RetroSimba

It took a long time for Craig Paquette to get his first pinch-hit home run in the majors, but it was worth the wait.

On May 25, 2001, Paquette hit a three-run home run as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning, lifting the Cardinals from a 4-2 deficit to a 5-4 victory over the Reds at Cincinnati. Paquette’s home run against closer Danny Graves came on a 1-and-2 pitch with two outs.

Until then, Paquette, a utility player in his ninth season in the big leagues, hadn’t hit a home run as a pinch-hitter, and had been hitless in six career at-bats versus Graves.

La Russa connection

A right-handed batter with power, Paquette played multiple infield and outfield positions. Third base was the position he played the most.

Paquette’s first three years (1993-95) in the majors were with the Athletics when Tony La Russa was manager. After the 1995 season, La Russa went to the Cardinals and Paquette was released. He signed with the Royals and led them in home runs (22) and RBI (67) in 1996. Paquette was the Royals’ Opening Day third baseman in 1997 but was sent to the minors in midseason.

A free agent, Paquette signed with the Mets but injured an ankle and was sidelined most of the 1998 season. He was mired in the minors when the Cardinals acquired him from the Mets in July 1999 for Shawon Dunston.

La Russa told The Sporting News that Paquette “always has had a power swing. He’s got such a live bat, the ball jumps.”

Valuable versatility

The move to the Cardinals revived Paquette’s career. He hit .287 with 10 home runs for them in 1999.

In 2000, Paquette filled in for injured starters Fernando Tatis at third, Mark McGwire at first and Fernando Vina at second. Paquette had single-season career highs in games played (134), doubles (24) and walks (27). Of his 94 hits, 41 were for extra bases.

Pinch-hitting was a different story. Paquette had one hit in 12 at-bats as a Cardinals pinch-hitter in 2000.

Contender at third

After the Cardinals traded Fernando Tatis to the Expos in December 2000, Paquette and Placido Polanco went to spring training as the leading candidates for the third base job.

“The reason we traded Tatis is, between Paquette and Polanco, we would have a plus at third base,” La Russa told St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz. “If you want to look at it honestly, both of them are going to play better defense because they pay more attention to it.”

La Russa said he thought Paquette could hit 30 home rums if he played an entire season as a starter, The Sporting News reported.

At spring training, La Russa indicated Paquette would be the Cardinals’ 2001 Opening Day third baseman. Miklasz noted Paquette was versatile, “works hard” and was “an intense competitor,” but wondered whether as a starter “he might be overexposed.”

La Russa eventually opted to go with Polanco as the Opening Day starter at third base.

Clout in clutch

The versatility of Paquette and rookie Albert Pujols gave La Russa lots of lineup options in 2001. Paquette played five positions: first, second, third, left field and right field.

When the Cardinals opened a series against the Reds at Cincinnati’s Cinergy Field, formerly Riverfront Stadium, on May 25, Paquette was on the bench.

In the eighth inning, with the Reds ahead, 4-2, the Cardinals had a runner on base, two outs and Pujols at the plate. Reds manager Bob Boone brought in Graves, who ended the threat with a strikeout of Pujols.

As heavy rain fell, Graves stayed in to pitch the ninth and gave up singles to Edgar Renteria and Kerry Robinson. With two outs, Paquette batted for pitcher Alan Benes.

When the count got to 1-and-2 on Paquette, Reds fans stood and applauded, anticipating Graves would end the game on the next pitch. Instead, he hung a curveball and Paquette hit it over the wall in left for a home run, giving the Cardinals a 5-4 lead.

“If you want to call it a curveball, I guess that’s what it was, but it was really more of a spinner,” Graves told The Cincinnati Post. “I just kind of fluttered it up there. You can’t take credit away from Paquette, but that was my third-best pitch, and he smoked it.”

In retrospect, Graves said, he should have thrown his best pitch, a sinker. “I tried to get too tricky,” Graves said to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “If he hits a good sinker and beats me, fine.”

According to The Sporting News, the Cardinals had been winless in the last 77 games in which they trailed after eight innings until Paquette worked his magic. “I was just hoping he would leave one up, and he did,” Paquette said to the Post-Dispatch.

Cardinals closer Dave Veres retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth, sealing the victory. Boxscore

Unsatisfying ending

Paquette, 32, had a big season for the 2001 Cardinals. He hit .282 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI. As a pinch-hitter, he hit .304. In June, facing the Cubs’ Tom Gordon, he hit his second pinch-hit home run. Overall, Paquette batted .372 with runners in scoring position.

Granted free agency after the 2001 season, Paquette signed with the Tigers.

Released in April 2003, Paquette was added to the Cardinals’ Memphis farm club on May 10. According to the Post-Dispatch, he had an agreement he could leave after a certain period of time if he wasn’t called up to the Cardinals.

On May 23, Paquette pulled himself from the lineup before a game at Memphis and went home. “My heart wasn’t in it,” he told the Post-Dispatch.

When utility player Eli Marrero got injured, Paquette was disappointed the Cardinals didn’t choose him to be the replacement.

“They had 14 days to make a move and they didn’t do it,” Paquette said. “I didn’t want to go to triple-A, but I did it for the Cardinals. I’m not putting on a triple-A uniform again.”