1980 Topps Giants - Part 1

The Giants struggled again in 1980. The starting pitching was fair and the bullpen was good, but they just couldn't score many runs. The Giants had only two players in double figures in home runs (Darrell Evans and Jack Clark).

Dave Bristol (#499) managed the club in 1980 and was replaced by Frank Robinson after the season. The Giants were Bristol's fourth and final team as manager. Bristol was successful with the Cincinnati Reds, taking them from 7th place in 1966 as a 33-year-old manager to 3rd place in 1969. But he was dismissed after the 1969 season. He managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 1970-1972 and then the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and 1977. Dave managed the last month of the 1979 season as well as the 1980 season for the Giants. In between managerial stints (and after the 1980 season) Dave coached for various teams until 1993.

Team Record: 75-86 (5th in NL West - 17 games behind Houston)
Attendance: 1,096,115 (11th of 12 teams in NL)
Team Batting: .244 (12th in NL)
Team Home Runs: 80 (9th in NL)
Team ERA: 3.46 (3rd in NL)
Team Fielding: .975 (9th in NL)
NL All Stars: Vida Blue (P); Ed Whitson (P)

Dennis Littlejohn (#686) batted .241 in 29 at bats in 1980. He played in 53 games for AAA Phoenix. The 1980 season was Littlejohn's last in the majors (he played parts of 1978, 1979, and 1980 for the Giants). Dennis played in AAA in 1981 and 1982 and then called it quits.

Mike Sadek (#462) batted .252 in 151 at bats as the backup catcher.

Marc Hill (#236) batted .171 in 41 at bats. He was purchased by the Seattle Mariners on June 20, 1980.

Others who caught for the Giants but didn't receive a 1980 Topps Giants card:

Milt May (batted .260 with 6 HR and 50 RBI in 111 games). He had been a free agent and signed with the Giants before the 1980 season.

1981 Topps Giants - Part 1

• Dave Bristol didn't manage this team. He was replaced by Frank Robinson before the season.

• Overall record: 56-55 (4th in NL West); 1st half: 27-32 (5th); 2nd half: 29-23 (3rd)

• Team batting average: .250 (8th of 12 teams)

• Team HR: 63 (6th of 12 teams)

• Team ERA: 3.28 (3rd of 12 teams)

• Team fielding: .977 (8th of 12 teams)

• Chris Bourjos didn't play for the Giants in 1981. He played his last major league game on October 5, 1980. After the 1980 season he was traded to Houston with Bob Knepper for Enos Cabell. Chris played in the minors through the 1983 season.

• Al Hargesheimer was 1-2 with a 4.34 ERA in six games (3 starts) in 1981. He spent most of the season as a starter for AAA Phoenix.

• Mike Rowland was 0-1 with a 3.45 ERA in nine games (1 start) in 1981. He went 15-7 in 25 starts for AAA Phoenix. 1981 was his last big league season.
  
  

• Milt May was the starting catcher. He played in 97 games and batted .310 with a .376 on base percentage. He didn't have much power (2 homers in 316 at bats).
  
  

• Dennis Littlejohn played his last major league game in 1980. He spent the 1981 season with the AAA Phoenix Giants, where be batted .270.
  
  
  
  

• Mike Sadek was at the end of the line as a backup catcher. He was 35 in 1981 and played in only 19 games (.167 in 36 at bats). He played his last game before the strike and was released before play resumed.

• Bob Brenly caught in 14 games for the Giants after the strike. He batted .333 in 45 at bats.

• Jeff Ransom played in 5 games in 1981 (.267 in 16 at bats). He was the second youngest (20 years old) player in the NL in 1981.