Sunday, October 24, 2010

1976 Topps #594 - Rookie Catchers and Outfielders (Merchant, Ott, Stillman, White)




  • Andy Merchant
    • Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1972
    • Debuted in the majors at the end of the 1975 season
      • Played in one game (September 28) after the Red Sox clinched the AL East and went 2 for 4.
    • Appeared as a pinch hitter for the Red Sox twice in June 1976 and struck out both times. That was it for his major league career
    • Played in AAA in the Red Sox organization from 1974-1979
    • After his retirement from baseball he worked at Alabama Power as a line-clearing specialist from 1980-2000
    • Andy's SABR biography
  • Ed Ott
    • Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970
    • Played in the minors from 1970-1975
    • Had short stints with the Pirates in 1974 (0 for 5 in seven games) and in 1975 (1 for 5 in five games)
    • Played in 27 games in 1976 and batted .308 in 39 at bats
    • Split the catching duties with Duffy Dyer in 1977 --- batted .264 with 7 HR in 104 games
    • Slammed Mets 2B Felix Milan to the ground during an altercation on August 18, 1977. Milan was hurt and the injury basically ended his career.
    • Batted .269 with 9 HR in 112 games in 1978
    • Was the regular catcher for the Pirates in 1979 and  batted .273 with 7 HR and 51 RBI in 117 games
    • Played in three games in the 1979 NLCS and went 3 for 13 (.231)
    • Batted .333 (4 for 12) in three games in the 1979 World Series
    • Batted .260 with 8 HR and 41 RBI in 1980
    • Traded with Mickey Mahler to the California Angels for Jason Thompson after the 1980 season
    • Played in 75 games for the Angels in 1981 and batted .217
    • Did not play in 1982
    • Played in AAA in 1983 and retired after the season.
    • Coached with the Houston Astros from 1989-1993
    • Currently  manages the Sussex Skyhawks in the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball
    • Ed Ott reminisces
  • Royle Stillman
    • Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1969
    • Played in the Dodgers' organization from 1969-1971 and then was traded to the Baltimore Orioles as part of the Frank Robinson deal
    • Played in AA in 1972 and then played all or parts of four seasons (1973-1976) for AAA Rochester
    • Played in 13 games for the Orioles in 1975 and went 6 for 14 (.429)
    • Played in 20 games in 1976 and went 2 for 22 (.091)
    • Became a free agent after the 1976 season and signed with the Chicago White Sox
    • Stayed with the White Sox for the entire 1977 season and batted .210 in 119 at bats
    • Cut by the White Sox at the end of spring training in 1978
    • Played for AAA Ogden and AAA Salt Lake City in the A's and Mariners organizations from 1978-1980
    • Held out in 1974. Stillman was one of Rochester's better players but was thought of as enigmatic by some teammates and people around the club
  • Jerry White
    • Drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1970 at the age of 17
    • Played in the minors from 1970-1974
    • Was called up in September 1974 and went 4 for 10 in nine games
    • Started the 1975 season in Montreal but was sent down to AAA in  late May
    • Came back to the Expos in September and ended up batting .299 in 39 games
    • Stayed in Montreal for the entire 1976 season and batted .245 in 114 games
    • Batted .190 in 16 games for Montreal in 1977 (was in AAA for most of the season)
    • Started the 1978 season in Montreal and was mostly used as a pinch runner (2 for 10 in 18 games)
    • Traded to the Chicago Cubs on June 23 for Woodie Fryman
    • Batted .272 in 59 games for the Cubs in 1978
    • Traded back to Montreal after the 1978 season with Rodney Scott for Sam Mejias
    • Batted .297 in 88 games for the Expos in 1979
    • Played in 110 games and batted .262 with 7 HR in 1980
    • Slumped to .218 in 59 games in 1981
    • Went 3 for 18 (.167) in the 1981 NLDS
    • Batted .313 (5 for 16) in the 1981 NLCS
    • Batted .243 in 69 games in 1982
    • Played in 40 games in 1983 and went 5 for 34 (.147). Also spent some time in AAA in 1983
    • Became a free agent after the 1983 season but was unsigned.
    • Played in Japan in 1984 and 1985
    • Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1986 season
    • Batted .125 (3 for 24) in 25 games in 1986 and was released on June 12
    • Has worked for the Minnesota Twins in various capacities since 1987 (except for two years in the mid-1990s when he worked for the Detroit Tigers)
    • Jerry has been the first base coach for the Twins since 1999.

1 comment:

  1. You forgot the most important stat for Ed Ott. He has the shortest full name in Major League Baseball History.

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