Kind of "Blue"

For the last post of 2010, it may be appropriate to feel a little seasonably blue. Or...

Card #430 -- Vida Blue, Oakland A's

This is a great picture. Blue is delivering his pitch, the batter (a Minnesota Twin, it looks to be...Oliva or Carew, perhaps?) is waiting with his hands choked up on the bat. A rosin bag is seen laying on the mound, just below the batter's arm. The bag at second base is clearly seen, but for whatever reason, there are no other players in the photo. However, since this moment is just between the pitcher and batter, anybody else is pretty much irrelevant.

Vida Blue was a rarity: a hard-throwing lefty. Some players said he threw harder than anybody who wasn't named Nolan Ryan. His best pitch was a fastball that neared 100 MPH, and he made sure he used it. And when he entered the league, few hitters knew what to do with him. In 1970, he was called up to the parent club in September and pitched in just six games. Two of those were complete-game shutouts, one a ho-hitter and the other a one-hitter. In 1971, he was such a force on the mound that he ended up getting both the MVP and Cy Young awards with his 24-8 record and 1.82 ERA. He was the youngest A.L. MVP of the 20th century and one of a select few to win the MVP and Cy Young in the same year.

In 1972, he came back down to earth, posting a 6-10 record but still helping the A's to win the World Series. He won 20 games again for '73 and would remain an important part of the team's rotation throughout its dynasty years. However, he would get caught up with owner Charlie Finley's antics in trying to dismantle his team before free agency did it for him. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn vetoed two trades involving Blue (to the Yankees in '76 and the Reds in '77), saying they were "bad for baseball" because both involved a powerful pitcher being sent to powerhouse teams with little going to the A's in return.

Vida Blue was finally traded to the San Francisco Giants for 1978. After four years there and two with the Kansas City Royals, he had some public issues with drug problems. After the 1983 season, Blue was arrested for trying to purchase cocaine (and later testified in the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials). He was out of the game for 1984, but returned to spend the 1985-'86 seasons with the Giants before retiring.

Despite the negative news that dominated his later career, Vida Blue has been active since his retirement in charitable causes among inner-city kids and promoting baseball. With that, this blog bids farewell to the year 2010 and hopes for a very eventful 2011. Happy New Year!

Richie Cunningham, I presume?

Today's post features a card from the "Boyhood Photos" subset that appeared in the 1973 Topps set:

Card #343 -- Bobby Murcer (Boyhood Photo)

Because nothing says "baseball player" or "Yankee star" quite like a 1950s elementary school photo.

Family Ties

With the holidays upon us, today's blog post focuses on family. Or, as this one goes, family members:

Card #43 -- Randy Moffitt -- San Francisco Giants

Beyond the background image of Candlestick Park and those very-70s sideburns, Randy Moffitt had quite a legacy to live up to, which is mentioned on the back of this card.

His sister is Billie Jean King, the tennis star. In 1973, she won the vaunted "Battle of the Sexes" against Bobby Riggs and also won Wimbledon for the fifth time. Among the best tennis players in the world at that point, that may have made for interesting discussion at family dinners:

"You know, Mom...I struck out Willie Stargell yesterday."

"Big deal. Your sister got to meet the Queen again. Pass the potatoes."

This was Moffitt's first Topps card. He had debuted with the Giants in 1972 and spent 10 seasons with the club as a dependable reliever, just as the "fireman" position was becoming more of a specialized thing in the game. He would go on to pitch for one season in Houston and another in Toronto before leaving the game after the '83 season.

Give Me "Money"

There was a little theme to this week's entries. Monday, Dave Cash appeared. On Wednesday, it was Bobby Bonds' turn, today...a little something that won't be turned down at Christmas:

Card #386 -- Don Money, Milwaukee Brewers

Evidently, "Money" doesn't buy a good airbrush artist.

There's no need to wonder why a player from the Milwaukee Brewers would be standing in Veterans' Stadium in Philadelphia when they weren't yet in the National League in 1973. Not when Don Money looks to be wearing a cartoon uniform.

Of course, Money had been with the Phillies through 1972 and was wearing that team's uniform when the picture was taken. When he was traded to Milwaukee in late October, the Topps people commissioned their airbrush artist to go to work. Though he had been with the Phillies since 1968, Money was signed by Pittsburgh but traded across the state in a deal for Hall of Famer Jim Bunning before getting to the parent club. He would go on to play eleven seasons with the Brewers and was named to the All-Star team four times for them.

He retired after the 1983 season and decided to try playing in Japan after seeing video of the Yomiuri Giants and being impressed by their crowds and clean facilities. However, he ended up signing with the Kintetsu Buffaloes, who weren't so beloved. He ripped up his contract after only a month and went home. Money later became a manager in the minor league system. Today, he's the skipper of the Nashville Sounds, the AAA affiliate of the Brewers.

Get Down and Boogie!

Among the horizontal photos used in the 1973 Topps set, some are great, while others are questionable and downright silly. Look at this one:

Card #145 -- Bobby Bonds, San Francisco Giants

Bobby Bonds appears to be showing Willie Stargell a new dance step, but he's heading back to first to avoid a possible pickoff attempt. That was probably a common occurrence, since Bonds was known as a speedy runner. He's also known for his propensity to strike out at the plate. Interestingly, when he retired, Bonds was third among all players in career strikeouts. One of the two players ahead of him was Stargell (Reggie Jackson was the other one). 

It's still sad to see that neither of these players is still with us.

At the time, Bobby Bonds had been with the Giants since 1968. In his very first game, he hit a grand slam. In 1973, he set a record for leadoff home runs (since broken) and almost became the first player to get 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, missing the mark by one homer. He was also named MVP of that year's All-Star game.

After 1974, he would be one of the most traveled players in baseball, spending the next seven seasons playing for seven different teams. After being traded to the Yankees, he bumped around on the Angels, White Sox, Rangers, Indians, Cardinal and Cubs. His stint with California was the only one that lasted longer than one year.

After he retired from the game, he became better known as the father of Barry Bonds.

Show Me the "Cash"

Baseball fans know that Johnny wasn't the only cool guy named Cash. There was also Norm Cash and this guy:

Card #397 -- Dave Cash, Pittsburgh Pirates

Not a lot to say about the photo, except that he looks like one mean MF with a bat. I also notice that his uniform number is printed on his wristband. 

Dave Cash was born in Utica, New York, which is actually a short distance from where I grew up. Well, close is a relative term in that part of the state, since everything is so spread out. It was about an hour's drive away...but if you wanted to get to my childhood home using the New York State Thruway, you got off at Utica and took a scenic drive where you saw more cows than you ever knew existed. Literally. My wife (who is from Long Island) took her first trip there when we were dating and was absolutely amused because she had never seen so many cows in her life. But then again, her idea of New York State was a lot different from mine, as she came from a part of the state where they give little thought to what lay beyond Yonkers.

But I digress (which I tend to do when the topic turns toward where I grew up)...

Dave Cash replaced Bill Mazeroski as the Pirates' second baseman. He was part of the team's 1971 World Series championship team, playing in all seven games. However, with Rennie Stennett making his way up to the team, Cash wasn't destined to be a regular player there. As a result, he was traded to the Phillies after the '73 season.

Cash enjoyed his best years in Philadelphia, making the All-Star team each of his three seasons there. However, he tested the free agent market in '76 and ended up with the Expos. Though his numbers declined there, he was still a threat with the bat and actually became harder to strike out. He would finish his career in San Diego in 1980.

The Thinking Switch-Hitter

Here's a guy who played for a very long time, and at a position that was quite physically damaging:

Card #85 -- Ted Simmons, St. Louis Cardinals

Ted Simmons was one of the better-hitting catchers of his era, even if he was overshadowed by Johnny Bench for much of his career. He was well-renowned as a switch hitter and also known as one of the smartest men playing in the game.

In part due to his "smarts," Simmons was one of a small handful of players who began 1972 without a contract. After a short players' strike that delayed the opening of the season, a few decided to complete one season without being under contract to see if they could test the reserve clause. In Simmons' case, he became a valuable tool for the Cardinals and was eventually offered a deal before the season was through. He remained with the Cards until after the 1980 season, when disagreements with manager Whitey Herzog got him banished to Milwaukee.

In 1982, Ted Simmons had the pleasure of facing off against his old team in the World Series. The Brewers lost, but not due to a lack of effort on the part of Ted Simmons, who hit two home runs. He stayed with the Brewers until being traded the the Braves in '86. After three years as a utility player and pinch hitter, Simmons retired.

When he hung up his mask for good, Ted Simmons held several all-time records as a catcher including hits and doubles. He also held the National League's record for home runs by a switch-hitter. All of these marks have since been broken, but that doesn't diminish the role he played over a 21-year career at one of the hardest positions in the game.