Los Angeles Dodgers - The Disco Years (1970-1979)

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1970

Decade

1970

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102

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Titles:

Top Dodgers Players of the Seventies

NL Champs 1974 (Lost to A's)

NL Champs 1977 (lost to Yankees)

Pitchers:

NL Champs 1978 (lost to Yankees)

Don Sutton (34.66) - 104

Tommy John (15.09) - 46

BallPark:

Claude Osteen (10.21) - 42

Chavez Ravine

Burt Hooton (18.9) - 41

Doug Rau (12.87) - 38

Team Name:

Andy Messersmith (15.61) - 34

Dodgers

Jim Brewer (7.74) - 26

Charlie Hough (3.38) - 25

Owner:

Al Downing (6.1) - 23

Peter O'Malley

Mike Marshall (1.95) - 22

Rick Rhoden (5.64) - 19

General Manager:

Rick Sutcliffe (3.89) - 12

Al Campanis

Bill Singer (0.58) - 10

Doyle Alexander (0.36) - 1

Managers:

Fred Norman (0.63) - 0

Walter Alston (1970-1976)

Tom LaSorda (1977-1979)

Catchers:

Steve Yeager (14.84) - 46

No Hitters:

Joe Ferguson (13.7) - 33

Bill Singer (1970)

Tom Haller (3.25) - 10

Rookie of the Year

First Basemen:

Rick Sutcliffe (1979)

Steve Garvey (29.77) - 58

Wes Parker (9.52) - 22

MVP

Steve Garvey (1974)

Second Base:

Davey Lopes (30.54) - 64

Cy Young

Bill Grabarkewicz (6.29) - 10

Mike Marshall (1974)

ShortStop:

Hall of Famers:

Bill Russell (19.56) - 64

Don Sutton

Maury Wills (3.27) - 17

Notable Events:

Third Base:

Ron Cey (35.63) - 56

1970 - The decade begins with the Dodgers farm system loaded with

Dick Allen (5.44) - 12

youngsters acquired thru extremely astute drafting. Unfortunately

for LA, there are a couple of other juggernauts around, as

Outfield:

well, such as the Big Red Machine and the hard hitting Pirates.

Willie Davis (20.01) - 51

Los Angeles continues to draft well in the Seventies .As a result,

Willie Crawford (15.96) - 35

LA will have strong, competitive teams throughout the first nine years

Bill Buckner (9.39) - 31

of the decade with their worst mark coming in 1970 at 87-74 for a

Reggie Smith (15.15) - 31

second place divisional finish.

Jim Wynn (12.39) - 23

Dusty Baker (8.59) - 21

1972 - Future Hall of Fame lefthander Tommy John, 29, is obtained

Manny Mota (9.31) - 16

from Chicago in a deal for slugger Dick Allen.

Rick Monday (1.59) - 10

Allen had been picked up from the Cards a year earlier for

Lee Lacy (5.9) - 9

1969 rookie of the year Ted Sizemore. An overall steal for LA

Notable Events:

1972 - Lefty Doug Rau, 23, is a rookie. He was a first round pick

in the '70 draft

1976 - Righthander Rick Sutcliffe, 20, is a rookie. He was a first round pick in '74

1973 - Ace righthander Andy Messersmith, 27, is obtained from

1976 - Outfielder Dusty Baker, 27, is obtained in a six player trade with the Braves

Anaheim in a seven player deal that sends righty Bill Singer

the other way

1976 - Outfielder Reggie Smith, 31, is acquired in a four player deal with the Cards

1973 - Begins an amazing ten year run by the Dodgers of starting the

1976 - Walter Alston retires as manager after 23 one year contracts

same four players in the infield:

Tom LaSorda takes over in 1977 and will manage for the next 20 years on

Garvey at first; Lopes at second; Russell at short and Cey at third.

one year contracts, as well. Nothing so permanent as a temporary solution.

Also, amazingly, out of a group that was this good and stayed

together this long, they only got one award amongst them -

1977 - The Dodgers become the first team in history with four thirty home run hitters:

Steve Garvey's 1974 MVP.

Steve Garvey (33); Reggie Smith (32) ; Dusty Baker (30); Ron Cey (30)

Especially amazing since the Dodgters had pretty much owned the

Rookie of the Year Year award in the National League,

1977 - LA gains six games in the standings to win the Division and beats the

but none of these four were ROY.

Phillies in the NLCS to make it to the World Series.

Russell had been selected in the '66 draft.

Garvey, Lopes and Cey were all selected in the '68 draft.

1977 - Reggie Jackson of the Yankees provides the World Series highlight reel

with three homers on three pitches in the decisive game six, beating LA.

1974 - Righthander Rick Rhoden, 21, is a rookie.

He was a first round pick in '71

1978 - Los Angeles becomes the first team in history to draw three million fans

1974 - Righthanded reliever Mike Marshall, 31, is swiped away from

1978 - The Yankees beat the Dodgers again in the World Series as Reggie

Montreal in exchange for aging Willie Davis.

Jackson again is involved in the big play when he gets away with

Marshall sets an unbelievable record of 106 relief appearances and

illegally stepping in front of a throw that would have completed a sure double play.

goes 15-12. He was dominant and indefatiguable

After his retirement from the Big Leagues, Marshall would go on

The 1978 World Series marks the eighth time in ten World Series meetings that

to become something of a guru in pitching mechanics

the Yankees have beaten the Dodgers - 1955 and 1963 being the aberrations.

1974 - LA makes it to the post season after a seven year drought.

1978 - Righthander Bob Welch, 21, is a rookie. He was a 1st round pick in '77

They had last made it in '66 when they were swept by the Orioles

in the World Series.

1978 - Righthander Dave Stewart, 21, is a rookie. He was a 16th round pick in '75

The Dodgers knock off the Pirates 3 games to 1 to win the NLCS

However, they lose in 5 games to the A's in the World Series

1978 - Third baseman Pedro Guerrero, 22, is a rookie. He was acquired in a deal

with Cleveland four years earlier for journeyman righthander Bruce Ellingsen.

1975 - Righty Burt Hooton, 25, is obtained from the Cubs for

lefty Geoff Zahn. Quality for quality in this one.

1979 - Ace lefty Jerry Reuss, 28, is obtained in a deal with the Pirates for righty

Rick Rhoden. Quality for quality

1979 - In a temporary misstep, LA drops below .500