1983 Donruss #605 - Guy Sularz

• Guy Sularz was an infielder who played in parts of four seasons with the Giants from 1980-1983.
• Sularz was drafted by the Giants in 1974. He played in the minors from 1974-1980. Guy's best minor league season was with AAA Phoenix in 1978. He batted .294 in 144 games and had a .370 on base percentage. Sularz was always good at getting on base - he had a lifetime .370 on base percentage in 11  minor league seasons.
• Guy got his first taste of the majors as a September call-up in 1980. Sularz started 23 games at second base and batted .246 in 25 games. Guy didn't show much power -- his slugging percentage was only .292.
• In 1981 Sularz spent most of the year in Phoenix. He was called up in September and batted .200 (4 for 20) in 10 games.
• Guy spent most of the 1982 season as a backup infielder for the Giants. He batted .228 in 63 games.
• Sularz was in Phoenix in 1983. He was called up in September, but Guy didn't get to play much. He batted .100 (2 for 20) in ten games.
• Guy was in Phoenix for the entire 1984 season. After the 1984 season he was offered a contract to be a player-coach in Phoenix. Sularz turned down the offer and retired.
• Sularz used some money he saved up during his playing days to enroll in junior college. He decided to become a firefighter and worked in Phoenix in the early 1990s.
• Guy retired as the all-time Phoenix Giants/Firebirds leader in games, hits, doubles, and total bases.
• Sularz returned to his roots as a fan and rooted for the Dodgers (ugh!) after he left the Giants organization.
• Guy is now a real estate agent in Mesa, AZ.

1984 Fleer #376 - Bill Laskey

• This Tuesday's "Obscure Giant" is pitcher Bill Laskey.
• Love that name on the glove. I did that way back when. Do players still do this today?

• Laskey was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1977 (8th round in January, 1st round in June), but he didn't sign either time. Bill was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round in 1978 and finally signed.
• Bill pitched well in the minors from 1978-1981, but he never made it to the majors. After the 1981 season Laskey was traded to the Giants (with pitcher Rich Gale) for outfielder Jerry Martin.
• Laskey started the 1982 season in AAA Phoenix. Bill started two games and was 1-0 while allowing two runs in 14 innings. Laskey was called up and made his Giants debut on April 23, 1982 (a three batter stint in a blowout game against the hated Dodgers). Bill made his first start on April 28 and it was a great one. Laskey shut out the Montreal Expos 7-0 while allowing only three hits. Bill went on to go 13-12 with a 3.14 ERA in 31 starts.
• Bill went 13-10 in 25 starts in 1983, but his ERA rose to 4.19. Laskey missed the last six weeks of the 1983 season with an injury. He and Atlee Hammaker made a good 1-2 punch of young starters for the Giants.
• Before the 1984 season Bill was rumored to be traded to the Cleveland Indians. The Giants supposedly had a lot of pitching and needed to replace Darrell Evans, who had left as a free agent. Nothing came of the trade rumors. 
• Laskey went 9-14 with a 4.33 ERA in 34 starts in 1984. 
• Bill started the 1985 season with the Giants (5-11, 3.55 ERA in 19 starts) but was traded (with OF Scot Thompson) to the Montreal Expos on August 1 for first baseman Dan Driessen. Laskey struggled with the Expos, going 0-5 with a 9.44 ERA.
• Laskey was traded back to the Giants before the 1986 season. Bill had ripped the San Francisco organization when he was first traded to the Expos, but he was glad to go back. Laskey disagreed with manager Jim Davenport and GM Tom Haller, but since different guys were running the Giants he was willing to go back.
• The Giants converted Bill to a reliever. Laskey was 1-1 with 1 save and had a 4.28 ERA in 20 appearances from April to June 1986. Bill was sent to AAA Phoenix in late June and became a starting pitcher again (5-5, 3.43 ERA in 13 starts).
• Laskey was released after the 1986 season and signed with the Tigers. Bill spent the entire 1987 in AAA Toledo (12-6, 3 saves, 3.86 ERA in 56 appearances). 
• Bill became a free agent after the 1987 season and signed with the Indians. He split the 1988 season between AAA Colorado Springs (1-1, 2 saves, 5.61 ERA in 12 games) and Cleveland (1-0, 1 save, 5.18 ERA in 17 appearances). Laskey became a free agent in late August after refusing another assignment to Colorado Springs.
• Laskey spent three more years (1989-1991) pitching for various AAA teams. He never got back to the majors after the 1988 season. Bill ended up with a 42-53 lifetime record with a 4.14 ERA in six seasons in the majors.
• According to his LinkedIn profile, Bill has run a sports talent agency and has been a high school softball coach since his retirement from baseball. Laskey is also an analyst for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area.

1984 Topps #109 - Brad Wellman

• Brad Wellman was originally signed by the Kansas City Royals in 1978. He played in the Royals' system from 1978-1981.
• Wellman was traded (with Atlee Hammaker, Renie Martin, and Craig Chamberlain) to the Giants on 30 March 1982 for Vida Blue and Bob Tufts.
• Brad batted .324 for AAA Phoenix and got his first taste of major league action at the end of the 1982 season.
• Wellman batted .311 in 45 games for Phoenix in 1983 and was called up at the end of May to replace the injured Duane Kuiper. Brad was given a shot at the starting second base position but he didn't provide enough offense (.214 in 82 games).
• Brad's 1984 season looked a lot like his 1983 season. He started with Phoenix, hit pretty well, and was called up after a couple of months. Wellman improved his average to .226, but it wasn't enough improvement.
• The Giants were wretched in 1985 (62-100). Brad backed up Manny Trillo at second base. Wellman outhit Trillo during the season (but neither player broke .240).
• The coming of Robby Thompson in 1986 spelled the end of Brad Wellman's time in San Francisco. Brad batted .282 in Phoenix, but he only got into twelve games for the Giants. After the season Wellman became a free agent and signed with the LA Dodgers.
• He played in the Dodger organization in 1987 and then spent the last two years of his career in the Royals' organization. Wellman retired after the 1989 season.
• Brad Wellman now owns Wellman Sports in San Ramon, CA and teaches baseball to youngsters.
• Brad has a son (Casey Wellman) who plays for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.
• Brad Wellman had a pretty good minor league career (.298 lifetime average in eight seasons).
• Stats:
• 1982 - .250 (1 for 4)
• 1983 - .214 in 82 games
• 1984 - .226 in 93 games
• 1985 - .236 in 71 games
• 1986 - .154 (2 for 13) in 12 games

1978 Topps #719 - Randy Elliott

• Randy Elliott spent most of his ten years in baseball playing in AAA.
• This is the only Topps card Randy ever had -- no wonder I didn't know who he was.
• Randy had a couple of short stints with the San Diego Padres in 1972 and in 1974.
• Elliott was picked up by the Giants in September 1976. He was in the California Angels organization in 1976 but he never played that season due to a shoulder separation he suffered in 1975.
• Randy batted .240 with 7 HR and 26 RBI in 73 games with the Giants in 1977. He was used exclusively in left field that season.
• Elliott didn't make the Giants ballclub in 1978 and was released during spring training.
• Randy signed with the Cleveland Indians in April but never played for them (or any of their affiliates) in 1978. He was cut loose during spring training in 1979.
• Elliott had one more go-around with the Oakland A's in 1980 but was released after the season. His .128 average in 39 at bats pretty much sealed the deal.

1981 Fleer #454 - Allen Ripley

• Allen Ripley was originally signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1972. He spent a lot of time in the minors until he finally got a chance in 1978.
• Ripley split the 1978 and 1979 season between AAA Pawtucket and the Red Sox.
• Allen was purchased by the Giants just before the 1980 season.
• Ripley spent the first seven weeks of the 1980 season in AAA Phoenix and was brought up in late May after an impressive 5-0 record in seven starts.
• Allen was about a .500 pitcher for the Giants in 1980 (9-10, 4.14 ERA) and in 1981 (4-4, 4.07 ERA)
• The Giants traded Ripley to the Chicago Cubs for Doug Capilla after the 1981 season.
• Ripley pitched for the Cubs in 1982 (5-7, 4.26 ERA). 
• He was released during spring training in 1983 after he was unable to come back from a shoulder injury.