I Love The 80s - 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers

This is a series of posts on a 1980's Frankenset. Each page features a different team, with 9 of my personal favorite cards from that year's team. You might find players repeated, you'll definitely see brands repeated, but hopefully you'll agree that there are some interesting selections from the 1980s!

In 1981, the Dodgers climbed to the top of the NL West and then toppled Houston, Montreal, and finally the Yankees to win the World Series in six games. Southern California was enthralled in "Fernandomania" - the Rookie left hander threw a shutout on Opening Day and never looked back. The entire starting rotation had winning records, and each had at least 1 shutout on the season.

The following season was very good, just not as good as 1981. They would finish in 2nd place in the NL West, just 1 game behind the division winners. The rotation was a little top heavy in 82, but still excellent. The team also ranked 4th in the NL in Runs Scored. making for a balanced and formidable roster. Manager Tommy Lasorda was in just his 5th season as the team's skipper, but had already led the team to 3 NL pennants, and narrowly missed in 1980 (after a 1 game playoff) and was just one game short in 1982. 

The Cards

Topps #642 Mike Scioscia - 1982 saw growing pains for Scioscia, who was now the primary catcher after supplanting Steve Yeager. It was Scioscia's worst offensive season, slashing .219/.302/.296 for an OPS+ of just 80. But the season provided great experience for the young backstop as he learned the finer points of the game and the demanding position of catcher. He tore his rotator cuff and missed most of the 1983 season, but came back to spend the rest of his playing career as the Dodgers #1 catcher. The 2 time All-Star also had a long and productive managerial career with the Angels, including a 2002 World Series win.

Fleer #25 Rick Sutcliffe - The 1982 squad definitely missed the arm of Rick Sutcliffe, who was traded to Cleveland the prior December. Sutcliffe won the AL ERA title in 1982, and had a 14-8 record. Despite winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1979, Sutcliffe and manager Tommy Lasorda famously did not get along well. during the 1980 and 81 seasons, Sutcliffe's role on the team diminished and ultimately led to his trade. He was one of the better starting pitchers of the 1980s, including winning the NL Cy Young in 1984, and finishing his career with 171 victories. The 3 time All-Star had the reputation of being a very good hitting pitcher, thanks in no small part to his home run in Game 1 of the 1984 NLCS. 

Topps #410 Ron Cey - It would be his final season in Los Angeles in 1982, but Cey was not resting on his laurels. In '81, the season concluded with Cey and the Dodgers as World Champions. Cey was the Co-MVP for the World Series. Cey still showed he had excellent range at 3rd base, even at age 34 in 1982. He ranked in the top 5 in most defensive categories in the NL that season. Cey was a 6 time All-star, making the NL squad every year from 1974 through 1979. 

Topps #375 Dusty Baker - A baseball lifer, Baker has been part of more than a few of the game's biggest moments for the last 5 decades. Baker was on the receiving end of the world's first official "high five" from Glenn Burke. He was in the on deck circle when Hank Aaron hit home run #715.  He was MVP of the 1977 NLCS, and had a good case for repeating as NLCS MVP again in 1978, going 4-5 in the deciding victory. Later, as a Manager, he'd lead the Giants to a World Series appearance (facing his old teammate Mike Scioscia), then Managed the Cubs during the infamous "Steve Bartman" incident. Baker returned to coaching in 2020 and despite a regular season record below .500, led the Astros all the way to the ALCS. 

Fleer #27 Fernando Valenzuela -  His rookie season of 1981 was a tough act to follow, but Valenzuela had a terrific sophomore season with the Dodgers. Already the established ace of the rotation, Valenzuela won 19 games, and appeared in the 2nd of what would become 6 straight All-Star games. His 8 shutouts in 1981 were a rookie record, one that will be very tough to beat now. Valenzuela would miss the post season in 1988, but was a maintstay in the Dodgers rotation throughout the 80s. He performed very well in the post season, with a career ERA of 1.98 over 63 and 2/3 innings. Valenzuela could hit as well, with 10 career homers and a .200 average, quite good for the limited at bats for a pitcher. 

Donruss #84 Steve Garvey - The 1982 season was a "last hurrah" for several key members of the Dodgers of the 1970s. That included Steve Garvey, who would sign as a free agent with the Padres following that year. Garvey was the modern "Iron Horse," having played in the most consecutive games among active players. The streak was also marked with excellent offensive production - Garvey was a career .301 hitter with the Dodgers over his first 14 MLB seasons. The well rounded Garvey was the 1974 NL MVP, was a 4 time Gold Glove winner and a 10 time All-Star. He was named MVP of the All-Star Game twice. He is often the subject of discussion as one of the best players that are not inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Topps #545 Reggie Smith - Reggie formed a powerful nucleus of hitters along with Garvey, Cey, and Baker. In 1977, all 4 players hit at least 30 homers, the first time in MLB history that 4 teammates all reached that milestone in the same season. By 1982, Smith was a 17 year veteran in his final MLB season. Smith spent 1982 with Giants, and had a bounceback from a disappointing 1981 campaign in which he hit just .200 for the Dodgers in 41 games. Smith's career began in Boston, where he teamed with Yaz and the rest of the "Impossible Dreamers" for the 1967 team that captured the AL pennant in dramatic fashion. He was the AL Rookie of the Year runner-up, and hit a pair of homers in the '67 World Series against the Cardinals. The 4th World Series appearance for Reggie was the charm, making just a pair of plate appearances in the series, but sharing in the success of the 1981 Dodgers. Reggie is criminally underrated, finishing his career with a 137 OPS+, as well as displaying excellent defense throughout his 17 MLB seasons. His counting stat totals place him squarely in the Hall of "Very Good," over 2,000 hits, 314 homers, over 1,100 runs scored and over 1,000 career RBI.

Fleer #29 Steve Yeager - Yeager had the Catching job in 1981, lost it to Mike Scioscia, then won it back in 1983 when Scioscia tore his rotator cuff. A career .228 hitter, Yeager provided power and defense behind the plate. His offensive improved in the post season, where he hit .254 and slugged .449, which was nearly 100 points higher than his career regular season slugging mark. In World Series play, he slashed .298/.323/.579 over 4 trips to the fall classic.  His 2 homers in the 1981 World Series helped him to a share of the MVP award with Ron Cey. He had an excellent arm as well, twice leading the NL in caught stealing pct. Fun fact - his cousin is the famous test pilot Chuck Yeager, who was the first person to have broken the sound barrier in flight. 

Topps #338 Dave Lopes - Davey left the Dodgers following the 1981 World Series win, traded just before the season began in 1982 to Oakland. His 1981 season was a rough one, playing in just 58 games and hitting a career low .206. A late addition to the 1984 Cubs roster, and a deadline acquisition of the Astros in 1986, Lopes played in the NLCS six times in his career, and five times in the World Series (4 of those coming with the Dodgers, of course). Lopes was known as a speed threat, leading the NL in stolen bases in 1975 and 76, as well as compiling 556 steals over his 16 year career. Along with Garvey, Cey, and Bill Russell, Lopes formed the longest lasting intact infield in MLB history. The group appeared together in same lineup and same infield for roughly 10 straight seasons.

What is your favorite card of a Dodgers Player from 1982? Doesn't have to be one of these...

Thanks for reading!

From Ainge to Zisk - The 1981 Topps Traded Set

In 2018, I finished a collection of all the "Cardboard Box" Topps Traded sets from 1981 - 1991. I thought it would be a fun topic for the blog to dig into the sets and share some highlights from each one. Danny Ainge, of course, was a big rookie card in this set. Not so much for his baseball career, but because this was his first of two professional sports careers.

The back of his card alludes to his versatility. After a few seasons in Toronto, Ainge switched sports and became a household name in Boston. At 6'4" he was considered quite tall as a baseball player. On the basketball court, he was just the right size to be "pesky" in the paint and source of consternation for small forwards throughout the NBA.

It was a decent rookie crop in the 1981 Traded set. The Legend Bob Walk had just moved to Atlanta after starting game 1 of the 1980 World Series for the Phillies. Leon "Bull" Durham was just getting his career started, not knowing he'd one day be on the big screen as a Minnesota Twin in Little Big League.

The big rookie of 1981 was Fernando Valenzuela. He, like many of these guys, had cards in the main 1981 Topps set. That card, however, was shared with two other Dodger Rookies. "Fernandomania" swept the NL and demanded a bigger stage for the young lefty. Topps was happy to oblige.

The only rookie in the set that was also a Hall of Famer was the electric Tim Raines. The Expos were well on their way in 1981 to becoming one of the most exciting teams in recent memory thanks to Raines and their young nucleus of talent.

The Traded set had one big advantage - which was the ability to identify the players making the biggest impacts in the current year. Both Valenzuela and Raines had gaudy numbers by mid season when Topps finalized the checklist for the traded set.

Speaking of Hall of Famers, the 1981 Topps set had 9 in all. Blyleven was relieved to escape the National League, where he would often be pulled from close games before he was ready. Rollie Fingers solidified the bullpen in Milwaukee and helped the team make it to the 1982 World Series. Fisk would become a legend in his new Sox, and Joe Morgan would continue his excellent play well into his late 30s. 

Dave Winfield made headlines joining Reggie Jackson in New York, but would have a tumultuous relationship with the Yankees' owner George Steinbrenner. Don Sutton spent just a year and half in Houston, before heading to the Brewers to join Rollie and Harvey's Wallbangers. Bruce Sutter was right in the prime of his career, and flew south to join the Redbirds. 1981 was his 5th All-Star Appearance, and he led the NL in Saves for the 3rd of 4 straight seasons. The Cardinals were the Brewers' opponents in the '82 Series, and Sutter prevailed over Sutton and Fingers. Gaylord Perry is wearing an extremely clean hat for a man who threw a variety of shall we say "heavy" breaking pitches. Perry was the NL leader in hits allowed, but he also had the lowest walk rate (BB/9).

The only Twin in the 1981 Traded set is the jovial erstwhile Dodger, Mickey Hatcher. Mickey came to the Twins in the Ken Landreaux trade in Spring Training of 1981. Hatcher would spend 6 seasons in Minnesota, returning to the Dodgers in time to win the 1988 World Series. In the series, Hatcher hit .368 with a pair of homers.

Traded sets sometimes get the new team before they get a photo in their new uni. That means bad airbrushing! Rick Reuschel's card was among the worst offenders in the 1981 Traded Set, and Rick can barely hide his disgust.

Then again, there will also be some hidden gems in Traded Sets, and these were my favorites from this set.

As promised -- From Ainge, to Zisk!

The Dust Has Settled on the Trade Deadline

The Trade Deadline resulted in a mini fire sale by the Twins, but I was looking for different sales on my own. I've had my eye on this 1972 Topps hi number card of Joe Morgan, his first in a Reds uniform.

It's good to know that the unbridled optimism of Topps cards is sometimes completely accurate. Joe Morgan was good before he came to Cincinnati, but his brand of speed and power transformed the Reds' lineup into a Big Red Machine.

I was thinking about the National show, which is happening this week (going on right now in Cleveland), so I entered "National" into the search engine on COMC to see what exclusives might crop up. This Dave Winfield was new to me, though it turns out the O-Pee-Chee was not. Who needs a copy of it? Lemme know and I'll send it over with some cardboard friends in a blind trade.

The Twins' GM Thad Levine was quoted at the deadline that the front office still believes the Twins' core includes Buxton, Kepler, Rosario, Sano, and Jose Berrios. My reaction was "Well, you traded everyone else, so what's left to be the core?" Buxton had a recurrence of wrist issues and has landed once again on the AAA Disabled List, possibly for the rest of 2018. Quite a precipitous fall from 2017 when he was a Gold (and Platinum) Glove winner.

I've made a pact with myself to always look for at least one 1959 Topps card each time I fill up my COMC cart now, and I found this later series common for under a dollar.

Affordable relics come into play as well, and I found this Mauer mini (complete with a throwback Saint Paul Saints uniform) for a steal.

Staying on the topic of Twins' first basemen, I found a rookie relic for Justin Morneau, as well as this fun quad relic with 1.75 Hall of Famers on it. Raffy would have been a lock if it weren't for PED controversy, and Olerud probably needed a few more peak seasons and a little more power to be in the conversation. Still a very cool card that would have been very spendy in 2002, but was a much nicer price in 2018.