1974 Topps Giants -- Part 5

John D'Acquisto was 12-14 with a 3.77 ERA in 1974. He led the Giants with 36 games started.

Frank Riccelli didn't pitch for the Giants in 1974. He was 3-7 with a 6.16 ERA for AAA Phoenix. Frank didn't make it to the majors until 1976.

There are several reasons why I don't really like the multi-player rookie cards. This card is one reason. A Giant and a Dodger are looking at each other like on the Brady Bunch opening credits. Yuck.

Jim Willoughby was 1-4 with a 4.65 ERA in 18 games (4 starts) in 1974. Jim was with the Giants until June 9 and then went to AAA Phoenix where he started 15 games.

Tom Bradley was 8-11 with a 5.61 ERA in 30 games (21 starts).

Don Carrithers didn't pitch for the Giants in 1974. He was traded to the Montreal Expos for John Boccabella in April 1974.

Mike Caldwell led the Giants with 14 wins. He was 14-5 with a 2.95 ERA in 31 games (27 starts).

Others who pitched for the Giants in 1974 but didn't get a Topps Giants cards:

Ed Halicki (1-8, 4.24 ERA, 16 games, 11 starts)

Charlie Williams (1-3, 2.78 ERA, 39 games, 7 starts)

John Morris (1-1, 3.05 ERA, 17 games)

John Montefusco (3-2, 4.81 ERA, 7 games, 5 starts)

Gary Lavelle (0-3, 2.16 ERA, 10 games)

Steve Barber (0-1, 5.27 ERA, 13 games)

Butch Metzger (1-0, 3.55 ERA, 10 games)

Don McMahon (0-0, 3.09 ERA, 9 games)

Don Rose (0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2 games)

1974 Topps Giants -- Part 4

Juan Marichal did not pitch for the Giants in 1974. He was purchased by the Boston Red Sox in December 1973.

Jim Barr was 13-9 with a 2.74 ERA and two saves in 44 games (27 starts). He led the Giants in innings pitched with 239.1.

Randy Moffitt led the Giants with 15 saves. He was 5-7 with a 4.50 ERA in 61 games (1 start).

Ron Bryant had a big comedown from his league-leading 24 wins in 1973. He was 3-15 with a 5.61 ERA in 41 games (23 starts).

Edit: I just picked this up from Baseball Chronology:
March 15 - Giants 24-game winner Ron Bryant is injured in a swimming pool accident in Yuma‚ AZ. His record will drop to 3-15 and he will never again be a consistent winner.

Elias Sosa was 9-7 with a 3.48 ERA and six saves in 68 appearances.

1974 Topps Giants -- Part 3

• This is a great action shot of Gary and it's one of my favorite cards of the 1974 set. Gary Matthews batted .287 with 16 HR and a team-leading 82 RBI in 1974. He also walked 70 times and had a .368 on base percentage.

• Jim Howarth was at the end of the line in 1974. He was hitless in four at bats and was sent to AAA Phoenix in late May. Jim played in 51 games for Phoenix in 1974 and then was done.
  
  
  

• Garry Maddox batted .284 in 135 games as the starting center fielder in 1974. He led the club in stolen bases (21) and doubles (31).
  
  
  
  

• Bobby Bonds had an off-year in 1974. He batted .256 with 21 homers and 71 RBI. He led the team in runs scored with 97 and in stolen bases with 41.
• If the starting three (Matthews, Maddox, Bonds) didn't play, Dave Kingman or Gary Thomasson replaced them. I think this is the fewest number of outfielders I've seen on a team from the 70s.

• The Giants actually had a pretty decent starting lineup in 1974. It's too bad they couldn't hang on to more of these guys.
  
  
  
  

1974 Topps Giants -- Part 1

• I really like these team checklists. Topps should have done this more often.
  
  
  The Giants finished 72-90 in 1974 (5th place in NL West, 30 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers)
  
• Team Batting: .254 (8th in NL)
• Team Home Runs: 93 (10th in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.80 (9th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .972 (11th in NL)
• Gold Glove Winners: Bobby Bonds (OF)
• All-Stars: Chris Speier (SS)
• Attendance: 519,987 (12th in NL)
  
  
  

• My favorite team cards are the ones that have the team records and pennant winners on the back. These cards give a sense of the history of the ballclub. Unfortunately, the Giants have only been to one World Series since this card was printed. :(
  
  
  
  

• Charlie Fox managed the Giants from the middle of the 1970 season until the middle of the 1974 season. The Giants won the NL West under Fox in 1971. He was replaced by Wes Westrum after 76 games. The Giants were 34-42 at the time of the change. Westrum finished the season and was 38-48.
  
• On this card Don McMahon is shown as a coach. He must have been a player-coach. He pitched in nine games (11.2 innings with a 3.09 ERA) as a 44-year-old reliever and was the oldest player in the National League in 1974.
  
  

• Dave Rader was the Giants' starting catcher and led the team with a .291 batting average in 113 games.
  
  

• Mike Sadek didn't play for the Giants in 1974. He spent the season in AAA Phoenix, where he batted .251 in 371 games.
  

Others who played catcher for the Giants in 1974 but didn't get a Topps Giants' card:

• Ken Rudolph (.259 in 158 at-bats)
• John Boccabella (.138 in 80 at-bats)