1989 Topps Giants - Part 5 (more pitchers)

Isn't that a great pose? Mike LaCoss (#417) was a swingman for the Giants in 1989. He was 10-10 with a 3.17 ERA and had six saves. Mike pitched in a total of 45 games, 18 of them starts.

Kelly Downs (#361) was 4-8 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 games (15 starts). He was injured and didn't pitch between May 1 and August 13.

Craig Lefferts (#372) was the main reliever for the Giants in 1989. He was 2-4 with 20 saves and an ERA of 2.69 in 70 starts. It was cool to see him sprint in from the bullpen when coming into a game.

Don Robinson (#473) was 12-11 and had a 3.43 ERA in 32 starts.

Atlee Hammaker (#572) was 6-6 with a 3.76 ERA in 28 games (9 starts). He was out for a month from mid-June to mid-July and missed time from early August until the last week of the season.

Dave Dravecky (#601) was 2-0 in two starts in 1989. He broke his arm in his second start back after having a cancerous tumor removed from his pitching arm. Dave was out for the season and then his arm was broken again during the celebration when the Giants won the NL pennant. His arm was examined and another tumor was found in his arm. Dave's career was over and his arm eventually had to be amputated.

Scott Garrelts (#703) was 14-5 with a NL-leading 2.28 ERA in 29 starts.

Randy Bockus (#733) didn't pitch for the Giants in 1989. He became a free agent after the 1988 season and signed with the Detroit Tigers. Randy appeared in two games for the Tigers in 1989 and that was it for his major league career.

Others who pitched for the Giants but didn't receive a 1989 Topps Giants card:

Goose Gossage (2-1, 4 saves, 2.68 ERA in 31 games)
Bob Knepper (3-2, 3.46 ERA in 13 games-6 starts)
Randy McCament (1-1, 3.93 ERA in 25 games)
Ernie Camacho (3-0, 2.76 ERA in 13 games)
Dennis Cook (1-0, 1.80 ERA in 2 starts)
Russ Swan (0-2, 10.80 ERA in 2 starts)
Stu Tate (0-0, 3.38 ERA in 2 games)

1989 Topps Giants - Part 4 (pitchers)

Rick Reuschel (#65) was 17-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 32 starts and was the ace of the Giants' staff.

Steve Bedrosian (#8T) was 1-4 with 17 saves and a 2.65 ERA in 40 games in 1989.

Jeff Brantley (#14T) was 7-1 with a 4.07 ERA in 59 games (1 start) for the Giants in 1989.

Terry Mulholland (#41) was 0-0 with a 4.09 ERA in 5 games (1 start) for the Giants in 1989. He didn't pitch until May 25 and then was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on June 18 with Charlie Hayes and Dennis Cook for Steve Bedrosian and Rick Parker.

Mike Krukow(#125) was 4-3 with a 3.98 ERA in 8 starts in 1989. On June 30 Mike had arthoscopic rotator cuff surgery after spending three seasons going to and from the disabled list with what was thought to be bursitis in his pitching arm. He tried to come back in 1990 but retired during spring training.

Joe Price (#217) was 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA in 7 games (1 start). He was released on May 1 and signed with the Boston Red Sox a week later.

Trevor Wilson (#783) was 4-3 with a 4.35 ERA in 14 games (4 starts). He was 7-7 with a 3.20 ERA in 20 starts for the AAA Phoenix Firebirds. He had one stint with the Giants from late June to early August and then came back when the rosters expanded in September.

1989 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

Mike Aldrete (#158) didn't play for the Giants in 1989. He was traded to the Montreal Expos before the season for Tracy Jones.

Kevin Mitchell (#189) was the NL MVP in 1989. He played left field and batted .291 with 47 HR and 125 RBI.

Brett Butler (#241) batted .283, scored 100 runs, and stole 31 bases for the Giants in 1989.

Joel Youngblood (#304) didn't play for the Giants in 1989. He became a free agent after the 1988 season and signed with the Cincinnati Reds to finish his career.

Donell Nixon (#447) batted .265 in 166 at bats as a backup outfielder in 1989.

Candy Maldonado (#495) played right field for the Giants and batted .217 with 9 HR and 41 RBI in 129 games.

Others who played in the outfield but who didn't get 1989 Topps Giants cards:

Pat Sheridan batted .205 in 161 at bats.

Tracy Jones batted .186 in 97 at bats.

Jim Weaver batted .200 in 20 at bats.

1989 Topps Giants - Part 2 (infielders)

 Will Clark (#660) had another thrilling season in 1989. He was second in the NL in batting average (.333), hit 23 HR, and had 111 RBI.

Robby Thompson (#15) batted .241 in 148 games. He hit 26 doubles, 11 triples, and 13 homers.

Chris Speier (#94) was a utility player in the last year of his career. He batted .243 in 37 at bats. Chris didn't play between June 4 and September 4. He did play nine games at AAA Phoenix -- probably a rehab assignment.

Matt Williams (#628) played 3B and SS in 1989 and didn't have a starting job yet. In 84 games Matt batted .202 with 18 home runs.

Ernie Riles (#676) started most of the games at 3B. He batted .278 in 122 games.

Jose Uribe (#753) batted .221 in 151 games as the starting shortstop.

Others who played infield for the Giants but didn't get a 1989 Topps Giants card:

Greg Litton (.252 in 143 AB)

Ken Oberkfell (.319 in 116 AB)

Ed Jurak (.238 in 42 AB)

Mike Laga (.200 in 20 AB)

Jim Steels (.083 in 12 AB)

Mike Benjamin (.167 in 6 AB)

Charlie Hayes (.200 in 5 AB)

1989 Topps Giants - Part 1

The 1989 Giants won the NLWest, beat the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS, then were swept by the Oakland A's in the "earthquake series." It was a fun year to be a Giants fan. This is probably my least favorite 80s Topps sets.

Team Record: 92-70, 1st in NL West, 3 games ahead of San Diego

Attendance: 2,059,791 (5th in NL)

Team Batting: .250 (4th in NL)

Team Home Runs: 141 (2nd in NL)

Team ERA: 3.30 (3rd in NL)

Team Fielding: .982 (2nd in NL)

League Leaders: Kevin Mitchell (slugging .635, home runs 47, RBI 125); Robbie Thompson (triples 11); Scott Garrelts (ERA 2.28)

All Stars: Rick Reuschel (starting pitcher); Will Clark (starting 1B); Kevin Mitchell (starting LF)

Awards: Kevin Mitchell (MVP, Silver Slugger); Will Clark (NLCS MVP, Silver Slugger); Don Robinson (Silver Slugger)

Roger Craig (#744) was in his fourth full season of managing the Giants. The 1989 season would be the second and final time that the Giants would win the NL West during his 6+ years of managing the club.

Bob Brenly (#52) batted .182 in 12 games in 1989. He had been released by the Giants after the 1988 season. Brenly signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for the 1989 season but was released on July 18. Bob signed with the Giants to help out during the September stretch run and then retired after the season.

Bob Melvin (#329) didn't play for the Giants in 1989. He was traded to the Baltimore Orioles before the season for Terry Kennedy.

Kirt Manwaring (#506) backed up Terry Kennedy and batted .210 in 85 games in 1989.

Terry Kennedy (#59T) was the starting catcher. He batted .239 with 5 HR in 125 games in 1989.