Sunday, April 3 - Saturday, April 9, 1977
Lose to California in Extra Innings.
On Wednesday, April 6th, 41,110 fans packed into the Kingdome to witness one of the two new Major League Baseball franchises take the field. And while the Seattle Mariners did their fans proud - taking the California Angels to extra-innings - the end result was not what they hoped for as Seattle falls to the Angels 3-2 in 11 innings. Tony Solaita delivers an RBI single and Ken Landreaux hits what would become the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 11th inning off of Mariners reliever Mike Kekich (0-1, 7.72 ERA) and the California defense holds off a Seattle rally in the bottom of the frame.
"While I am upset that we lost, I love the intensity and heart we showed today. If we keep that same effort up all year, we are gonna have a great season." first baseman Dan Meyer said. "There is alot to build on with this ball club."
Seattle starter Gary Wheelock pitches 8 2/3 innings of fantastic baseball, giving up just three hits, one unearned run and striking out seven before giving way to Kekich. Angels starter Frank Tanana (1.13 ERA) was equally effective, giving up just one run on five hits before giving way to eventual game winner Dick Drago (1-0, 0.00 ERA).
Toronto Loses Lead Late in Franchise Opener.
Less than 24 hours later, 25,428 fans battled the bitter cold (46 degrees) and 21 mph winds in Exhibition Stadium to watch the second baseball franchise located north of the border in Major League Baseball history. For those Toronto fans, they witnessed a scrappy Blue Jays team that came within two outs of winning their first non-exhibition game. Unfortunately the ninth innings was not a kind one as White Sox third baseman Eric Soderholm ties the game at three in the ninth inning with a sacrifice fly and second baseman Jorge Orta (.250, 1 RBI) follows with a single to right off of Toronto closer Dennis DeBarr (0-1, 1 BS, 18.00 ERA) to score Richie Zisk to give Chicago a one run 4-3 victory.
"It's dissapponting when you have the first victory within your grasp - so close you can almost taste it - then have it pulled away from you at the last second." Blue Jays manager Roy Hartsfield said after the game.
DeBarr was more unforgiving.
"I take full responsibility. I just couldn't get warm out there. It's no excuse...it's my job to put this game away and I didn't get the job done."
Blue Jays opening day starter Pete Vukovich (2.57 ERA) pitches well, going seven innings allowing just two runs and looking to gain Toronto's first franchise victory upon his exit in the eighth.
Tuesday, April 5
The Chicago White Sox trades SS Bucky Dent (.246, 2 HR, 52 RBI in 1976) to the New York Yankees for OF Oscar Gamble (.232, 17 HR, 57 RBI in 1976), pitchers LaMarr Hoyt and Bob Polinsky and an estimated $200,000.
Wednesday, April 6
Cincinnati pitcher Mike Caldwell (1-0, 1.17 ERA) gives up six hits and one earned run in 7 2/3 innings while striking out three Padres hitters in the Reds 7-1 win over San Diego.
Thursday, April 7
Ron Guidry (1.50 ERA) pitches 12 innings but gets a no-decision in the Yankees opener at Yankee Stadium. LF Lou Pinella (.333, 1 RBI) doubles home Mickey Rivers in the bottom of the 13th inning as New York tops the Brewers, 3-2.
Los Angeles RF Reggie Smith (.600, 3 RBI) hits two home runs, the second being a walk-off blast in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Dodgers defeat the Giants, 3-2.
Cardinals rookie pitcher John Urrea (1-0, 0.00 ERA) goes seven innings of four-hit baseball while striking out four to get his first Major League win as St. Louis defeats the Pirates and John Candelaria (0-1, 1.00 ERA) 1-0.
Orioles rookie 1B Eddie Murray (.333, 1 HR, 1 RBI) hits his first major league home run as Baltimore tops the Rangers 3-1.
Friday, April 8
California LF Don Baylor (.400, 2 HR, 3 RBI) hits two home runs and drives in three but the Angels fall to Seattle 8-5 as the Mariners win their first series.
Cincinnati destroys San Diego 12-1 as Ken Griffey (.444, 3 RBI) scores four times and drives in three more and rookie pitcher Paul Moskau (1-0, 1.23 ERA) gives up just four hits and one run in 7 1/3 innings.
Saturday, April 9
Baltimore LF Pat Kelly (.500, 2 HR, 2 RBI) goes a perfect 4-for-4 with two solo home runs but the rest of the Orioles can't figure out Texas SP Bert Blyleven (1-0, 4.50 ERA) as they lose to the Rangers 7-4.
The Angels send 2B Bobby Grich (.266, 13 HR, 54 RBI in 1976) to Cleveland in exchange for SP Don Hood (3-5, 1 Sv, 4.87 ERA in 1976). Hood pitches seven shutout innings tonight in California's 4-0 win over Seattle. More on this a little later in the show.
CF George Hendrick (.417, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and 2B Dave Roberts (.600, 4 RBI) each have three hits and combine for five RBI as San Diego gains a 10-6 win over the Reds.
New York commits 4 errors in losing to the Cubs 5-4, the last when CF Lee Mazzilli muffs RP Willie Hernanadez's ground ball - while playing 3B in the bottom if the 15th inniing. Hernandez later scores the game winner.
Sam Ewing (.500, 1 HR, 2 RBI) hits a pinch hit, two RBI home run in the eighth inning in Toronto's 5-4 loss to the White Sox to become the first Blue Jays player to homer in a game.
Wearing a huge brace, Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych (1.13 ERA) pitches 8 innings in Detroit's 3-2 win over Kansas City, scattering 8 hits and one run while making 135 pitches - all with out pain.
Cleveland pitches Jim Bibby (0-1, 1.29 ERA) and Larry Anderson (9.00 ERA) combine to walk three Red Sox hitters and combined with two defensive errors allow Boston to score three runs on just one hit in the eighth inning and win the game 5-2.
The Dodgers score twice in the bottom of the ninth on a single by Steve Garvey (.250, 2 RBI) to tie the game, then win the game one inning later with three consecutive hits off reliever Gary Lavelle (0-1, 1 BS, 3.00 ERA) for a 4-3 victory over the Giants.
American League Player of the Week:
LF Pat Kelly - Baltimore Orioles
He batted .500 (4-8), with 2 HR, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.
National League Player of the Week
Steve Ontiveros - Chicago Cubs
He batted .600 (6-10), with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored and a .636 OBP.
While St. Louis outfielder Lou Brock is only 28 stolen bases from being the all-time career leader in that category with 865, did you know that Lou is also the career leader in getting caught stealing with 266 - 50 more times than anyone else? How about that?
AL East W L PCT GB G Last 10 Streak
New York Yankees 2 0 1.000 -- 2 2-0 W2
Detroit Tigers 2 0 1.000 -- 2 2-0 W2
Baltimore Orioles 1 1 .500 1.0 2 1-1 L1
Boston Red Sox 1 1 .500 1.0 2 1-1 W1
Cleveland Indians 1 1 .500 1.0 2 1-1 L1
Milwaukee Brewers 0 2 .000 2.0 2 0-2 L2
Toronto Blue Jays 0 2 .000 2.0 2 0-2 L2
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AL West W L PCT GB G Last 10 Streak
Chicago White Sox 2 0 1.000 -- 2 2-0 W2
Oakland Athletics 1 0 1.000 .5 1 1-0 W1
California Angels 2 2 .500 1.0 4 2-2 w1
Seattle Mariners 2 2 .500 1.0 4 2-2 L1
Texas Rangers 1 1 .500 1.0 2 1-1 W1
Minnesota Twins 0 1 .000 1.5 1 0-1 L1
Kansas City Royals 0 2 .000 2.0 2 0-2 L2
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NL East W L PCT GB G Last 10 Streak
Philadelphia Phillies 1 0 1.000 -- 1 1-0 W1
New York Mets 1 1 .500 .5 2 1-1 L1
St. Louis Cardinals 1 1 .500 .5 2 1-1 L1
Pittsburgh Pirates 1 1 .500 .5 2 1-1 W1
Chicago Cubs 1 1 .500 .5 2 1-1 W1
Montreal Expos 0 1 .000 1.0 1 0-1 L1
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NL West W L PCT GB G Last 10 Streak
Los Angeles Dodgers 2 0 1.000 -- 2 2-0 W2
Houston Astros 2 0 1.000 -- 2 2-0 W2
Cincinnati Reds 2 1 .667 .5 3 2-1 L1
San Diego Padres 1 2 .333 1.5 3 1-2 W1
San Francisco Giants 0 2 .000 2.0 2 0-2 L2
Atlanta Braves 0 2 .000 2.0 2 0-2 L2
Tuesday, April 5, 1977
Trade between Chicago (A) and New York (A) :
Chicago (A) gets :
OF Oscar Gamble (27) - $4,373,250 over 2 years
_ NYY ('76) : .232 / 17 HR / 52 RBI / 5 SB
SP LaMarr Hoyt (22) - A
SP Bob Polinsky (21) - A
New York (A) gets :
SS Bucky Dent (25) - $70,502 for 1 year
_ CWS ('76) : .246 / 2 HR / 52 RBI / 3 SB
With the acquisition of free agent Reggie Jackson from Baltimore, it was just a matter of time before someone would be let go in New York. That someone ended up being Oscar Gamble, whose two million dollar salary as a backup to Jackson did not fit into the financial plans of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Enter Bill Veeck, who needs to kick start his club from a disasterous 1976 season in which they lost 97 games and finished last in the AL West. Veeck is very high on emerging 25-year old shortstop Alan Bannister and with New York needing an upgrade at the shortstop position - the deal was done. Bannister will take over the shortstop position for Chicago and Gamble will become the new starting right fielder - taking over for Ralph Garr. In New York, Dent takes over for Fred Stanley (.238, 1 HR in '76), who starts the season in AAA.
Edge: White Sox. Even though getting Gamble may bolt at the end of his contract, this trade will help Chicago get back to respectability. New York shores up its defense with Dent, but he offers little in the way of offense.
Saturday, April 9, 1977
Trade between Cleveland and California :
Cleveland gets :
2B Bobby Grich (28) - $303,000 / 1
_ CAL ('77) : .000 / 0-2 / 1 R / 1 BB
_ CAL ('77) : .000 / 0-2 / 1 R / 1 BB
CF Tim Melton (23) - AAA
California gets :
SP Don Hood (27) - $483,258 / 1
_ CLE : 3-5 / 1 SV / 4.87 ERA / 1.67 WHIP in 1976
_ CAL : 2-3 / 3.38 ERA / 1.30 WHIP
SP Terry Miller (23) - A
The Angels were obviously scared to death about having Gary Ross and his 5.85 spring training ERA in the rotation and while they do make an improvement with Hood - one has to wonder if they gave up too much in the rookie Grich. Hood pitched well for California in his debut, throwing seven shutout innings but I wonder if he will get the run support aces Frank Tanana and Paul Hartzell have been given. After starting the year in the bullpen, Rick Waits will step back into the Cleveland rotation and look to improve upon his seven wins from 1976. While Grich is mainly serving as a backup for the Indians with an occassional start against LHP, his future looks very good and he could quite possibly be the starting 2B by the end of the year. The Angles released MR Jim Hennessey to make room for Hood and called up SS Orlando Ramirez to fill the utility infielder role. The Indians would send shortstops Larvell Blanks and Alfredo Griffin to AAA Madison to make room for Grich and recalled MR Cardell Camper to fill the Hood pitching vacancy.
Edge: The slightest advantage goes to California. Grich has the potential and may pan out in Cleveland but he needs to make the most of his chances now.
- CF Al Cowens is day-to-day for about 4 days with a strained thigh muscle.
- CF Randy Moffitt is day-to-day for about 1-2 weeks with a back spasms.
- 3B Lee Lacy is day-to-day for about 1 week with back spasms.
- SS Rick Auerbach signed a 1-year extention worth $77,000.
