- Sparky Lyle had his best year in 1977. Lyle was the most dominant reliever in the league and won the AL Cy Young Award. Sparky was an AL All Star for the third and final time of his career (he allowed 2 runs in 2 innings pitched).
- 1977 Stats:
- Regular Season: 13-5, 26 saves, 2.17 ERA in 72 games
- AL Championship Series: 2-0, 0.96 ERA in 4 games
- World Series: 1-0, 1.93 ERA in 2 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983
- Darrell Johnson was a catcher who played in parts of seven seasons from 1952-1962. He started out with the St. Louis Browns and also played for the Chicago White Sox in 1952. Darrell then played in the minors for the next four seasons. He posted some good hitting stats in the Yankees system in AAA in 1955 (.306) and in 1956 (.319). Johnson became Yogi Berra's backup catcher in 1957, but he didn't get a lot of playing time (.217 in 21 games in 1957 and .250 in 5 games in 1958). Johnson was back in AAA in 1959 since the Yankees had Elston Howard. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Darrell in the Rule 5 draft after the 1959 season. Johnson played for the Cardinals for a short time in 1960 and then he was released as a player and added as a coach. Darrell continued as a coach until the middle of the 1961 season. When manager Solly Hemus was fired, Johnson went with him. Darrell signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a player (.230 in 21 games). He was sold to the Cincinnati Reds in mid August and batted .315 in 20 games. Johnson appeared in the 1961 World Series and was 2 for 4 in 2 games. In 1962 Johnson stared the year with the Reds (0 for 2 in 8 games). He was released in April and signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Darrell batted .182 in 6 games before being released in June. He served as the bullpen coach for the Orioles for the rest of the year. Darrell served as a minor league manager (1963-1966) as a scout (1967) and as the pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox (1968-1969). After manager Dick Williams was fired in 1969, Johnson returned to managing in the minors. He had some success there and was brought in to manage the Boston Red Sox in 1974. Johnson led the Red Sox to the 1975 World Series, but he was fired in July 1976 after a slow start. Darrell became the first manager of the Seattle Mariners and managed them from 1977 until mid-1980. Johnson coached for the Texas Rangers in 1981 and in 1982. He became the manager of the Rangers in July 1982 and finished the season with them. Johnson then worked for the New York Mets for several years as a coach and in other positions. Darrell died of leukemia in 2004.
- Darrell Johnson's SABR biography
- Don Bryant - I think this is the first time I have seen a bullpen coach on a card. Bryant was a catcher who spent most of his career (1960-1973) in the minors. Don had a few brief stints in the majors in 1966, 1969, and 1970 (220 in 59 games). Bryant was Johnson's bullpen coach in Boston (1974-1976) and in Seattle (1977-1980).
- Jim Busby - Busby was an outfielder for six teams from 1950-1962 (,262 in 1352 games). Busby was a coach in the major leagues from 1962-1978. Jim passed away in 1996.
- Vada Pinson - Pinson would have been a Hall of Fame outfielder if it weren't for injuries. He played in the majors from 1958-1975 (.286, 2757 hits, 256 HR). Pinson was a major league coach from 1977-1994. Vada died of a stroke in 1995. Vada Pinson's SABR biography
- Wes Stock - Wes was a major league pitcher from 1959-1967 (27-13, 3.60 ERA). Stock was a pitching coach for several major league teams (including the World Champion Oakland A's of 1973 and 1974) from 1967-1981 and again from 1984-1986.
Record: 64-98, 6th in AL West, 38 games behind Kansas City
- Attendance: 1,338,511 (8th in AL)
- Team Batting: .256 (11th in AL)
- Team HR: 133 (8th in AL)
- Team Stolen Bases: 110 (5th in AL)
- Team ERA: 4.83 (14th in AL)
- Team Fielding: .976 (10th in AL)
- All Stars: Ruppert Jones (OF)
- Awards: none
- AL Leaders: none
- Batting Leader: Leroy Stanton (.275)
- Home Run Leader: Leroy Stanton (27)
- RBI Leader: Leroy Stanton / Dan Meyer (90)
- Stolen Base Leader: Dave Collins (25)
- Victories Leader: Glenn Abbott (12)
- Losses Leader: Glenn Abbott (13)
- Strikeout Leader: Enrique Romo (105)
- Saves Leader: Enrique Romo (16)
- ERA Leader (starters): Glenn Abbott (4.45) ; (pitchers who started more than half of their appearances)
- ERA Leader (relievers): Enrique Romo (2.83)
- Players who could have had Mariners cards in 1977 (batters with over 100 AB, pitchers with over 40 innings) :
- Craig Reynolds (SS) - .248 in 135 games
- Jose Baez (2B) - .259 in 91 games
- Larry Milbourne (IF) - .219 in 86 games
- Julio Cruz (2B) - .256 in 60 games
- Skip Jutze (C) - .220 in 42 games
- Tom House (P) - 4-5, 1 save, 3.93 ERA in 26 games (11 starts)
- Mike Kekich (P) - 5-4, 3 saves, 5.60 ERA in 41 games (2 starts)
- Enrique Romo (P) - 8-10, 16 saves, 2.83 ERA in 58 games (3 starts)
- John Montague (P) - 8-12, 4 saves, 4.29 ERA in 47 games (15 starts)
- Jerry Martin was a first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1970. Jerry played in the minors from 1971-1973. Martin spent the 1974 season in AAA and was called up in September (3 for 14 in 13 games).
- Martin started the 1975 season in AAA and was called up in late May. He struggled at the plate and was sent back down in July. Jerry was recalled in September. Martin batted .212 in 57 games for the Phillies in 1975.
- In 1976 Martin spent most of the season as a defensive replacement in left field. Although he played in 130 games, Jerry only got to the plate 129 times (.248, 2 HR, 15 RBI). Martin appeared in one game in the 1976 NL Championship Series and was 0 for 1.
- Jerry was a backup outfielder and first baseman in 1977. Martin often appeared as a defensive replacement for Greg Luzinski in LF and also started several games in RF. He batted .260 in 116 games. Martin went 0 for 4 in three games in the NL Championship Series.
- Martin got several starts in right field in 1978 and batted .271 with 9 HR and 36 RBI in 128 games. Jerry started two games in right field in the 1978 NL Championship Series (.222 with 1 HR in 9 at bats).
- In February of 1979 Jerry was traded to the Chicago Cubs as part of an eight-player deal. Martin became the starting center fielder for the Cubs and batted .272 with 19 HR and 73 RBI in 150 games. In 1980 Martin hit a few more home runs (23), but his batting average dipped to .227 in 141 games.
- After the 1980 season Jerry was traded (with Jesus Figueroa and a minor leaguer) to the San Francisco Giants for Phil Nastu and Joe Strain. Martin signed a five-year contract before the 1981 season, but he spent only one season with the Giants, batting .241 in 72 games as a backup outfielder.
- Martin was traded to the Kansas City Royals before the 1982 season for Bill Laskey and Rich Gale. Jerry became the starting RF for the Royals and batted .266 with 15 HR and 65 RBI in 147 games.
- In 1983 Jerry got off to a fast start (.313 in 13 games), but he didn't play after April 22 due to a wrist injury (he had surgery in July) and a drug scandal that swirled around the Royals.
- After the 1983 season Martin was sentenced to three months in prison for misdemeanor cocaine possession and was suspended for one year by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for his admitted drug use. The suspension was lifted by an arbitrator and Jerry was able to resume his playing career with the New York Mets in May of 1984. Martin didn't do much with the Mets in 1984 (.154 in 51 games) and he was released on September 30.
- After his playing career Martin coached in the minor leagues for several teams. His most recent coaching job was hitting coach for the AA Erie SeaWolves (Detroit Tigers organization).
- 1977 Stats:
- Regular Season: .260, 6 HR, 28 RBI in 116 games
- NL Championship Series: .000 (0 for 4) in 3 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, Cardboard Gods
- John Hiller had an off year in 1977. Hiller made seven starts in May and June while Mark Fidrych was injured and he made some good starts during that time. John's 3.56 ERA was his highest since 1969.
- In late September doctors discovered that Hiller had an enlarged liver. John didn't think it caused his poor season, but he admitted to feeling tired for the last few months.
- John Hiller's SABR biography
- 1977 Stats: 8-14, 7 saves, 3.56 ERA in 45 games (8 starts)
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980
- Biff Pocoroba was the starting catcher for the 1977 Braves. It was by far Biff's best offensive season. His fielding was slightly above average, but he allowed 103 stolen bases in 100 games behind the plate.
- 1977 Stats: .290, 8 HR, 44 RBI in 113 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, Cardboard Gods
- Dennis Blair was in AAA for the entire 1977 season. In mid-July Blair was sent to the Rochester Red Wings (Baltimore Orioles organization) for pitcher Fred Holdsworth. Blair wouldn't make it back to the majors until 1980.
- 1977 Stats:
- Denver Bears (AAA) - 5-4, 5.09 ERA in 15 games (11 starts)
- Rochester Red Wings (AAA) - 4-3, 3.63 ERA in 9 starts
- Other card blogs: 1975, 1976
- Dan Briggs started the 1977 season with the Angels. Dan struggled at the plate and was sent to AAA Salt Lake City in mid-May. In mid-June Briggs was loaned to AAA Indianapolis. Dan was brought back to the Angels in mid-July and he stayed with the club for the rest of the season. Briggs was mostly a defensive replacement at first base in August and September.
- Briggs coached at Denison University from 1989-1999.
- Dan is now the co-owner of Big League Baseball School in Ohio. Someone isn't crazy about it.
- 1977 Stats:
- California Angels - .162 (12 for 74) in 59 games
- Salt Lake City Gulls (AAA) - .337 in 26 games
- Indianapolis Indians (AAA) - .267 in 26 games
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980
