the 1978 topps dodgers in 2002 - who would have thought steve garvey would return?

these posts detailing the cardboard evolution of the 1978 topps dodgers have included only the topps flagship and traded sets.  i once considered adding donruss, fleer, and upper deck flagships, but they weren't around in 1978 so i chose not to.  of course, the topps traded sets weren't around in 1978 either, but i made a decision to consider the traded cards as part of the evolution.  as a result, steve garvey returns to the posts, thanks to this who would have thought? insert from 2002 topps traded

i was really excited to have another topps card of the garv, even if it celebrates his signing with the padres following the 1982 season.  i think i have mentioned it before, but i was in a card shop in early november, 1982 when the news came out that the deadline for re-signing garvey prior to the free agent draft had passed and that he would most likely be signing elsewhere.

there were two other members of the 1978 topps dodgers that were featured on cardboard in 2002, both in the flagship set, and both managers - davey lopes and dusty baker.

davey lopes

in 2002, lopes began his third year as the brewers manager.  it didn't last long - he was fired after 15 games, with the brew crew sitting on a 3-12 record.  it's a good thing the managerial cards weren't in series 2!  lopes returned to coaching with the padres, and also coached for the nationals and phillies (he was featured on a coach's card in 2009 topps heritage) before returning to the dodgers as their first base coach.  i'm holding out hope that topps brings managers back to the flagship set and goes with a 1973 or 1974 type setup that shows the coaches so that lopes can make it back into these posts.

dusty baker

2002 was a big year for dusty.  his giants finished the season with a record of 95-66, although they were, for the second year in a row, in second place in the nl west behind the diamondbacks.  unlike 2001, however, the giants' record was good enough to win the wild card and secure a postseason entry.  in the nlds, the giants beat the braves (owners of the league's best record) in five games, and in the nlcs, the giants eliminated the cardinals in five.  the pennant was the first of dusty's managerial career, and only the third for the giants since they moved to san francisco in 1958.

in the world series, the giants faced mike scioscia's angels, and had a 3 games to 2 lead with a 5-run lead in the 7th inning of game 6, but the angels rallied (scott spiezio!) to force game 7.  baker had given the game ball to starter russ ortiz when he removed the pitcher from the game; a move that was somewhat ridiculed as it suggested that baker thought the giants had the series wrapped up.  i didn't have a problem with it because they should have been able to hold the lead - the 7th inning ended with the giants still leading 5-3 after spiezio's 3-run homer.  anyway, the angels won game 7 in anaheim which was fine with me because, even though i was a big fan of baker, i am a bigger fan of the dodgers which makes it difficult to root for their main rivals.

meanwhile, dusty wasn't a happy camper in san francisco, and the club's management allowed his contract to expire in november of 2002.  dusty wouldn't be out of work long, which meant that he wouldn't be excluded from the topps set(s) in 2003...

here is the yearly tally of appearances to date:

baker 20 (1971-1987, 1993, 2001-2002)
burke 2 (1978-1979)
cey 16 (1972-1987)
davalillo 14 (1963-1974, 1978-1979)
forster 16 (1972-1987)
garman 8 (1971-1973, 1975-1979)
garvey 18 (1971-1987, 2002)
goodson 6 (1973-1978)
grote 15 (1964-1976, 1978-1979)
hooton 15 (1972-1986)
hough 23 (1972-1994)
john 26 (1964-1989)
lacy 16 (1973-1988)
lasorda 19 (1954, 1973-1974, 1977-1981, 1983-1993)
lopes 18 (1973-1988, 2001-2002)
martinez 9 (1971-1976, 1978-1980)
monday 18 (1967-1984)
mota 18 (1963-1980)
oates 14 (1972-1981, 1991-1993, 2001)
rau 9 (1973-1981)
rautzhan 2 (1978-1979)
rhoden 16 (1975-1990)
russell 18 (1970-1987)
smith 17 (1967-1983)
sosa 10 (1974-1984)
sutton 23 (1966-1988)
yeager 15 (1973-1987)

teams represented so far: 24 (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, mariners, marlins)