Project Baseball 1976: 1976 Topps #610

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

1976 Topps #610 - Greg Luzinski

For a few years in the mid 1970s Greg (The Bull) Luzinski was a very dangerous hitter. Greg was the first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968. Luzinski got a brief taste of the majors (2 for 12 in eight games) at the end of the 1970 season.
Luzinski was in the minors for most of the 1971 season. Greg was called up to the Phillies at the end of the season and batted .300 in 28 games.
Greg became the starting LF for the Phillies in 1972 at the age of 21. In his first full season Luzinski batted .281 with 18 HR and 68 RBI. Greg had a better season in 1973, batting .285 with 29 HR and 97 RBI. Greg Luzinski: 'I've Got to Make Good' - February 1973 Baseball Digest
Luzinski was out from June 5 to August 26 with a torn knee ligament in 1974. Greg ended up batting .272 in 85 games in '74. The Phillies were leading the NL East at the time of Greg's injury but ended up in 3rd place in the NL East. The Majors' Next Home Run King? - June 1974 Baseball Digest
Greg made the first of four straight NL All Star teams in 1975 (he struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance). Luzinski batted .300 with 34 HR and a league-leading 120 RBI in 1975. Greg finished second behind Joe Morgan in NL MVP voting that year. Greg Luzinski: The Maturing of a Major League Slugger - November 1975 Baseball Digest
Luzinski started in LF for the National League in the 1976 All Star Game and went 0 for 3. Greg batted .304 with 21 HR and 95 RBI during the regular season and went 3 for 11 (.273) with a home run in the NLCS.
Greg started in LF in the All Star Game again in 1977. He hit a 2-run homer off of Jim Palmer in the first inning of the game. Luzinski batted .309 with 39 HR and 130 RBI in 1977. Luzinski finished second to George Foster in NL MVP voting in '77. Greg went 4 for 14 (.286) with a home run during the 1977 NLCS. APBA Baseball Game Ad - September 1977 Baseball Digest. Greg Luzinski: Who Says Major Leaguers are Greedy? - November 1977
Luzinski's batting average dropped off (.265) in 1978, but he hit 35 homers and had 101 RBI. Greg batted .375 (6 for 16) with two homers during the 1978 NLCS.
Greg's offense dropped again in 1979 as he batted .252 with 18 HR and 81 RBI.
Greg missed about seven weeks in 1980 with a knee injury. Greg had 15 HR before the injury but hit only four homers after he came back in August. Luzinski ended up batting .228 with 19 HR and 56 RBI during the 1980 season. Greg batted .294 (5 for 17) with a home run and 4 RBI during the 1980 NLCS. Luzinski went 0 for 9 with five strikeouts during the 1980 World Series. Greg Luzinski: A Slugger on the Comeback Trail - July 1980 Baseball Digest
Greg was sold to the Chicago White Sox during spring training in 1981. Luzinski spent the last four years of his career as a designate hitter and occasional first baseman.
Luzinski batted .265 with 21 HR and 62 RBI during the 1981 strike season. In 1982 Greg batted .292 with 18 HR and 102 RBI.
Greg's last big HR year was in 1983. Luzinski batted .255 with 32 HR and 95 RBI during the regular season and went 2 for 15 (.133) during the 1983 ALCS.
Luzinski's last year in the majors was 1984. Greg batted .238 with 13 HR and 58 RBI in 1984. He became a free agent after the 1984 season and didn't sign with anyone. Greg announced his retirement in February 1985. There were rumors that Greg's weight was a major concern. Luzinski had peaked at 285 pounds before the 1985 season and his normal playing weight was about 240 pounds.
After his retirement Greg coached freshman baseball at Holy Cross High School in Delran, NJ. Luzinski coached football and baseball there for several years.
Greg opened "Bull's Barbecue" at Citizens Bank Park when the ballpark opened in Philadelphia. Greg now lives in Florida
Liked to face: Doc Medich (.529 in 17 AB); Dan Petry (.428 in 54 AB); Andy Messersmith (.441 with 6 HR in 34 AB)
Hated to face: Rollie Fingers (.000 in 17 AB); Skip Lockwood (.059 in 17 AB); John Montefusco (.070 with 22 strikeouts in 43 AB)