EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1979 A.L. FIREMEN

Ok!

After many months, we have come to the final “expanded league leader” card in my fun thread expanded on Topps popular sub-set through the 1970’s, with the American League’s top three relievers of the 1978 season:

 

We begin with the New York Yankees Rich “goose” Gossage, who led the A.L. with his 37 “points”, with 10 wins and a league-leading 27 saves for the World Champions.

Gossage had an excellent first season with his new team after coming over from the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting and earned run average of 2.01 over 63 appearances and 134.1 innings of work, striking out 155 batters.

Of course we all know now that the man wasn’t nearly done, as he would continue to mow batters down through the 1994 season, appearing in 1002 games while saving 310, putting in 22 seasons in the Majors, getting elected to the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Just behind Gossage with 35 points, the California Angels Dave LaRoche, who posted his best season in the Majors, winning 10 games while saving 25, with a very nice 2.82 ERA over 95.2 innings, even getting some MVP consideration for his efforts.

Just three years later he’d join the Yankees himself, where he’d pith the last three years of his 14-year career, and entertain us NYC kids with his “La Lob” eephus pitch.

All told, LaRoche finished with a record of 65-58 over 647 games, with a 3.53 ERA and 126 saves between 1970 and 1983.

In third place with 31 points, no stranger to dominating relief seasons, former Cy Young winner Mike Marshall of the Minnesota Twins, who took his talents back to the American League, winning 10 games and saving 21 games.

The man was amazing, as he would follow this up with 42 points the following season, winning 10 games while saving a league-leading 32 while appearing in 90 games, the third time in his career reaching that mark, including a ridiculous 106 games in 1974, still the Big League record some 50 years later.

By the time he retired after the 1981 season, he appeared in 724 games, saving 188 and winning 97, taking home that 1974 Cy Young Award and making two All-Star teams.

Well, this was a FUN thread, and perhaps I’ll keep going into the 1980’s. We shall see!

ANOTHER WILD AIRBRUSH JOB IN THE 1970'S: 1973 DAVE LaROCHE

Time to go and look at another fine airbrush job by the folks at Topps during the 1970’s, this time the 1973 card for Dave LaRoche, who came over to the Chicago Cubs from the Minnesota Twins just in time for this:

Now that is one nifty “C” on his cap!
Definitely not the worst job, but comical nonetheless with the darkened outline around the logo.
LaRoche would spend 14-years in the Major Leagues, generally as a relief pitcher, appearing in 647 games, with only 15 of them starts between 1970 and 1983.
Of course, he’d also be remembered for his “La Lob” pitch, especially for us kids watching Yankee games in the early 1980’s when he was pitching for them between 1981 and 1983.
Overall he had a nice career, finishing up with a record of 65-58 with a respectable 3.53 earned run average, with 126 saves and two All-Star game nods.
Later on, two of his sons would go on to play Big league ball as well, with Adam and Andy getting 18-years of MLB time in between them.