EXPANDED LEAGUE LEADERS: 1979 N.L. ERA

On the blog today, we move on to the National league and their top three ERA pitchers of 1978, displayed on a 1979 "expanded league leader" card:

We begin with New York Mets starter Craig Swan, who surprisingly put in a solid year for the cellar-dwelling Mets, leading the league with his 2.43 earned run average.

Though his record was only 9-6 over his 29 appearances, he did toss 207.1 innings, giving up only 56 earned runs while completing five games, including a shutout.

He'd follow that season up with another solid season, posting a record of 14-13 over 35 starts, with an ERA of 3.29 along with three shutouts and twn complete games, striking out a career-best 145 batters.

Sadly for him injuries began setting in, and aside from 1982 when he threw 166.1 innings, over the rest of his career he'd never throw more than 96.1, retiring in 1984 at the age of only 34.

In second place with a fin 2.47 ERA, Montreal Expos All-Star Steve Rogers, about as solid a starter in the game between 1973 and 1983 before injuries also derailed his career.

For Rogers, he gave the upstart Expos 13 wins against 10 losses, with eleven complete games and a shutout, throwing 219.1 innings.

Of course we know now that he would go on to become a top starter in the early-80's, taking home an ERA crown himself in 1982 with a 2.40 mark, winning 19 games and coming in as runner-up in the Cy Young Race.

In third place with a 2.54 ERA, St. Louis Cardinals starter and future A.L. Cy Young winner Pete Vuckovich, who put in a very nice year for his new team after coming over from the Toronto Blue Jays.

Vuckovich was used as both a starter and reliever, appearing in 45 games, with about half of those starts, completing six games and tossing two shutouts on his way to 198.1 innings of work.

After two more solid years with the Cardinals, he'd find himself with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1981, tying for the league-lead with his 14 wins during the strike-shortened season, then following that up with his Cy Young year, helping Milwaukee make it all the way to the World Series as he'd go 18-6 with a 3.34 ERA over 30 starts.

OPC VARIATION: 1977 PETE VUCKOVICH

About a month ago here on the blog, I posted a "do-over" for Pete Vuckovich and his 1977 Topps card, showing him with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he pitched the 1976 season for, instead of the airbrushed Toronto Blue Jays card that we all pulled out of packs way back when.

Well today we take a look at that airbrushed card and how it differed from its OPC counterpart released North of the border in Canada:

OPC version

Topps version

 

Obviously, a much nicer card for the OPC kids out there, given the benefit of a later release date, allowing for actual photography of players in the new franchise uniforms.

In his first full season in the Big Leagues in 1976, Vuckovich appeared in 33 games, seven of them starts, going 7-4 with a 4.65 ERA over 110.1 innings, completing one and striking out 62 batters.

In what turned out to be his only season with the Blue Jays before being shipped to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978, Vuckovich went 7-7 with a respectable 3.47 ERA over 53 games, all but eight of those appearances out of the bullpen, tossing a shutout while saving eight games.

It’s easy to forget the rather pedestrian career Vuckovich had leading up to his 1982 Cy Young Award when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to an American League title, eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
Some may even question if Jim Palmer or even Dan Quisenberry were more worthy recipients of the award (I thought “Quiz” was ripped off three awards to be honest, from 1982 to 1984).
Nevertheless, Vuckovich had his high-point that season, going 18-6 with a 3.34 earned run average, beating out future Hall of Fame Orioles pitcher Palmer for the Cy Young honors.
Sadly for Vuckovich, however, he came up with arm troubles the following year and only appeared in three games before missing the entire 1984 season before returning in 1985, playing for two more seasons before retiring for good after the 1986 season.
He’d win only eight games after his award winning season, finishing with 93 career wins against 69 losses over 11-years and 286 appearances.

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1977 PETE VUCKOVICH

On the blog this fine day, another "do-over" for Pete Vuckovich and his 1977 Topps card, showing him with the team he played for in 1976, the Chicago White Sox:

Vuckovich originally appeared in an airbrushed Toronto Blue Jays uni for the upcoming inaugural season, and I then created a re-done card showing him actually suited up in a Blue jay uniform, doing away with the 70's-tastic airbrushing job.

Today we go and show him in the uniform of the team he played for the previous year, the South Side White Sox.

In his first full season in the Big Leagues, Vuckovich appeared in 33 games, seven of them starts, going 7-4 with a 4.65 ERA over 110.1 innings, completing one and striking out 62 batters.

It’s easy to forget the rather pedestrian career Vuckovich had leading up to his 1982 Cy Young Award when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to an American League title, eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
Some may even question if Jim Palmer or even Dan Quisenberry were more worthy recipients of the award (I thought “Quiz” was ripped off three awards to be honest, from 1982 to 1984).
Nevertheless, Vuckovich had his high-point that season, going 18-6 with a 3.34 earned run average, beating out future Hall of Fame Orioles pitcher Palmer for the Cy Young honors.
Sadly for Vuckovich, however, he came up with arm troubles the following year and only appeared in three games before missing the entire 1984 season before returning in 1985, playing for two more seasons before retiring for good after the 1986 season.
He’d win only eight games after his award winning season, finishing with 93 career wins against 69 losses over 11-years and 286 appearances.

EXPANSION RE-DONE: 1977 PETE VUCKOVICH

Revisiting my thread where I re-do the original Topps 1977 Blue Jays & Mariners cards, today we have a re-done Pete Vuckovich card, with the original for comparison:

Re-done

Original

Of course, we all know that Topps was scrambling to get cards in their 1977 set to represent the two new Major League franchises that would start play that season, so it was an admirable job to get two full teams worth of players in there.
So this is more of a respectful task with time on our side, replacing the airbrushed photos Topps had on the cards.
It’s easy to forget the rather pedestrian career Vuckovich had leading up to his 1982 Cy Young Award when he led the Milwaukee Brewers to an American League title, eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
Some may even question if Jim Palmer or even Dan Quisenberry were more worthy recipients of the award (I thought “Quiz” was ripped off three awards to be honest, from 1982 to 1984).
Nevertheless, Vuckovich had his high-point that season, going 18-6 with a 3.34 earned run average, beating out future Hall of Fame Orioles pitcher Palmer for the Cy Young honors.
Sadly for Vuckovich, however, he came up with arm troubles the following year and only appeared in three games before missing the entire 1984 season before returning in 1985, playing for two more seasons before retiring for good after the 1986 season.
He’d win only eight games after his award winning season, finishing with 93 career wins against 69 losses over 11-years and 286 appearances.