Who is the man: Jim Perry was heading into 1971 as the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and coming off back-to-back 20-win seasons.
Can ya dig it: I hope you can tell he's Gaylord Perry's brother from this photo.
Right on: It took me so long to know who Jim Perry is. I'd say that he might be one of the more forgotten players to have received a double-zero card number (for those times when Topps was specifically awarding double-zero numbers for star players, anyway).
You see that cat Perry is a bad mother: Perry is part of the second-winningest brother combination in big-league history. Jim and Gaylord won 529 games, 10 fewer than Phil and Joe Niekro.
Shut your mouth: Early in his major league career, Perry took a job in the offseason selling bomb shelters. Perry, who tended to give up the home run ball, said, "I ought to get one for myself."
No one understands him but his woman: Perry was left unprotected by the Twins for the expansion draft in 1968. He wasn't chosen and won 20 games in 1969.
(A word about the back): Well, I guess if the card is going to have a crease, the best place for it is the back.
I did not know Perry was offered in the expansion draft. Quite the mistake given he won Cy Young within two years. The talent pool of the 1968 draft was greatly improved over the Houston/Mets draft 7 years earlier. Mike Marshall, Dave Guisti, Diego Segui had significant careers after expansion. Their talent just were not used recognized by the drafting club.
ReplyDeleteDouglas, the talent pool was increased because the established teams could only initially protect 15 players from their entire organization. In 1961/62, I think they could protect 20 players from their 25-man roster, plus some minor-leaguers. As such, only cast-offs were available to the Mets/Colts/Angels/Senators.
DeleteAlso Lou Piniella. He was drafted by the Pilots, traded to the Royals in spring training, and won the ROY!
DeleteHmm... The protected lists for the 1968 drafts were rumored to be hush-hush. Where did you learn of the Perry omission? I'd be curious about all the others as well.
ReplyDeleteI did read where Mickey Mantle was left unprotected, because he was wearing down and was likely going to retire (he did) but the Yankees couldn't risk the PR hit of losing him to expansion. So, there was a gentlemen's agreement that the new teams wouldn't select him.
Also Jim Palmer was left unprotected. After a fine '66 season, he spent most of the next 2 years in the minors with a sore arm, so it was uncertain after 1968 if he would ever return to the majors!
It's in Perry's SABR bio. http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/f7911858
DeleteI forgot about Palmer but I could see him as a gamble. After another look, I'd include Jack Billingham and Jim Rooker on the list too they just need more maturity. Mike Cuellar's 1968 stats are such that I wonder why he wasn't exposed.
ReplyDeleteStatistically, in some ways, 1968 was Perry's best season, just wasn't used much.
The talent pool for position players is considerably less. Pinella is the surprise jewel. Some players were good, for a while mostly outfielders or 1st basemen. I always thought offering at the left side of the infield were weak.