Etchebarren

The entire starting infield of the Baltimore Orioles was showcased in 1973, as Topps gave them all action shots on their cards. For Andy Etchebarren, however, the picture shows him taking a swing before a road game:

Card #618 -- Andy Ecthebarren, Baltimore Orioles

Andy Etchebarren was the last major leaguer ever to bat against Sandy Koufax. It was during the 1966 World Series, and he hit into a double play to end the inning. The Orioles swept that series, giving him the first of his two rings.

During Earl Weaver's tenure with the team, he and Elrod Hendricks teamed up in a platoon system that helped the O's staff become one of the most dominant in the majors. His influence helped four pitchers (Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson) win 20 or more games in 1971, as well as helping his team capture five of the first six American League East divisional titles.

Unlike many who played his position, he was a catcher for every game he played as a major leaguer. His career batting average was low, but he was noted for his patience at the plate, having a much higher on-base percentage than a .235 career hitter would be expected to have.

The California Angels acquired Etchebarren before the 1975 season and he spent three years there and a short four-game stint with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1978 before embarking on his next career. By the end of his time with the Angels, he was a player-coach, and continued coaching with the Brewers. He moved his way up the organization and eventually became a bench coach for the team under Tom Trebelhorn. He became a minor league manager in the 1990s and is still managing in the Independent League today.

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.

Another "WTH?!" Picture

Here's another one of the many "Who is that?!" pictures that appeared in the 1973 Topps baseball card set:

Card #45 -- Ellie Rodriguez, Milwaukee Brewers

The picture shows the catcher getting ready to throw to second. It's not clear whether this is a steal attempt...the other Brewers player behind him indicates a pitcher (the visible "2" on his jersey indicates he's either Skip Lockwood or Bill Parsons) is backing him up at the plate, but the batter is still holding a bat in his hand. Since the umpire's backside takes up a full third of the card, he covers up any clues.

There's one thing for certain. The catcher shown isn't Rodriguez, it appears to be Paul Ratliff. If that's correct, it would be the only card Ratliff would have in the set, since he never had a Topps card since 1971 and played his final major league games the next year. But he's not the guy who we're discussing.

Ellie Rodriguez was one of few Puerto Rican-born catchers of his era. He played for five different teams between 1968 and '76, with the Brewers being his longest stay. He came up as a Yankee, was an original member of the Royals and later caught Nolan Ryan's fourth no-hitter with the Angels. His final season was spent with the Dodgers in 1976.

Ellie Rodriguez went into scouting after his retirement and still performs that task today.

Good Grief!

Actually, the title of the post ought to read "Good Greif!" On the other hand, it serves as a perfect saying for anybody who happened to be a pitcher for the Padres at that time:

Card #583 -- Bill Greif, San Diego Padres

Baseball has never really seen anything like San Diego's 1972-'73 uniforms. It's a color that isn't easily defined: some (like me) say it looks like hot mustard, others say it looks like something you need to clean out of a cloth baby's diaper. In any case, the Padres weren't a very good team then but were able to say they had a uniform that most resembled a 1970s household appliance.

Bill Greif managed to get the only double-digit wins total of his career in 1973. His ten wins represented a sixth of the Padres' win total that year, but the team's anemic run support helped saddle him with 17 losses as well. Greif never managed a winning season in his career; the closest he came was 1-1 in his rookie season (1971) with the Astros. He was San Diego's Opening day pitcher in '74 and demoted to the bullpen the next year.

Splitting 1976 between the Padres and the Cardinals, Greif sat out the '77 season after failing to make the Expos in Spring Training. In 1978, he signed with the Mets but wasn't able to get any higher than the team's AAA affiliate in Tidewater. That was probably a favor; the 1978 Mets were every bit as bad as the Padres of the early 1970s. That would prove to be his final season in professional baseball.

Fortunately, Greif was able to get some education in. He had attended college at the University of Texas before his major league playing days and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He went on later to pick up a master's degree as well and was involved in real estate after his career was over.

A.L. East Runner-Up

The team pictured here was the second-place team in the American League East, much like they've been for many years recently:

Card #596 -- Boston Red Sox Team Card

First place didn't go the Yankees, however, the Tigers took the division in '72. In '73 the Orioles took the division (as they had every other year since divisional play began) and the Bosox were once again slotted second. That was the end of the line for skipper Eddie Kasko after four years. Despite back-to-back second-place showings and a winning record every season, the Red Sox brass had little use for a manager who couldn't get the team back to the World Series like predecessor Dick Williams. Darrell Johnson took over (and he guided the team to another pennant in '75).

The fabled Yankee-Red Sox rivalry was given a resurgence in 1972. Though it had its moments over the years (the Babe Ruth trade, the Williams/DiMaggio years), the two teams weren't usually both competitive at the same time in recent years. In 1972, the two teams were part of a tight four-team stretch run that inflamed the passions of both players and fans. At the same time, the Munson vs. Fisk dynamic began, Bill Lee was beginning to seem to enjoy beating up on the pinstripers and another trade (Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater) just added fuel to the fire.

The rivalry would need some time to build, however. It would take several more years, a late-season collapse and a well-placed Mike Torrez pitch that Buck Dent sent over the Green Monster to really get the rivalry heated up.

Looking For Mr. Wright?

Here's another Spring Training shot, with a glove just laying on the ground in the back. Otherwise, he's doing his best to look like the silhouette that appears below him:

Card #578 -- Ken Wright, Kansas City Royals

This would be Ken Wright's third and final appearance on a Topps card. He had joined the Royals in 1970 and served as both a spot starter and set-up reliever. In 1971 and '72, he split his time between the Royals and their AAA affiliate in Omaha.

In 1973, he would end up with his only winning record in the majors (6-5) but was traded with Lou Piniella to the Yankees after the season for Lindy McDaniel. Piniella stayed with the Yankees but Wright would not. He pitched in three games for the club in April and was traded again. This time, he went to Philadelphia but pitched in their minor league system. He never made the majors again.

A Long, Unfulfilled Wait

As a rookie, this pitcher threw three World Series games, all against Bob Gibson. He won one, lost one and earned a no-decision as the Yankees lost the 1964 Series to the Cardinals. At the time, the Yankees had been in more than half of the previous 40 years' worth of World Series. It was just a matter of time before they returned:

Card #519 -- Mel Stottlemyre, New York Yankees

It took them 12 years, but Mel Stottlemyre was already retired by then. He did his part to help get them back, with three 20-win seasons and five All-Star game selections, but a torn rotator cuff finished his career in 1974. He was one of the few bright spots on a sometimes dismal Yankee squad in the late 1960s.

The picture on this card shows him taking a warmup pitch in Yankee Staudium. However, he appears to be in the on-deck circle, as a bat can be seen behind his right leg. The Cleveland Indians are already on the field behind him.

After his playing career, he would go on to serve as a pitching coach. With the Mets from 1984-'93, he was there to help Dwight Gooden rattle off some great seasons on the mound and finally won his World Series ring in '86. He would return to the Yankees in 1996, where he would get four more rings that eluded him as a player.