#18 Joe Lis/ Kevin Pasley, 1st Base/ Catcher

What do you do when you are consummate AAAA player? You the guy that's too good for AAA, but can't cut it as a major leaguer. That would be the ultimate description for a guy like Joe Lis. After bouncing up and down with the Philadelphia Phillies for a few seasons, Joe was able to try his hand with the Minnesota Twins. He was not able to find consistent time with the Twins due to an influx of better players, so Joe took his game to the Cleveland Indians. Sadly, Joe found it hard to translate his AAA ability to the big leagues. The break that Joe was probably hoping for came when the Seattle Mariners used their 23rd pick in the expansion draft to bring Joe to Seattle.  It didn't really come to be for Joe in Seattle as he only played in nine games in the first month, but did make his first attempt as a catcher on April 13th. Joe would last see the big leagues on May 8th and would play in Iowa and Toledo the rest of the 1977 season. Joe would take his talents to the Kintetsu Buffaloes in Japan for 1978, only to come back to the AAA Evansville Triplets for one last go. Joe would go on to coach the American Legion team from Evansville and would be followed by his son Joe Jr, who went from making it to AAA to coaching. Joe would also start the Joe Lis Baseball School in Indiana. Sadly, an original Mariner would sail his final voyage when at the age of 64, Joe succumbed to prostate cancer in 2010.

 

 



Since Joe didn't get but nine games as a Mariner with the #18 uniform, you would think that if you were Kevin Pasley  you might not want the number next. Kevin was a catcher whose career path had kind of similarly mirrored Joe's. Kevin was a decent player in the minor leaguers coming up through the Dodgers organization out of high school in the Bronx. Kevin was given spot chances to shine in the end of a couple of seasons, but having star players in front of you at the position doesn't help your cause. After being named one of the "Dodgers players to watch" in 1977 by Baseball Digest, Kevin spent most of that season back with the AAA Albuquerque Dukes for the team. Finally on September 8th, the Mariners would purchase Kevin's contract form Los Angeles. Kevin would only see four games for the M's in '77, but would find his way into 25 games behind the plate for the M's in the 1978 season. For his coup de grace, Kevin would homer for last MLB hit on October 1, 1978 off the Texas Rangers' Fergie Jenkins. That is of little consequence except that only two players have homered in their last hit and had their number retired. Those two would be Ted Williams, and Kevin Pasley. Of course the only reason Kevin's # was retired was because somehow he wore #4 for the Dodgers but it was retired for Duke Snider who was with the team in Brooklyn and Los Angeles from 1947 through the 1962 season. Kevin would bounce around through many AA and AAA teams for seasons from 1979 through 1982 before finally hanging up the spikes.

Three of the four guys on this card would all see time in Seattle, with only Don Werner being the only one that didn't wear a Mariner uniform. How is that for prophecy on Topps' part??

 

#15 Bob Stinson, Catcher

You must have some talent if in June of 1965 the Kansas City Athletics draft you in the 3rd round, and the Washington Senators choose you again in the 1st round in January of 1966. Bob decided that he didn't want to sign with either club and was again selected, this time 15th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bob would work his way through rookie ball all the way to AAA Spokane in the Dodgers minors. On September 23, 1969 Bob was finally able to see the big leagues with the Dodgers. He would get a chance in 4 games in both 1969 and 1970, but with both Tom Haller and Jeff Torborg as regular catchers and Joe Ferguson coming up Bob was expendable. Right after the 1970 season, the Dodgers sent Bob to the Cardinals with Ted Sizemore for Dick Allen. A short time in St. Louis would find Scrap Iron moving to Houston in a trade for future one game Mariner manager Mariner Marty Martinez. A future with the Astros didn't seem apparent either when his contract was purchased by the Montreal Expos. Bob was given sparing playing time with the Expos, and was traded to the Kansas City Royals before the 1975 season. For two seasons in KC, there was a lot of time on the bench as Bob was used only at times and not on a regular basis.

On November 5th of 1976, the Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays were able to select players from current MLB rosters in the expansion draft. With their 13th pick in the draft the Mariners selected Bob from the Royals organization. As a veteran wit big league experience, Bob was immediately thrust into the job of everyday starting catcher for the new club. "Scrap Iron" would hold it down behind the plate for the first two Mariner seasons in the Kingdome and on the road. Before the 1979 season the M's picked up Larry Cox from the Cubs, and Bob was starting to play less. By the next year in 1980 the Mariners also now had Jerry Narron in the catching rotation and Stinson was basically forgotten about and was not playing nearly at all. Bob saw his last action on August 1st of that 1980 season, and was subsequently released by the team a week later. Bob was done with baseball by the time the 1980 season was done, but Bob will always be part of the original Mariner history.

#6 Larry Cox, Catcher

After making brief appearances with the Phillies in three seasons, Larry was sent to the Twins. He would spend his one season for Minnesota as a member of the AAA Tacoma Twins. The Mariners must have had an interest if they saw him, since they would purchase him from the Twins after the 1976 season. Larry would again do his part time thing with the expansion Mariners in 1977. The Mariners would send Larry off to the Chicago Cubs after the '77 season for a minor leaguer in Steve Hamrick. After a season in the Windy City, the Cubs would send him back to Seattle, this time for little known Luis "Puchy" Delgado. Larry would see much more time in 1979 and 1980 with the Mariners before being part of a huge 11 player deal during the 1980-81 off season. Larry made an appearance in Texas in 1981, and an even shorter one back with the Cubs in 1982 before being done with baseball. Larry would move on to manage for the Cubs at A Quad Cities in 1983 and 1984. He would move up to the AAA Iowa Cubs from 1985 through the 1987 season as their manager. In 1988 and 1989, Larry was the bullpen coach for Don Zimmer's Cubs in Chicago. Sadly, Larry would die from a heart attack during the off season before the 1990 season while playing racquetball. He was only 42 years old.

#3 Skip Jutze, Catcher

Skip originally made his way to the majors for a brief stop with the Cardinals in 1972. He would bounce up and down with the Astros between the 1973 and 1976 seasons. Prior to the inaugural 1977 season in Seattle, the Mariners would send a minor league pitcher and cash to Houston for Skip to come to Seattle. While Bob Stinson and a few other catchers would be behind the dish, Skip also got his share of time in 1977. At the end of the 1978 spring training Skip was let go by the Mariners and would retire from baseball after making the maiden voyage in Seattle.

#26 Merritt Ranew, Catcher/ Mike Ferraro, 3rd Base

Another two player number in the revolving door Pilots of the summer of '69.

courtesy of eBay

Merritt Ranew passed away in October of 2011.

courtesy of eBay

Mike Ferraro would go on to spend some time managing in the minors, and for a short time in the majors.

#17 Jim Pagliaroni, Catcher

Jim Pagliaroni was a backup catcher for most of his career. He played for the Pirates, Red Sox, Athletics, and the Pilots. Jim was the catcher lucky enough to be on the field when Jim "Catfish" Hunter pitched his perfect game on May 8, 1968. His contract was purchesd by Pilots on May 27, 1969. He would be the back up for full time catcher Jerry McNertney. Jim retired from baseball after the 1969 season.

courtesy of baseball-fever.com

courtesy of signedautographed.com

courtesy of baseball-almanac.com

Jim lost a five year battle with cancer on April 3, 2010. Another Pilot soaring with the angels.

#15 Jerry McNertney, Catcher

Your regular everyday starting catcher was Jerry. He played four years before Seattle and another four after the Pilots left.

courtesy of checkoutmycards.com

courtesy of eBay.com

courtesy of  eBay.com

courtesy of mearsonline.com

courtesy of slaternitehawks.com

#10 Larry Haney, Catcher/ #10 John Donaldson, 2B

There were two #10's for the Pilots in 1969. Cather Larry Haney started the season with the Pilots. He was famous for his 1969 Topps card being a reverse negative of his 1968 card

 

courtesy of seattlepilots.com

courtesy of baseball-almanac.com

Larry would be traded to the Athletics during the season for second baseman John Donaldson.

courtesy of google.com

courtesy of baseball-almanac.com

courtesy of amazon.com

Two men that were traded for each other would wear the same number for the one year team in Seattle.