RetroSimba

Willie Crawford was acquired by the Cardinals from the Dodgers to strengthen the bench. Instead, he exceeded expectations and became their starting right fielder, giving a good performance for a bad team.

On March 2, 1976, the Cardinals traded second baseman Ted Sizemore to the Dodgers for Crawford.

The deal seemed designed more to accommodate Sizemore, who was being displaced as the starting second baseman, than it was to significantly help the Cardinals.

With a starting outfield of Lou Brock in left, Bake McBride in center and Reggie Smith in right, the 1976 Cardinals projected Crawford as a reserve.

After 12 seasons as a role player with the Dodgers, Crawford made the most of his unexpected chance to be an everyday player with the Cardinals.

Platoon player

In 1964, Crawford, a high school standout in Los Angeles, signed with the Dodgers as an amateur free agent. The scout who signed him was Tommy Lasorda, the future Hall of Fame manager.

Crawford, a left-handed batter, played in two World Series (1965 and 1974) for the Dodgers and primarily was platooned by them. He batted .268 during his Dodgers career.

In 1969 and 1970, Sizemore and Crawford were Dodgers teammates. The Dodgers dealt Sizemore and catcher Bob Stinson to the Cardinals for slugger Richie Allen in October 1970.

No. 2 man

Sizemore was the Cardinals’ starting second baseman from 1971-75. Batting primarily in the No. 2 spot in the order, Sizemore led the National League in sacrifice bunts (25) in 1973 and was second (with 21) in 1975.

In 1974, when Brock established a NL record with 118 stolen bases, he said, “You have to have the right man batting behind you. I do: Ted Sizemore.”

The 1976 Cardinals, though, planned to shift Mike Tyson from shortstop to second base and play Don Kessinger at shortstop until Garry Templeton was ready to take over the position.

That made Sizemore expendable.

Anatomy of a deal

Initially, Sizemore told Cardinals general manager Bing Devine that he intended to go to spring training and beat out Tyson for the starting second base spot. Then he changed his mind.

“He called and reversed his stand, expressing his desire to be traded to Los Angeles if such a deal could be made,” Devine told United Press International. “He indicated for personal reasons he thought it best to play close to his home in southern California. At the same time, we’ve been looking for another left-handed hitter and thus we proposed the Crawford-for-Sizemore deal.”

The deal was made in about a week, Devine said to The Sporting News.

Said Sizemore: “When the deal with the Dodgers was put together, Bing had the courtesy to call me into his office, tell me about it and ask me if I wanted to go back to Los Angeles.”

Because the Dodgers had established starters at second base (Davey Lopes) and shortstop (Bill Russell), they projected Sizemore, 30, as a utility player.

“Having Ted Sizemore on our club gives us excellent protection in many positions,” said Dodgers executive Al Campanis.

Crawford, 29, figured to join Mike Anderson and Luis Melendez as reserve outfielders for the 1976 Cardinals.

Said Crawford: “I felt I was stereotyped in a position by the Dodgers with no way to break it … I welcome the new atmosphere. The Cards always have seemed like a pretty relaxed club that works together. I hope to contribute to that.”

Hot hitter

Crawford quickly fit in with the 1976 Cardinals. During spring training, The Sporting News reported, “Crawford has taken over (retired pitcher) Bob Gibson’s role of clubhouse and on-field needler.”

Over the first two weeks of the 1976 regular season, Crawford was used exclusively as a pinch-hitter by manager Red Schoendienst.

Meanwhile, rookie third baseman Hector Cruz was struggling, batting .178 through April 24. On April 25, Schoendienst moved Reggie Smith to third base and put Crawford in right field.

Crawford hit so consistently well that Schoendienst kept him as the everyday right fielder.

Crawford batted .438 (14-for-32) in April and .326 (29-for-89) in May.

Schoendienst played Smith at first base (in place of Keith Hernandez) as well as at third base, but right field was Smith’s best position _ and Crawford was hitting too well to be taken out of the lineup.

On June 15, the Cardinals traded Smith to the Dodgers.

Strong season

Crawford completed the 1976 season with a .304 batting average (119 hits in 120 games) and a .360 on-base percentage. It was the only time he batted .300 or better for a full big-league season.

His batting average against right-handers that year was .313.

Crawford’s nine home runs ranked second on the 1976 Cardinals (Cruz had 13) and he produced 50 RBI.

Run production was a weakness for Crawford and the Cardinals. Crawford hit .225 with runners in scoring position and .323 with no one on base, according to the Web site baseball-reference.com.

The 1976 Cardinals finished 72-90. Schoendienst was fired and the club looked to make other changes.

Planning to move Cruz to right field in 1977 and make room for outfield prospects such as Jerry Mumphrey, the Cardinals traded Crawford, pitcher John Curtis and utility player Vic Harris to the Giants for pitchers Mike Caldwell and John D’Acquisto and catcher Dave Rader in October 1976.

Previously: Don Kessinger kept Cards seat warm for Garry Templeton