Played high school basketball against Cey in Tacoma in 1965-6. He was an excellent basketball player: quick not fast, heady, great hands, very solid jump shot, understated athleticism. Fun to hear people relive his MLB exploits. Seager has a lot of similar qualities to Cey, but I think Kyle is a little faster.

They imported big-time talent to supplement the big-time prospects they developed, else they'd have never got where they got in 1974-78.(Three World Series, the last two competing with the Big Red Machine in all it's glory.
In '72 they added Tommy John (from the White Sox) to the rotation.
In '74 they imported two key players, The Toy Cannon, Jimmy Wynn (from Houston), and Mike Marshall (from Montreal), who provided some all-time great closing. Wynn's power and RBI bat and Marshall's 200 IP out of the pen propelled them from being a young up and coming team to a World Series team that year.
In '76 they brought in Dusty Baker (from Atlanta) AND Reggie Smith (from StL) to bolster offensive production and hold down 2 OF positions.
In '77 they added the third out-of-towner to the OF, Rick Monday (from the Cubs), and Burt Hooton to the rotation (also from the Cubs).
In '78 they added Billy North (from the Oakland A's).
So yes, they had a homegrown core, but that core alone, for all it's success, would not have allowed them to do what they did. The farm cranked out infielders and SOME of their pitching needs, but they add BOLDLY from outside talent to put the full recipe together. History, in this case does NOT allow ourselves to think one-dimensionally, that somehow homegrown talent alone created the Dodgers of the '70's. It just ain't so.
And we should not fool ourselves into thinking the same about the Seattle Mariners. We need to remember something, and think long and hard about it. Where would this team be, even with Seager, Miller, Franklin and Smoak, without imports Raul Ibanez and Kendrys Morales? Oh, and we imported Iwakuma as well, didn't we?! And Oliver Perez? Where would this team be without them?!

A pretty impressive lot:
Ron Cey: Got the full time 3B job in '73, held it for 10 years. Had low OPS's of 104 & 111. Had high numbers of 142, 143, 143. B-R has him as the 250th best hitter of all time. Tony Perez, the slugging 3B for the Big Red Machine is # 235. Paul Konerko is #234. Bill Madlock, a hitting-machine 3B is 236, Cey was in that class. Very good. Underrated.
Bill Russell got the fulltime SS job in '72. He held it for 12 seasons, basically averaging almost 90 OPS...in an ERA where SS's weren't expected to hit. He was a gritty out and a better than advertised hitter.
Davey Lopes: Became the fulltime 2B in '73, stayed there for 7 seasons. His low OPS was 87, his high 128. But those numbers are low because he was one of the very best base-stealers of his generation. He led the league twice (77, 63) and in his age 33-34 seasons he swiped 89 bases and was caught 8 times. He once hit 28 homers. He was a very good offensive player. B-R says he's number 274. Johnny Pesky is 281.
Steve Garvey RBI machine. Got the 1B job in '73 (converted 3B). For the next 7 seasons he neer hit below .297. B-R says he's the 163rd best hitter ever. Albert Belle is #165.
Imagine an IF of Perez, Pesky, Belle and a good hitting SS.
That's what the Dodgers had for 7 seasons.
We have something like that in the works, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.
Be glad.
moe

Thank you for sharing your memories. I remember Lopes and Cey as always getting hits, always being on base. I have never been a Dodger fan, Willie Mays, Lou Brock and Bob Gibson held my attention and affection. The Dodgers put up a stiff challenge to the A's for top team in California in the 70's. Tacoma has seen some great ball players come through. And John Halama is still the only PCL player to pitch a perfect game, right?

Those were the days. Football players were allowed to compete in IMA sports. I don't think it happens anymore, but we would play future first round draft picks, and then have a beer with them.

The Card dynasty of the late 60's featured Orlando Cepeda (MVP) and Roger Maris. Flood, Gibson, Brock, McCarver and Carlton were not enough. But it is so great to see these kids push past Morales and Ibanez. They showed the way, and these kids are responding.

No 'tats, no 'staches, and get Smoak to drop the gawd-awful chaw. Let these guys looks like kids. They'll be stealthy assassins that way.
Maybe Z can lay down some kind of Marge Schott law for the new M's.
moe

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