1990 Topps Giants Part 2

Will Clark (#397) started the All Star game at 1B for the National League in 1989. He started every year for the NL from 1988-1992 and for the AL in 1994.

In 1990 Will Clark (#100) batted .295 with 19 homers and 95 RBI in 1990.

Robby Thompson (#325) batted .245 with 15 home runs in 144 games as the starting 2B in 1990.

Jose Uribe (#472) batted .248 with one home run in 138 games as the starting SS in 1990.

In 1990 Matt Williams (#41) batted .277, hit 33 home runs and had 122 RBI in 1990.

Chris Speier (#753) didn't play for the Giants in 1990. He retired after the 1989 season.

Ernest Riles (#732) was a utilityman in 1990 and batted .200 with eight homers in 155 at bats.

Ken Oberkfell (#488) didn't play for the Giants in 1990. He signed with the Houston Astros as a free agent before the 1990 season.

Other infielders who played for the Giants in 1990 but didn't get a Topps card:

• Dave Anderson was a utilityman and batted .350 with one home run in 100 at bats.
• Mike Benjamin played SS and batted .214 with two homers in 56 at bats.
• Mike Laga played 1B and batted .185 in 27 at bats.
• Tony Perezchica was 1 for 3 in four April games. He spent the rest of the season playing for AAA Phoenix.
• Andreas Santana was 0 for 2 in six September games. He didn't play in the majors again.

1990 Topps Giants Part 1

1990 San Francisco Giants

• Team record: 85-77 (3rd in NL West - 6 games behind Cincinnati Reds)
• Attendance: 1,975,528 (8th of 12)
• Team batting: .262 - 3rd in NL
• Team home runs: 152 - 3rd in NL
• Team ERA: 4.08 - 9th in NL
• Team fielding: .983 - 1st in NL
• Gold Gloves: none
• Silver Sluggers: Don Robinson (P), Matt Williams (3B)
• All Stars: Will Clark (starting 1B), Kevin Mitchell (starting LF), Jeff Brantley (P), Matt Williams (3B)

Roger Craig (#351) managed the Giants from the end of the 1985 season through the 1992 season. His record with the Giants was 586-566 (.509). He won two NL West titles (1987 and 1989) and one NL pennant (1989).

Gary Carter (#19T) batted .254 with nine home runs in 92 games. He was released by the New York Mets and signed by the Giants before the 1990 season. He left the Giants after the season as a free agent.

Kirt Manwaring (#678) batted .154 in 13 at bats for the Giants in 1990. He had two short stints with the Giants and spent the rest of the season with AAA Phoenix.

Terry Kennedy (#372) was the starting catcher. He batted .277 with 22 doubles and two home runs in 303 at bats.

The following players saw action behind the plate for the Giants in 1990 but didn't get Topps cards:

• Steve Decker (.296 in 54 at bats)
• Bill Bathe (.229 in 48 at bats)
• Mark Bailey (.143 in 7 at bats)
  
  

Thanks a lot Wrigley Wax

I sent some cards to fill Wrigley Wax's "packs" for some of the sets he has. He sent me some cards that put a pretty big dent in my 1973 and 1974 Giants' want lists. he sent about 10-15 from each year, including some big names like Marichal, Bonds, and Kingman. Thanks a lot!

Here are the cards I still need to complete the two sets:

1973 Topps
145 Bobby Bonds
167 Steve Stone
197 Ed Goodson
252 Charlie Fox and coaches
342 Sam McDowell (boyhood photo)
361 Fran Healy
410 Willie McCovey
434 Giants Team
538 Jim Hart
584 Chris Arnold

1974 Topps
18 Gary Thomasson
104 Ron Bryant
129 Chris Speier
213 Dave Rader
305 Tito Fuentes
344 Mike Caldwell
386 Gary Matthews
404 Jim Howarth
455 Tom Bradley
577 Mike Sadek

1987 Donruss Opening Day

A few weeks Collective Troll broke up a 1987 Donruss Opening Day set and sent team sets out to those who asked for them. I asked for the Giants and he sent me the set along with some other Giants cards. I looked at them and then set them aside to use in a blog entry. Much to my chagrin, I couldn't find them for a while. I finally found them, scanned them, and made this post.

It would have been a nice touch if Donruss would have put the box score on the back of the logo card. The Giants beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 in 12 innings. Chili Davis singled in Jeffrey Leonard with two out in the bottom of the 12th inning to win the game for the Giants. Here is the box score.

This is a neat set -- I didn't buy it when it came out but now I wish I had.


Bob Brenly went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts.

Will Clark was the leadoff hitter and went 3 for 6 with a triple and a run scored.

Chili Davis was 1 for 4 (he got the game-winning hit) with two bases on balls.

Mike Krukow started the game and got no decision. He went 8 innings and allowed 3 runs.

Jose Uribe was 1 for 2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Chris Brown was 1 for 5 with a double, a run scored, and a run batted in.

Robby Thompson was 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

Candy Maldonado was 1 for 3 with a double, a stolen base, and two runs batted in. He was removed in a double switch in the top of the 9th inning.

Jeffrey Leonard was 2 for 5 with a base on balls. He scored the winning run in the bottom of the 12th.

Thanks again, Collective Troll!

Croix De Candlestick

In the early-mid 1980s this button was given to diehard Giants fans who stayed for an entire extra inning night game at Candlestick Park. Patrick J. Gallagher, the Giants' marketing director, came up with the idea. The phrase on the bottom is translated as, "I came, I saw, I survived."

I remember seeing fans with these pins in their caps at SF Giants' spring training games.

Mark Davis is seen sporting one of these pins on his cap in his 1984 Topps card:

1984 Topps Giants - Part 4

Mike Krukow led the team in victories with 11. He was 11-12 with a 4.56 ERA in 33 starts.

Renie Martin was 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 games. Martin spent quite a bit of the season with the Phoenix Giants. He was traded to the Phillies with Al Oliver for Kelly Downs and George Riley on August 30.

Fred Breining didn't pitch for the Giants in 1984. He was traded to the Montreal Expos for Al Oliver before the season.

Mark Davis was 5-17 (0uch!) with a 5.36 ERA. He appeared in 46 games and started 27 of those games.

Jim Barr didn't pitch for the Giants in 1984. He was released during spring training.

Greg Minton was the closer for the Giants in 1984. He saved 19 games and was 4-9 with a 3.76 ERA in 74 appearances.

Gary Lavelle was a setup man and did some closing for the Giants in 1984. He had 12 saves and was 5-4 with a 2.76 ERA in 77 appearances.

Bill Laskey was 9-14 with a 4.33 ERA in 34 starts in 1984.

Atlee Hammaker was 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in six starts. He didn't start a game until June 26, made five starts, then was out again until September 1. He started that day and didn't pitch again in the 1984 season. He made two starts (probably a rehab assignment) for the Phoenix Giants.

Andy McGaffigan didn't pitch for the Giants in 1984. He was sent to Montreal before the season as part of the Al Oliver deal.

Others who pitched for the Giants but didn't get a regular 1984 Topps Giants card:

• Jeff Robinson (7-15, 4.56 ERA in 33 starts)
• Frank Williams (9-4, 3.55 ERA, 3 saves in 61 appearances)
• Randy Lerch (5-3, 4.23 ERA, 2 saves in 37 games-4 starts)
• Bob Lacey (1-3, 3.88 ERA in 34 games)
• Mark Grant (1-4, 6.37 ERA in 10 starts--he had a save in his only relief appearance)
• Scott Garrelts (2-3, 5.65 ERA in 21 appearances--3 starts)
• Mark Calvert (2-4, 5.06 ERA in 10 appearances - 5 starts)
• George Riley (1-0, 3.99 ERA in 4 starts)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Happy Anniversary Willie

Today is the 50th anniversary of Willie McCovey's debut with the San Francisco Giants. Here is a good article about Willie's debut.

I didn't see Willie play until the end of his career, but he could still swing the bat. I saw him hit a towering home run one year in the late 70s in an exhibition game against the Dodgers at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Thanks for the memories Willie.