1968 Topps Giants - part 2 (infielders)

# 290 Willie McCovey

• Willie McCovey was the Giants' offensive leader in 1968. He led the club in most of the offensive categories.
• McCovey batted .293 with 36 HR and 105 RBI in 1968

#436 Hal Lanier

• What was with the Giants and offensively-challenged shortstops? It looks like Hal Lanier was the 1960s version of Johnnie LeMaster.
• Lanier batted .206 in 151 games. He had a .222 on base percentage and a .239 slugging percentage

#126 Bobby Etheridge

• Bobby Etheridge didn't play for the Giants in 1968
• Bobby batted .278 in 113 games for AAA Phoenix in 1968. 
• Etheridge spent most of his career (1964-1973) in the minors. He played 40 games for the Giants in 1967 and 56 games in 1969. That was it for his major league career.

#525 Jim Davenport

• Jim Davenport batted .224 in 113 games
• Davenport mostly played 3B (82 games) but also played in 17 games at  SS and one game at 2B.

#73 Jim Hart

• Jim Hart split time between third base and left field in 1968.
• Hart batted .258 with 23 HR and 78 RBI in 136 games.

Others who played infield for the Giants but who didn't get 1968 Topps cards:

• Ron Hunt started at second base and batted .250 in 148 games. He led the NL in times hit by a pitch (25) and had a .371 on base percentage.
• Frank Johnson batted .190 in 67 games. He played  most of his games at third base and also filled in at 2B, SS, and in the outfield.
• Nate Oliver batted .178 in 36 games as a utility infielder.
• Bob Schroeder batted .159 in 35 games as a utility infielder.
• Don Mason batted .158 in 10 games.

1969 Topps Giants - Part 2 (infielders)

Willie McCovey (#440) was the NL MVP in 1969 and almost carried them to a division title. He batted .320 with 45 home runs and 126 RBI. He also had 121 walks, 45 of them intentional.

Ron Hunt (#664) batted .262 in 128 games. He had a .361 on base percentage due to being hit by a pitch 25 times. He led the league in hit by pitch seven straight times from 1968-1974.

Hal Lanier (#316) batted .228 in 150 games. His OPS+ was a LeMasteresque 46.

Jim Davenport (#102) batted .241 in 112 games.

Bob Burda (#392) batted .230 in 161 at bats as a utilityman.

Don Mason (#584) batted .228 in 250 at bats as a backup infielder.

Bobby Etheridge (#604) batted .260 in 131 at bats as the backup third baseman in 1969.

Willie McCovey All Star (#416)

I hadn't realized how unbalanced the Giants' offense was in 1969 until seeing these stats. It's surprising that Willie could get all of those RBI. The Giants really had a hard time getting much offense out of SS, 3B, LF, and catcher.

Others who played infield for the Giants in 1969 who didn't get a 1969 Topps Giants card:

• Tito Fuentes (.295 in 183 AB)
• Cesar Gutierrez (.217 in 23 AB)
• John Stephenson (.222 in 27 AB)

1970 Topps Giants - Part 2 (infielders)

• Willie McCovey (# 250) followed up his 1969 MVP season with another good year. He batted .289 and led the team in homers (39) and RBI (126). He finished 9th in MVP voting in 1970.
  
  

• Hal Lanier (# 583) batted .231 in 134 games as the Giants' starting shortstop
  
  
  

• Bob Heise (# 478) batted .234 in 67 games as a utility infielder.
  
  
  
  

• Willie McCovey (# 450) was 1 for 2 with one RBI in the 1970 All Star Game. He was a six-time NL All Star.
  
  
  
  

• Jim Davenport (# 378) batted .243 in 37 at bats in 1970. He was released on July 13, 1970.
  
  
  

• Ron Hunt (# 276) batted .281 in 117 games at 2B for the Giants in 1970. Ron had a .394 on base percentage. He was hit by a pitch a league-leading 26 times.
  
  
  
  

• Bobby Etheridge (# 107) didn't play for the Giants in 1970. He was traded to the San Diego Padres after the 1969 season. The Padres sent him to AAA Salt Lake City. He played in the minors through the 1973 season but never made it back to the majors.
  
  
  

• Tito Fuentes (# 42) played in 123 games in 1970 at 2B, SS, and 3B. He batted .267 in 435 at bats.

• Others who played infield for the Giants in 1970 but didn't get a Giants' card:

• Al Gallagher -- 3B (.266 in 282 AB)
• John Stephenson -- UT (.070 in 43 AB)
• Don Mason -- 2B (.139 in 41 AB)
• Ed Goodson -- 1B (.273 in 11 AB)