EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1979 N.L. STOLEN BASES

On the blog this fine day, we move on to the top three base stealers in the National League in 1978, displayed on a 1979 "expanded league leader" card:

We begin with the leader of the pack, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Omar Moreno, who swiped 71 bases to take home what would be the first of two straight base-stealing crowns.

Moreno would have himself a three year run that would see him steal 214 bases between 1978 and 1980, with a high of 96 in the base-stealing crazy 1980 season, only to fall one steal short of the Montreal Expos Ron LeFlore.

In second place, way back with 46 steals, teammate of Moreno, shortstop Fran Taveras, the N.L. steals leader the previous season, who despite his drop in steals from 70 to 46 had himself a career-year with 182 hits, 81 runs scored and 31 doubles, giving the Pirates quite the potent speed duo to compliment the power bats of Dave Parker, Willie Stargell, etc.

In third place with 45 steals in 1978, the 1975 and 1976 stolen base champ, Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Davey Lopes, who put in another solid season with 93 runs scored, 163 hits and a .278 average while also showing some "pop" with 17 home runs.

He would go on to have his best year in the Majors in 1979, when he'd combine all his usual numbers with a career-best 28 home runs, just missing the "30-30" club, which at that time was still somewhat exclusive.

So here we have three players who accounted for the stolen base leaders in the N.L. for every season between 1975 and 1979! Fun stuff!

 

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1978 N.L. STOLEN BASES

Up on the blog today, we go ahead and move on to the top three stolen base guys in the National league for 1977, with a 1978 "expanded league leader" card in my long-running thread:

We begin with the Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Frank Taveras, who topped the league with his 70 stolen bases, this after stealing 58 bases the previous year.

Taveras had a nice run of four seasons between 1976 and 1979 where he topped 40+ steals every year, with the league-leading 70 his career high.

In second place with 61 steals, the perennial "top-3" stolen bases player in the N.L. during the 1970's, Houston Astros All-Star outfielder Cesar Cedeno.

The man was simply a machine through the 1970's, with six straight seasons of 50+ steals, with the 61 his career-best, on his way to 550 steals over his very nice 17-year career.

In third place, rookie Gene Richards of the San Diego Padres who set a Major League record with his 56 steals over the 1977 season.

Richards would finish in third place in the N.L. Rookie of the Year race for his efforts, hitting .290 with 152 hits and 79 runs scored, adding 11 triples.

Though he ended up having a short 8-year career, he'd finish with a career .290 average with 247 stolen bases and 502 runs, stealing as many as 61 bases in a season, that total in 1980 when he set career-bests across the board, including 193 hits and 91 runs scored for the Padres.

There you go! The top stolen base guys in the N.L. for 1977, celebrated on an "expanded league leader" card in 1978.

Next up, the A.L.!!!

EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS- 1977 N.L. STOLEN BASES

Next up in my on-going "expanded league-leaders" thread, we come to the National League's top three stolen base players from 1976, which is actually four players since there's a tie for third place:

  

We begin with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Davey Lopes, All-Star second baseman, who topped the Senior Circuit with 63 swipes in 1976.

It was his second straight stolen base crown, after his career-best 77 steals led the N.L. in 1975, on his way to a cool 557 career steals between 1972 and 1987.

Behind him with 60 stolen bases, the league's MVP, Joe Morgan of the "Big Red Machine" Cincinnati Reds, World Champs in both 1975 and 1976.

All Morgan did in 1976 was take home his second straight MVP, his second straight championship, while leading the league in On-Base Percentage and Slugging, while bringing home his fourth straight Gold Glove at second base.

Tied for third with their 58 stolen bases in 1976, Fran Taveras of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cesar Cedeno of the Houston Astros.

For Cedeno, it was business as usual in 1976, hitting .297 with 18 homers, 89 runs scored and 83 RBIs while taking home his fifth straight Gold Glove.

The man was such a great all-around player the first 10 years of his career, stealing bases, hitting for average with some decent "pop" in his bat.

For Taveras, it was a sign somewhat of what was to come, as he would end up leading the league with 70 steals the following season, after his breakout 58 in 1976, his first full year in the Big Leagues.

He'd put in a string of solid years for the "We Are Family" Pirates from 1976 to 1979, and would retire with 300 steals on the nose over his 11-year career.

Next week, on to the American League's top base stealers of 1976!

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1972 FRANK TAVERAS

On the blog today, we have a 1972 "not so missing" card for former speedster Frank Taveras, who made his MLB debut with one single game in 1971:

 

Taveras didn't have an official plate appearance in his first Big League appearance, and the following season only had him appear in four games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 0-3 at the plate with some time out at shortstop.

He'd spend all of 1973 in the Minors before finally getting some substantial playing time in 1974, appearing in 126 games, hitting .246 with 82 hits over 333 at-bats, with 13 stolen bases and 33 runs scored.

It would be more of the same in 1975, as he would hit .212 over 134 games, upping his stolen base total to 17, with 44 runs scored and 80 hits.

1976 would be a strong season for the shortstop, as he would hit .258 but steal 58 bases for the Pirates, scoring 76 runs over 144 games and 519 official at-bats.

Between 1977 and 1979 Taveras would have his best Major League seasons, collecting as many as 182 hits (1978), scoring as many as 93 runs (1979), and leading the league with 70 stolen bases in 1977.

In 1979, unfortunately for him, he was shipped off to the New York Mets after appearing in only 11 games for Pittsburgh, going from a team that would eventually win the World Series that year to the basement dwelling Mets.

He would play full-time over the next two years with the Mets before finding himself North of the border in 1982 with the Montreal Expos, appearing in only 48 games, the last of his Big League career, hitting only .161 with 14 hits in 87 at-bats, with four steals.

All told, Taveras played parts of 11 seasons, hitting .255 over 1150 games, collecting 1029 hits and stealing exactly 300 bases, with 503 runs scored and 214 RBIs.

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 FRANK TAVERAS

Up on the blog today, a "not so missing" 1973 card for former speedster Frank Taveras of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who was just starting out as a 22-year-old and a handful of games in the Majors in 1972:

 

Taveras appeared in four games during the 1972 season, this after one single game in 1971, and through those five combined games he failed to get a hit, going 0-3 at the plate with one walk and a strikeout.

He would spend all of 1973 in the Minors before getting substantial playing time in 1974 when he appeared in 126 games, hitting .246 with 13 stolen bases and 33 runs scored.

It would be more of the same in 1975, as he would hit .212 over 134 games, upping his stolen base total to 17, with 44 runs scored and 80 hits.

1976 would be a strong season for the shortstop, as he would hit .258 but steal 58 bases for the Pirates, scoring 76 runs over 144 games and 519 official at-bats.

Between 1977 and 1979 Taveras would have his best Major League seasons, collecting as many as 182 hits (1978), scoring as many as 93 runs (1979), and leading the league with 70 stolen bases in 1977.

In 1979, unfortunately for him, he was shipped off to the New York Mets after appearing in only 11 games for Pittsburgh, going from a team that would eventually win the World Series that year to the basement dwelling Mets.

He would play full-time over the next two years with the Mets before finding himself North of the border in 1982 with the Montreal Expos, appearing in only 48 games, the last of his Big League career, hitting only .161 with 14 hits in 87 at-bats, with four steals.

All told, Taveras played parts of 11 seasons, hitting .255 over 1150 games, collecting 1029 hits and stealing exactly 300 bases, with 503 runs scored and 214 RBIs.

RANDOM QUICKIE: ANOTHER CLASSIC FROM 1975: CARD #460 N.L. CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Here's another one that stuck in my mind after all these years, the National League Championship Series card from the 1975 set, #460.

 

What a great shot!

 

I just love the shot of Steve Garvey and Frank Taveras at second base, dust floating up after what seems to be a stolen base or close play (?) from the N.L. Playoffs.

I also think the card border colors play well with the photo colors as well, and I've stated many times before how I am a sucker for an overall cohesive design between card and image.

Just a great in-game photo caught at the right moment.

And it doesn't hurt having an "extra" card of newly-annointed (at the time) National League Most Valuable Player Garvey, correct?