1977 Topps Baseball #258 - Luis Tiant

• Luis Tiant was coming off a 20-win season and an All-Star appearance when this card was made. I'm really surprised he didn't get a "0" or a "5" number in this set.
• Tiant had an off year in 1977. His ERA jumped from 3.06 in 1976 to 4.53 in 1977. He made 32 starts, but he pitched 188 innings, which is about six innings a start. Luis pitched 260 or more innings in each of the previous four seasons, so that may have had something to do with it. Luis also held out for three weeks before signing on March 18.
• Here is Luis Tiant's SABR biography.
• 1977 Stats: 12-8, 4.53 ERA in 32 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• June 12 - Pitched a three-hit shutout against the Texas Rangers. It was Tiant's 41st career shutout.
• July 21 - Struck out eight batters to become the 30th major league pitcher to surpass 2,000 career strikeouts. The Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 11-4 as Tiant allowed two runs in seven innings and got his first win in a month.
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1983, Night Owl