A Giant Blog

* The cut isn't quite this bad -- I cut off that part of the card on the scanner

* I wish the Giants could have kept him for a few more years. Gary had a good and productive career.

I have gotten to a place where I can spend a little each month on cards, so I decided to start completing my Giants sets.

John Montefusco had two great seasons and two decent seasons with the Giants before injuries and personality conflicts affected his career. 

The card is in better shape than the scan indicates -- I'm still learning how to use this thing!

• Every time I feature a Gary Matthews or a Garry Maddox card I find myself lamenting the financial straits that forced the Giants to get rid of them in the mid 1970s.
• Matthews finished his run with the Giants in 1976. He batted .279 with 20 HR and 84 RBI.
• Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner was suspended by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn for tampering with Matthews. Turner had told Giants' owner Bob Lurie that no matter how much Lurie offered, the Braves would top the offer.
• Matthews signed a five-year, $1.2  million contract with the Braves after the 1976 season.

• Chris Speier was a solid shortstop for the Giants in the early-mid 1970s.
• Chris was the first round (second overall) pick of the Giants in the 1970 draft
• After spending one season (1970) with AA Amarillo, Chris won the starting shortstop job in 1971. Speier roomed with the man he beat out (Hal Lanier) and learned a lot from him in 1971.
• Speier was an NL All Star in 1972, 1973, and in 1974
• Chris had a rough year in 1976. Manager Bill Rigney wanted to start Johnnie LeMaster at shortstop. Speier didn't like being moved to second base. He eventually agreed to the move, but it only lasted a week.
• Chris slumped to a .226 average in 1976 and was traded to the Montreal Expos for Tim Foli early in the 1977 season.
• Speier eventually  returned to the Giants to finish his career. His second run with the Giants was from 1987-1989