Thursday, November 25, 2021

#80 Tony Perez

A major cylinder during when the Big Red Machine was going full throttle..... a player of great consistency and remarkable longevity spanning 23 years, earned HOF honors in 9th year on the ballot....the  Cuban earned his call up with Cincy based on outstanding work in AAA San Diego in 1964....initially a part-timer at 1st base....Shifts to the left side of the infield in 1967, resulting in boom in offensive production....his 102 runs driven in that year began a string of 14 straight years of 73 RBIs or better....His rise was essential in making Reds recover from the Frank Robinson trade debacle....steps up his game in 1969 and 1970 launching 77 homers and averaging 125 RBIs....1971 was solid at the plate although the Reds faulted....Downside was a bit brutal at the hot corner led NL in errors three straight years 1968-70.....even though he cut down on miscues, a return to 1st base was in order....although the 1972 Topps card assumed he would continue at third base....switch was flawless.... Perez ran a string of 100+ RBI campaigns in 1973 to 1975....Despite winning two WS rings in 1975 and 1976 was traded to Montreal in a surprise transaction....Reds going with youth also they also stopped going to the Fall Classic for a while.....Montreal years were solid, giving veteran leadership to floundering franchise....acquired by the Red Sox via Free Agency....Employed as a DH, at age 38 showed a flash of numbers put turned in decade earlier; 25 home runs, 105 RBI at the start third decade of play....downgraded to part timer from 1981 on but was able to contribute....logged in two more season in Boston, a stop in Philly, a dividend being his last World Series, and a three year return to the Cincy....stayed in baseball as a coach, manager, and executive....soft spoken and smiling was popular with fans and teammates alike. 



 

Friday, November 19, 2021

#81 Mike Hedlund

Texas native known for flaming red hair....along with freckled skin ....a Cleveland prospect initially....lead the Eastern League in losses in 1968 obscured his 2.30 ERA....also topped the circuit in strikeouts....picked by KC in expansion draft....in a mixed role the Rookie stayed with the big club all season....sported in 3-6 record....a poor start for KC in 1970 demoted Mike to AAA Omaha....downfall may have been the resulted contracting Hong Kong flu while playing winter ball in Venus....healthier and buoyed by a strong bullpen resulted in a career year in 1971....assisted the overachieving Royal to second place in AL with 15 wins....Fourth best ERA too....could not follow up in 1972 and Royals faltered accordingly.....registered 5 wins while losing 7 with surrendering more than two more runs in a game....turned out to be last MLB year....returned to Cleveland for 1973....remained in AAA....flipped to White Sox for 1974 faring no better....trade to Reds resulted in his retirement from baseball...hobbies were hunting, fishing, and automobiles.  




Saturday, November 13, 2021

#82 Ron Woods

Reserve outfielder for Tigers, Yankees, and Expos....career varied from platoon to reserve player....never above that.....started in Pirates organization but sold for $500 to Detroit....the long time farmhand worked way up the Tiger system with solid but unspectacular far, system numbers....Finally got a chance with Tigers in 1969....played very little and was traded to NYY for a rapidly aging Tom Tresh....Woods could not get untracked in the Big Apple....hit .176 and inched up a  .230 BA in  the rest of 1969 and 1970 respectively....traded by Yankees early stages of 1971 for ex-Met icon Ron Swoboda....North of the border Woods hit .297 in part time work a personal best...Would remain an Expo for three more years.....clouts 10 home runs in 1972 with added work.... BA dropped to .254 however.....most prolific year was 1973 appearing in 135 games but BA suffered falling  further to .230....relegated to being a very seldom used reserve in 1974 hit .205....let go by Montreal, plays two season across the Pacific Ocean in Japan....Avid chess player.




Monday, November 8, 2021

#83 Dalton Jones

A primary purpose: pinch hitting....career line was .262 in that role....never established himself as a regular....hit a career .231 when pinch hitting is gleaned out.....started in Red Sox organization...his first two seasons closest Dalton would get to regular work....1964 was stationed at 2nd....then moved in 1965 to 3rd as George Smith was given a shot and then replaced by Mike Andrews....shared time with Frank Malzone....both were booted with the arrival of Joe Foy to the hot corner....weaknesses were inconsistent hitting and suspect fielding....utility man from then on....Very helpful in the Red Sox upsurge of 1967.....hit a career best .287 aided by timely pinch hitting....accounted from himself in WS hitting .389.....never regained a consistent bat and a 1970 trade to Detroit found himself flushed with accomplished pinch hitters.....no progress to everyday status.....last year was 1972 which started in Tigertown and wound up in the basement dwelling Texas Rangers.  




Monday, November 1, 2021

#84 Vince Colbert

Big 6’3”, right-hander.....As some young Indian arms were brought in 1970 or 1971 had decent MLB careers....examples Ed Farmer, Steve Migori ...Sad but true, Vince was not one of them...Short career for the starter/reliever....a call up in 1970 was unsuccessful with ERA over 7.00...rebounded in 1971 and sported a winning year on a 100 loss team going 7-6....chipped in with 10 starts and two saves to the effort.....1972 after 6 appearances without surrendering a run put  in the starting rotation.....struggled in his new role....went 1-7 although ERA only went up by half a run from the year before....finished seasons in minors with inflated ERA....spent 1973 between AAA and AA clubs.....some strong results but Indians had moved on....no interest from other clubs....finished professional career in Mexico....Born in Washington DC.....attended Eastern Utah University and East Carolina University