Here’s
one of the very first “missing” 1976 cards I created for “Reader Jim”
way back when we started the “1976 Project”, a “missing” card for former
pitcher Ray Sadecki.
Check it out:
Now, this card has a bit of a twist to it, since if I followed my usual
routine, I’d have had Sadecki shown as a Kansas City Royal, the team
that he finished the 1975 season with.
However, following Jim’s lead, we felt it better to have him for the
team he saw the most action with, the Atlanta Braves, for whom he
tallied 25 appearances and 66.1 innings pitched.
He also suited up for the St. Louis Cardinals (who he opened up the season with), and the Royals as I mentioned.
All together with all three organizations Sadecki appeared in 38 games,
good for 80.1 innings of work, posting a combined 4-3 record with a 4.03
earned run average while striking out 32 batters.
Sadecki put in a nice long 18-year career in the Majors, coming up as a
young arm with the St. Louis Cardinals, even posting a 20-win season in
1964, helping them win the World Series over the New York Yankees.
All told he pitched for six teams (Cardinals, Giants, Mets, Royals,
Braves and Brewers), posting a final record of 135-131 with a 3.78 ERA
and 1614 K’s over 563 games and 2500.1 innings.