RetroSimba

Seeking an impact player at second base for the 1996 season, Tony La Russa’s first as their manager, the Cardinals set their sights on Craig Biggio, then Tony Phillips.

Unable to sign either free agent, the 1996 Cardinals settled on Luis Alicea and Mike Gallego as their primary second basemen.

Biggio remained with the Astros and went on to complete a career that earned him election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Phillips, who had played for La Russa with the Athletics, elected to sign with the White Sox.

If Phillips had decided to go to the National League, his agent said, he would have chosen the Cardinals.

Surprise player

Jose Oquendo, playing his final season, and David Bell, a rookie, had gotten the most starts at second base for the 1995 Cardinals. Management decided the position needed an upgrade.

The Cardinals aggressively pursued Biggio. Phillips was squarely on their radar as well.

Phillips hit 27 home runs and scored 119 runs for the 1995 Angels.

In the Oct. 15, 1995, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rick Hummel wrote of the Cardinals, “A surprise player they might go after is California infielder Tony Phillips.”

Two months later, Hummel reported, “Tony Phillips may be on the way out with the California Angels _ and on his way to the Cardinals if they fail to land Biggio.”

The Cardinals offered Biggio a five-year, $25 million contract, the Associated Press reported, but Biggio took the Astros’ four-year, $22 million deal.

Turning their attention to Phillips, La Russa said, “His best position is wherever the club needs. He’s a real competitor and he would add a lot of spark to our ballclub.”

Substantial offer

The Cardinals wanted Phillips, who turned 37 in 1996, to play second base. The Cubs, who wanted him at third base, offered a one-year contract.

“If it wasn’t for more than one year, Tony wasn’t interested,” said agent Tony Attanasio to the Chicago Sun-Times. “He wanted, too, to stay in the American League. If he had gone to the National League, it probably would have been with the Cardinals. Their offer was more substantial.”

Phillips accepted a two-year, $3.6 million deal from the White Sox, who wanted him to replace Tim Raines in left field.

Drug trouble

With Alicea (whose 24 errors were the most among NL second basemen) and Gallego (who batted .210), the Cardinals won a division title and advanced to the NL Championship Series.

Phillips had a stellar season for the 1996 White Sox. He led the American League in walks (125), scored 119 runs and had an on-base percentage of .404.

The next year, though, while in his second stint with the Angels, Phillips pleaded guilty to a cocaine possession charge.

Released by the Angels on April 1, 1998, Phillips was out of baseball until the Blue Jays signed him to a minor-league contract on July 1, 1998. Four weeks later, the Blue Jays traded Phillips to the Mets, who were desperate for an outfielder.

Short fuse

On Aug. 21, 1998, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals at New York, Phillips batted leadoff and played left field for the Mets. Boxscore

Cardinals starter Matt Morris brushed back Phillips with a pitch. After Phillips flied out to end the seventh inning, he yelled at Morris, who responded by waving at Phillips, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Phillips approached the Cardinals dugout and challenged someone.

Said La Russa: “Tony’s fuse is always lit. You only get to yell one time. I said, `You’ve already had your yelling. Get out to left field.’

“If everybody played as hard as Tony Phillips,” La Russa concluded, “the game would be more fun to watch.”