1977 Topps Baseball #638 - Jim Kaat

• Jim Kaat's 1977 season wasn't exactly what the Phillies expected. Jim was used as a reliever during the month of April. He got roughed up a couple of times and at the end of the month his ERA was 15.43 (yikes!). Jim was put in the starting rotation in May and was a back of the rotation guy for the rest of the year. Kaat's ERA dipped below 5.00 only once as he struggled to a 6-11 record. The Phillies didn't use Jim in the NL Championship Series.
• Kaat won his 16th and final Gold Glove Award in 1977.
• 1977 Stats: 6-11, 5.39 ERA in 35 games (27 starts)
• 1977 Highlights:
• June 26 - Pitched eight shutout innings and earned the win as the Phillies shut out the LA Dodgers 2-0.
• Aug 11 - Had three hits and got credit for the win as the Phillies beat the Montreal Expos 10-5.
• Aug 30 - Earned his 253rd career win by allowing two runs in a complete game 11-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. At the time Jim had the most career victories of any active pitcher.
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1966, 1967, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976, 1976 Kellogg's, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1983