1977 Topps Giants - Part 5 (more pitchers)

Jim Barr (#609) was the #2 starter for the Giants in 1977. He had a bit of an off-year --- Jim was 12-16 with a 4.76 ERA in 38 starts.

Greg Minton (#489) was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts in 1977. He spent most of the season in AAA Phoenix where he was 14-6 with a 4.86 ERA.

Randy Moffitt (#464) was 4-9 with 11 saves and a 3.59 ERA in 64 games.

Gary Lavelle (#423) was the Giants' lone representative to the 1977 All Star game. He pitched the 4th and 5th innings allowing one hit and striking out two batters. Gary was 7-7 with 20 saves and a 2.05 ERA in 70 games in 1977.

John Montefusco (#370) was 7-12 with a 3.49 ERA in 26 games (25 starts). He missed about six weeks from late May to early July.

Others who pitched for the Giants in 1977 but didn't receive a 1977 Topps Giants card:

Bob Knepper (11-9, 3.36 ERA in 27 starts)

Lynn McGlothen (2-9, 5.62 ERA in 21 games - 15 starts)

Terry Cornutt (1-2, 3.86 ERA in 28 games - 1 start)

Tommy Toms (0-1. 2.08 ERA in 4 games)

1977 Topps Giants - Part 4 (pitchers)

Ed Halicki (#343) was 16-12 with a 3.32 ERA in 37 starts in 1977.

John Curtis (#324) was 3-3 with 1 save and a 5.49 ERA in 43 games (9 starts) in 1977.

Dave Heaverlo (#97) was 5-1 with 1 save and a 2.55 ERA in 56 games in 1977.

Charlie Williams (#73) was 6-5 with a 4.00 ERA in 55 games in 1977. He averaged more than 2 innings per appearance.

Rob Dressler (#11) didn't pitch for the Giants in 1977. He pitched for AAA Phoenix and was 10-10 with a 5.29 ERA.

1977 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

L Willie Crawford (#642) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. He had been traded to the Giants after the 1976 season but before he could play with them Willie was traded with Rob Sperring to the Houston Astros for Rob Andrews and cash.


Jack Clark (#488) batted .252 with 13 HR and 51 RBI in his first full season.

Gary Thomasson (#496) batted .256 with 17 HR and 71 RBI in 145 games.

Larry Herndon (#397) played in 49 games and batted .239 in 109 at bats. He didn't play after June 18.

Bobby Murcer (#40) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. Before the season he was traded to the Chicago Cubs with Steve Ontiveros and an minor leaguer for Bill Madlock and Rob Sperring.

Others who played OF for the Giants but who didn't get a 1977 Topps Giants card:

Terry Whitfield (.285 with 7 HR in 326 AB)

Randy Elliott (.240 with 7 HR in 167 AB)

1977 Topps Giants Part 2 (infielders)

Willie McCovey (#547) had a great comeback season in 1977 and was named comeback player of the year. It looked like he was finished after a poor 1976 for San Diego and Oakland. Willie became a free agent after the 1976 season and signed with the Giants. He played in 141 games and batted .280 with 28 home runs and 86 RBI. If it weren't for the 1977 season, McCovey may not have accumulated enough lifetime stats to make it to the Hall of Fame. He was a HOF consideration after the 1976 season but became a sure HOFer after his '77 season and the stats he accumulated from 1978-1980.

With the Giants picking up McCovey to play first base and Bill Madlock to play third base, Darrell Evans (#571) was moved to left field for the 1977 season. He played in 81 games at LF, 41 games (11 starts) at 1B, and 35 games at 3B. Darrell wasn't much of a defender in LF -- he had a fielding percentage of .936 vs. a league average of .973. This would be the last year that he would play in the outfield. Evans batted .254 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI.

Chris Speier (#515) played in only six games (.176 in 17 AB) for the Giants in 1977 before being traded to the Montreal Expos for Tim Foli on April 27.

Marty Perez (#438) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. During spring training in 1977 he was traded to the New York Yankees for Terry Whitfield.

Ken Reitz (#297) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. He was traded back to the St. Louis Cardinals (for whom he played from 1972-1975) for Lynn McGlothen.

Derrell Thomas (#266) played six positions for the Giants in 1977, spending most of his time in center field. He batted .267 with 10 triples, 8 HR, and 44 RBI in 148 games. After the 1977 season he was traded to the San Diego Padres for Mike Ivie.

Johnnie LeMaster (#151) was a backup shortstop for the Giants in 1977. He batted .149 in 134 at bats. He batted .314 in 22 games for AAA Phoenix.

Others who played infield for the Giants but who didn't get 1977 Topps Giants cards:

• Bill Madlock (3B - batted .302 with 12 HR and 46 RBI in 140 games)
• Rob Andrews (2B - batted .264 in 436 AB)
• Tim Foli (SS - batted .228 in 368 AB)
• Vic Harris (.261 in 165 AB)
• Skip James (.267 in 15 AB)
  
  
  
  
  

1977 Topps Giants Part 1

The Giants continued to struggle in 1977, but things were improving. The Giants acquired Bill Madlock, and Willie McCovey returned to the team to make a good comeback. The Giants would contend in 1978, then the bottom fell out for a couple of years after that.

Joe Altobelli (#211) was in his first year as a major league manager. Joe had managed in the Baltimore Orioles organization (or in the Mexican League) from 1966-1976. He managed the Giants from 1977 through most of the 1979 season (he was let go in September). Joe managed in AAA in 1980 and coached for the New York Yankees in 1981 and 1982. He then managed the Baltimore Orioles for 2 1/2 years from 1983-1985, winning a World Championship in 1983. After he was fired by the Orioles, Joe coached for the Yankees in 1986 and 1987 and then coached for Don Zimmer with the Chicaco Cubs from 1988-1991. Altobelli managed one game for the Chicago Cubs in 1991 as an interim manager after Zimmer was fired. Altobelli then was the general manager of the AAA Rochester Red Wings for several years and then was a color commentator for the club's home game broadcasts until the 2009 season.

Record: 75-87 (4th in NL West, 23 games behind the LA Dodgers
Attendance: 700,056 (12th in NL)
Team Batting: .253 (10th in NL)
Team HR: 134 (7th in NL)
Team ERA: 3.76 (5th in NL)
Team Fielding: .972 (10th in NL)
League Leaders: none
NL All Stars: Gary Lavelle (P)


Mike Sadek (#129) batted .230 in 134 at bats.

Marc Hill (#57) batted .250 with 9 HR and 50 RBI in 108 games.

Gary Alexander (#476) batted .303 with 5 HR and 20 RBI in 119 at bats.

Others who caught for the Giants in 1977 but didn't receive 1977 Topps Giants cards:

Ken Rudolph (.200 in 15 AB)