Starting Fresh: The Expansion of 1977

In part four of my six part series on major league expansion drafts, I examine the fifth expansion draft in major league history, the 1977 expansion draft for the newest members of the American League, the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays.

RULES
The rules were similar to the American League’s previous two expansion drafts. After the first two players were taken at $75,000 apiece and the third at $50,000, the existing teams had to take two more players on top of the original seven, and they were valued at $125,000 each (the expansion teams were not required to draft these players.)

THE FIRST PICKS
The second rendition of an American League club in Seattle began when the now named Mariners selected Kansas City outfielder Ruppert Jones. The 21-year old Jones was both Rookie of the Year and an all-star in his first full major league season, hitting 24 home runs and driving in 76. With their first selection, Toronto took Bob Bailor. Bailor, who couldn’t crack a good Baltimore line-up, stepped in and hit .310 in 1977. The speedy Bailor also won the first two Blue Jay Player of the Year awards in team history.

The next two draft picks came in the form of pitching with Gary Wheelock going to the Mariners with the third pick and Jerry Garvin moving even farther up north from Minnesota to Toronto. Wheelock spent parts of two years with the Mariners and Garvin had his best season in 1977, going 10-18, and was out of the Jays’ rotation two seasons later. Garvin’s most memorable moment came in May of the expansion year when he picked off four Oakland Athletic baserunners.

IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTORS (1977 SEASON)
The Mariners picked three players during the draft that would hit 20+ home runs during the 1977 season. Outfielder Leroy Stanton, one of the steals of the draft being selected at the 40^th slot, hit a team leading 27 jacks. He was joined by Jones (24) and first baseman Dan Meyer (22). Meyer and Stanton also shared the team lead with 90 RBIs. Pitcher Glenn Abbott, selected out of Oakland, led the staff in many categories. Abbott pitched over 200 innings and finished the season with a 12-13 record.

Unlike their expansion partners, the Jays’ did not get much offense from the draft. Roy Hartsfield’s club finished at the bottom of the American League in both runs and big flies. Bailor and third baseman Roy Howell, acquired in May from Texas, both hit over .300 for Toronto. Bailor also shared the team RBI lead with first baseman Doug Ault, both players finishing with 64. Ault will always be remembered by Blue Jay fans for swatting two baseballs over the fence at Exhibition Stadium during the teams’ first game in franchise history.

NOTABLE SELECTIONS
Jim Clancy left his mark on Toronto more then any other player selected in the 1977 draft. Clancy broke into the Blue Jays’ rotation in July of that season and would not relinquish his spot until he left via free agency to Houston after the 1988 season. Clancy was an all-star in 1982 and had three 15-win seasons while in a Jays uniform. Still regarded as one of the best pitchers in franchise history, Clancy’s 128 wins and 2206 innings pitched are both good for 2^nd all-time for Toronto.

The Blue Jays also selected Pete Vuckovich with the 19^th overall pick, who spent the 1977 season as the teams’ closer, appearing in 53 games. Vuckovich would later go on to be a prominent starter with Milwaukee in the early-80s, winning the Cy Young award in 1982. Vuckovich also played slugger Clu Haywood in the baseball comedy, Major League.

Many future baseball coaches were selected in the 1977 draft. Dave McKay, who was been a coach on Tony LaRussa’s clubs since 1996, was picked by the Blue Jays with the first pick of the fifth round. The Mariners’ seventh selection, Dave Collins, was a first base coach for four different major league teams after his major league career ended. In addition to being the Jays’ primary catcher during the ‘80s, Ernie Whitt is also currently the teams’ first base coach and managed the Canadian team at the 2004 Olympics and 2006 WBC. Another Jays pick, Otto Vélez, coached for the Puerto Rican national team in the ‘90s.

Also, Mariners selection Julio Cruz is now in his sixth season calling the M’s games on the Spanish Radio Network. Cruz also holds the Mariners’ all-time stolen base record, stealing 290 bags in his seven seasons with the club.

While not an actual expansion pick, Diego Segui warrants mentioning. While going 0-7 for the Mariners in his final season in 1977, Segui is the only player in major league history to suit up for both Seattle clubs; Segui being an expansion pick by the original Pilots in 1969.

INAUGURAL SEASONS
The Mariners had the better season of the two clubs, narrowly avoiding 100 losses by going 64-98. Ruppert Jones was the only Seattle representative at the all-star game. Thanks to a collapse by Oakland, Seattle narrowly avoided last place in the American League West by a half of a game.

The Jays struggled in their first season, winning only 54 games, and finishing with the worst record in all of baseball. The club led the division early in April and continued to play .500 ball throughout the month. However, single digit win totals in July and September attributed to the team’s poor record. Despite the Jays’ record, the team drew the 4^th best attendance in the American League and won the 1977 season series over the Mariners, 6-4.