NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1976 RICK SAWYER

Today we have a “not so missing” 1976 card for former pitcher Rick Sawyer, who you may remember from his time with the San Diego padres later in the decade:

Sawyer originally came up to the Big Leagues with the Yanks, first appearing in a single game during the 1974 season when he pitched 1.2 innings.
In 1976 he was back, albeit for only four appearances out of the bullpen, not factoring in a decisions and posting an ERA of an even 3.00 over six innings of work.
By the time the 1976 season opened, he found himself a member of the Padres, posting a nice year with a 5-3 record over 13 appearances, with an ERA of 2.53 over 81.2 innings pitched.
In 1977, he would appear in a career-high 56 games, with nine of them starts, throwing 111 innings and going 7-6, though with a bloated ERA of 5.84.
Sadly, that would be the end of his Big League days, as he’d spend all of 1978 in the Cleveland Indians organization, posting an ugly 6.43 ERA over 28 innings, ending his pro career.

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 RICK SAWYER

Here’s another one of those fun cards to create for a player who appeared in one game the previous season, a 1975 “not so missing card” for former pitcher Rick Sawyer of the New York Yankees:

Sawyer appeared in the first game of his somewhat brief four-year career, throwing 1.2 innings on April 28th of 1974 and giving up three earned runs on two hits and a walk.
He’d appear in only four games the following season, not factoring in a decision over six innings pitched, before finding himself as a member of the San Diego Padres after a trade for Gene Locklear in June of 1976.
He performed very well, going 5-3 with a 2.53 earned run average the rest of the way over 81.2 innings pitched, with two shutouts and four complete games over 13 appearances.
He would play his only “full” season in 1977, appearing in 56 games for San Diego, posting a record of 7-6 over 111 innings of work, but sported a bloated 5.84 ERA, which would turn out to be the last MLB action he’d see.
After spending the entire 1978 season in the Minor Leagues with the Cleveland Indians organization, he’d retire, finishing up with a record of 12-9, with an ERA at 4.49 over 74 appearances and 200.1 innings pitched.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1978 RICK SAWYER

Here’s a card for a four-year pitcher who spent two of them with the San Diego Padres, including the 1977 season, which would be his last, Rick Sawyer:

Originally up with the New York Yankees in 1974 and 1975, he only appeared in five games combined those two seasons before finding himself with the Padres at the start of the 1976 campaign.
After a very nice ’76 year that saw him go 5-3 with a 2.53 earned run average in 13 games and 81.2 innings as a starter, Sawyer came back in 1977 and pitched mainly out of the bullpen, appearing in 56 games, all but nine in relief.
He went 7-6 with a high 5.84 ERA in 111 innings pitched, and it would be his last as a Major League pitcher, finishing up with a 12-9 career record along with a 4.49 ERA in 74 games, 20 of them starts, and 200.1 innings pitched.