Larvell Blanks - Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

Despite not having a regular position, Blanks still saw a decent amount of playing time in 1976 as a middle infielder. Early in his Cleveland career, Blanks and manager Frank Robinson got along, but the relationship began to crumble in 1977. Blanks batted .280 with five home runs and 41 RBIs his first season in Cleveland, and believed he should be starting at short over Frank Duffy (.212, with two home runs and thirty RBIs in 66 more plate appearances). Robinson stuck with Duffy, however, as he had the better glove.

Several other players also began to mutiny against Robinson, leading to his dismissal 57 games into the 1977 season. Though Duffy remained the primary shortstop over the rest of the season, Blanks saw an upswing in playing time under new manager Jeff Torborg. On July 8, he enjoyed the only two home run game of his career against the Toronto Blue Jays. When starting third baseman Buddy Bell went down with a stretched ligament in his left knee on September 4, Blanks spent the rest of the season as his team's starting third baseman, batting .329 with six RBIs, however, committing three errors.

In Spring training 1978, Blanks beat out Duffy for the starting shortstop job. Shortly afterwards, Duffy was dealt to the Boston Red Sox. He hit pretty well, driving in ten runs in the month of April, but a throwing error against the California Angels on May 5 was his tenth error in just a month of play. He was soon replaced at short by Tom Veryzer. After the season, he and Jim Kern were traded to the Texas Rangers for Bobby Bonds and Len Barker.