1976 Topps #305 - Andy Messersmith

• Andy Messersmith pitched in the majors from 1968-1979. He is most famous for the 1975 Seitz Decision that took out the reserve clause. Messersmith was a first round draft pick of the California Angels in 1966. He pitched in the minors from 1966-1968 and made his major league debut on July 4, 1968. Andy was a swingman that season and was 4-2 with 4 saves and a 2.21 ERA in 28 games (5 starts).

• In 1969 Andy was mostly a starting pitcher. He was 16-11 with 2 saves and a 2.52 ERA in 40 games (33 starts). Messersmith was 11-10 with 5 saves and a 3.01 ERA in 37 games (26 starts) in 197o.

• Messersmith made his first All Star team and finished 5th in Cy Young Award voting in 1971. He was 20-13 with a 2.99 ERA. In his last season with the Angels (1972) Andy was 8-11 with 2 saves and a 2.81 ERA in 25 games (21 starts). He didn't pitch from late May to mid July. After the 1972 season Messersmith was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a big trade that sent Frank Robinson to the Angels.

• In 1973 Andy was 14-10 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts. Messersmith had a big year in 1974. He was an All Star and finished second to teammate Mike Marshall in NL Cy Young voting. Andy also won a Gold Glove and led the NL in wins with 20. Messersmith had a record of 20-6 with a 2.59 ERA in 39 starts. Andy won game 2 of the NLCS but lost games 1 and 4 of the 1974 World Series.

• Messersmith may have been better in 1975. In his 40 starts Andy was 19-14 with a 2.29 ERA and led the NL with seven shutouts. He was an NL All Star and won another Gold Glove.

• Before the 1975 season Andy wanted to have a no-trade clause put in his contract. The Dodgers refused and Messersmith was offended about a "personal issue" that Al Campanis mentioned during the negotiations. He pitched the 1975 season without a contract and after the season was declared a free agent. Messersmith signed a 3-year, $1 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.

• Andy pitched decently (but not as well as expected) for the Braves in 1976, due in part to missing spring training. He was 11-11 with a 3.04 ERA in 28 starts and was an All Star for the last time (although he was replaced due to injury). In 1977 Andy didn't pitch after July 3 due to injuries (he pitched only 1/3 of an inning in that game). He was 5-4 with a 4.40 ERA in 16 starts. After the 1977 season Messersmith was purchased by the New York Yankees.

• Messersmith appeared in only six games for the Yankees in 1978. He made the starting rotatoin but hurt his shoulder covering first base a week before the season started. His first game was on May 29 and his last game was on July 1. Andy was 0-3 with a 5.64 ERA for the Yankees and was released after the season. Messersmith came back to the Dodgers but didn't have much left. He was 2-4 with a 4.91 ERA in 11 starts before being released on August 28.

• Here is a Sports Illustrated piece commemerating the 30th anniversary of the Seitz decision.

• Here is a "Where are they now" article from 2005. Andy now coaches baseball at Cabrillo College.

• Liked to face: Bill Robinson (.000 in 16 AB); Tommy Davis (.059 in 17 AB); Darrell Thomas (.061 in 33 AB); Horace Clarke (.067 in 30 AB)
• Hated to face: George Hendrick (.600 in 10 AB); George Foster (.500 in 20 AB); Greg Luzinski (.441 with 6 HR in 34 AB)
  

1976 Topps #203 - NL Strikeout Leaders

• Tom Seaver led the NL in strikeouts five times. He set a record by striking out over 200 batters nine years in a row (1968-1976). Tom fell four strikeouts short of extending that streak in 1977. He struck out 3640 batters in his career (6th all-time).

• John Montefusco had his biggest strikeout season (215) in 1975. He never again struck out over 200 batters in a season.

• Andy Messersmith had three seasons of striking out 200 or more batters (1969, 1974, and 1975). Andy never led the league in strikeouts, but struck out 6 or more batters per nine innings in all but three of his 12 seasons.

1976 Topps #201 - NL ERA Leaders

• Randy Jones had the first of two straight huge pitching seasons in 1975. He led the NL in ERA and went from 8-22 in 1974 to 20-12 in 1975. He had a better year in 1976 and was the NL Cy Young Award winner, but arm troubles derailed a promising career.

• Andy Messersmith also had a great season in 1975 (20-6, 2.59). He was 19-14 in 1976, then signed a big contract with the Atlanta Braves (he was one of the first free agents). Andy had a pretty good year in 1977 then kind of fell off the face of the earth. "I wasn't prepared for the pressure that came down [after the Seitz ruling and his Braves deal]. I didn't know anything about it. I came out as the dirty dog. That was a real hard thing for me. I just wasn't ready for it."---Andy Messersmith, to the New York Times, after his career ended.

• Tom Seaver led the NL in ERA three times (1970, 1971, 1973). He had only one season with an ERA over 3.00 (1974, 3.20) from his rookie season in 1967 through the 1978 season.
  

1976 Topps #199 - NL Victory Leaders

• This card has seen better days. This must be one of my original cards that I got out of a pack in '76.

• I wonder if this would be successful as a subset -- make a card of each team's all-time top three in each major category (homers, RBI, victories, etc.). Do one of the categories each season (this year homers, next year RBI, etc.). I think it would be fun from a baseball history standpoint and it'd be a fun subset to collect.

• Tom Seaver led the NL in victories three times and won over 20 games five times. He won three NL Cy Young awards (1969, 1973, and 1975).

• Randy Jones led the NL in victories in 1976 and won 20 or more games twice (1975 and 1976). He won the NL Cy Young award in 1976.

• Andy Messersmith led the NL in victories once (1974). He won 20 or more games twice (1971 with the Angels and 1974).