Randy Elliott outfielder for the San Francisco Giants 1977 #16 (1977 Topps Baseball card)
Though treasured by critics and fans alike, the classic sitcom “Seinfeld” is known as a television show about “nothing.” Spring Training isn’t dissimilar.
By Tony The Tiger Hayes
While Spring Training has become less and less practical for millionaire ballplayers – generational financial security makes year round training much easier – the sport’s preseason warmup period has become increasingly popular for sports and good-time seeking tourists over the past two decades
Spring Training has became the ultimate drug for geriatric thawing snowbirds and spry spring breakers seeking relaxation and fun in the sun.
But if you’re looking for competitive action – you’d be better off spying souvenir seekers jockeying for autographs alongside dugout railings in a preseason setting more accessible than the regular grind.
But don’t ever think of telling former big league outfielder Randy Lee Elliott that Spring Training is an exercise in unimportance.
The former Giant forever wrote his name in baseball history in 1977 when he produced arguably the greatest Cactus League campaign in the history of baseball.
This current spring, unsung Giants prospect Ismael Munguia opened eyes – winning the Giants Barney Nugent Award for best performance by a spring training newcomer with a scintillating Cactus League performance.
But somewhere along California’s central coast, Elliott was likely saying, ‘hold my beer’ in response.
In the spring of 1977 Elliott batted a jaw dropping .547 (29-for-53, with a whopping 18 extra base hits.
Within one month, Elliott went from a giant after thought to Giants Folk Hero.
Why Was He a Giant?
Though this California native played in 114 Major League regular season games over parts of four Major League seasons, Elliott would have fallen into the spittoon of big league obscurity if not for his dominating performance during San Francisco’s 1977 Cactus League campaign.
Though he had not played in a professional game since mid-1975, inactivity was hardly an issue for Randy who came to camp as a non-roster invitee.
Elliott quickly made himself comfortable at home plate –
rampaging through opposing pitching as if he were swinging an oversized cartoon bat.
As most of the country was still struggling with winter permafrost and new President Jimmy Carter, Elliott was all ready heated like a wood burning furnace on full blast stove on the first day exhibition season.
With the team in flux with a new manager Joe Altobelli and prime opportunities in the outfield, Elliott banged 13 hits in his first 18 at bats of the preseason.
By late March, Elliott was still scorching hot, as his average hovered at an ungodly number.
“It is quite obvious that Randy intends on making the club,” said Altobelli, after Elliott smoked a pair of hits including a 425-foot round tripper in a mid-spring contest March 27 vs. the Brewers and watched his average DROP 15 points to .653.
Making Elliott’s spring story even more remarkable was the fact he had missed the entire 1976 season with a shoulder separation. The debilitating injury, which occurred in mid-1975, and sidelined him throughout the 1976 season, leaving Elliott to wonder if his big league dreams had fizzled.
But the Giants- who had organizational issues on a par with outfielder’s injuries – took a flyer on Randy, inviting him to their Winter League Instructional League in late ‘76.
Elliott quickly shook off the rust and batted .331 in the Arizona based loop. Next came an invite to 1977 Spring Training.
San Francisco was hoping to stow away the Padres former top draft pick at Triple—A Phoenix. In emergency he would be a phone call away.
But Elliott had a different goal: securing a spot on the Giants Opening Day roster. Those were big plans for a guy who had essentially spent the previous summer jogging and lounging on Santa Barbara beaches.
“I figured this was my last year to make it to the big leagues. I knew if I didn’t have a heck of s spring training I’d be back at Triple-A ball,” Elliott told the Giants beat scribes. “I’m 25 now and have been in the minors for quite a long time now. The clubs start to lose interest after awhile.”
Before & After
On his 18th birthday in June of 1969, Elliott – a top prospect out of Camarillo High School – was selected by San Diego in the first round (24th overall) of the 1969 amateur draft. He waisted little time showing his ability, batting .302, 4, 50 that summer in the the expansion club’s rookie league team at Salt Lake City and then followed up with two solid seasons in 1970-71 at Single-A Lodi in the California League.
After a breakout campaign at Double-A Alexandria of the Texas League in 1972 (.335, 19, 85) the Padres appeared to have found their first home grown star in Randy and promoted to him to the big leagues in September of ‘72.
Elliott smacked his first two big league hits against future Hall of Famer Phil Niekro in a 4-1 loss at Atlanta (9/10/72). Later in the season Elliott rocketed a go-ahead RBI pinch hit triple off the Dodgers Claude Osteen in a 5-3 Friers win at Los Angeles (9/25/72)
But despite showing flashes, the 21-year-old appeared over matched in his big league audition, mustering just a .204 average (10-for-49, with 11 strikeouts).
Still the future looked extremely bright for Elliott heading into the 1973 season. Besides break out slugger Nate Colbert, San Diego had no established starting outfielders,. With a strong spring Elliott was capable of winning a starting gig with the woeful Padres.
But instead of a breakout campaign, ‘73 marked Elliott’s first extended stay on the disabled list. Shoulder and rib injuries limited Elliott to just a handful of minor league games that season making it overall a lost opportunity to propel his fledgling career.
After knocking off some initial rust, an able-bodied Elliott rebounded mightily in 1974 at Triple-A Hawaii. The burly Californian’s bat must have resembled a long board to opposing pitchers as he batted a mighty .321, 11, 69 in the Tropical setting.
Again, the Pads came calling after his luau style feast on PCL pitching and invited him to wear Brown & Mustard Yellow in September. Elliott crushed his first MLB long ball that month, ripping a solo poke of Reds ace Don Gullett in a 5-2 road loss (9/10/74); he also achieved his first three hit game as a big leaguer – batting 3-for-4 with a double and RBI in a 3-2 home win against San Francisco (9/25/74).
Elliott found himself back in paradise- Honolulu- in 1975, but not in the major leagues. His PCL numbers were solid, but he also spent more time on sidelines with injuries – he’s achilles heel turned out to be his left shoulder. The debilitating separation injury would linger for the rest of his career.
Meanwhile San Diego, wary of Elliott stalled progress moved up three top prospects- Dave Winfield, Johnny Grubb and future Giant Mike Ivie ahead of him on the depth chart.
Elliott’s days as a Frier were cooked.
The California Angels took a flyer on Elliott in 1976, but the shoulder situation kept him sidelined for the entire campaign.
The Giants- who’s outfielder situation was murky – had many players rated higher on their depth chart
Veterans Bobby Murcer and Gary Matthews had decamped via trade and free agency respectively, but the Giants outfield situation was still chock-a-block with contenders for at-bats. There were veteran holdovers Gary Thomasson and Darrell Evans as well youngsters Jack Clark, Larry Herndon and Terry Whitfield. Former Dodgers stalwart Willie Crawford was also in camp.
Elliott, shockingly, outperformed them all that spring- and it wasn’t even close.
With a week to go in spring camp, Altobelli, announced that not only had Elliott made the parent club, he was strongly being considered to start in left field on opening day in Los Angeles.
Elliott vowed to make Altobelli a proud rookie skipper. “The conditions this spring were just right, I don’t know if another manager would have given me such a complete look as Joe,” he said.
He Never Had a Giants Bobblehead Day. But…
As it turned out, Elliott did not receive the Giants Opening Day left field starter assignment in Los Angeles- Thomasson received the nod a promptly clubbed a home run to lead off the game and season vs. Don Sutton.
But Elliott was in the lineup the following game vs. Dodgers lefty Doug Rau. In his first at bat however, Elliott was hit by a pitch by Rau … on his problem shoulder. On his next at bat Elliott felt his shoulder popped loose.
He was back at square one. Not wanting to go back on the disabled list Elliott soldiered on.
The starting assignments dwindled as did his batting average. Elliott managed to stick with the parent Giants for most the 1977 season and became an adapt pinch hitter slugging three pinch home runs that season including a grand slam off the Reds Fred Norman.
In 73 games with San Francisco, Elliott batted .240, 7, 26 – all career highs.
Elliott did not play organized ball in 1978-79, but he returned to the professional ranks in 1980 and even played in a handful of games with the Oakland A’s before retiring from the sport.
Years later, Elliott was philosophical about his time in baseball and the that spring training with the Giants.
“(I played so well) because shoulder stayed in the whole time,” he told the Chronicle. “When my shoulder was healthy, I could play.”
