1976 Topps Traded #380T - Bobby Bonds

• Bobby Bonds was in the nomadic phase of his career in the  mid-to-late 1970s. After spending one year in New York, Bonds was traded to the California Angels in a deal that netted the Yankees Mickey Rivers and Ed Figueroa.
• Bonds had a tough season in 1976. He played in only 99 games and batted .265 with 10 HR. Bobby had injured his hand in spring training. He was out for the first few weeks of the year and then played with the injury until early August. Bonds had surgery on the hand on August 9 and was out for the rest of the year.
• Bobby bounced back with a good year in 1977 (.264, 37 HR, 115 RBI), but was traded after the season.
• Bonds played for five teams in the last four years (1978-1981) of his career.

1976 Topps Traded #309T - Bill Melton

• After the 1975 season Bill Melton was sent to the California Angels with Steve Dunning in exchange for Jim Spencer and Morris Nettles.
• Bill was expected to provide some power for the Angels, but he batted only .208 with 6 HR in 118 games.
• Melton was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Stan Perzanowski and cash after the 1976 season.
• Bill played 50 games for the Indians in 1977 before calling it quits. 

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1976 Topps #637 - Bruce Bochte

• Bruce Bochte was drafted  by the California Angels in 1972. He played in the minors from 1972-1974 and was brought up to the majors in July 1974 after  batting .355 in half a season for AAA Salt Lake City. Bruce backed up in the outfield and at first base and batted .270 in 57 games for the Angels.
• In 1975 Bochte batted .285 in 107 games as a first baseman and designated hitter. Bruce played in 146 games in 1976 and batted .258. 
• Bochte started the 1977 season with the Angels (.290 in 25 games) and was traded with Sid  Monge and $250,000 to the Cleveland Indians for Dave LaRoche and Dave Schuler. Bruce ended up batting .301 with 7 HR in 137 games in 1977.
• After the 1977 season Bochte became a free agent and signed with the Seattle Mariners, where he had his best seasons.
• In 1978 Bruce was mostly a left fielder and designated hitter and batted .263 with 11 HR in 140 games.
• Bochte  made the 1979 AL All Star team and was 1 for 1 with one RBI and a sacrifice hit. Bruce was the starter at firs base for the Mariners and batted .316 with 16 HR and 100 RBI in 1979.
• Bruce batted .300 with 13 HR and 78 RBI in 1980. In the strike year of 1981 Bochte batted .260 with 6 HR in 99 games.
• In 1982 Bochte batted .297 with 12 HR and 70 RBI. After the 1982 season Bruce couldn't come to terms with the Mariners on a new contract and decided to retire. After taking the 1983 season off Bruce signed with the Oakland A's. 
• Bochte spent three seasons with the A's. Bruce batted .264 with 5 HR and 52 RBI in 1984 and batted .295 with 14 HR and 60 RBI in 1985. Bochte batted .256 with 6 HR and 43 RBI in 1986 and retired after the season. Bochte joined the Chinook Learning Center on Whidbey Island in Washington and wanted to write a book about environmental issues for children.
• Bruce worked for the California Institute for Integral Studies in San Francisco in the 1990s and 2000s, where he studied cosmology. He was invited to the 2001 All Star Game, which was played in Seattle, but he declined the invitation. Bruce has little contact with anyone in the baseball world.
• Liked to face: Mike Torrez (.548 in 42 AB); Paul Splittorff (.500 in 54 AB); Jerry Koosman (.472 in 36 AB)
• Hated to face: John Tudor/Joe Coleman (.071 in 14 AB); Len Barker (.091 in 33 AB)

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1976 Topps #623 - Bob Allietta

• Bob Allietta had a short major league career -- 21 games in 1975. Allietta was drafted by the California Angels in the first round (7th overall) in 1971.
• Bob worked his way up the Angels' organization from 1971-1974. Allietta started the 1975 season with AAA Salt Lake City and was brought up to the majors in May.
• Allietta went up and down from California to Salt Lake City during the 1975 season. Bob batted .178 in 21 games for the Angels in 1975.
• Bob started the 1976 season at Salt Lake City and moved on to AAA Toledo (in the Houston Astros' organization) later in the season.
• Allietta played in AAA for two teams in 1977. From 1978-1980 Bob played in AAA in the Cleveland Indians' organization. He never made it back to the majors in spite of batting over .300 in 1979 and 1980. Bob retired after the 1980 season.
• Bob is now an insurance agent in Falmouth, MA and also coaches American Legion baseball.

1976 Topps #612 - Joe Lahoud

• Joe Lahoud was signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1966. Joe showed some pretty good batting stats in the minors from 1966-1968 and was particularly adept at drawing walks. Lahoud was mostly an outfielder and DH during his career.
• Lahoud started the 1968 season with Boston but was sent down at the end of April. He was rushed to the majors to replace the injured Tony Conigliaro. Joe came back up in June but was sent back down at the end of June and stayed in the minors for the rest of the season. Lahoud batted .192 in 29 games for the Red Sox in 1968. Here is an August 9, 1968 Life magazine article about the Boston Red Sox that mentions Joe.
• Joe spent the entire 1969 season with Boston and batted .188 in 101 games. Joe hit three home runs in one game against the  Minnesota Twins on June 11, 1969.  Lahoud was in the minors for most of the 1970 season and batted .245 in 17 September games for Boston.
• Lahoud batted .215 with 14 HR in 107 games for the Red Sox in 1971. After the 1971 season Joe was sent to the Milwaukee Brewers in a large multi-player trade that involved George Scott and Jim Lonborg going to Milwaukee and Tommy Harper going to Boston.
• Joe batted .237 with 12 HR in 111 games for the Brewers in 1972. Lahoud slumped to a .204 average with 5 HR in 96 games in 1973. After the 1973 season Joe was sent to the California Angels in another multi-player deal.
• Lahoud had his best year in 1974. He batted .271 and drew enough walks to have a .367 on base percentage. Joe also showed some power by hitting 13 HR in 325 at bats. In 1975 Joe batted .214 but had a .372 on base percentage.
• Joe started the 1976 season with the Angels. Lahoud batted .177 in 42 games and was sold to the  Texas Rangers on June 15. Joe batted .225 in 38 games for the Rangers in 1976. 
• Lahoud was released by the Rangers during spring training in 1977. Joe signed with the Kansas City Royals and started the season in AAA Omaha. Joe was called up to Kansas City in mid July after batting .317 with 19 HR in 84 games for Omaha. Joe batted .262 with a .364 on base percentage in 34 games for the Royals in 1977. Lahoud played in one game in the 1977 ALCS and was 0 for 1 with two walks and scored two runs.
• Joe didn't produce much in 1978 (.125 in 16 at bats) and was released on June 2.
• Lahoud was inducted into the Henry Abbott Technical High School Hall of Fame in April 2010.
• Liked to face: Dick Woodson (.462 in 13 AB); Gaylord Perry (.393 in 28 AB)
• Hated to face: Sonny Siebert (.000 in 13 AB); Jim Perry (.087 in 23 AB); Jackie Brown (.095 in 21 AB)
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1976 Topps #595 - Rookie Pitchers (DeFilippis, Lerch, Monge, Barr)

• Art DeFilippis
• Art never made it to the major leagues
• Drafted by the Washington Senators in 1970
• You Can't Beat the Draft - July 27, 1970 Sports Illustrated (Art is discussed on page 6)
• Led the Class A- New York-Pennsylvania league in winning percentage in 1970. He went 9-2 (.818) with a 1.81 ERA in 12 starts.
• Pitched well at Class A Burlington (7-5, 3.05 ERA) in 1971 but struggled when promoted to AAA Denver (1-2, 10.29 ERA)
• Pitched for AA Pittsfield from 1972-1974
• Pitched for AAA Spokane in 1975 and for AAA Sacramento in 1976.
• Moved to the Minnesota Twins organization in 1977 and pitched for AAA Tacoma
• Finished his career in 1978 with AA Jacksonville in the KC Royals' organization.
• Pitched in the Connecticut Senior Men's Baseball League in 1991.
• Art's TTM information is here.
• Randy Lerch
• Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973
• Had short September call-ups in 1975 (6.43 ERA in three games) and in 1976 (3.00 ERA in one game)
• Made the Philadelphia rotation in 1977 and was 10-6 with a 5.07 ERA in 28 starts
• Was not used in the 1977 NLCS
• Went 11-8 with a 3.96 ERA in 28 starts in 1978
• Hit two home runs in the division-clinching game on September 30
• Started game 4 of the NLCS and allowed three runs in 5.1 innings. Did not figure in the decision.
• Had a 10-13 record with an ERA of 3.74 in 35 starts in 1979
• Struggled in 1980 -- went 4-14 with a 5.16 ERA in 30 games (22 starts)
• Lost his spot in the starting rotation in  mid-August and was not used in the 1980 playoffs
• Traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Dick Davis before the 1981 season
• Went 7-9 with a 4.31 ERA in 1981
• Started game 3 of the 1981 ALDS and allowed one run in six innings. Did not figure in the decision
• Started the 1982 season with the Brewers and went 8-7 with a 4.97 ERA in 20 starts
• Sold to the Montreal Expos on August 14, 1982
• Was 2-0 with a 3.42 ERA in six games (four starts) for Montreal
• Started the 1983 season with Montreal (1-3, 6.75 ERA in 15 games)
• Released on July 28 and signed by the San Francisco Giants on August 9
• Had a 1-0 record with a 3.38 ERA in seven games for the Giants
• Appeared in 37 games (5 starts) with the Giants in 1984 and was 5-3 with two saves and had a 4.23 ERA
• Became a free agent after the 1984 season but was not signed
• Signed with the Phillies on May 21, 1985
• Pitched in the minors for the remainder of the 1985 season
• Started the 1986 season in AAA and had a short stint with the Phillies in June (1-1, 7.88 ERA in four games)
• Released by the Phillies on June 26, 1986
• Pitched  for AAA Louisville (St. Louis Cardinals organization) in 1986 and retired after the season
• Here is Randy's TTM information.
• Sid  Monge
• Signed by the California Angels in 1970
• Had a September call-up in 1975 and went 0-2 with a 4.18 ERA in four games (two starts)
• Appeared in 32 games (13 starts) in 1976 and had a 6-7 record with a 3.37 ERA.
• This was the only season in which Sid would start in the majors
• Started the 1977 season with the Angels (0-1, 2.92 ERA in four games)
• Traded to the Cleveland Indians with Bruce Bochte and $250,000 for Dave LaRoche and Dave Schuler on May 11, 1977
• Appeared in 33 games for the Indians in 1977 and was 1-2 with 3 saves and had a 6.23 ERA
• Went 4-3 with three saves and had a 2.76 ERA in 48 games in 1978
• Had his best season in 1979 -- went 12-10 with 19 saves and had an ERA of 2.40 in 76 games
• Made the AL All Star team in 1979 but didn't appear in the game
• Appeared in 67 games in 1980 and was 3-5 with 13 saves and had a 3.53 ERA
• Went 3-5 with four saves and had a 4.34 ERA in 31 games in 1981
• Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Bake McBride before the 1982 season
• Pitched in 47 games for the Phillies in 1982 and was 7-1 with a 3.75 ERA
• Started the 1983 season with the Phillies (3-0, 6.94 ERA in 14 games)
• Traded to the San Diego Padres for Jim Lefebvre on May 22, 1983
• Went 7-3 with 7 saves and had a 3.15 ERA for the Padres to finish the 1983 season
• Started the 1984 season with the Padres (2-1, 4.80 ERA in 13 games)
• Sold to the Detroit Tigers on June 10, 1984
• Pitched in 19 games for the Tigers and was 1-0 with a 4.25 ERA
• Missed a month of the 1984 season (late August to late September) with an injury and was not used by the Tigers in the postseason
• Pitched in 45 games in AAA in 1985 but didn't get back to the majors
• Has been a pitching coach for various teams in the minor leagues and in the  Mexican League since his retirement as a player
• Steve Barr 
• Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1969
• Pitched in the minors from 1969-1974
• Started 24 games for AA Bristol in 1974 and was 16-8 with a 2.45 ERA
• Started one game on October 1, 1974 and got a complete game victory.
• Pitched for AAA Pawtucket for most of the 1975 season
• Had a short July stint with Boston in 1975 and was 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in three games (two starts)
• Traded with Juan Beniquez and Craig Skok to the Texas Rangers for Fergie Jenkins after the 1975 season
• Appeared in 20 games (10 starts) for the Rangers in 1976 and was 2-6 with a 5.59 ERA
• Taken by the Seattle Mariners in the expansion draft after the 1976 season
• Steve never pitched in the Seattle organization, but no further transactions are shown in his baseball reference page
• Pitched in the minors for the KC  Royals and Cleveland Indians organizations in 1977 and 1978 and retired after the 1978 season.
• Steve is the uncle of pitcher Ryan Madson

1976 Topps #589 - Rookie Pitchers (Alcala, Flanagan, Pactwa, Torrealba)

• I didn't care for these four-player rookie cards when I was a kid:
• I couldn't file the cards under a particular team
• The cards didn't have very much information about the players
• I cared more about getting players I had heard of instead of rookies
• The only rookies I heard of were the ones who played with or against the Phoenix Giants in the Pacific Coast League.
• Santo Alcala
• Signed by the Cincinnati Reds in 1970
• Pitched for the Reds (1976, 1977) and the Montreal Expos (1977)
• 11-4, 3.70 ERA in 30 games (21 starts) in 1976 -- did not pitch in the postseason
• Started the 1977 season 1-1 with a 5.74 ERA in seven games (two starts) for the Reds
• Traded to the Montreal Expos on May 21 for Shane Rawley and Angel Torres
• Was 2-6 with two saves and had a 4.69 ERA in 31 games (10 starts) for the Expos in 1977
• Waived to the Seattle Mariners before the 1978 season
• Pitched in the Seattle organization in 1978 and in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization from 1979-1982 but never got back to the majors.
• Mike Flanagan
• Mike was by far the most successful player on this card.
• Drafted in 1973 by the Baltimore Orioles
• Started pitching for the Orioles in September 1975 (0-1, 2.79 ERA in two games)
• 1976 - split the season between Baltimore (3-5, 4.13 ERA) and AAA Rochester.
• 1977 - 15-10, 3.64 ERA
• 1978 - 19-15, 4.03 ERA; led AL with 40 starts; AL All Star (didn't get in game)
• 1979 - 23-9, 3.08 ERA; led AL in wins; AL Cy Young Award winner; 1-0 in ALCS, 1-1 in World Series
• 1980 - 16-13, 4.12 ERA
• 1981 - 4-6, 4.19 ERA
• 1982 - 15-11, 3.97 ERA
• 1983 - 12-4, 3.30 ERA; missed 10 weeks of the season with a knee injury; 1-0 in ALCS, 0-0 in one start in World Series
• 1984 - 13-13, 3.53 ERA
• 1985 - 4-5, 5.13 ERA; didn't pitch until July 20 due to a torn achilles tendon
• 1986 - 7-11, 4.24 ERA
• 1987 - 3-6, 4.94 ERA with Orioles; traded to Toronto Blue Jays on August 31; 3-2, 2.37 ERA with Blue Jays
• 1988 - 13-13, 4.18 ERA
• 1989 - 8-10, 3.93 ERA; started and lost game 4 of ALCS
• 1990 - 2-2, 5.31 ERA in five starts; last game was May 4; released by Blue Jays on May 8
• 1991 - Tried out with Orioles in spring training and made the ballclub; 2-7, 3 saves, 2.38 ERA in 64 games (1 start)
• 1992 - 0-0, 8.05 ERA in 42 games; retired after the season
• Has been a pitching coach, a front office executive, and a broadcaster with the Orioles since his playing career ended.
• Mike Flanagan: A Career That Almost Wasn't - January 1980 Baseball Digest
• Joe Pactwa
• Drafted by the New York Yankees in 1966
• Pitched in the Yankees organization from 1966-1974 without making it to the majors
• Originally an outfielder but started pitching in 1973.
• Spent most of the 1975 season in the Mexican League and purchased by the California Angels on September 12.
• Pitched for the Angels at the end of the 1975 season and went 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in four games (three starts)
• Played in Mexico from 1976-1982.
• Passed away at the age of 60 on March 10, 2009
• Pablo Torrealba
• Signed by the Atlanta Braves in 1966
• Pitched in the minors from 1966-1971
• Did  not pitch in 1972 and then returned to the Braves organization in 1973 and pitched in the minors from 1973-1975.
• Started the 1975 season with the Braves and went 0-1 with a 1.35 ERA in six games before being sent down to AAA Richmond
• Spent the entire 1976 season with the Braves and went 0-2 with two saves and had a 3.57 ERA in 36 games
• Sold to the Oakland A's during spring training in 1977
• Went 4-6 with two saves and had a 2.62 ERA in 41 games (10 starts) in 1977.
• Traded to the Chicago White Sox during spring training in 1978 for Jim Essian and Steve Renko
• Had a 2-4 record with one save and a 4.71 ERA in 25 games (three starts) in 1978
• Started the 1979 season with the White Sox (0-0, 1.59 ERA in three games) but was sent down in late April and spent the majority of the season with AAA Iowa. Pablo had a 6.95 ERA for Iowa in 1979, which was  his last season.
• Pablo is now the scouting coordinator in Venezuela for the Houston Astros.

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1976 Topps #562 - Adrian Garrett

• Adrian Garrett played in parts of eight seasons from 1966-1976. Garrett was signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1961. He didn't put up real impressive batting averages in the minors but he did hit for some power. Adrian came up to the Braves at the end of the 1966 season and was hitless in three at bats.
• Garrett played in the minors from 1967-1969 without getting another chance with the Braves. After the 1969 season the Braves released Garrett. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in December but was released after six weeks. Adrian eventually signed with the Chicago Cubs. 
• Adrian batted three times for the Cubs at the end of the 1970 season and struck out all three times. Garrett started the 1971 season in AAA Tacoma, where he hit 43 home runs. Adrian was traded to the Oakland A's for Frank Fernandez on August 31. Adrian came up to Oakland in September and batted .143 in 21 at bats.
• In 1972 Adrian was with the A's for a couple of months (late  May - late July) but didn't play much. Garrett was hitless in 11 at bats for the A's in 1972. In mid-September Adrian was purchased by the Cubs.
• Garrett was with the Cubs for most of the 1973 season but again he didn't play much. Adrian batted .222 in 54 at bats in '73. Garrett was in AAA for most of the 1974 season and was hitless in eight at bats for the Cubs at the end of the season.
• Adrian split the 1975 season between the Cubs and the California Angels. He batted .095 in 21 at bats for the Cubs and was sold to the Angels on July 31. Garrett batted .262 in 107 at bats for the Angels in 1975. 
• Garrett's last major league season was 1976. He batted .125 in 48 at bats and left the Angels after the season to play in Japan. 
• Adrian played for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp from 1977-1979 and hit 102 home runs during those three seasons.
• Garrett did a lot of coaching in the minor leagues after his playing career. Adrian is currently the hitting coach for AAA Louisville in the Cincinnati Reds organization (he has been there since 2003). Wayne Garrett is Adrian's younger brother.

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1976 Topps #539 - John Balaz

• John Balaz was drafted by the California Angels in 1970. Balaz worked his way through the Angels' system from 1970-1974 as a power-hitting outfielder.
• Balaz came up to the Angels in September of 1974. John batted .238 in 14 games in '74.
• John played for AAA Salt Lake City in the beginning of the 1975 season and was called up to the Angels in late June. Balaz batted .244 in 44 games for the Angels. After the 1975 season Balaz was traded with Dave Machemer and Dick Sharon for Dick Drago.
• John hit 24 home runs for Boston's AAA Rhode Island club in 1976 but he batted only .238. Balaz played for the AAA clubs of the LA Dodgers and the San Diego Padres in 1977 and hit 28 home runs for the two teams.
• Balaz played in the Mexican League from 1978-1980 and then retired from baseball.
• John now lives with his wife in San Diego. Here is John's TTM information.

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1976 Topps #512 - Ellie Rodriguez

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• Ellie Rodriguez was a catcher in the majors from 1968-1976. Rodriguez was signed by the Kansas City A's in 1963. Ellie played in the minors in the A's system in 1963 and then was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first year player draft. Rodriguez then played in the Yankees' system from 1964-1968. Ellie played for the Yankees for a short time during the 1968 season and batted .208 in nine games. After the 1968 season Rodriguez was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the expansion draft.
• Rodriguez was selected as the Royals' representative for the 1969 All Star Game (he didn't play in the game). Ellie split time with Buck Martinez behind the plate in 1969 and batted .236 in 95 games. Ellie backed up Ed Kirkpatrick in 1970 and batted .225 in 80 games. Ellie was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Carl Taylor after the 1970 season.
• Ellie became the starting catcher for the Brewers in 1971. He batted .210 in 115 games in 1971 and .285 in 116 games in 1972. Rodriguez made the AL All Star team in 1972 but didn't get in the game. In 1973 Ellie had  competition from 21-year-old Darrell Porter and lost some playing time. He batted .269 in 94 games in 1973. After the 1973 season Rodriguez was sent to the California Angels in a multi-player trade.
• Rodriguez was the Angels' starting catcher in 1974 and had a career high with seven home runs. Ellie batted .253 in 140 games in 1974. Rodriguez missed most of May 1975 with an injury and didn't play as much after the injury. He batted .235 in 90 games in 1975 and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Orlando Alvarez and cash after the season.
• Ellie didn't play very much for the Dodgers in 1976. He batted .212 in 36 games in 1976. Rodriguez didn't get into any games for the Dodgers in 1977 and was released in early May. Rodriguez hooked on with Pittsburgh's AAA Colulmbus team later in 1977 but batted .224 and retired after the season.
• Rodriguez is now a player development consultant for The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and  is in charge of scouting in Latin America for the league.

1976 Topps #490 - Frank Tanana

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• Frank Tanana pitched in the majors from 1973-1993. In the early part of his career Frank had a fastball that would sometimes exceed 100 MPH but a shoulder injury caused him to change his style and he became an effective off-speed pitcher. Tanana was a first round draft pick of the California Angels in 1971. Frank pitched in the minors in 1972 and 1973. He was brought up to the Angels at the end of the 1973 season after going 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA for two minor league clubs. Tanana was 2-2 with a 3.08 ERA in four starts for the Angels in 1973.
• Tanana became part of the Angels' rotation in 1974. He went 14-19 with a 3.12 ERA  in 1974. Rapid Rookie - July 1974 Baseball Digest. Frank finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting in 1975 when he was 16-9 with a 2.62 ERA. He also led the AL with 269 strikeouts. Frank struck out 17 batters in a game against the Texas Rangers on June 21, 1975. The saying  "Tanana and Ryan and two days of cryin'" came into being during this time. Frank Tanana: Best of the Young Southpaws? - December 1975 Baseball Digest.
• Frank continuted his winning ways in 1976 when he was 19-10 with a 2.43 ERA. Tanana was named to the AL All Star team and allowed three runs in two innings of work. Frank finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 1976.
• Tanana was an All Star again in 1977 (he didn't pitch in the game) and led the AL in ERA. Frank was 15-9 with a 2.54 ERA and also led the AL with seven shutouts. Frank Tanana: A Lefty Headed Right ... for the Hall of Fame - May 1977 Baseball Digest
• The 24-year-old Tanana started to show the effects of so much pitching in 1978. He went 18-12 but his ERA jumped to 3.65. Frank made his third (and last) AL All Star team but didn't pitch in the game.
• Frank missed almost three months of the 1979 season with a shoulder injury. The injury cost Frank his fastball and he made a successful transformation into a "junk-ball pitcher." Tanana went 7-5 with a 3.89 ERA during the regular season, including a 4-1 complete game win over the Kansas City Royals to clinch the AL West for the Angels on September 25. He started game 3 of the ALCS but didn't figure in the decision -- he allowed two runs in five innings and the Angels eventually won the game in the 9th inning. Frank Tanana: Man with the Not-So-Golden Arm - June 1979 Baseball Digest.
• Tanana returned to the starting rotation in 1980 and was 11-12 with a 4.15 ERA. After the 1980 season Frank was traded with Jim Dorsey and Joe Rudi to the Boston Red Sox for Fred Lynn and Steve Renko.
• Frank was with the Red Sox for only one season. In 1981 Tanana was 4-10 with a 4.01 ERA. After the 1981 season Tanana became a free agent and signed with the Texas Rangers.
• Tanana led the AL in losses in 1982, going 7-18 with a 4.21 ERA. In 1983 Frank was 7-9 with a 3.16  ERA. Tanana was the Rangers' pitcher of the year in 1984 when he went 15-15 with a 3.25 ERA. Frank was off to a rough start in 1985 (2-7, 5.91 ERA in 13 starts) when he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for a minor leaguer on June 20. Tanana was able to get it together for the Tigers -- he went 10-7 with a 3.34 ERA in 20 starts to finish the 1985 season.
• Frank was 12-9 with a 4.16 ERA in 1986. Tanana was 15-10 with a 3.91 ERA for the Tigers in 1987 and pitched a 1-0 shutout over the Toronto Blue Jays on the last day of the season to clinch the AL East for the Tigers. Frank started and lost game 4 of the ALCS. The Game I'll Never Forget - December 2006 Baseball Digest.
• In 1988 Frank was 14-11 with a 4.21 ERA. He went 10-14 with a 3.58 ERA in 1989. Tanana had several no-decisons in 1990 as he was 9-8 with a 5.31 ERA in 29 starts. He was 13-12 with a 3.77 ERA in 1991 and 13-11 with a 4.39 ERA in 1992. 
• After the 1992 season Tanana became a free agent and signed with the New York Mets. He was 7-15 with a 4.48 ERA for the Mets and was traded to the New York Yankees on September 17 for Kenny Greer. Frank made three starts for the Yankees and was 0-2 with a 3.20 ERA. Tanana retired after the 1993 season with a lifetime record of 240-236 and a 3.66 ERA.
• Tanana is active in his church ministry. His TTM information is here.
• Liked to face: Larvell Blanks (.000 in 15 AB); Tom Veryzer (.042 in 24 AB); Thurman Munson (.091 in 44 AB)
• Hated to face: Rickey Henderson (.350 with 11 HR in 103 AB); Alvaro Espinoza (.480 in 25 AB); Bob Randall (.471 in 34 AB)

Frank Tanana clinches the AL East for the Tigers in 1987

1976 Topps #459 - Jim Brewer

• Jim Brewer had a long career, pitching from 1960-1976. He was at the end of the line when this card came out. Brewer was signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1956. He pitched in the minors from 1956-1960. Jim was promoted to the Cubs after going 8-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 starts for AAA Houston. Brewer only pitched in five games for the Cubs (0-3, 5.82 ERA) in 1960 due to the incident described in the next paragraph.
• Brewer had a famous (or infamous) fight with Billy Martin during his rookie season.
• Wikipedia entry: "Brewer was involved in an infamous on-field altercation with Billy Martin on August 4, 1960. Brewer, then with the Cubs, brushed back Martin, then with the Cincinnati Reds, with a pitch in the second inning of a game at Wrigley Field. Martin threw his bat at Brewer, who picked it up and started to hand it to Martin as Martin approached. Martin punched Brewer in the right eye, breaking his cheekbone. Brewer was hospitalized for two months, and Martin served a five-day suspension. The Cubs sued Martin for $1 million for the loss of Brewer's services, but later dropped their case. Brewer, however, pursued his, and in 1969 a judge ordered Martin to pay $10,000 in damages. When informed of the judgment by the press, Billy asked sarcastically, "How do they want it? Cash or check?"
• Jim was a swingman for the Cubs in 1961. He went 1-7 with an ERA of 5.82 in 36 games (11 starts). Brewer spent most of the 1962 season in the minors -- he had a short stint with the Cubs in May and another short stint in September. Brewer was 0-1 with a 9.53 ERA in six games in 1962.
• Brewer did better in 1963 but his stats weren't exactly eye-popping. He pitched in 29 games (1 start) and was 3-2 with a 4.89 ERA. After the 1963 season Jim was traded with Cuno Barragan to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dick Scott.
• Brewer became a valuable part of the Dodger bullpen for many years. Jim took the advice of Warren Spahn and developed a screwball. The new pitch paid dividends as  Brewer was 4-3 with a 3.00 ERA in 34 games (5 starts) in 1964. Jim had injury problems in 1965 -- he didn't pitch until late April and also missed almost a month in June/July. Brewer pitched well when he could go out there -- in 19 games (2 starts) he was 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA. Jim pitched two shutout innings in a mop-up role in game 1 of the 1965 World Series.
• Jim also had injury problems in 1966. He didn't appear in a game until May 20 and he had two month-long absences during the season. Brewer 0-2 with a 3.68 ERA in 13 games in 1966. Jim pitched a scoreless 9th inning in game 2 of the 1966 World Series.
• Brewer appeared in 30 games (11 starts) in 1967. It would be the last season in which he would start a game. Jim was 5-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 1967. Brewer became a closer (or at least what was defined as a closer at the time) in 1968. He had six straight seasons of 14 or more saves from 1968-1973. In 1968 Jim was 8-3 with 14 saves and a 2.49 ERA in 54 games.
• In 1969 Brewer was 7-6 with 20 saves and a 2.55 ERA. He was 7-6 with 24 saves and a 3.13 ERA in 1970. Jim had a good season as a reliever in 1971 -- he was 6-5 with 22 saves and a 1.88 ERA. Jim had a microscopic 1.26 ERA in 1972 while going 8-7 with 17 saves.
• Brewer made the NL All Star team in 1973 and earned the save by pitching a scoreless 9th inning. He was 6-8 with 20 saves and a 3.01 ERA in '73.
• In 1974 Jim became a set-up man due to the presence of Mike Marshall and his 106 appearances. He missed two months from mid-July to mid-September. Brewer was 4-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 24 appearences in 1974. He wasn't used in the NLCS, but he pitched 1/3 of an inning  in game 3 (he struck out Sal Bando to end the fourth inning of a 3-2 Dodger loss).
• Brewer didn't pitch well for the Dodgers in 1975. He was 3-1 with a 5.18 ERA in 21 games when he was traded to the California Angels for Dave Sells on July 15. Jim pitched much better for the Angels -- in 21 games he was 1-0 with five saves and a 1.82 ERA.
• The 1976 season was Jim's last one in the majors. He was 3-1 with two saves and a 2.70 ERA in 13 games when he retired in late May.
• Jim died of injuries sustained in a car accident on November 16, 1987 -- one day before his 50th birthday. Jim's son Mark is a pitching coach in the minor leagues.
• Liked to face: Clay Dalrymple (.000 in 14 AB); Ken Henderson/Jim Beauchamp (.067 in 15 AB); Tim McCarver (.095 in 21 AB)
• Hated to face: Tommie Agee (.533 in 15 AB); Don Demeter (.545 in 11 AB); Lou Brock (.406 in 32 AB)

1976 Topps #434 - Morris Nettles

• When this card was made, Morris Nettles' major league career was already over. Morris played in the majors in 1974 and 1975. Nettles was drafted by the California Angels in 1970.
• Nettles first made it to the majors in 1974. He had a month-long stint from late April-late May and then came back to the majors in late August. Morris batted .274 in 56 games. He stole 20 bases and was caught 11 times.
• Morris spent most of the 1975 season with the Angels except for a 13-game stint with AAA Salt Lake City. Nettles batted .231 in 112 games. He stole 22 bases and was caught 15 times. After the 1975 season Morris was traded with Jim Spencer to the Chicago White Sox for Steve Dunning and Bill Melton.
• The White Sox assigned Nettles to AAA Iowa. He batted .190 in 48 games for Iowa. Morris moved on to AAA Toledo (Cleveland Indians organization) and batted .254 in 65 games. That was it for Nettles' baseball career.

1976 Topps #411 - Bill Singer

• Bill Singer was toward the end of his career in 1976. He pitched in the majors from 1964-1977. Singer was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961. Bill pitched in the minors for five years (1962-1966) and had brief major league stints in 1964 (0-1, 3.21 ERA in 2 starts), 1965 (1 inning in 2 games) and 1966 (4 innings in 3 games).

• Singer was in the majors to stay in 1967. There was no way he could possibly fill Sandy Koufax's shoes, but he had a good season. Bill was 12-8 with an ERA of 2.64 in 29 starts and also gave up the fewest (0.2) home runs per nine innings. The Singer Throwing Machine - June 1967 Baseball Digest. In 1968 Singer was 12-17 with a 2.88 ERA in 36 starts. Bill led the league with 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

• Bill made the NL All Star team in 1969 and pitched two perfect innings. Singer went 20-12 with a 2.34 ERA in 40 starts. Singer was ill in 1970 and missed a total of 3 1/2 months of the season. He started three games in April and then didn't come back until late June. He also didn't pitch after mid-August. Bill pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies on July 20. Singer ended up 8-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 16 starts.

• Singer struggled in his last two seasons as a Dodger. In 1971 he went 10-17 with a 4.16 ERA in 31 starts. Bill was 6-16 with a 3.67 ERA in 25 starts in 1972. After the 1972 season he was traded by the Dodgers with Billy Grabarkewitz, Frank Robinson, Mike Strahler and Bobby Valentine to the California Angels for Ken McMullen and Andy Messersmith.

• Bill bounced back in 1973 to make the AL All Star team. He gave up three runs in two innings, including back-to-back home runs to Bobby Bonds and Johnny Bench. Singer went 20-14 with a 3.22 ERA in 40 starts in '73.

• Singer was hurt in 1974 and didn't pitch after June 4. He ended up 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 14 starts. In 1975 Bill went 7-15 with a 4.98 ERA in 27 starts. Bill was traded to the Texas Rangers after the 1975 season for Jim Spencer and $100,000.

• Bill had a good start in the 1976 season. He was 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 10 starts when he was part of a big trade with the Minnesota Twins that sent Bert Blyleven to the Rangers. Singer started 26 times for the Twins and went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA. After the 1976 season Bill was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the expansion draft.

• Singer started the first game ever for the Blue Jays in 1977. The Blue Jays won the game but Bill didn't go five innings so he didn't get the decision. Singer struggled with the Blue Jays and missed a lot of time due to injury. He started 11 games and then missed six weeks from early June to mid July. Bill pitched in two more games and then shut it down for the season. Singer went 2-8 with a 6.79 ERA in 1977. Singer tried to come back but was unable to do so and Toronto released him after the 1978 season.

• After his playing career Bill was a scout and consultant for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Florida Marlins, and the Dodgers. Singer took a job as a special assistant with the New York Mets in 2003 but was fired after two weeks after making racially inappropriate remarks to Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng. Bill apologized and blamed the Atkins diet and being drunk, but it didn't save his job. He later became a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005) and now coordinates scouting operations in Asia for the Washington Nationals.
• Liked to face: Jerry Terrell (.000 in 16 AB); Jim Holt (.000 in 15 AB); Frank White/Roger Metzger/Dick Dietz (.050 in 20 AB)
• Hated to face: Fred Lynn (.571 in 21 AB); Rod Carew (.500 in 24 AB); Roberto Clemente (.448 in 29 AB)

1976 Topps #387 - Mike Miley

Mike Miley was a shortstop for the California Angels in 1975 and 1976. Miley was the #1 draft pick of the Angels in 1974. Mike had a good year in AA in 1974, batting .288 in 84 games. Miley started the 1975 season with AAA Salt Lake City and was called up to the Angels in July. Mike batted .174 in 79 games for the Angels in 1975.

Miley was with Salt Lake City for most of the 1976 season. He was a September call-up for the Angels and batted .184 in 38 at bats.

Mike died in a one-car accident in Baton Rouge, Louisana on January 6, 1977. Mike Miley: One More Tragedy for the Angels - Baseball Digest April 1977.

1976 Topps #363 - Dave Collins

• Dave Collins played in the majors for 16 years. He was a first round draft pick of the California Angels in 1972. Collins was in the minors from 1972-1974 for the entire season. Dave batted .343 in A-ball and .352 in AA in 1974 and .311 in AAA for the first part of the 1975 season so he was brought up to the Angels in June 1975. Collins batted .266 in 93 games and stole 24 bases.

• In 1976 Dave started the season with the Angels but was sent down in mid-May (he was batting .212 at the time). Collins tore up the Pacific Coast League with a .360 average in 35 games and was brought back up in late June. Dave ended up batting .263 with 32 stolen bases in 99 games. After the 1976 season Collins was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the expansion draft.

• Collins played only one season with the Mariners. He batted .239 in 120 games. After the season Dave was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Shane Rawley.

• The 1978 season was a tough one for Collins. He was mostly used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. Dave came to bat 120 times in 102 games and batted .216. Collins had a strong season in 1979. He batted .318 in 122 games and played all 3 outfield positons and some first base. Dave batted .357 in the 1979 NLCS.

• Collins followed up his good 1979 season with his best season in 1980. He stole 79 bases in 144 games and  batted .303. In 1981 Dave played in 95 games and batted .272. After the season he became a free agent and signed with the New York Yankees.

• Dave spent only one season in the Yankees' crowded outfield. He batted .253 in 111 games. After the 1982 season Collins was traded with Fred McGriff, Mike Morgan, and cash to the Toronto Blue Jays for Tom Dodd and Dale Murray.

• Collins spent two seasons in Toronto. In 1983 he batted .271 in 118 games as he spent most of his time in left field. Dave led the AL in triples (15) in 1984, stole 60 bases, and batted .308 in 128 games. The Man Who Would be King - Dave Collins is Threatening to Steal Rickey Henderson's Stolen Base Crown - September 24, 1984 Sports Illustrated. He was traded with Alfredo Griffin and cash to the Oakland A's for Bill Caudill after the 1984 season.

• Dave batted .251 in 112 games for the A's in 1985. After the 1985 season he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Barbaro Garbey. The 1986 season was Dave's last one as a regular. Collins batted .270 in 124 games but was released by the Tigers after the season.

• Collins tried out with the Montreal Expos in 1987 but was released during spring training. He caught on with the Cincinnati Reds in June and spent a couple of weeks playing for AAA Nashville before being called up to the Reds in early July. Dave batted .294 in 57 games as a substitute outfielder and pinch hitter/runner. Collins played two more seasons as a part-timer with the Reds (.236 in 99 games in 1988 and .236 in 78 games in 1989). Collins became a free agent after the 1989 season and signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He batted .224 in 58 at bats and retired after the 1990 season.

• After his playing career Dave coached first base for the Cardinals in 1991 and 1992. From 1992 to 1998 Dave coached high school baseball. He was the first base coach for the Cincinnati Reds in 1999 and 2000. He managed in the minors in 2001 and coached first base for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2002. He coached first base for the Colorado Rockies from 2003-2006, managed in the minors in 2007, and is now the first base coach for the Florida Marlins.

• Dave has said that Pete Rose was the biggest influence on his career.

• Liked to face: Charlie Hough (.465 in 43 AB); Jim Slaton (.462 in 39 AB); Dennis Leonard (.433 in 30 AB)
• Hated to face: Dick Tidrow (.000 in 12 AB); Mike Torrez (.040 in 25 AB); Don Sutton (.132 in 38 AB)

1976 Topps #330 - Nolan Ryan

• It would take several posts to do Mr. Ryan justice. He's a legend. We didn't always think so though. Perhaps it was his winning percentages. He was usually right around .500 and he also never won a Cy Young Award.

• Here's a list of his accomplishments:

7 no-hitters

12 one-hitters

8 All Star games

Strikeout leader 11 times

ERA leader twice

Lifetime record: 324-292 (.526)

All time strikeout leader (5714)

All time walk leader (2795)

27 major league seasons (all-time record)

Number retired by the Angels (#30), Astros (#34), and Rangers (#34)

Major League All Century Team

Hall of Fame in 1999 (98.79% of the vote)

• Seven of the ten pitchers with the highest similarity scores are in the Hall of Fame. Two others will be there (Randy Johnson and Bert Blyleven) and the tenth might get there if the writers don't hold the 'roids against him (Roger Clemens).
  
  

• Nolan Ryan's website

• Nolan Ryan Foundation
  
  


• Baseball Digest articles:


• October 1972 - Nolan Ryan Fastest Gun in the West!

• May 1973 - Nolan Ryan Next 30 Game Winner?

• May 1975 - Nolan Ryan Entering his Prime as Power Pitcher

• December 1976 - Bob Feller: Was he Faster than Nolan Ryan?

• September 1979 - Nolan Ryan: Baseball's No. 1 Strikeout Artist
  


• March 1980 - When Nolan Ryan Almost Quit the Game

• May 1982 - Nolan Ryan Chases SO Record of 'The Big Train'

• January 1982 - Nolan Ryan Belongs in a Higher League!

• July 1985 - Strikeout King Nolan Ryan Still A Power Pitcher at Age 38
  
  


• August 1989 - Nolan Ryan: The Greatest Strikeout Pitcher Ever!
  
  


• August 1991 - Nolan Ryan Legend Grew From 'A Little White Lie'


• November 1991 - Nolan Ryan: Still A Gem Among his Pitching Peers


• February 1994 - Farewell to Nolan Ryan: He Was A Baseball Treasure
  
  


• Nolan Ryan is now President of the Texas Rangers.
  


• Liked to face: Gates Brown (.000 in 24 AB); Eric Davis (.040 in 21 AB); Butch Wynegar (.050 in 40 AB)


• Hated to face: Manny Sanguillen (.524 in 24 AB); Lonnie Smith (.500 in 24 AB); Gary Sutherland (.417 in 24 AB)
  

Nolan Ryan's 5000th Strikeout August 12, 1989




Nolan Ryan's 7th No-Hitter




Nolan Ryan on the soap opera Ryan's Hope in September 1975.

Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura

1976 Topps #304 - California Angels

• The 1976 California Angels were a very mediocre lot. They had only one player in double figures in home runs (Barry Bonds with 10) and he played in only 99 games. Dick Williams managed the club to a 39-57 record before being dismissed. Norm Sherry managed the Angels for the remainder of the season and was 37-29.

• Dick Williams was a no-nonsense manager who was disliked by many of his players but usually got results. He is in the Hall of Fame as a manager. He managed six teams in his career. He didn't have success with the Angels. They finished 6th in the AL West in 1974 and 1975 and 4th in 1976. Williams took three of the six teams he managed to the World Series -- Boston (1967), Oakland (1972 and 1973), and San Diego (1984). He also got the Montreal Expos to the playoffs in 1981.

• Record: 76-86 (4th in AL West, 14 games behind Kansas City)
• Attendance: 1,006,774 (8th of 12 in AL)
• Team Batting: .235 (12th in AL)
• Team Home Runs: 63 (12th in AL)
• Team ERA: 3.36 (5th in AL)
• Team Fielding: .977 (8th in AL)
• AL All Stars: Frank Tanana (P)
  
  

1976 Topps #276 - Mickey Scott

• Mickey Scott was born in Weimar, Germany in 1947. There have been 29 major league players who were born in Germany--all but three of them were born in 1900 or earlier. Only one player (Tobi Stoner) was born in Germany after Mickey Scott.

• Mickey Scott was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1965. He had good stats in the minors in 1965 and 1966, but didn't pitch in 1967. Mickey came back in 1968 and pitched well in AA (8-6, 2.58 ERA), but didn't fare as well in AAA in 1969 (6-5, 4.76 ERA). After the '69 season Mickey was traded with cash to the Chicago White Sox for Pete Ward. According to baseball reference, he pitched for Baltimore's AAA club (Rochester) in 1970 but wasn't dealt to the Orioles until September 23, 1970. Perhaps he was on loan to the Orioles and then they decided to acquire him.

• Scott was in Rochester again in 1971. He made the Orioles in 1972 and appeared in 15 games (0-1, 2.74 ERA). In 1973 he started with the Orioles and was traded to the Montreal Expos after appearing in one game. Scott went 1-2 with a 5.25 ERA for the Expos in '73.

• In April of 1974 Mickey went back to the Orioles. He was the player to be named later in a deal for John Montague which was made a year earlier. Scott was sent back to Rochester for the 1974 season and then was shipped to the California Angels after the season.

• Mickey spent three years (1975-1977) with the Angels. He had good years in 1975 (4-2, 1 save, 3.29 ERA in 50 games) and in 1976 (3-0, 3 saves, 3.23 ERA in 33 games). In 1977 he wasn't as good (0-2, 5.62 ERA in 12 games). He made his last appearance on June 6, 1977. Scott spent some time pitching for AAA Columbus (Pirates organization) in 1977 and 1978 and then finished up with AA Charlotte (Orioles organization).

• It looks like there is contact information for Mickey on startiger.com, but it costs $$ to find out.
  
• Liked to face: Lyman Bostock (.083 in 12 AB); Amos Otis (.000 in 7 AB)

• Hated to face: George Brett (.615 in 13 AB); Rod Carew (.385 in 13 AB)

1976 Topps #254 - Rudy Meoli

• Rudy Meoli played in parts of six seasons from 1971-1979. Meoli was drafted by the California Angels in 1969 and tore up the rookie level Pioneer League by batting .351 in 69 games as an 18-year-old shortstop. Rudi progressed through the Angels system and was a September call-up in 1971. He spent the entire 1972 season in the minors and then was promoted to the Angels for the 1973 season.

• Meoli began the '73 season as a backup and then became the starting shortstop in mid-May. He kept the job until the All Star break but his lack of offense (.223 average for the season) and shaky fielding (27 errors in 95 games) caused his return to the bench in late July.

• Rudy started the 1974 season in AAA Salt Lake City. He batted .308 and was recalled on July 31. Meoli became the Angels' starting third baseman for a few weeks and batted .240 in 90 at bats.

• In 1975 Meoli stayed with the Angels for the entire season as a utiltyman. He batted .214 in 126 at bats. After the '75 season he was traded to the San Diego Padres in a trade that brought Bobby Valentine to the Angels. He didn't stay with the Padres very long -- they traded Rudy to the Cincinnati Reds for Merv Rettenmund at the end of spring training.

• Rudy spent the 1976 and 1977 seasons playing for the Reds' AAA Indianapolis ballclub. At the end of the season he was purchased from the Reds by the Chicago Cubs. Meoli split the season between AAA Wichita and the Cubs. He batted .103 in 29 at bats for the Cubs and was released after the season.

• Meoli signed with the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training in 1979. He spent the month of April with the Phillies' AAA Oklahoma City club, then was recalled on May 1 and spent the next several weeks with the Phillies. Rudy batted .268 in 73 at bats for the Phillies. This would be his last major league action. He was sold to the Minnesota Twins in late June and spent the rest of the season in AAA Toledo. Meoli tried to catch on with the San Francisco Giants in 1980 but was cut in spring training.

• Us kids on the block thought Rudy's 1975 card was considered to be of some value since the "action shot" looked cool.

• Liked to face: Dick Drago (.545 in 11 AB); Steve Busby (.316 in 19 AB); Stan Bahnsen (.308 in 13 AB); Joe Coleman (.222 in 9 AB but hit his only major league homer off of him)

• Hated to face: Luis Tiant and Wilbur Wood (.143 in 14 AB vs. both); Jim Hunter (.100 in 10 AB)