#85 Gary Matthews, Braves

Card Front: Here is Gary in all his pinstripe glory. I'm still not sure I think that was the right way to go for the Braves. While I liked the "softball" uniforms with the feather on the sleeve, I don't think they look right in stripes. You have to love how Gary is giving the camera guy the mean mug with his multi colored batting glove and his big ol' chew.

Card Back: It is pretty easy to see that after a brief stint in San Francisco in 1972, it was full throttle for Gary from there. You can see from the numbers why he won the ROY in 1973. It is fascinating to wonder why they let him go as a free agent while putting up such good numbers. While there might not have been great power numbers, I would take a guy that almost hits.300 any day.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: As you may or may not know, Sarge's final stop was Seattle for a couple months in 1987. Did you know though that while Gary was a member of the 1984 Chicago Cubs, he would play with Lee Smith? Lee would turn around and play with the Baltimore Orioles in 1994 with Mark McLemore. Mark would spend 4 seasons in Seattle from 2000-2003 and was quite a fan favorite here.

Blog related to the team: There are so many Braves bloggers I don't know if we can plug them all. I will give one of them a little fame here and now though. One guy that's been around the block you all might know. Let me introduce to you Colby(aka Flywheels). Colby runs the great Cardboard Collections. He is a die hard Braves fan, he also gives us a monthly group break of affordable cards, and will always have a wonderful Sunday verse. Go over and see him, send him some Braves, or sign up for a group break, and watch the fortunes come to you and him.

Next Card: #86 Rodney Scott, Cubs

#84 Greg Minton, Giants

Card Front: Greg is showing his pride in wearing the Giants orange. I'm not too sure you could get away with the dip in the front lip in today's cards. I'm real sure if I like the orange bill on the old caps, but I do love the Giants return to orange on home game Fridays and still love that old script they used. Help me card fans, are we looking at Shea Stadium in the back ground, or where is this one from??

Card Back: How can you not just love a card FULL of stats? I love how there is just as many years of minor league numbers is there of major league ones too. I guess it is safe to say that the Giants really couldn't make up their mind for awhile on Greg. Eventually he would be in the rotation full time for many years before heading south to the Angels. Nice addition of Gaylord Perry of the Giants throwing a no-no, and congrats to Matt Cain of the Giants for the recent Perfect Game.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Greg would spend up until the 1987 season in the Bay Area, only to move down to be part of the Angels. While with the Halos in 1990, Greg played with Brian Downing. Brian eventually left Anaheim and was part of the Texas Rangers in 1992 with Matt Whiteside. Matt would bounce around quite a bit and would land as part of the 2005 Toronto Blue Jays with Guillermo Quiroz. Guillermo has seen three stints with Seattle in 2006, 2009 and 2010 and is currently at AAA Tacoma for the Mariners.

Blog related to the team: Where are all the Giants fans, and why don't you blog or collect cards?? I did find an easy link to a blog that at least collects cards of a guy that played for the Giants and currently coaches for the 2010 World Champions. Roberto Kelly is part of the player collections that Jason has on his blog. You might know it better by the name of Clyde's Stale Cards. He has a collection of four guys, one of which is a big name in Japan and he can show plenty of his cards from the land of the Rising Sun. Go give it a look, follow him and show some love.

Next Card: #85 Gary Matthews, Braves 

#83 Fred Kendall, Red Sox

Card Front: A nice tight close up of Fred in all his Fenway glory. There is so much here that makes me giggle like a school girl. Fred has one his two sizes too small hat, his great looking 70's feathered hair, the big bushy eyebrows and moustache, and his slick gold chain popped out. You wonder if Fred was mesmerized by something on the field or if the cameraman snuck up on him.

Card Back: Fred had many years with the Padres but not much success to show for it. It is cool that he got to see 10 games in their first season. It funny that we have already seen three of the players involved in the trade between the Sox and Indians referenced in the big trade in 1978. Fred was released by the Red Sox after the 1978 season and would be back in San Diego for 1979. How does a first baseman not record a putout in a 9 inning game??

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Since Fred went back to the Padres for his final two seasons of his career he had a slick teammate named "The Wizard". That's right, Fred played with Ozzie Smith in the 1980 version of the Padres. Ozzie would move east and in 1996, he teamed up with Mike Morgan as St. Louis Cardinals. Mike having played for 12 teams went through tons of teammates. Mike was a Mariner in the lower years of 1985-1987 after coming in the Rule 5 draft.

Blog related to the team: I was poking around for more Red Sox fans to give some love and 15 minutes of 1979 fame, and found a blog I didn't know about. George is a fan of the boys from Fenway Park. He also collects Cards of Future Fenway Stars. I have to admit he is posting up a pretty impressive collection of nice cards and plenty of autographs. Give a read, and give him a follow so you can stay up to date.

Next Card: #84 Greg Minton, Giants

#82 New York Mets, Joe Torre

Card Front: Here is Joe and his 1978 Metropolitans. It sure seems there are a lot of people in the team photo. Guys in suits, young kids, some minor leaguers. If you don't count the suit, there are 53 players, coaches and others in the pictures. I guess they figured why not make everyone famous in New York for the 1979 season. Joe didn't have very good teams his first go round in NY going 286-420 with the Mets.

Card Back:  Ahh, the good old Topps checklists I love. Some Mariners on there include Steve Henderson, Skip Lockwood was a Seattle Pilot in 1969, Bobby Valentine was here for a moment in time, and the famous Lenny Randle for this play in the Kingdome in 1981:

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Joe was around for long time as a player. In 1964 Joe was with the Milwaukee Braves with Felipe Alou. Ten years later in 1974, Felipe came back to the new incarnation in Milwaukee to play with Robin Yount on the Brewers squad. Fast Forward to 1993 and Robin would still be with the Brew Crew to play with Tom Lampkin. Tom spent three seasons from 1999-2001 playing in the Emerald City as a Mariner.

Blog related to the team: As we all know the Mets recently got their first no-hitter in team history. One guy that I know was particularly happy about that feat has a newer blog dedicated to his beloved Mets. jacobmarley is the fine purveyor of the Starting Nine. I have to say I agree to his theory of nine players on the field, and nine pockets in a page might be coincidence, but it works for all us collectors. Go and show him that there is love for the other team in New York besides that other team in pinstripes.

Next Card: #83 Fred Kendall, Red Sox

#81 Roger Erickson, Twins

Card Front: Roger doesn't seem happy to have the camera right in his face. I have to admit I do like the look of the old Twins uniforms except the red hats a bit too much, stay with the navy blue. I'm sure a Twins fan or baseball buff would know if this is the old Metropolitan Stadium in Minnesota or did they have a double deck spring facility?

Card Back: That is definitely a quick jump to the Majors. One half of a season in the minors and right to the Twins. You would never see a rookie go for 266 innings in his first full season now, or even a horse veteran pitcher( Damn pitch counts!). It is amazing that there is more info than stats for Roger. Nice to see the Mariners get love in the factoid section. Two catcher interferences in one game is rare.

Six degrees to Seattle: One of Roger's 1979 Twins teammates was Ken Landreaux. Ken was around for a long time, and moved West to play with the Dodgers in 1983. Another of those 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers was the young Candy Maldonado. In the short season of 1995, Candy was north of the border as a Toronto Blue Jay with Edwin Hurtado. Edwin spent the 1996 and '97 seasons in Seattle and had stats of: 3W-7L with 2 saves in 29 games. He had a 8.10 ERA, giving up 61 runs in 66 2/3 innings including 15 HR's, 45 BB's, and 46 K's. Bad numbers for a pitcher kids!

Blog related to the team: I'm surprised with two World Series titles in their pockets, the Twins don't have more blogging fans. We can tie Roger to a collector of a team that wasn't around in 1979 and show them some love then. Rays coach George Hendrick played with George Frazier in St. Louis in 1979, and Frazier was with Roger as a Yankee in 1982.  I think if you have read a blog or two in your day, you might know who the Troll is. There is only one, and this Troll Might Rule!! Not only does he love his Tampa Bay Rays, he is a big roller derby guy with his hot wife of the Bradentucky Bombers. Go over and poke around the Troll's den.

Next Card: #82 New York Mets, Joe Torre

#80 Jason Thompson, TIgers

Card Front: A nice tight close up of Jason for us. How can you not just love the simplicity and style of the classic Tigers look. The more baseball tries to be hip, some teams just tick to the standard and don't change. You have to love the beauty of the Old English D, but Jason really needs to cut that hair. I know this was the 70's and all, but nowadays you look like a hippie boy!

Card Back: I would say that's what I call on the fast track to success. Spend a half a season in the minors after being drafted, and the next year you are in the big show. You make the All Star team in your second full season, and again in 1978. Midway through the 1980 season he was sent to the Angels. California would send him off to the Pirates a year later, and Jason was a Pirate All Star in 1982. His career would end halfway through the 1986 season in Montreal.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: In Jason's first season in Detroit, Jason played with Johnny Wockenfuss in 1976. Johnny would be a part of the 1984 Philadelphia Phillies with Larry Andersen. Larry spent the 1981 and 1982 seasons wearing Mariner blue among his 6 stops in the Majors.

Blog related to the team: Tigers fans are all around. One fan that is out there that not only writes about the Motor City Kitties, but baseball in general in John. If you go over to John's Big League Baseball Blog you can read about baseball and some of it's great history. Tell him I sent you and enjoy his work.

Next Card: #81 Roger Erickson, Twins

#79 Ted Cox, Indians

Card Front: Even though I'm looking far away from you, behold the gaze of my blue eyes.... It is strange how we can have the Indians two cards apart and look so different. Ted is staring off at something and it looks as though the Marlboro man is checking out the same thing since he looking there too. Ted spent as much time in the outfield as the infield in '78 but is only listed as OF.

Card Back: I have always been a sucker for card with lots of minor league stats on them. I also love one that are jammed with 20+ seasons of stats too. Kind of cool to set a record in the Red Sox history since they've been around. I didn't know that "Campy" hit 2 bombs in his first big league game, if it was me I would have retired and gone out on top!

Six degrees or less to Seattle: As you may or may not know, Ted was a Mariner. He would spend the 1980 playing 3rd base for the M's. He would spend most all of 1981 in AAA before being sent to Toronto. As a member of these 1979 Indians though, Ted played with Ron Hassey. Ron would be a part of the 1990 Oakland A's with Mike Moore. Mike was an anchor for the Mariners mound from 1982-88. Ron also was the Mariners bench coach in 2005-06 under manager Mike Hargrove.

Blog related to the team: I found a new way to get other bloggers love too. Ted was a Mariner in 1980 with Shane Rawley, and Shane played with Don Baylor in New York in 1983. Don was the first manager of the Colorado Rockies. The biggest Rockies fan I know out there is hiflew who loves purple rocks. Actually he writes the great Cards from the Quarry. He is doing a great countdown of the past Topps sets, but sadly the '79 set came in at #53 in his countdown but show him some love anyways.

Next card: #80 Jason Thompson, Tigers