolo. The idea was for Matt to get on base any way he could and then use his talents to get the A's an early run. The experiment lasted for about a week and a half. In the eight games Alexander got on base four times and scored three runs.
- Alexander had career highs in stolen bases (26) and runs (24) in 1977. Matt didn't make the Oakland club in 1978 and was released. The Pittsburgh Pirates picked him up in September and Alexander managed to get a World Series ring with the Pirates in 1979.
- Matt Alexander's SABR biography
- 1977 Stats: .238, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 26 stolen bases in 90 games (42 at bats)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976
- Tommy Sandt had a long baseball career even though he played in only 42 major league games. Sandt was drafted by the Oakland A's in 1969. Tommy played in the minors from 1969-1975. Sandt was brought up to the A's briefly in June 1975. He appeared in one game, but he didn't have a plate appearance.
- In 1976 Tommy was with Oakland for the entire season. He didn't get much playing time since the A's had Sal Bando at 3B, Bert Campaneris as SS, and Phil Garner at 2B. Sandt played in 41 games and batted .209 in 67 at bats.
- Sandt was sold to the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training in 1977. Tommy later said that he made a big mistake in hiring an agent before the 1977 season. He was sent to the minors in retribution for being difficult to sign, and he never made it back to the majors. Sandt was sent to AAA New Orleans, where he batted .259 with 10 HR in 80 games.
- In 1978 Tommy was in the Toronto organization. He batted .245 for AAA Syracuse.
- Sandt moved on to the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 1979. He played for AAA Portland from 1979-1981.
- In 1982 Sandt went into managing. He managed (and occasionally played) in the Pirates organization from 1982-1986.
- Tommy coached in Pittsburgh (1987-1996), Florida (1997-1998), and Colorado (1999). Sandt then coached for the Pirates from 2000-2002.
- 1977 Stats:
- New Orleans Pelicans (AAA): .259, 10 HR, 44 RBI in 80 games
- Other card blogs: none
- In February 1977 Paul Lindblad was sold to the Texas Rangers for $400,000. It was a controversial deal at the time since Commissioner Bowie Kuhn wanted to be consulted before any cash deals were made (especially if the A's were involved). The sale was eventually approved a few weeks later.
- The Rangers used Lindblad mostly as a setup man
- Paul passed away on January 1, 2006 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
- 1977 Stats: 4-5, 4 saves, 4.20 ERA in 42 games (1 start)
- 1977 Highlights:
- June 7 - Pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless ball and got the win as the Rangers beat the New York Yankees 7-3.
- Aug 14 - Allowed one run in six innings pitched in relief of Nelson Briles as the Rangers came back from being down 6-0 to beat the Chicago White Sox 12-9.
- Other card blogs: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976 Kellogg's, 1979
- Mike Dupree
- Debut: April 13, 1976
- 1977 Stats:
- Hawaii Islanders: 3-5, 5 saves, 4.27 ERA in 36 games (3 starts); .352 average in 70 games (108 at bats)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Aug 29- As a DH he went 2 for 3 with a run scored and a run batted in to help Hawaii beat Spokane 5-3.
- Other card blogs: none
- Mike Dupree was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1973. He was an outfielder and a first baseman in the minors from 1973-1975. Mike tried out pitching in AA in 1975 and was 5-0 with a 2.18 ERA in 14 games.
- Dupree made the San Diego club in 1976, but he didn't have much success in the majors. Mike spent one month with the Padres and had a 9.19 ERA in 12 games. Dupree was sent back to AAA in mid-May.
- Dupree pitched for the AAA Hawaii Islanders from 1976 through the 1979 season. He spent more time in the outfield and at DH than he did on the mound.
- In 1980 Dupree played in Japan. That was it for his professional baseball career.
- Denny Martinez
- Debut: September 14, 1976
- 1977 Stats: 14-7, 4 saves, 4.10 ERA in 42 games (13 starts)
- 1977 Highlights:
- May 25 - Allowed two runs (one unearned) in a complete game 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
- June 14 - Pitched the 10th and 11th innings and allowed one unearned run to earn the win as Baltimore beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5.
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Dennis Martinez enjoyed a 23-year career as a major league pitcher. Martinez was signed by the Baltimore Orioles from his native Nicaraugua in 1973. Dennis rose quickly through the crowded Baltimore farm system. He had a brief trial in 1976 (1-2, 2.60 ERA in 4 games/2 starts) and then joined the Oriole staff full time in 1977.
- Martinez had several good seasons with the Orioles, especially in 1979 (AL leader in complete games) and in 1981 (AL leader in wins)
- Dennis had some injury problems in 1980 (missed about 2 months with tendonitits). He wasn't as effective in his final few seasons in Baltimore. After the 1983 season Martinez underwent an 8-week treatment program for alcoholsim. During the 1986 season Dennis was traded with John Stenfro to the Montreal Expos for Rene Gonzalez.
- In 1987 Martinez had a huge revival as a pitcher. Dennis had six good years with the Expos from 1987-1992, including three All Star selections and an ERA title in 1991. On July 28, 1991 Martinez pitched a perfect game against the LA Dodgers.
- Dennis' stats fell off a bit in 1993. After the 1993 season Martinez became a free agent and signed with the Cleveland Indians. Dennis pitched for the Indians from 1993-1996. He had some injury problems in 1996 and after the season he became a free agent and signed with the Seattle Mariners. After struggling with the Mariners in 1997, Dennis retired after being released in June. The next season Martinez signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves. Dennis won a job with the Braves, broke the record for the all-time winningest Latin-American pitcher, then retired at the age of 44 with 245 career victories.
- Dennis is now the bullpen coach for the Houston Astros.
- Craig Mitchell
- Debut: September 25, 1975
- 1977 Stats:
- San Jose Missions (AAA): 10-11, 1 save, 4.48 ERA in 32 games (30 starts)
- Oakland A's: 0-1, 7.94 ERA in 3 games (1 start)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976.
- Craig Mitchell was drafted by the Oakland A's in 1973. He spent most of his career in the minors. Mitchell had brief stints with the A's in 1975 (0-1, 12.27 ERA in 1 start), 1976 (2.70 ERA in 1 game) and in 1977 (0-1, 7.94 ERA in 3 games).
- Mitchell pitched in AAA through the 1979 season.
- Bob Sykes
- Debut: April 9, 1977
- 1977 Stats: 5-7, 4.41 ERA in 32 games (20 starts)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980
- Bob Sykes was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1974. Bob was 11-0 in Rookie League ball in 1974. He pitched in the minors in 1975 and in 1976.
- Sykes made the Detroit roster in 1977 because Mark Fidrych was to start the season on the disabled list. Bob managed to stay with the Tigers for the entire season. Bob split time between the bullpen and the starting rotation, going 5-7 with a 4.41 ERA in 32 games (20 starts).
- Bob spent the first month of the 1978 season in AAA Evansville. He was brought up to the Tigers after winning all four of his starts in Evansville (4-0, 1.41 ERA). Sykes was a spot starter and a long man for Detroit in 1978 (6-6, 2 saves, 3.94 ERA in 22 games /10 starts).
- After the 1978 season Sykes was traded with a minor leaguer to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jerry Morales and Aurelio Lopez.
- Sykes had a tough time for the Cardinals in 1979. Bob was in the starting rotation until mid-June, but he went down with a blood clot in his shoulder. Bob rehabbed in the minors and then came back to the Cardinals to pitch in two games in September. Overall Bob was 4-3 with a 6.18 ERA in 13 games (11 starts).
- Bob stayed with the Cardinals for all of 1980 (6-10, 4.64 ERA in 27 games/19 starts) and 1981 (2-0, 4.58 ERA in 22 games/1 start). Sykes was the Cardinals' player rep in 1981 during the strike.
- After the 1981 season Sykes was traded to the New York Yankees for Willie McGee. It was thought to be a minor deal at the time, but McGee paid big dividends for the Cardinals in their World Championship season in 1982. Bob spent the 1982 season on the disabled list and in the minors. Sykes retired after the 1982 season.
- Brian Asselstine
- Debut: September 14, 1976
- 1977 Stats:
- Richmond Braves (AAA): .276 in 27 games
- Atlanta Braves: .210 in 83 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, Cardboard Gods
- Brian Asselstine was the first round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 1973. Brian worked his way up the ladder from 1973-1976. Asselstine was called up in September 1976 after batting .293 in 122 games for AAA Richmond. Brian batted .212 in 11 games for the Atlanta Braves in 1976.
- Asselstine started the 1977 season with the Braves, but he struggled at the plate. Brian was demoted to Richmond at the end of May and spent the entire month of June there.
- Brian was starting regularly in either CF or RF for the Braves for the first two months of the 1978 season. On May 31 Brian lost a battle with the outfield fence while trying to rob Mike Lum of a home run. Brian broke a bone in his leg and dislocated his ankle. Asselstine was out for the rest of the year. Brian batted .272 in 45 games.
- Asselstine had a hard time coming back in 1979. He played in only 8 games for the Braves (1 for 10) and in 27 games (.276) for Richmond.
- In 1980 Brian was a reserve outfielder and a pinch hitter. Brian batted .284 in 87 games. Asselstine had a similar role in 1981 and batted .256 in 56 games.
- Brian didn't make the Atlanta ballclub in 1982. He was released in late March and took the year off. In 1983 Asselstine tried to come back with the San Francisco Giants. He played for AAA Phoenix and batted .313 in 116 games. But the call to the majors never came and Brian retired after the season.
- Brian is now a contractor in Santa Ynez, CA.
- Wayne Gross
- Debut: August 21, 1976
- 1977 Stats: .233, 22 HR, 63 RBI in 146 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1978, 1980
- Wayne Gross was drafted by the Oakland A's in 1973. He played in the minors from 1973-1976 and batted .222 in 10 games in a late 1976 call-up.
- Gross became the starting third baseman for a depleted Oakland ballclub in 1977. The A's had to send someone to the All Star game (pitcher Vida Blue was injured), so Wayne was selected to his only All Star team. Gross was the team leader in home runs (22) but batted only .233 on the season.
- In 1978 Wayne split time between 3B and 1B. He hit seven home runs and batted .200 in 118 games. He spent a few weeks in the minors during the season.
- Wayne's numbers rebounded a bit in 1979 (.224, 14 HR, 50 RBI in 138 games). He had his best year in 1980, batting .281 with 14 HR and 61 RBI in 113 games.
- Gross slipped to .204 with 10 HR and 31 RBI in 1981. Wayne's home run led the A's to a win in game 1 of the AL Divisional Series. Wayne was 2 for 5 in the ALDS and went 0 for 5 in the AL Championship Series.
- Wayne had slightly better years in 1982 (.251, 9 HR, 41 RBI) and in 1983 (.233, 12 HR, 44 RBI).
- After the 1983 season Wayne was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Tim Stoddard. Gross started at 3B for the Orioles in 1984 and had one of his better years (.216, 22 HR, 64 RBI). In 1985 Wayne backed up at 3B and 1B and batted .235 with 11 HR and 18 RBI.
- The Orioles released Gross at the end of spring training in 1986. Wayne signed with the A's and played for AAA Tacoma for most of the season. Gross was recalled to Oakland in September but was hitless in three pinch hitting appearances. Wayne was released after the season.
- Sam Mejias
- Debut: September 6, 1976 (my 10th birthday)
- 1977 Stats: .228 in 74 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- June 5 - Knocked in the go-ahead run in the 7th by hitting a pinch homer as the Expos beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5.
- July 4 - Had three hits (a double, a triple, and a home run) to lead the Expos to a 7-6 win over the Chicago Cubs.
- In June 1976 Sam was the player to be named later in a trade with the Montreal Expos for Danny Frisella. He batted .323 for AAA Tulsa during the remainder of the 1976 season and then batted .143 in 18 games for the Cardinals in September.
- After the 1976 season Sam was traded to the Montreal Expos in a multi-player deal. Mejias was used as a pinch hitter and backup outfielder in 1977. He appeared in 74 games but only had 104 plate appearances (.228, 3 HR, 8 RBI).
- Sam's 1978 season resembled his 1977 season, but he played less (.232 in 67 games, 59 plate appearances).
- Mejias was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the 1978 season for Rodney Scott and Jerry White. Sam played in 31 games for the Cubs but only got to the plate 14 times (2 for 11, .182). On July 4 Sam was sold to the Cincinnati Reds. He was assigned to Cincinnati's AAA Indianapolis club but was brought back to the majors in late August (1 for 2 in 7 games).
- The next two seasons followed the pattern Sam had in Montreal. In 1981 he batted .278 in 71 games (117 plate appearances) and in 1982 he batted .286 in 66 games (56 plate appearances).
- The Reds released Mejias during spring training in 1982. Sam played in the Mexican League in 1982 and retired after the season.
- Other card blogs: 1979
- Alvis Woods
- Debut: April 7, 1977
- 1977 Stats: .284, 6 HR, 35 RBI in 122 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, Cardboard Gods
- Alvis Woods was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1972. He spent the next several seasons in the minors and was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1976 expansion draft.
- Woods made the Blue Jays squad in 1977 and homered in his first major league at bat (which also happened to be Toronto's first game). Alvis was the regular in left field and batted .284 with 6 HR and 35 RBI in 122 games.
- Alvis got off to a rough start in 1978 and was sent to AAA Syracuse for a couple of months. The assignment did Woods some good and he hit better when he came back in July. Alvis batted .241 in 62 games for the Blue Jays in 1978.
- Woods got his starting LF job back in 1979. He batted .278 with 5 HR and 36 RBI in 132 games.
- Alvis had his best offensive year in 1980, batting .300 with 15 HR in 109 games. Woods played in only 8 games in April but he regained his starting job in May.
- The 1981 season was Woods' last one as a starter. He slumped to .247 in 85 games. Woods was the fourth outfielder in 1982 and batted .234 in 85 games. After the 1982 season the Blue Jays traded Woods to the Oakland A's for Cliff Johnson. Alvis was released during spring training in 1983 and signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays.
- Alvis spent the 1983 and 1984 seasons in Syracuse. Woods was released in 1984. He signed with the Twins and played for AAA Toledo in 1985 and in 1986. Alvis had a couple of short stints with the Twins in 1986 (.321 in 23 games). He retired after the 1986 season.
- Alvis now does appearances for Sports Celebrity Marketing.
- Chris Batton
- Debut: September 19, 1976
- 1977 Stats:
- Shreveport Captains (AA): 6-5, 3.14 ERA in 14 starts
- Columbus Clippers: 1-3, 7.91 ERA in 8 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: none
- Chris Batton was drafted out of high school by the Oakland A's in 1972. Chris pitched in the minors from 1972-1976.
- Batton was called up in September 1976 and pitched in two games. He allowed no runs in two innings in a relief appearance and then allowed two runs in two innings in a start against the California Angels.
- On March 15, 1977 Chris was traded (with Phil Garner and Tommy Helms) to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Doc Medich, Dave Giusti, Mitchell Page, Tony Armas, Rick Langford, and Doug Bair. Chris split the season between AA (where he pitched well) and AAA (where he struggled).
- Batton didn't pitch in 1978. He pitched for two non-affiliated teams in 1979 - Class A Bakersfield (1-3, 7.67 in 5 starts) and the Santo Domingo Azucareos of the Inter-American League (7-4, 2.40 ERA in 15 games). That was it for Batton's career.
- Rick Camp
- Debut: September 15, 1976
- 1977 Stats: 6-3, 10 saves, 4.00 ERA in 54 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, Cardboard Gods
- Rick Camp was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 1974. After playing in the minors from 1974-1976 Camp was called up for a look in September 1976. He went 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA in 5 games (1 start).
- Camp's first full season was in 1977. Rick appeared in 54 games and was 6-3 with 10 saves with a 4.00 ERA.
- In 1978 Camp was mostly a middle reliever. He made four starts in June and July. Rick was 2-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 42 appearances.
- Camp was sent to AAA Richmond during spring training in 1979. Rick made 22 appearances for the Richmond Braves before having season-ending arm surgery.
- Rick bounced back in 1980 to have a great season. He made 77 appearances and had a 6-4 record with 22 saves and had a 1.91 ERA. Camp was named NL player of the week for saving three games in one week late in September.
- Camp had a similar season in 1981. He saved 17 games and went 9-3 with a 1.78 ERA in 48 appearances.
- In 1982 Camp started the season as a reliever. He was moved into the starting rotation in June. Rick went 11-13 with 5 saves and had a 3.65 ERA in 51 games (21 starts). Camp started game 3 of the NL Championship Series but allowed four runs in one inning plus of work as the St. Louis Cardinals eliminated the Braves.
- Rick was a starter for the first couple of months of the 1983 season before being used as a swingman from June to the end of the season. Camp went 10-9 and had a 3.79 ERA in 40 games (16 starts)
- In 1984 Rick was a swingman for the first part of the season and then went to the bullpen for the second half of the season. Camp went 8-6 and had a 3.27 ERA in 31 games (12 starts).
- In his last season (1985) Rick hit one of the most improbable home runs in history. With the Braves behind 11-10 in the bottom of the 18th inning Camp homered to tie the game. In the 19th inning Camp struck out to finally end the game. Rick made 66 appearances (2 starts) and was 4-6 with 3 saves and had a 3.95 ERA.
- Rick was cut at the end of spring training in 1986. There was a 24-man roster in effect in 1986 and Camp may have been a victim of this roster reduction. He received his guaranteed salary of $600,000 and retired from baseball.
- In 2005 Camp was convicted of conspiring to steal over $2 million from a mental health agency. He was a lobbyist at the time. Rick was sentenced to three years in federal prison.
- Scott McGregor
- Debut: September 19, 1976
- 1977 Stats: 3-5, 4 saves, 4.42 ERA in 29 games (5 saves)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Scott McGregor was the New York Yankees' first round draft pick in 1972. McGregor progressed through the Yankees system from 1972-1976. On June 15 Scott was traded (with Rick Dempsey, Dave Pagan, Rudy May, and Tippy Martinez) to the Baltimore Orioles for Doyle Alexander, Jimmy Freeman, Ellie Hendricks, Ken Holtzman, and Grant Jackson. Scott stayed in AAA until the end of the 1976 season. He was called up in September and went 0-1 with a 3.68 ERA in 3 games (2 starts).
- In 1977 McGregor spent most of the time in the bullpen. Scott had five starts out of his 29 appearances.
- Scott was mostly a starting pitcher for the rest of his major league career. He was known for his control -- McGregor's career average was 2.2 walks per nine innings. Scott also didn't strike out many batters (only one year of more than 100 strikeouts). McGregor had good years when he had good defenses behind him, but was average to below average when he was pitching for poorer clubs.
- In 1978 McGregor was 15-13 with a 3.32 ERA. He followed that year up with a 13-6, 3.35 ERA in 1979. Scott had a complete game 8-0 shutout in game 4 of the AL Championship Series and was 1-1 (won game 3, lost game 7) with a 3.18 ERA in the World Series.
- Scott's best season was probably 1980. He was a 20 game winner for the only time in his career (20-8, 3.32 ERA) and finished 6th in AL Cy Young Award voting.
- McGregor was an AL All Star in 1981, but he didn't get in the game. Scott went 13-5 with a 3.26 ERA.
- In 1982 McGregor had his first off year (14-12, 4.61 ERA). Scott bounced back with a good season in 1983 (18-7, 3.18 ERA, 6th in Cy Young voting). McGregor lost his only start in the AL Championship Series despite giving up only two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Scott was 1-1 with a 1.06 ERA in the World Series. He took the loss in game 1 of the Series and pitched a shutout in game 5.
- Scott's ERA climbed in the next few seasons. He was 15-12 with a 3.94 ERA in 1984 and was 14-14 with a 4.81 ERA in 1985.
- The 1986 season was Scott's last full season as a starter. He slipped to 11-15 and had a 4.52 ERA.
- Scott struggled in 1987. On July 7 McGregor was 2-7 with a 6.64 ERA when he was sent to AAA Rochester. He didn't return to the Orioles for the rest of the season.
- McGregor came back in 1988 but was released on May 2 after going 0-3 with an 8.83 ERA in four starts.
- After his retirement McGregor was a pastor in Baltimore and in Dover, Deleware from 1988-2001.
- Scott has been working for the Orioles as a coach for the last several years. In 2012 he went to Florida to work with Baltimore's injured and rehabbing pitchers.
- Manny Sarmiento
- Debut: July 30, 1976
- 1977 Stats:
- Cincinnati Reds: 0-0, 1 save, 2.45 ERA in 24 games
- Indianapolis Indians (AAA): 3-4, 5 saves, 6.69 ERA in 25 games (1 start)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983
- Manny Sarmiento was signed by the Cincinnati Reds out of Venezuela in 1972 at the age of 16. He pitched in the minors from 1972-1976 before getting a chance in late July 1976 with the Reds. Sarmiento had a good two months of the season, going 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in 22 games. Manny appeared in one game in the NL Championship Series and allowed two runs in one inning.
- Sarmiento started the 1977 season in AAA Indianapolis The original plan was to have Manny with the Reds, but Champ Summers had a good spring and manager Sparky Anderson decided to keep him and send down Sarmiento. He was recalled on July 20 and finished the season with the Reds. Manny put up better numbers with the Reds (2.45 ERA in 24 games) than he did in the minors (6.69 ERA in 25 games).
- Manny was mostly a middle reliever and setup man for the Reds in 1978 (9-7, 5 saves, 4.38 ERA in 63 games / 4 starts) and in 1979 (0-4, 4.66 ERA in 23 games / 1 start). Manny's 1979 season was broken up by a couple of stints in Indianapolis.
- Sarmiento was released toward the end of spring training in 1980. In mid April he signed with the Seattle Mariners. He pitched for the AAA Spokane Indians for most of the 1980 season. Manny was brought up to Seattle in September and was 0-1 with one save and had a 3.68 ERA in 9 games.
- Manny was traded to the Boston Red Sox on April 8, 1981 for Dick Drago. Sarmiento spent the entire 1981 season pitching for AAA Pawtucket.
- After the 1981 season Sarmineto was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He started the 1982 season in AAA and was brought up in May. Manny was used as a swingman by the Pirates and had a good year (9-4, 1 save, 3.39 ERA in 35 games / 17 starts).
- Manny pitched well for the Pirates again in 1983. He went 3-5 with 4 saves and had a 2.99 ERA in 52 appearances.
- In April 1984 Sarmiento underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. It was thought he would be out for six weeks, but he ended up not pitching all year.
- Manny tried to come back in 1985 but was one of the Pirates' last cuts in spring training. He was sent to AAA Hawaii. He pitched well in Hawaii but wasn't brought back to Pittsburgh. At the end of the 1985 season Sarmiento was one of the players caught up in the Pittsburgh drug scandal. Although Manny wasn't suspended or fined, the testimony given by other players during the drug trial may have been the reason why he never pitched again after the 1985 season.
- Andre Dawson
- Debut: September 11, 1976
- 1977 Stats: .282, 19 HR, 65 RBI in 139 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1988
- Andre Dawson was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1977.
- Dawson had a great career. It would have been better, but the artificial turf in Montreal really took a toll on his knees.
- Andre won eight Gold Gloves and was an eight-time All Star
- Dawson was the NL MVP in 1987. He finished second twice (1981 and 1983)
- He played for the Montreal Expos (1976-1986), the Chicago Cubs (1987-1992), the Boston Red Sox (1993-1994), and the Florida Marlins (1995-1996)
- Dawson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010.
- Gene Richards
- Debut: April 6, 1977
- 1977 Stats: .290, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 56 stolen bases in 146 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985
- Gene Richards was the first player selected in the 1975 draft. Gene batted .381 for Class A Reno in 1975 and .331 for AAA Hawaii in 1976.
- Richards became the starting left fielder for the San Diego Padres in 1977. He finished third (behind Dawson and Steve Henderson) in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Gene batted .290 in 146 games and stole 56 bases.
- I used to think Gene had some cool APBA cards in the 1970s and 1980s. He had several 11's on his cards, which meant he would automatically steal second base after a single when that number came up.
- Although he didn't steal as many bases, Richards had a better season in 1978. Gene batted .308 with 4 HR and 45 RBI and had 37 stolen bases in 1978.
- Gene dropped off a little bit in 1979, batting .279 with 24 stolen bases in 150 games.
- Richards had a bouneeback year in 1980. He batted .301, scored 91 runs, and stole 61 bases.
- In the strike-shortened 1981 season Richards led the NL with 12 triples and batted .288 in 104 games.
- In 1982 Richards was still a starting outfielder, but he started to lose playing time. He batted .286 in 132 games.
- Gene's last year with the Padres was in 1983. He played in only 95 games and batted .275. After the 1983 season Richards was granted free agency but went unsigned.
- Richards tried out for the San Francisco Giants in 1984. He was signed to a one year contract at the end of spring training. The Giants used Gene as a backup outfielder and a pinch hitter. After August 14 Gene made 23 appearances, all as a pinch hitter or a pinch runner. Richards batted .252 in 87 games.
- Gene became a free agent after the 1984 season but he went unsigned. Gene retired at the age of 31.
- John Scott
- Debut: September 7, 1974
- 1977 Stats: .240, 2 HR, 15 RBI in 79 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: none
- John Scott was the first round (#2 overall) of the San Diego Padres in 1970. Scott played in the minors from 1970-1974. John got a September call up in 1974 and batted .067 (1 for 15) in 14 games.
- Scott was used as a pinch runner for much of the beginning of the 1975 season. He appeared in 25 games but batted only nine times and went 0 for 6. John was sent to AAA in late June and stayed there for the rest of the 1975 season and for the entire 1976 season.
- Scott was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays after the 1976 season. John stayed in the majors for the entire 1977 season and batted .240 in 79 games. After the 1977 season Scott was traded (with Pete Vuckovich) to the St. Louis Cardinals for Victor Cruz and Tom Underwood.
- Scott played in AAA for the entire 1978 season. John then went to Japan and played for the Yakult Swallows from 1979-1981.
- Scott played in the Mexican League in 1982 and then retired.
- Denny Walling
- Debut: September 7, 1975
- 1977 Stats:
- Minor Leagues (2 teams): .343, 4 HR, 18 RBI in 32 games
- Houston Astros: .286 (6 for 21) in 6 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Denny Walling was the first player drafted in the secondary phase of the 1975 draft. Denny went 1 for 8 in six games at the end of the 1975 season and then played in the minors in 1976. Walling got in three games for the A's (3 for 11, .273) at the end of the 1976 season.
- Walling was injured for much of the 1977 season. He played in three minor league games for AAA San Jose and then was traded to the Houston Astros for Willie Crawford on June 15. Denny played for AAA Tucson for most of the rest of the season and then was called up in September (6 for 21, .286 in 6 games).
- In 1978 Walling was in the majors to stay. He was used as a fourth outfielder and a pinch hitter and batted .251 with 3 HR and 36 RBI in 120 games.
- Walling had a similar role for his entire career. He played for the Astros until 1988. Denny's best year with the Astros was in 1986. He batted .312 with 13 HR and 58 RBI in 130 games.
- On August 31, 1988 Walling was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bob Forsch. The Cardinals wanted Denny's bat for their pennant drive (which came up short). Walling played for the Cardinals through the 1990 season and then finished up his career with the Texas Rangers (1991) and back with the Astros (1992).
- After his playing career Walling was a hitting coach for various major and minor league teams. Denny is now a roving hitting instructor for the Baltimore Orioles.
- On March 26, 1977 Claudell Washington was traded to the Texas Rangers for Rodney Scott, Jim Umbarger, and cash. Washington had a pretty good year for the Rangers as they contended for the AL West crown.
- 1977 Stats: .284, 12 HR, 68 RBI in 129 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1975, 1976, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Tommy Helms was at the end of his career in 1977. During spring training the A's traded Helms to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Helms didn't do much with the Pirates (0 for 12) and was released on June 14. Helms signed with the Boston Red Sox on June 21 and played in 21 games for the club. Tommy was released by the Red Sox during spring training in 1978 and that was it for his career.
- 1977 Stats:
- Pittsburgh Pirates: .000 (0 for 12) in 15 games
- Boston Red Sox: .271 in 21 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976
- Stan Bahnsen started the 1977 season with the Oakland A's. Stan had a rough start and was traded to the Montreal Expos on May 17 for Mike Jorgensen. Bahnsen was put in the Montreal starting rotation. It would be Stan's final season as a full-time starting pitcher.
- That's quite the cartoon on the back of the card.
- 1977 Stats:
- Oakland A's: 1-2, 1 save, 6.14 ERA in 11 games (2 starts)
- Montreal Expos: 8-9, 4.81 ERA in 22 starts
- Total - 9-11, 5.00 ERA in 34 games (24 starts)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1982
- Mike Torrez started the 1977 season with the Oakland A's. The team wasn't going to contend so on April 27 Mike was traded to the New York Yankees for Dock Ellis, Larry Murray, and Marty Perez. Torrez was a good pickup for the Yankees as he won 14 games during the regular season and two more in the World Series.
- Torrez left the Yankees as a free agent after the 1977 season and signed with the Boston Red Sox.
- 1977 Stats:
- Oakland A's - 3-1, 4.44 ERA in 4 starts
- New York Yankees - 14-12, 3.82 ERA in 31 starts
- AL Championship Series - 0-1, 4.09 ERA in 2 games (1 start)
- World Series - 2-0, 2.50 ERA in 2 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983
- Larry Lintz was just about at the end of his career when this card was made. The A's used him mostly as a "designated runner" in both 1976 and 1977.
- Larry started the season with Oakland but was sent to AAA San Jose in mid June. Lintz came back in September and finished the season with the A's.
- 1977 Stats:
- Oakland A's: .133 (4 for 30), 13 stolen bases, 11 runs in 41 games
- San Jose Missions (AAA): .270, 18 stolen bases, 25 runs in 35 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1974, 1975, 1976
- Mike Norris started the 1977 season with Oakland but missed a month from early May to early June. Mike then pitched for the team until mid August. Norris was sent to the AAA San Jose Missions on August 14 and spent the rest of the season there.
- 1977 Stats:
- San Jose (AAA) - 3-2, 3.52 ERA in 6 starts
- Oakland A's - 2-7, 4.77 ERA in 16 games (12 starts)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985
- This was Phil Garner's first season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Phil was traded during spring training by the Oakland A's (along with Chris Batton and Tommy Helms) to the Pirates for Tony Armas, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Rick Langford, Doc Medich, and Mitchell Page.
- Garner was in double figures in doubles (35), triples (10) and home runs (17) in 1977.
- 1977 Stats: .260, 17 HR, 77 RBI, 32 stolen bases
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Vida Bllue was one of the few Oakland A's remaining from the dynasty years. The A's crashed and burned in 1977 and Blue ended up leading the AL in losses.
- 1977 Stats: 14-19, 3.83 ERA in 38 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1972, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1976 Kellogg's, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1986
- Jeff Newman was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 1970. He played in the minors from 1970-1974 in the Cleveland organization. Jeff then played in the California Angels organization in 1974 and 1975. Newman also spent some time in the Phillies organization in 1975.
- Jeff was playing for the AAA Tucson Toros in 1976 when his contract was purchased by the Oakland A's in late June.
- Newman played sparingly in 1976 and batted .195 in 43 games.
- In 1977 Jeff backed up Manny Sanguillen behind the plate. He batted .222 in 94 games.
- For most of the 1978 season Newman and Jim Essian split time at catcher. Jeff batted .239 with 9 HR and 34 RBI in 105 games.
- Newman was the starting catcher for the A's in 1979. He made the AL All Star team, but didn't play. Newman led the A's in home runs in 1979. Jeff batted .231 with 22 HR and 71 RBI in 143 games.
- In 1980 Essian regained his starting catching job. Newman was used in several positions during the season. Jeff batted .233 with 15 HR and 56 RBI in 127 games.
- For the next two seasons Newman was a backup catcher. In 1981 Jeff batted .231 in 68 games and in 1982 he batted .199 in 72 games. After the 1982 season Newman was traded (with Tony Armas) to the Boston Red Sox for Carney Lansford, Garry Hancock, and a minor leaguer.
- Jeff spent two seasons as the backup catcher for the Red Sox. In 1983 Newman batted .189 in 59 games and in 1984 he batted .222 in 24 games.
- The Red Sox released Newman during spring training in 1985.
- Newman was the interim manager for the A's in 1986 after Jackie Moore was fired. Newman had been the bullpen coach. The A's had a record of 2-8 under Newman's tenure. Tony LaRussa, who had recently been fired by the Chicago White Sox, took over as Oakland manager on July 2.
- Jeff managed in the A's system from 1989-1991.
- Newman was the third base coach for the Cleveland Indians from 1992-1999. He then was the bench coach of the Baltimore Orioles in 2000.
- Jeff was a field assistant for the Office of the Commissioner from 2002-2004 and then was the third base coach for the Seattle Mariners in 2005 and 2006. Newman's 2006 season ended prematurely when he injured his Achilles' tendon in August.
- 1977 stats:
- Batting: .222, 4 HR, 15 HR in 94 games
- Pitching: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP
- 1977 highlights:
- June 26 - Went 4 for 4 in Oakland's 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.
- Sept 14 - Pitched one inning in the second game of a doubleheader. Jeff hit a batter, but didn't allow any runs. The A's lost the game 6-0 to the Royals.
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985
