RetroSimba

(Updated March 17, 2020)

Larry Walker wasn’t looking to leave the Rockies, but the Cardinals convinced him to give them a chance.

On Aug. 6, 2004, Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty performed a heist, acquiring Walker, 37, from the Rockies for three prospects.

Walker, a three-time National League batting champion and seven-time Gold Glove Award winner, joined an outfield of Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders and helped the Cardinals win their first pennant in 17 years.

On Jan. 21, 2020, 16 years after the Cardinals acquired him, Walker was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 76.6 percent of the votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America.

The Rockies had approached Walker about trading him to the Rangers or Marlins. Because Walker was a 10-year veteran who had spent five of those years with the same team, his approval was needed before a deal could be made. He rejected the proposed trades to Texas and Florida.

Players make pitch

The Cardinals appealed to Walker’s competitive spirit. In a bid to seal the deal, Edmonds and teammate Scott Rolen called Walker, urging him to help them get to the World Series by accepting a trade.

Rolen offered to drop a spot in the batting order in case manager Tony La Russa wanted to bat Walker in the cleanup position Rolen held.

Inspired, Walker gave his OK to the Rockies to complete a trade with the Cardinals.

“I think there were some people in Colorado who weren’t certain he would come,” Jocketty said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He weighed everything and it didn’t take him long. I think he’ll be energized to come here and play with us and I think he’ll energize our club.”

In a July 2018 interview with Cardinals broadcaster Dan McLaughlin, Walker recalled, “It was really a no-brainer. It didn’t take me but a couple of minutes to say yes.”

The Rockies, looking to free payroll in order to rebuild around players such as rookie outfielder Matt Holliday, agreed to a package of minor leaguers: pitchers Jason Burch, Luis Martinez and Chris Narveson. None would play in a big-league game for the Rockies.

MVP caliber

Walker joined Edmonds, Rolen, Edgar Renteria and Mike Matheny in giving the 2004 Cardinals Gold Glove winners at five of the nine fielding positions.

“We put an MVP in the lineup … This was a real impact move,” Rolen said.

Said Sanders: “You look at this lineup and you wonder, ‘How can it get any better?’ And it did.”

The Cardinals were in first place in the National League Central, 10.5 games ahead of the Cubs, on the day of the trade.

La Russa said, “I love the message that the people on top are sending to the players. I think they recognize how hard we’ve been playing and we have the chance to do something really special.”

What a welcome

Walker arrived in St. Louis during the Cardinals’ game with the Mets on Aug. 7, 2004. In the seventh inning, with two runners on base, one out and the score tied at 1-1, La Russa sent Walker to bat for Matheny against Mets starter Kris Benson. Cardinals fans welcomed Walker with a standing ovation and chanted his name.

“One of the most nervous at-bats I’ve had in my career,” Walker said.

On the Cardinals’ telecast, broadcaster Mike Shannon marveled, “Look how excited these people are … They smell World Series.”

Walker struck out, but as he returned to the dugout he received another standing ovation. Video

“I didn’t know what to do,” Walker said. “I thought maybe I should go back and ask if I could have another strike.” Boxscore

Walker hit .280 with 11 home runs and 27 RBI in 44 games for the 2004 Cardinals, who won the division title by 13 games over the runner-up Astros.

In the postseason, Walker hit six home runs _ two each in the Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series.

Walker returned to the Cardinals in 2005, his final big-league season, and hit .289 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 100 games.

In a September 2017 interview with McLaughlin, Rolen said, “Larry Walker is the best player I ever played with. There’s nothing he couldn’t do out there. He knew how to run the bases and he knew running the bases was an offensive weapon. You’re on base to score runs.

“He played an unbelievable Gold Glove outfield. Threw the ball and never missed a cutoff. Hit the ball as hard as anybody and moved the ball around.”

In an interview with the Baseball Hall of Fame magazine, “Memories and Dreams,” La Russa said of Walker, “I think he would probably be in the top three of just about every category: Base running, defense, handling the bat.”