A Statistican

Not a lot of people can say they struck out Willie Mays on their 18th birthday. But this guy could:

Card #375 -- Larry Dierker, Houston Astros

In 1964, Larry Dierker made his debut the same day he turned 18. Taking the mound for what were then called the Houston Colt .45s, he struck out Willie Mays in the first inning. Staying with the team through their name change to the Astros, he remined in Houston through 1976. He was the Astros' fist 20-game winner in 1969 and tossed a no-hitter against the Expos in '76. He pitched one last season in St. Louis before retiring as a player.

Known to many as a smart baseball "numbers" guy, Dierker was a member of SABR and was known to crunch the numbers of the game. He worked as a broadcaster and was also a very successful manager, taking the Astros to the postseason four of the five years he led the club. In 1999, however, he suffered a Grand Mal seizure and missed 27 games while he was unergoing brain surgery to correct the problem.

Fired after the 2001 season, Dierker returned to brodcasting and has written several baseball-related columns and two books about the game.

The Red Rooster

This player's nickname (as well as his other one, "Rojo") came from his red hair, which isn't really evident on this card:

Card #76 -- Doug Rader, Houston Astros

However, don't let the fact that he looks like he's taking his position at the county fair fool you...Doug Rader was one of the best defensive third basemen at the time. He was the reigning Gold Glove winner at his position, winning the award for five straight years from 1970-'74. His career batting average of .251 makes him look like a one-tool player, but he was unfortunate to play most of his career in the Astrodome. The vast expanses of that stadium killed many player's averages and masked the fact that Rader possessed some power. He hit more than 20 homers three times (and 155 overall) in an era not known for its long balls.

Sadly, Rader's skills were in decline when he finally escaped that cavernous stadium. In 1976, he went to the Padres, who then traded him to Toronto midway through the '77 season. In the spring of '78, the Blue Jays cut him, along with some other veterans who didn't figure in their long-term plans. Rather than try to catch on with a new team, Rader retired.

He became a manager after his playing career was over, beginning in the PCL in 1980. In 1983, he took the reigns of the Texas Rangers. Despite the belief that he was well-suited to lead a winning team, none of his squads were able to stay in contention. He remained at Texas until 1985, was an interim skipper with the White Sox in 1986, and led the Angels from 1989-'91.  

The Stalwart Shortstop

In 1973, this player was at the peak of his career, leading the National League in triples and winning the only Gold Glove of his career:

Card #395 -- Roger Metzger, Houston Astros

Here he is showing his shortstop stance during Spring Training...and obviously not in position. That is, unless the shortstop was meant to be in the outfield on a shift.

Roger Metzger was a defensive star, a regular in the Astros' infield from 1971-'78. Before he was with Houston, he was a farmhand in the Cubs' system and managed to come up to the club for a single game in 1970. Unable to get much playing time while Don Kessinger was still on the team's roster, he was traded to the Astros. He would make his mark there, playing in at least 120 games a season through 1976.

In 1978, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants and joined a star-studded infield that included Willie McCovey, Bill Madlock and Darrell Evans. Unfortunately, a chainsaw accident took off part of four of his fingers after the 1979 season. Metzger still tried to come back in 1980, but hit poorly and was released in August.

After his retirement, Metzger became a high school math teacher.

Alou Brother #3

Here is a player whose name I pronounced wrong for several years:

Card #93 -- Jesus Alou, Houston Astros

Where I grew up, we had little interaction with Latino culture, so I simply assumed Jesus Alou pronounced his first name the way we English-speaking Christians pronounced the name of the Big Guy on the Cross. Later, I started Spanish class when I went to high school and learned that it's pronounced "Hey-ZOOS." For what it's worth, I also mispronounced Ivan DeJesus's name until I started watching him on TV.

I also didn't realize he was one of three brothers, either, since Matty and Felipe Alou had retired before I became interested in baseball. Jesus was the youngest of the three, coming up with the Giants in 1963, while his brothers were both already on the team. At times, all three bothers played in the outfield at one time. However, his power numbers were much weaker than his brothers' and the Giants exposed him for the 1969 expansion draft.

While he was selected by the Expos, Alou didn't play for them. He ended up being traded to Houston in the deal that sent Rusty Staub to the team. He remained with the Astros until midway through the 1973 season, when the A's purchased his contract. After the '74 season, he went to the Mets as a free agent but didn't stay long. He played in the Mexican League until his return to the Astros in 1978. During his final season in 1979, Alou moved to a coaching position, and was a scout for a long time after his retirement.

He was also part of an extended baseball family. In addition to his brothers, his nephew Moises Alou, cousin Jose Sosa and nephew Mel Rojas were also major league players.

A Man Called "Suds"

This player is airbrushed into the uniform of the team that purchased his contract midway through the 1972 season:

Card #572 -- Gary Sutherland, Houston Astros

Sharp-eyed readers might recognize the background as a similar area where many Montreal Expos players are shown, and that's the team where Gary Sutherland filled a roster during Spring Training in 1972. In fact, he moved around a lot, playing on seven different teams in 13 overall seasons.  He first came up with the Phillies in 1966 and moved to the Expos during thier inaugural season in 1969. His tenure with the Astros was over after '73.

He then went to the Detroit Tigers, where manager Ralph Houk made him the team's leadoff hitter. That might seem odd given his low batting average, but Houk seemed fond of placing second basemen into the first spot on his lineup (Bobby Richardson and then Horace Clarke with teh Yankees, and later Jerry Remy in Boston). He stayed in that position until Ron LeFlore arrived with the Tigers, and finished the 1976 season with the Brewers. He then spent partial seasons in San Diego and St. Louis before retiring after the '78 season.

After his retirement, Sutherland tried his hand at selling real estate in California. Eventually, he missed baseball and became a scout for the Padres in 1980. While there, he was the person who brought Tony Gwynn to the team. He remained a scout for several years afterwards, and works for the Angels today.

"The Punisher"

The title of this post isn't really this player's nickname as a player (he was called "Bull"). Instead, it is a description of the job he held after his retirement:

Card #110 - Bob Watson, Houston Astros

From 1998 through 2010, Bob Watson served as Major League Baseball's vice president in charge of discipline and vice president of rules and on-field operations. In that position, he was the man who doled out the punishments and fines for players and managers who step out of line.

As a player, Watson was not much of a power threat, but he was a decent contact hitter.Though best-remembered for scoring what was then billed as the one millionth run in baseball history in 1975, he also managed to hit for the cycle in each league. After acheiving the feat in 1977 while playing for Houston, he repeated it as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 1979.

Unfortunately, there were two negatives that affected Watson's career numbers. First, he came up during an era where pitchers dominated and the batting averages were generally lower. Second, he played the bulk of his career (1966-'79) in Houston, where the Astrodome was a ballpark that killed offensive numbers.

During the 1979 season, he was traded to the Red Sox, where he was able to DH as well as play first base, the position he began playing regularly with Houston by 1974. After becoming a free agent that offseason, Watson went to the New York Yankees, where he continued to split his time between first and the DH position. He finally reached the postseason when he played in two ALCS series and in the '81 World Series. Early in the 1982 season, Watson was traded to the Braves and was primarily a pinch-hitter and backup to Chris Chambliss (the man he replaced in New York). He retired after the 1984 season.

Watson became a hitting coach after his playing days were over. He was part of the staff at Oakland when they went to the 1988 World Series. The next season, he stepped into the front office as the Astros' assistant GM. In 1994, he begame the team's GM and then filled the same position with the Yankees in 1996. That year, he finally was part of a World Series champion.

Rare Combination

A couple of weeks ago, I asked about the structure in the background, wondering if it was some type of hotel at the Mets' spring training facility. It turns out the structure is the old scoreboard at Shea Stadium. In any case, it's in the background of this card:

Card #290 -- Cesar Cedeno, Houston Astros

Cesar Cedeno was a player who possessed power, speed and defensive abilities that made a player like Willie Mays a star, as well as an eye for walks and a strong outfield arm. He was a four-time All-Star during the 1970s and won the Gold Glove at his position every year from 1972 through '76. In the pre-Rickey Henderson era, he stole more than 50 bases for six consecutive seasons. In fact, he was the second player after Lou Brock to hit 50 20 homers and steal 50 bases in a season (doing that for three straight years). In short, he was a solid player who racked up some impressive stats that made him dangerous to his opponents.

However, for much of his career he played half his games in the Astrodome, a notorious place that ate up stats like that. It would have been interesting to see him play for a more powerhouse club like (Pittsburgh or Cincinnati) during the era and see how far they might have gotten. As it turned out, Cedeno did end up on the Reds, but they were no longer the Big Red Machine by the time he arrived in 1982. Late in his career, he was traded to the Cardinals in 1985 and provided a large spark that helped propel them past the Mets that year and into the World Series.

After finishing his career in Los Angeles in 1986, he became a coach in the Winter Leagues in Venezuela and his native Dominican Republic.

Another Sad Story From the 70s...

This pitcher tossed the first no-hitter on artificial grass, as well as the first inside a domed stadium:

Card #217 -- Don Wilson, Houston Astros

Don Wilson pitched two no-hitters during his career, one in 1967 and the other in '69. 20 of his 104 wins was a shutout, including the last game he pitched. He was a pitcher who could rack up strikeouts (averaging 6.6 per 9 innings) while not allowing a whole lot of hits and walks. He even managed to lay down a bunt double against the Phillies in 1971, which is a rare feat.

However, Don Wilson's death will probably overshadow what he did in his life. On January 5, 1975, he was found dead in his garage. His car was running and the garage was closed, so he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. His son was also in the car with him. A daughter and his wife were inside the house and had to be hospitalized. The death was ruled an accident, but that hasn't stopped fans from suggesting something else was afoot.

Ironically, the picture on this card seems to suggest an inner sadness, something that may not have been noticed until the sad news broke.

It's a Major League Record Regardless...

This player has the lowest non-zero batting average in major league history:

Card #17 -- Fred Gladding, Houston Astros

As a relief pitcher, Fred Gladding wasn't always able to take a lot of walks to the plate, but his career avearge was .016 (1 for 63). He did get one distinction that was more positive, though: 1969 was the first year saves were counted as an official stat, and he led the National League that season with 29.

Gladding first made the majors in 1961, when he joined the Detroit Tigers. Through 1964, he was frequently on the bus between the Tigers and their top minor league club. He stayed in the Tigers' organization until after the 1967 season, where he was sent to Houston as the "player to be named later" as part of the trade for Eddie Mathews.

At the time this card was printed, Gladding was nearing the end of his career. In June of '73, he was sent to the Astros' AAA affiliate in Denver, where he would remain for the rest of the year. He was released after the season.

Quite a Follow-Through

Only one set of brothers has ever thrown no-hitters in major league history. And they weren't named Niekro, Perry or Reuschel. One of those brothers is this guy:

Card #589 -- Ken Forsch, Houston Astros

Ken Forsch tossed his non-no in 1979, and brother Bob hurled two gems while a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. Bob, however, hadn't made the majors in 1973 and was still two years from having his first baseball card.

For a horizontally-oriented image, this shot is well-positioned, with teh catcher and umpire cropped out. Instead, the photo shows only Forsch and the Giant he's facing. At this moment of the game, those are the only two players that matter.

Forsch pitched with the Astros between 1970 and 1980. He started in the rotation but was moved to the bullpen in 1974. He eventually returned to his spot as a starter in 1979, and thanked his team by tossing that no-hitter early in the season. It was his first start of '79 and the team's second game. He was traded to the California Angels for Dickie Thon in 1981 and remained there until 1984. After not pitching at all in '85, he returned the following year but was released seven weeks into the season. He signed with the Mariners but wasn't able to rise above their AAA ballclub.

Forsch became an executive after his retirement. He has been the assistant GM for the Angels since 1998.

Not the Presidential Candidate

One of the things I like about baseball and football cards from the early 1970s is the way many of them explain what players do in the offseason to support their families while the paychecks stop until the next season. Insurance agent, car salesman, schoolteacher...it was a glimpse into how many had to lead "blue collar" lives before the salaries climbed. This guy, however, was an engineer for GE's research and development for nuclear fuel elements:

Card #519 -- John Edwards, Houston Astros

Too bad the card here doesn't mention that. Instead, it talks about his fielding percentage the past few seasons. Frankly, the "nuclear scientist" thing would have been much more interesting. Apparently, it didn't pay well enough to lure him away from the diamond, but it's nice to have something to fall back on.

The picture is evidently a Spring Training shot, with Jack Hiatt taking his turn inside the batting cage.

Johnny Edwards (which is what his early cards called him) was a star catcher in Cincinnati. He was a rookie during the team's surprise 1961 season, where they propelled into the World Series. He was an All-Star player for three straight years (1963-65). He caught Jim Maloney's no-hitter, as well as another game where Maloney pitched 10 no-hit innings but the Reds lost due to a lack of run support. However, when Johnny Bench was drafted, there wasn't room for any other catchers named Johnny there. He was traded to the Cardinals before the '68 season.

In St. Louis, Edwards was relegated to backup for regular catcher Tim McCarver. He still managed to catch another no-hitter for Ray Washburn that season and made one more World Series appearance. After showing he could be an everyday catcher, the Astros made a trade for him when the '68 season was over. He played 151 games behind the plate in '69, a career high. He was a regular in Houston for four years. In 1973, he shared time with Skip Jutze and played his final season in '74.

Edwards was a solid but unspectacular hitter, but was perhaps one of the best defensive catchers of his day. The fact that he was forced aside due to Johnny Bench's arrival shouldn't detract from his skills.

The Toy Cannon

According to the legend, Jimmy Wynn was called "Toy Cannon" because he was small (5' 8") but made a big "pop" with his bat. Here he is swinging his bat in the on-deck circle of another team's field:

Card #185 -- Jim Wynn, Houston Astros

Those Astros road grays really stood out because of the contrast those orange sleeves gave them. No wonder they went on to the multi-colored unis a few years later.

This may be one of the first cards to show a batting donut, invented by former Yankee Eltson Howard about a decade before that. Since most photos used on cards before 1973 were posed shots, there wasn't a lot of images of batters actually standing in the on-deck circle. However, note that I used the word "maybe" because I'm not in a place where I can pull out my cards to verify that. If there is an earlier card with one, let me know in the comments section.

In 1973, Jimmy Wynn had spent his entire major league career in Houston, dating back to 1963 when the team was still known as the Colt .45s. Starting at shortstop (probably also due to his smaller stature), he moved to center by the end of his rookie year and became a fixture at that position for over a decade. He was a power hitter, but playing home games in the Astrodome -- which had longer fences -- may have masked his career numbers. He was also known for having a sharp eye and walked often.

1973 would be Wynn's last season with the Astros. Traded to Los Angeles, he helped them win a pennant and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors. However, a shoulder injury in 1975 limited his effectiveness and he was moved to left. In 1976, he played in Atlanta and split '77 as a DH between New York and Milwaukee.

Because he played in a era known for low offense and played for so long in a low run-scoring park, Wynn is sometimes pointed out by "numbers" guys as a player who may have had a legitimate shot to become a Hall of Famer had he played somewhere else.

"Catching" Up With the New Guys

All three of these guys would have more Topps cards. In fact, one of them would have his sons on their own Topps cards a generation later.

Card #613 -- 1973 Rookie Catchers

Bob Boone was a legacy. His father was Ray Boone, who had been an infielder with the Indians and Tigers, among others, between 1948 and '60. He played 19 seasons, mainly with the Phillies and the Angels. While not known for his batting, he was among the finest defensive catchers of his era. He was a key member of the Phillies' 1980 World Series champions and helped lead the Angels to two AL West titles in the 1980s. He would go on to manage, and also raised two major league sons: Aaron and Bret Boone.

Skip Jutze wasn't in the majors anywhere near as long as Boone was. After a short stint with the Cardinals in '72 (hence the airbrushed cap), he was able to start 78 games for the Astros in 1973. That would be his most productive year, though. He was a part-timer through '76 and played his final season as an original member of the Seattle Mariners in 1977.

Mike Ivie had already appeared on a Topps card in 1972 but hadn't yet shed the rookie label. In fact, he never played in the majors in 1972 or '73. He wasn't destined to make the majors as a catcher, so he switched to the infield and became a successful first baseman and third baseman beginning in 1974. He spent most of his career with the Padres and Giants, finishing with Detroit in '83.

A Rolls "Reuss"

Here's a guy who was still a workhorse when I was watching baseball in the 1980s:

Card #446 -- Jerry Reuss, Houston Astros

Of course, by the time I was getting into baseball during the 1980s, Jerry Reuss was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation. Since I lived outside of the territory of any major league team (I was living in northern New York), I was at the mercy of whatever the TV stations I tuned in could get. Since NBC's Game of the Week was one of my ways to see baseball games, and NBC loved showing the Dodgers, I watched Reuss pitch a lot of games.

Thanks to Vin Scully on those weekend games, I learned the proper way to pronounce Reuss: sounds like "Royce." I had been rhyming it with "Moose" before that. While I realize he pitched with guys like Fernando Valenzuela, Bob Welch, Steve Howe and Orel Hershiser, he was but one of the many tools in Tommy Lasorda's arsenal (and I'm not using the word "tool" as a pejorative at all here), he showed up on the mound in enough games during my childhood to make me think he was the ace of their staff then.

In 1973, Jerry Reuss was in his second of two seasons with the Astros. He had been traded to the team before the '72 season from the Cardinals. He started a league-best -- and personal best -- 40 games that year and won 16 games. After that, he spent six years in Pittsburgh and nine with the Dodgers (where he threw a no-hitter in 1980) before finishing his career with a number of teams in the late 80s. He finished his career back in Pittsburgh in 1990. To give a perspective on how long he played, he is one of only a few pitchers to win 200 career games depite never getting 20 in a single season. He came very close some seasons, though.

From what I understand, Reuss is currently an amateur photographer and checks out the blogs frequently and even has stories about the pictures on his cards. So it may be nice that I left out the fact that he was 0-7 in the League Championship Series over his career. That way, he'll feel free to share wgat was going on during the game where this photo was taken. All I can tell is that he's wearing an Astros road jersey and the fans are just starting to make their way into the seats.

The "Helms"man

Here's an interesting picture taken during Spring Training:

Card #495 - Tommy Helms, Houston Astros

Look past that gray Astros road uniform, which was one of the blandest in the majors. Look past those mutton chop sideburns running down his face. Look past the glove and ball laying on the ground but positioned in a way to invite unfortunate jokes at Helms's expense.

However, standing on the sidelines with a bat and a glove? Nice way to show you have no confidence in the guy at bat. That said, Helms was one of the hardest players in the game to strike out. In nearly 5,000 at-bats during a 14-year career, Helms struck out 301 times. As good as he was, the Reds still traded him to Houston as part of the deal that got them another second baseman, Joe Morgan.

Helms also replaced Pete Rose in two different ways. First, he was part of a position change the Cincinnati Reds made in 1967. Tony Perez was shifted to third base, while Holmes (the third baseman) was placed at second. He took the position from Rose, who went to the outfield. After Helms retired, he would join his old teammate when Rose became player/manager of the Reds in 1984. When baseball's all-time hit king was banned from the sport in 1989, it was Helms who took over at manager for the remainder of the season.

I've Got It!

Here's a rare, one-of-a-kind "traded" version of Tommie Agee's '73 Topps card:

Card #420 -- Tomie Agee, Houston Astros

That's Tommie off to the left side of the photo, preparing to catch a shallow fly ball. You see the umpire holding out his right hand, getting ready to call the batter out but waiting for the catch before making it official. But something isn't right here...Met shortstop Buddy Harrelson is clearly seen right in the middle of the action. Agee and his former teammates have all been airbrushed to look like Astros, a team that Harrelson never suited up with.

Tommie Agee is perhaps best remembered as one of the sparkplugs of the 1969 Amazin' Mets and a hero of that year's World Series. Two tremendous catches by Agee in the third game of the Series saved five runs and were big blows to the Orioles' chances. In 1971 and '72, Agee developed chronic knee problems that hampered his abilities on the field. As the card above originally indicated, he was dealt to the Astros before the '73 season. In August, he was traded to St. Louis (also indicated on this card) and finished his season with the Cardinals.

Although Agee's major league career ended in 1973, he was given two Topps cards in 1974: a regular card showing him in his Cardinals uniform and a card in the Traded set that reflected his trade to Los Angeles after the '73 season. That card was airbrushed, as Agee never played with the Dodgers. Agee died of a heart attack in January 2001; he would be inducted into the Mets' Hall of Fame the following year.

In Their Own Orbit

Among the cards of the 1973 Topps baseball card set are cards showing each team assembled together.

Card #138, Houston Astros Team Card

Here are the Houston Astros, wearing the home uniforms they used between 1971 and 1974. Under Hall of Fame manager Leo "The Lip" Durocher, they went  82-80 and finished 4th in the National League West. It would be the team's final season with a winning record until 1979.