It's a periodic tradition around here to find a Labor Day theme and blog about it on Labor Day. Heck, I'm working on the holiday most years (this year included). so might as well fully embrace it.
Showing the Mike Marshall buyback card the other day gave me the idea. There was a time when relievers were described as "workhorses" -- I don't know, maybe they still are -- implying that they were so reliable that you could call on them as often as you wanted and they'd get the job done.
I thought it'd be fun to feature the most dedicated workhorses in MLB history and find a card for each of the pitchers who have appeared in the most games in a single season in major league history. You probably know the first two, but I bet you're kind of hazy on who comes after that. I know I was.
1. Mike Marshall, 106 games played (1974, Dodgers)
As remarkable now as it was then. Marshall appeared in 65% of the Dodgers' regular-season games in 1974 and also finished more than half of them. Marshall is in the all-time top 10 three times with 92 appearances in 1973 and 90 in 1979.
2. Kent Tekulve, 94 GP (1979, Pirates)
One other pitcher besides Marshall has reached 94 games in a single season, but I'd still say Marshall and Tekulve are in a class by themselves. Tekulve is also in the top 10 three times with 91 in 1978 and 90 in 1987.
3. Salomon Torres, 94 GP (2006, Pirates)
The pitchers who have appeared in 94 games or more is a club of three. Salomon Torres completes the trio.
4. Pedro Feliciano, 92 GP (2010, Mets)
Pedro Feliciano passed away at age 45 a couple of years ago. He is the most recent pitcher to throw in at least 90 games in the last 12 years.
Also, I was unaware that I had a Dodgers card -- a minor league card anyway -- of Feliciano.
And it's signed, too!
5. Wayne Granger, 90 GP (1969, Reds)
The one-time record-holder in this category, Wayne Granger surpassed the record of 84 set by the Cubs' Ted Abernathy in 1965. Abernathy had broken the appearance record established by the Kansas City A's John Wyatt in 1964. The mid-1960s seems to be a watershed period for piling up appearances.
6. Jim Brower, 89 GP (2004, Giants)
OK, here we are, the "I don't remember this guy" who I knew was coming. I'm sure I knew him at the time -- or maybe not, I wasn't paying attention all that much to baseball then.
7. Mark Eichhorn, 89 GP (1987, Blue Jays)
One year after finishing sixth in the Cy Young Award voting his rookie year, Mark Eichhorn became just the third pitcher at the time to throw in 89 games. He wouldn't show up that often again, but he did have that workhorse reputation for the rest of his career.
8. Steve Kline, 89 GP (2001, Expos)
Steve Kline showed up during my non-collecting period, I have a grand total of two cards of him, so I'll assume that he actually did pitch in that many games.
9. Paul Quantrill, 89 GP (2003, Dodgers)
Paul Quantrill was the first Dodgers workhorse on the level of Mike Marshall since the mid-1970s. Eric Gagne was appearing in the high 70s at the same time for L.A. Before that you'd have to go back to Charlie Hough.
10. Julian Tavarez, 89 GP (1997, Indians)
There was a time when it seemed like Julian Tavarez was in every single game.
So, those are the top 10 workhorses on this Labor Day. Certain MLB relievers appear a lot in games today, although it doesn't seem like they are approaching the high threshold anymore.
Alex Claudio appeared in 83 games for the Brewers in 2019. That's the highest appearances total in the last 10 years.
The highest totals in the last couple of years is Cleveland's Bryan Shaw with 81 in 2021, Tyler Rogers with 80 that same year, and Adam Kolarek and Yusmeiro Petit with 80 each in 2019.
While I'm mentioning Bryan Shaw, I'll show this bit of nonsense:
I was attracted to the cartoon, given what I was researching but then I was distracted by the juxtaposition of "Cleveland" and "Guardians" in the career stats. I'm sure this is going on with a lot of Cleveland Guardians cards and it looks ridiculous. It seems like Shaw was sent down to a minor league team based in Cleveland.
This is Topps/MLB, whitewashing history. They were called the Indians those years, there is nothing wrong with mentioning it. I have no problem with changing team names to reflect society's changing perspectives but erasing history is damn scary. I wish MLB would start ordering Topps to fix its justification issues in the write-ups instead of stuff like this.
OK, sorry to end a fun post with a rant but that's not my fault.
Comments
There are millions upon millions of cards with Cleveland's former name on them. History is preserved.
In the 1950s and 1960s there were many publications, sport periodicals, newspapers, movies, magazines etc.... that Referred to African Americans as certain name that is not used anymore. These medias still exist (as microfilm etc....), or collectibles. History is preserved.
If I was not allowed to own my 1974 Jack Brohamer or not allowed to sell it or was told it would have to be destroyed then that would be frightening.
Steve Kline and Paul Quantrill are among my favorites in the Obscure Guys I Collect category. Though I'm ashamed to say I've also never heard of Jim Brower.
And yeah as much as I'm for the Cleveland name change, Topps needs to figure out a better way of dealing with it than treating Cleveland as a minor league team until last year.
My 84 Tigers had two guys, Willie Hernandez and Aurelio Lopez, who combined to pitch 151 games and 278 innings, nearly two inning per outing
Combined to go 19 and 4 with 46 saves.
Stickman Tekulve was definitely worthly of the honor you've shown him here too.
As for the team name, don't get me started on that. Upper Deck did that with the Hurricanes and Avalanche in hockey, and it irked me there, too.
I am not a fan of Guardians because we already had Angels. I think the new logo looks terrible but that is only my opinion.