RetroSimba

Catcher Pat Borders experienced a wide range of highs and lows in his short stay with the Cardinals.

On Jan. 14, 1996, Borders, a free agent, signed a minor-league contract with the Cardinals and was invited to spring training.

Borders, 32, earned a roster spot, made the Opening Day starting lineup and represented the Cardinals as their catcher on the National League all-star ballot.

By June, he no longer was on the team.

Center stage

A standout high school player in Lake Wales, Fla., Borders was chosen by the Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 1982 amateur baseball draft.

He played third base and first base his first four seasons in the minors before converting to catcher in 1986.

Borders made his debut in the majors in 1988, and he was the Blue Jays’ starting catcher when they won consecutive World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston liked Borders for his durability and skill at blocking pitches in the dirt.

In 1992, the Blue Jays played 12 postseason games _ six against manager Tony La Russa’s Athletics in the American League Championship Series and six versus the Braves in the World Series _ and Borders produced hits in all of them.

Borders was named most valuable player of the 1992 World Series. He hit .450. With nine hits and two walks in 22 plate appearances, his on-base percentage was .500.

Bad timing

Granted free agency after the strike-shortened 1994 season, Borders found few takers. Team owners claimed they lost $700 million in the strike and weren’t in the mood to spend.

In April 1995, Borders, who was paid $2.5 million by the Blue Jays in 1994, signed with the Royals for $310,000.

“It’s a big reduction,” Borders told the Toronto Sun, “but then again I remember the days when I had a job making $5 an hour. Besides, I’m doing something I love.”

Brent Mayne did most of the catching for the 1995 Royals. Borders was traded to the Astros in August. Borders said the trade “came as a complete shock,” but the Kansas City Star reported he “had too many defensive deficiencies.”

Opportunity knocks

A free agent after the 1995 season, Borders appealed to the Cardinals, who were seeking a backup to catcher Tom Pagnozzi. In 1995, Pagnozzi hit .215 and was limited to 62 games because of multiple injuries. It was the third consecutive year Pagnozzi spent time on the disabled list. The Cardinals hoped Borders would join Danny Sheaffer in giving them depth at catcher.

Borders signed a one-year deal for $350,000. He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Pagnozzi is a Gold Glove catcher. I don’t think anyone would be ashamed of being a backup to him.”

He also was looking forward to playing for manager Tony La Russa, who left the Athletics for the Cardinals after the 1995 season.

“From what I understand from other players, La Russa prepares his pitchers and catchers to be as mentally ready as anybody in the game,” Borders said.

Borders impressed La Russa with his play at Cardinals spring training in 1996. In late March, Pagnozzi injured his left wrist and went on the disabled list. Borders was selected by La Russa to start at catcher in the season opener against the Mets at New York.

According to the Post-Dispatch, La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan “were impressed with his game-calling this spring.”

In and out

Borders, batting seventh, had two hits and scored a run in the Cardinals’ 1996 season opener. Boxscore

He did most of the catching for the Cardinals in the first month of the season, playing in 17 of their first 25 games and batting .351 for April. “I’m catching a lot more than I did last year,” Borders said. “This is wonderful.”

When the ballots came out for fan voting for the all-star team, Borders was the Cardinals catcher listed by Major League Baseball.

Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz noted, “He’s a bulldog behind the plate. He’s hitting, too. It’s going to be difficult, any time soon, for Tom Pagnozzi to take the catcher’s equipment away from Borders.”

May was a different story. Pagnozzi, who played six games in April, played in 23 games in May and hit .325.

“How do I say this? We just needed some consistency back there,” Pagnozzi said. “We needed a little bit of leadership back there, some direction.”

La Russa said Borders and Sheaffer “did a real good job,” but Pagnozzi “deserved the playing time. He does a good job handling pitchers and shows imagination in his pitch selection.”

On May 10, Borders entered a game against the Dodgers in the 11th inning and played first base for the first time in the majors. In the 12th, a hard grounder by Eric Karros went off Borders’ glove for an error and Raul Mondesi scored from second with the winning run. Boxscore

“It was a play I should have made,” Borders said. “It cost us the game.”

From May 7 to June 9, Borders got a total of seven at-bats.

“He’s a major-league catcher,” La Russa said. “I’m hoping an opportunity opens up for him.”

On June 15, 1996, the Cardinals traded Borders to the Angels for pitcher Ben VanRyn. 

In 26 games for the Cardinals, Borders hit .319.

He went on to play a total of 17 seasons in the majors.