Next
in line for an “In-Action” card for the 1975 set is the 1974 All-Star
game starter for the National League, Andy Messersmith of the Los
Angeles Dodgers:
Messersmith was having a wonderful career by the time the mid-70’s were
in fully swing, having won 20-games for the second time in his career in
1974 when he posted a 20-6 mark along with a nice 2.59 earned run
average and 221 strikeouts.
He’d finish second to teammate Mike Marshall and his historic season out
of the bullpen for the Cy Young Award, and would also take home the
first of two straight Gold Gloves.
In his seven seasons as a big league pitcher at that point,
Messersmith’s highest season E.R.A. was 3.01, which he had in 1970 while
with the California Angels.
In every other season in the Majors he posted E.R.A.’s under 3.00, and
would finish his career with an amazing 2.86 mark after twelve years,
with a record of 130-99 and 1625 strikeouts with 27 shutouts before
injuries forced him to retire at the age of only 33 in 1979.
An underrated pitcher who sadly never got to play out his career to it’s
fullest, he certainly maintained a top-notch level when he was healthy.