1976 Topps #478 - Lynn McGlothen

• Lynn McGlothen was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1968. He progressed through the Boston farm system and was brought up in June of 1972 after going 9-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 13 starts for AAA Louisville. He lost his first start on June 25 (2 runs in 7.1 innings) but had a good year. Lynn went 8-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 22 starts.
• McGlothen started the 1973 season with the Red Sox but was sent down in May after going 1-2 with an 8.33 ERA in six games (three starts). Lynn spent the rest of the season with AAA Pawtucket and after the season he was traded with John Curtis and Mike Garman to the St. Louis Cardinals for Reggie Cleveland, Terry Hughes and Diego Segui.
• Lynn's best season was in 1974. He made the NL All Star team and pitched a scoreless 7th inning in the NL victory. McGlothen led the Cardinals in wins as he went 16-12 with a 2.69 ERA.
• McGlothen went 15-13 with a 3.95 ERA in 1975 and then was 13-15 with a 3.91 ERA in 1976. On August 19, 1975 Lynn struck out three Cincinnati Reds hitters on nine pitches. Tony Perez led off the inning with a single then McGlothen struck out Cesar Geronimo, Darrell Chaney, and Gary Nolan. After the 1976 season Lynn was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Ken Reitz.
• Lynn never got untracked in San Francisco. He had shoulder problems in 1977 and had a couple of 3-4 week gaps in the season. McGlothen went 2-9 with an ERA of 5.63 in 21 games (15 starts) in 1977. In 1978 Lynn started the season with the Giants (0-0, 4.97 ERA in five games) and was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Hector Cruz. The Cubs mostly used McGlothen in the bullpen in 1978 and he ended up 5-3 with a 3.30 ERA in 54 games (2 starts). 
• McGlothen started the 1979 season as a starter, went to the bullpen for a few weeks in  late April/early May, then spent most of the remainder of the year in the starting rotation. Lynn was 13-14 with two saves and a 4.12 ERA in 42 games (29 starts) in 1979. In 1980 McGlothen was 12-14 with a 4.79 ERA.
• Lynn started the 1981 season with the Cubs and had elbow problems that limited his effectiveness. He was 1-4 with a 4.77 ERA in 20 games (5 starts) before the strike. McGlothen pitched in one game for the Cubs after the strike and on August 15 he was sent to the Chicago White Sox for a player to be named later (the White Sox sent Bob Molinaro to the Cubs in March 1982). Lynn was 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in 11 games for the White Sox in 1981. He was also involved in a divorce that year. 
• McGlothen was released by the  White Sox on April 12, 1982. He was signed by the New York Yankees a month later and assigned to AAA Columbus. Lynn came up to the Yankees in mid-August and pitched in four games (0-0, 10.80 ERA) before being released on September 20, 1982.
• McGlothen was killed in a mobile home fire on August 14, 1984.
• Liked to face: Jim Wynn (.045 in 22 AB); Omar Moreno (.077 in 39 AB); Bill Robinson (.105 in 19 AB)
• Hated to face: Garry Templeton (.483 in 29 AB); Dave Parker (.444 in 54 AB); Bob Horner (.421 with 3 HR in 19 AB)