#476 Lee Richard

Bee bee...a 1970 high draft pick pressed into service with big club within a year...part of a plethora of candidates to replace the traded Luis Aparicio...1971 started in starting role...hitting declined to .231 and was sent to minor for a few games....got called back up in Sept but hitting remained the same.....In many ways he was overwhelmed....was caught stealing more than stolen bases...dubiously led the AL shortstops in errors despite playing only 87 games...never really got the chance he had in 1971 again...spent most of career in minors getting call up from Chicago in 1972, 1974, and 1975....traded to St. Louis in 1976....much of the same...hit .176 in 91 at bats...released but continued a few years in the minors....hit very nicely, .300 for AAA Iowa in 1977, in younger days would have brought more notoriety for a big club.