1976 Topps #124 - Doug Rau

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  Doug Rau pitched in the majors from 1972-1979 (LA Dodgers) and 1981 (California Angels). One thing Rau is famous for is an argument he got into with Mr. Lasorda in game 4 of the 1977 World Series. Lasorda was taking him out of the game and they got into it on the pitcher's mound. Lasorda was wearing a mike and lots of nasties were recorded. An mp3 of the exchange is on the site that I linked above.

• Doug started in the Dodgers minor league system and pitched very well in the lower classifications. In 1972 he went 14-3 with a 3.51 ERA (good ERA for the PCL) for the AAA Albuquerque Dukes and earned a September call up. Rau went 2-2 with a 2.20 ERA in 7 games for the Dodgers at the end of the 1972 season. In 1973 Doug was mostly used as a reliever (31 games, 4-2, 3.96 ERA).
  

• From 1974-1978 Rau had a run of five seasons of 30 or more starts. His highest ERA during that string was in 1974 (3.72) and his lowest ERA was in 1976 (2.57). Doug had victory totals of 13, 15, 16, 14, and 15. He didn't strike out many batters, but he didn't walk many of them either. Rau didn't have as much luck in the postseason (lifetime 0-2 with a 6.55 ERA).

• In 1979 the wheels fell off for Rau (as they did for the whole Dodger team). He was 1-5 with a 5.30 ERA in 11 starts. His last game for the Dodgers was on June 2, 1979. Doug pitched a little for AA San Antonio in 1980 but was rocked pretty hard (0-1, 5.40 ERA, 11.4 hits per 9 innings, 3.0 HR per 9 innings). He was released by the Dodgers before the 1981 season.

• Doug signed with the California Angels as a free agent on April 22, 1981. He made three starts for the Angels in May and went 1-2 with an 8.71 ERA. Rau pitched in the minors for the rest of the year and then was released in September 1981.

• When Rick Monday made his saving grab of the American flag in Dodger Stadium in 1976, he handed it to Doug Rau.