the 1984 topps dodgers who were also 1978 topps dodgers

let's continue this evolution of the 1978 topps dodgers with the guys who were featured as boys in blue in the 1984 topps set.  we'll start with dusty baker

who left the dodgers as a free agent after the 1983 season.  he signed a deal with the giants, following in reggie smith's footsteps, and was given a card in the 1984 topps traded set confirming his treachery

i say that in jest, of course, even though it is always strange to see former dodgers - smith, baker, orel hershiser, etc. - wearing the black and orange.  baker appeared in only 100 games for the giants, and hit just 3 home runs.  the giants would trade him to oakland during spring training the following year.

the rest of these guys were still with the dodgers in 1984.  here's burt hooton

yes, he was still with the dodgers in 1984, but it would be his final season in los angeles.  he was used out of the bullpen, with 6 spot starts out of 54 total appearances.  he had a record of 3-6 with 4 saves and a 3.44 era.  his best two outings of the season came in september in back-to-back appearances.  on the 7th, he started against the reds and allowed just 1 run on 2 hits over his 8 innings of work.  he took the loss, however, as the dodgers fell to cincy 1-0.  five days later, hooton was summoned from the bullpen to relieve rick honeycutt to start the second inning against the padres.  hooton went on to pitch 8 innings, allowing one run and striking out five to earn the win.  it was his last win as a dodger.

tom lasorda

lasorda's 1984 topps card features a photo that reminds me of the one that slimfast used in their ads as the 'before' photo.  it's not quite as unflattering, however.  in 1984, lasorda guided the disappointing dodgers to a 79-83 record - good for fourth in the nl west and good for tommy's worst finish as a manager up to that point in his career as the dodgers' field boss.  he would do better the following year.

rick monday

mo's playing career came to an end in 1984.  he appeared in just 31 games, mostly as a pinch hitter.  his lone home run came in that role - a go-ahead 3-run shot against the pirates in may.  monday made most of his field appearances as a first baseman, including the last start of his career in which he turned in all 14 innings at first on june 6.  about two weeks later, monday was released, following a stretch where he struck out in 6 straight plate appearances - the final 6 of his career.

bill russell

russell gave up his claim to the dodgers' shortstop job in 1984, moving over for dave anderson.  russell did appear in 65 games at short, however, but also played some center field and even a bit of second base.  in the 89 games in which he appeared, russell hit .267.

steve yeager

like russell, yeager's place among dodger primary position players was supplanted in 1984 - mike scioscia was yeager's dave anderson.  yeager did provide some relief for scioscia as he caught in 65 games.  at the plate, yeager hit .228 with four home runs - the last of which was his 100th career blast, and the last of his career as a dodger.  his biggest home run of the season, however, was his 99th career home run - a pinch-hit, go-ahead grand slam against the reds on june 21.

so, there you go - the dodgers who remained dodgers from the 1978 topps dodger lineup, as they were in 1984.  and now, since we've seen them and the non-dodgers (in two separate posts), i'll go ahead and update the evolutionary stats.  there were 16/27 members of the 1978 topps dodgers featured by topps in 1984. here's the tally to date:

baker 14 (1971-1984)
burke 2 (1978-1979)
cey 13 (1972-1984)
davalillo 14 (1963-1974, 1978-1979)
forster 13 (1972-1984)
garman 8 (1971-1973, 1975-1979)
garvey 14 (1971-1984)
goodson 6 (1973-1978)
grote 15 (1964-1976, 1978-1979)
hooton 13 (1972-1984)
hough 13 (1972-1984)
john 21 (1964-1984)
lacy 12 (1973-1984)
lasorda 10 (1954, 1973-1974, 1977-1981, 1983-1984)
lopes 12 (1973-1984)
martinez 9 (1971-1976, 1978-1980)
monday 18 (1967-1984)
mota 18 (1963-1980)
oates 10 (1972-1981)
rau 9 (1973-1981)
rautzhan 2 (1978-1979)
rhoden 10 (1975-1984)
russell 15 (1970-1984)
smith 17 (1967-1983)
sosa 10 (1974-1984)
sutton 19 (1966-1984)
yeager 12 (1973-1984)

teams represented so far: 22 (dodgers, indians, colt .45's, pirates, white sox, astros, mets, a's, red sox, angels, expos, cardinals, braves, cubs, orioles, giants, phillies, yankees, rangers, tigers, padres, brewers)