1977 Texas Rangers season
Encyclopedia
The 1977 Texas Rangers
season involved the Rangers finishing second in the American League West
with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses.
Danny Thompson
died of leukemia. Thompson had played in 64 games for the Rangers in 1976.
was drawn back into the major leagues as manager
of the Rangers. After that day, he abruptly quit and left for Alabama, saying only that he was homesick.
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
season involved the Rangers finishing second in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses.
Offseason
On December 10, 1976, shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Danny Thompson
Danny Thompson (baseball)
Danny Leon Thompson was a professional baseball player, a major league shortstop from 1970-76.Born in Wichita, Kansas, Thompson grew up in tiny Capron, Oklahoma, and played college baseball at Oklahoma State, where he was an All-American. He broke into the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 1970...
died of leukemia. Thompson had played in 64 games for the Rangers in 1976.
Notable transactions
- November 17, 1976: Bert CampanerisBert CampanerisDagoberto Campaneris Blanco , nicknamed "Campy", is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams, primarily the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
was signed as a free agent by the Rangers. - November 23, 1976: Doyle AlexanderDoyle AlexanderDoyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
was signed as a free agent by the Rangers. - December 9, 1976: Jeff BurroughsJeff BurroughsJeffrey Alan Burroughs is a former player in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the Washington Senators , Texas Rangers , Atlanta Braves , Seattle Mariners , Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays . Burroughs batted and threw right-handed...
was traded by the Rangers to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Carl MortonCarl MortonCarl Wendle Morton was a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves...
, Adrian DevineAdrian DevinePaul Adrian Devine was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1980 for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. Devine primarily pitched in relief and had his best season in 1977 with the Rangers when he posted a win-loss record of 11–6 with 15 saves. He and his wife breed Cavalier King...
, Ken HendersonKen HendersonKenneth Joseph Henderson was an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs .He helped the Giants to win the National League Western Division in 1971 and the Reds to win the NL West in...
, Dave MayDave MayDavid LaFrance May is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from to . May is one of two Delawareans to make the All-Star Game. He was first drafted by the San Francisco Giants, but appeared in his first Major League game with the Baltimore Orioles...
, Roger MoretRoger MoretRogelio "Roger" Moret is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers . In 168 games , he posted a career won-lost record of 47-27 and an earned run average of 3.66...
, and $250,000. - December 15, 1976: Dave CriscioneDave CriscioneDavid Gerald Criscione is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He played seven games for the Baltimore Orioles in , going 3-for-9 at the plate....
was traded by the Rangers to the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Bob BabcockBob Babcock (baseball)Robert Ernest Babcock is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for three seasons. He was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in , and played for the Texas Rangers from to . Babcock currently lives in Butler, Pennsylvania where he is a heck of a golfer.-External links:...
. - January 11, 1977: Dave RighettiDave RighettiDavid Allan Righetti is a former left-handed pitcher for various Major League Baseball teams, primarily the New York Yankees. He is currently the pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants and was the first player in history to both pitch a no-hitter and also lead the league in saves in his career...
was drafted by the Rangers in the 1st round (10th pick) of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft1977 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
. - February 2, 1977: Fritz PetersonFritz PetersonFritz Fred Peterson is a former Major League Baseball player who played for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Texas Rangers from 1966 to 1976...
was released by the Rangers. - February 5, 1977: The Rangers traded a player to be named later and cash to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Darold KnowlesDarold KnowlesDarold Duane Knowles is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher, and the current pitching coach of the Florida State League's Dunedin Blue Jays...
. The Rangers completed the deal by sending Gene ClinesGene ClinesEugene Anthony Clines is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, Clines played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , New York Mets , Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs . He was also the hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs from 2005-2006...
to the Cubs on February 15. - February 17, 1977: Brian DoyleBrian Doyle (baseball)Brian Reed Doyle is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the New York Yankees and Oakland A's. He played primarily as a second baseman. His brother, Denny Doyle, was also a Major League baseball player...
, Greg PryorGreg PryorGregory Russell Pryor , is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He played all or part of ten seasons in the majors, in 1976 and 1978-1986.- Major league career :...
and cash were traded by the Rangers to the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
for Sandy AlomarSandy Alomar, Sr.Santos "Sandy" Alomar, Sr., or in the Spanish naming system Santos Alomar Conde is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , California Angels , New York Yankees , and Texas Rangers . Alomar was a...
.
Regular season
For one June day in 1977, Eddie StankyEddie Stanky
Edward Raymond Stanky , nicknamed "The Brat", was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago Cubs , Brooklyn Dodgers , Boston Braves , New York Giants , and St. Louis Cardinals...
was drawn back into the major leagues as manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Rangers. After that day, he abruptly quit and left for Alabama, saying only that he was homesick.
Opening Day starters
- Juan BeníquezJuan BeníquezJuan José Beníquez Torres is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees , Seattle Mariners , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays...
- Bert BlylevenBert BlylevenBert Blyleven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from to , and was best known for his curveball. Blyleven was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011...
- Bert CampanerisBert CampanerisDagoberto Campaneris Blanco , nicknamed "Campy", is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams, primarily the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
- Tom GrieveTom GrieveThomas Alan Grieve was a Major League Baseball player from 1970-1979 for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals...
- Mike HargroveMike HargroveDudley Michael Hargrove is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. He is currently employed as an advisor with the Cleveland Indians....
- Toby HarrahToby HarrahColbert Dale Harrah is a former professional baseball player who played with the Texas Rangers both before and after their 1971 franchise shift before later being traded to the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees...
- Ken HendersonKen HendersonKenneth Joseph Henderson was an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs .He helped the Giants to win the National League Western Division in 1971 and the Reds to win the NL West in...
- Jim SundbergJim SundbergJames Howard Sundberg is a former professional baseball catcher known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. He played for a number of Major League teams, most significantly the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, with whom we won a World Championship...
- Claudell WashingtonClaudell WashingtonClaudell Washington is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics , Texas Rangers , Chicago White Sox , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and California Angels...
- Bump WillsBump WillsElliot Taylor "Bump" Wills is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs . He also played two seasons in Japan for the Hankyu Braves...
Notable transactions
- April 1, 1977: Carl Morton was released by the Rangers.
- April 12, 1977: Steve FoucaultSteve FoucaultSteven Raymond Foucault was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1978 for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, and Kansas City Royals. Foucault attended South Georgia College...
was traded by the Rangers to the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
for Willie Horton. - April 30, 1977: Mike Marshall was purchased by the Rangers from the Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. - May 9, 1977: Roy HowellRoy HowellRoy Lee Howell , is a former professional baseball player who played third base in Major League Baseball from 1974-1984...
was traded by the Rangers to the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for Jim MasonJim Mason (baseball)James Percy Mason , is a former Major League Baseball shortstop, who played nine seasons in the major leagues, from 1971–1979, for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Montreal Expos.Mason was a member of the Yankees during the 1976 World Series against...
, Steve HarganSteve HarganSteven Lowell Hargan , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1965–1972 and 1974-1977.-External links:...
and $200,000. - May 23, 1977: Dave MoatesDave MoatesDavid Allen Moates is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of three seasons in the major leagues, from until , for the Texas Rangers.-Sources:...
was purchased from the Rangers by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. - June 7, 1977: John ButcherJohn Butcher (baseball)John Daniel Butcher is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for seven seasons. He played for the Texas Rangers from 1980 to 1983, the Minnesota Twins from 1984 to 1986, and the Cleveland Indians in 1986....
was drafted by the Rangers in the 1st round (18th pick) of the secondary phase of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft1977 Major League Baseball Draft-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
. - June 15, 1977: Dock EllisDock EllisDock Phillip Ellis, Jr. was a professional baseball player who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, among other teams in Major League Baseball. His best season was 1971, when he won 19 games for the World Series champion Pirates and was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star...
was purchased by the Rangers from the Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. - June 15, 1977: Jim FregosiJim FregosiJames Louis Fregosi is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played from 1961–1978 for four different teams, primarily the Los Angeles and California Angels. In that franchise's first eleven years of play, he became its first star as the team's...
was traded by the Rangers to the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for Ed KirkpatrickEd KirkpatrickEdgar Leon Kirkpatrick , nicknamed "Spanky", was a baseball utility player for the Los Angeles/California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Texas Rangers , and Milwaukee Brewers .He helped the Pirates win the National League Eastern Division in 1974 and 1975...
.
Roster
| 1977 Texas Rangers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches |
||||||
Player stats
| = Indicates team leader |
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 153 | 525 | 160 | .305 | 18 | 69 | |
| 3B | 159 | 539 | 142 | .263 | 27 | 87 | |
| SS | 150 | 552 | 140 | .254 | 5 | 46 | |
| CF | 123 | 424 | 114 | .269 | 10 | 50 | |
| RF | 120 | 340 | 82 | .241 | 7 | 42 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 244 | 63 | .258 | 5 | 23 | |
| 79 | 236 | 53 | .225 | 7 | 30 | |
| 69 | 83 | 22 | .265 | 1 | 11 | |
| 25 | 32 | 7 | .219 | 0 | 3 | |
| 1 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 238 | 15 | 12 | 3.37 | 177 | |
| 34 | 237 | 17 | 11 | 3.65 | 82 | |
| 30 | 234.2 | 14 | 12 | 2.72 | 182 | |
| 6 | 27.1 | 0 | 3 | 5.93 | 15 | |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 108.1 | 6 | 4 | 4.24 | 57 | |
| 18 | 72.1 | 3 | 3 | 3.73 | 39 | |
| 15 | 47.1 | 4 | 1 | 2.66 | 51 | |
| 12 | 35.2 | 2 | 2 | 4.04 | 18 | |
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 | 11 | 6 | 15 | 3.58 | 67 | |
| 42 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3.22 | 14 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.35 | 3 | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.29 | 1 |
Awards and honors
- Jim SundbergJim SundbergJames Howard Sundberg is a former professional baseball catcher known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. He played for a number of Major League teams, most significantly the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, with whom we won a World Championship...
, Gold Glove, catcher, 1977 - Juan BeníquezJuan BeníquezJuan José Beníquez Torres is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Texas Rangers , New York Yankees , Seattle Mariners , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays...
, Gold Glove, outfield, 1977
All-Stars
All-Star Game1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 48th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 19, 1977, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, New York the...
- Bert CampanerisBert CampanerisDagoberto Campaneris Blanco , nicknamed "Campy", is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams, primarily the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
, reserve