RetroSimba

The Cardinals career of Steve Mura was as unusual as it was short.

Unusual because Mura was successful (12 wins in 1982) yet he didn’t appear in the National League Championship Series or World Series for the Cardinals that year.

Unusual because Mura arrived in a trade that took two months to complete and he departed because of a free-agent signing that didn’t involve him or the Cardinals.

Unusual because Mura at times pitched terribly for St. Louis and other times nearly was unhittable, sometimes experiencing both extremes in consecutive starts.

Mura, a right-hander, was 12-11 with a 4.05 ERA for the ’82 Cardinals. He ranked second among Cardinals pitchers that season in complete games (7) and strikeouts (84), and third in wins (12), starts (30) and innings pitched (184.1). He also was first in walks (80).

Despite that steady use, manager Whitey Herzog preferred to start Dave LaPoint and John Stuper (along with aces Joaquin Andujar and Bob Forsch) ahead of Mura in the postseason.

Mura, a right-hander, was acquired by the Cardinals from the Padres in December 1981 in a trade for outfielder Sixto Lezcano. The deal also was supposed to include Cardinals shortstop Garry Templeton for Padres shortstop Ozzie Smith, but that part wasn’t completed until February 1982.

Though he had a 5-14 record for the 1981 Padres, Mura earned a spot in a Cardinals rotation that included Forsch, Andujar, John Martin and Andy Rincon to open the season.

Mura started the Cardinals’ 1982 home opener, but lasted just 1.1 innings, allowing 3 runs, 3 hits and 3 walks in the Pirates’ 11-7 victory. Boxscore

Five days later, April 15, Mura pitched a four-hitter against the Cubs in the Cardinals’ 6-1 victory at Wrigley Field. Chicago’s only run came on a Keith Moreland home run with two out in the ninth. Boxscore

Those kinds of up-and-down performances continued for Mura and, along with his high walk totals, contributed to Herzog’s decision not to use him in the postseason.

Mura was 0-4 with a 5.59 ERA in June and 3-0 with a 1.77 ERA in July.

He told The Sporting News a rediscovered curveball, a new cut fastball and the ditching of an ineffective slider led to his turnaround in July.

“I can’t throw the ball straight anymore,” Mura said. “The ball is taking off all over. It’s moving more than usual and I’m not used to it. But it helps me more than it hurts me. I’m getting so many more pop-ups now.”

After pitching a complete game in the Cardinals’ 12-5 victory over the Pirates at Pittsburgh on Aug. 15, Mura was 11-7 with a 3.62 ERA. Boxscore

Then he lost four of his last five decisions.

After the Cardinals won the World Series title, Mura filed for salary arbitration.

At the time, big-league baseball rules stated if a team lost a top free agent (deemed Type A) to another team, it could replace the departed player with a major-league caliber player from a compensation pool. Any big-leaguer left off a 26-player protected list by his team was eligible to be chosen from the compensation pool. (This rule was instituted after the 1981 season and lasted four years before it was erased).

The White Sox had lost free-agent outfielder Steve Kemp to the Yankees after the 1982 season. The White Sox chose Yankees pitcher Rudy May from the compensation pool. But May had a no-trade clause, voiding the deal.

Instructed to make another choice, the White Sox selected Mura, who had been left unprotected by the Cardinals.

Mura reported to spring training in 1983, expecting manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan to have him in Chicago’s starting rotation. But Mura opened the season in the bullpen and his career headed into a downward spiral.

He made just six relief appearances for the 1983 White Sox and was critical of La Russa and Duncan. “I’m not doing any good throwing 5 minutes of batting practice,” Mura said to The Sporting News. “… I wish they would make up their mind and trade me or something instead of letting me rot.”

In May, the White Sox demoted Mura to Class AAA Denver. He was 3-11 with a 4.82 ERA in 19 starts for Denver. Meanwhile, La Russa and Duncan were leading the White Sox to their first American League West Division championship.

At spring training in 1984, Mura competed for the No. 5 starter spot in the White Sox rotation. La Russa told The Sporting News Mura “was much improved from last year. He showed he can pitch in the majors.” But the White Sox released him before the season began.

Mura pitched for the Phillies’ Class AAA team in Portland (Ore.) in 1984, posting a 9-4 record and 5.00 ERA. Released by the Phillies, he signed for 1985 with the Athletics. After opening the season at Class AAA Tacoma and posting a 7-5 record, Mura was called up to Oakland on July 1. In 23 games for the Athletics, including one start, Mura was 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA.

In December 1985, two months shy of his 31st birthday, Mura was released by the Athletics. His professional baseball career was finished.

Previously: Jim Kaat interview: 1982 Cardinals were most close-knit club