1977 Topps Baseball #421 - Doug Rau

• Doug Rau had another solid year in 1977. The Dodgers had a great rotation that season --Rau was only 4th on the team with 14 wins. Doug started the season 11-1 before tailing off because of a sore shoulder in August and September.
• Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda gave the ball to Rau to start the 4th game of the World Series. Rau's shoulder was hurting during the last part of the season, but the Dodgers were accustomed to a 5-man rotation and Don Sutton was unable to start on three days rest. Doug didn't get out of the second inning, as this expletive-laden video attests:

• 1977 Stats: 
• Regular season: 14-8, 3.43 in 32 starts
• NL Championship Series: 0-0, 0.00 ERA in 1 game
• World Series: 0-1, 11.57 ERA in 2 games (1 start)
• 1977 Highlights:
• June 26 - Allowed three runs on eight hits in a complete game 9-3 victory over the second place Cincinnati Reds
• July 29 - Allowed four hits in six innings to get his record to 12-2. The Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos 4-1. The game was called in the 7th inning because of rain.
• Other card blogs: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980