RetroSimba

After making a pitch for Barry Larkin of the Reds, the Cardinals, shopping for a shortstop, turned to a younger, less expensive model, Edgar Renteria of the Marlins.

On Dec. 14, 1998, the Cardinals traded pitchers Braden Looper and Armando Almanza, plus infielder Pablo Ozuna, to the Marlins for Renteria.

The Cardinals went to the baseball winter meetings at Nashville determined to acquire a shortstop to replace Royce Clayton, whom they traded to the Rangers five months earlier.

Larkin and Renteria were atop the Cardinals’ shopping list and, if they couldn’t get either one, Pat Meares of the Twins was an alternative, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Seeing red

Larkin was unhappy with the Reds and asked to be traded. The Reds had their second consecutive losing season in 1998 and Larkin, who had a Hall of Fame resume, wanted to be with a contender. Reds general manager Jim Bowden had vowed to rebuild the roster around Larkin and second baseman Bret Boone, so when Bowden traded Boone to the Braves in November 1998, Larkin felt betrayed.

“I’ve been lied to consistently,” Larkin said to the Dayton Daily News. “I’ve heard rebuild, rebuild, rebuild to get better. If that’s the case, I should see some light at the end of the tunnel. All I see is a tunnel filled with water.”

Because he had spent 10 years in the major leagues, including the last five with the same club, Larkin could veto any trade. He gave the Reds a list of five teams to which he would accept a trade: Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Padres and Rangers.

“If they can move me, please do it now,” Larkin told the Dayton newspaper on the eve of the winter meetings.

“I feel as if I’m being held hostage by a team with no immediate plans to be competitive.”

Trade talk

Larkin batted .309 with 34 doubles for the 1998 Reds, earning his eighth of nine Silver Slugger awards. The three-time Gold Glove Award winner ranked second among National League shortstops in fielding percentage that year.

The Cardinals “keep inquiring about Larkin,” the Dayton newspaper reported.

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty offered the Reds a package of players, including pitcher Manny Aybar, who in 1998 was 10-0 for minor-league Memphis and 6-6 for the Cardinals.

Bowden’s response to Jocketty was: “You know who I want.”

According to the St. Louis and Dayton newspapers, the players Bowden wanted in exchange for Larkin were outfielder J.D. Drew and pitcher Rick Ankiel.

Bowden said the Cardinals and Mariners, who made a bid on behalf of Larkin’s friend, Ken Griffey Jr., were the clubs most interested in Larkin “but neither offered quality big-league players or top-notch prospects. We listened, but nothing was substantial. Teams felt they could steal him for nothing.”

Big catch

Unable to reach an agreement with the Reds, the Cardinals turned to the Marlins.

Renteria became a Marlins hero in 1997 when he delivered a championship-clinching RBI-single against Charles Nagy of the Indians in the 11th inning of World Series Game 7. Video

In 1998, Renteria batted .282 with 41 stolen bases for the Marlins and was named to the National League all-star team.

Renteria, 22, was younger than Larkin, 34, and Larkin was under contract to make $5.3 million in 1999 compared with $2 million for Renteria.

The Marlins were agreeable to trading Renteria because they had a highly regarded shortstop prospect, Alex Gonzalez, who was ready to play in the big leagues.

Initially, the Cardinals and Marlins discussed a deal of Renteria for Looper and another pitcher, Mike Busby, the Palm Beach Post reported, but Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski, looking to get three players instead of two, opted for Almanza and Ozuna, along with Looper, rather than Busby.

“I want to play for the Cardinals,” Renteria said. “I want to show the fans I can play hard for a team that can win.”

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he planned to bat Renteria in the leadoff spot, with Drew second and Mark McGwire third.

Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz rated the acquisition of Renteria a plus for the Cardinals. “He’s magic in the field and will take excellent care of Ozzie Smith’s cherished ground,” Miklasz concluded.

Good as expected

Renteria played six seasons (1999-2004) for the Cardinals and helped them to four postseason appearances. His best season for St. Louis was 2003 when he hit .330 with 47 doubles, 100 RBI and 34 stolen bases.

Overall with the Cardinals, Renteria won three Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Glove awards and posted a .290 batting average with 148 steals. He batted .333 for the Cardinals in the 2004 World Series against the Red Sox.

After that World Series, Renteria became a free agent and signed with the Red Sox.

In 2010, playing for the Giants against the Rangers, Renteria was the recipient of the World Series Most Valuable Player Award, hitting .412 with two home runs.