#209 Joe Rudi

A quiet unassuming player on the rise contra to his some teammates....He and his team started to fulfill promise expected of him after paying his dues…spent three years of call ups yielded nothing.....blossomed significantly in 1972 becoming runner up in MVP voting....hit .305 and 19 home runs....good numbers that look better in lock out shortened year....more importantly Rudi makes a catch in 9^th inning of game 2 that ranks as one WS all time best.... crucial to the A’s world crown....repeated his MVP runner up status in 1974 with career high point in home runs and runs batted in while getting the first of three consecutive gold gloves...Rudi plays two more years consistently in the tumultuous Oakland class struggle....for three days is a Red Sox (see Rollie Fingers)...Joe took flight in first large wave of free agency 1977....Kept to California roots by becoming an Angel....Rudi’s 4  years in Anaheim are expectations impaired by injuries...sort of returned to Red Sox (for real this time) in 1981 but years have taken their toll...finished in Oakland 1982