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

Dick Allen

Tom LaSorda

Third Base:

Walter Alston

Ron Cey (35.63) - 56

Dick Allen (5.44) - 12

Notable Events:

Outfield:

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

Willie Davis (20.01) - 51

youngsters acquired thru extremely astute drafting. Unfortunately

Willie Crawford (15.96) - 35

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

Bill Buckner (9.39) - 31

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

Reggie Smith (15.15) - 31

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

Jim Wynn (12.39) - 23

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

Dusty Baker (8.59) - 21

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

Manny Mota (9.31) - 16

second place divisional finish.

Rick Monday (1.59) - 10

Lee Lacy (5.9) - 9

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

from Chicago in a deal for slugger Dick Allen.

Notable Events:

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

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

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

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

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

in the '70 draft

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

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

Anaheim in a seven player deal that sends righty Bill Singer

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

the other way

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

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

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

same four players in the infield:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Steve Garvey's 1974 MVP.

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

Especially amazing since the Dodgters had pretty much owned the

Rookie of the Year Year award in the National League,

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

but none of these four were ROY.

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

Russell had been selected in the '66 draft.

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

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

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

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

He was a first round pick in '71

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

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

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

Montreal in exchange for aging Willie Davis.

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

Marshall sets an unbelievable record of 106 relief appearances and

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

goes 15-12. He was dominant and indefatiguable

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

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

to become something of a guru in pitching mechanics

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

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

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

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

in the World Series.

with Cleveland four years earlier for journeyman righthander Bruce Ellingsen.

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

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

Rick Rhoden. Quality for quality

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

lefty Geoff Zahn. Quality for quality in this one.

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