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How Bernard Gilkey sought encore with Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents on January 23, 2021| 4 Comments »

Bernard Gilkey hoped to cap his playing career with a second stint for his hometown team, the Cardinals, but it didn’t work out.

On Jan. 5, 2001, the Cardinals signed Gilkey, a free agent, to a minor-league contract for $700,000 and invited him to spring training to try for a spot as a reserve outfielder.

The Cardinals’ top three outfielders, J.D. Drew, Jim Edmonds and Ray Lankford, all batted from the left side. A right-handed batter, Gilkey, 34, was projected as someone who could fill in against left-handed pitching.

Making his mark

Gilkey, a St. Louis native, began his career with the Cardinals and played for them from 1990-95. He had his best season as a Cardinal in 1993, hitting .305, with 40 doubles, and scoring 99 runs.

In January 1996, a month after the Cardinals acquired outfielder Ron Gant, Gilkey was traded to the Mets. He had a career year for the 1996 Mets, hitting .317, with 44 doubles and 30 home runs. He drove in 117 runs and scored 108.

The Mets traded Gilkey to the Diamondbacks in July 1998. Two months later, he had laser eye surgery to fix a retina and improve his vision.

On the outs

In February 1999, the Diamondbacks and Pirates agreed to a trade of Gilkey for Al Martin and Tony Womack.

One issue needed to be resolved for the trade to be completed: the clubs wanted to revise terms about deferred money in Gilkey’s contract. The revision required Gilkey’s approval in order for the trade to go through.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “that deferred money, $5 million paid into an annuity that will pay Gilkey $1 million a year for 25 years, was the rub in this trade.”

The Diamondbacks came up with a new plan for paying the deferred money, but Gilkey rejected it and refused to approve the trade.

Two days later, the Pirates sent Womack to the Diamondbacks for a pair of prospects.

Womack, who played second base for the Pirates, was put in right field by the Diamondbacks and Gilkey was moved to the bench.

A year later, Gilkey seldom played and struggled to hit. In one miserable stretch, he had one hit in 47 at-bats.

“It was just like I wasn’t part of the team,” Gilkey told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “There’s only so much cheering you can do.”

In June 2000, with his batting average for the season at .110, Gilkey was released. A few days later, the Red Sox signed him. Gilkey hit .231 in 36 games for the 2000 Red Sox and became a free agent after the season.

Good opportunity

The Cardinals got a good report on Gilkey from Red Sox assistant general manager Lee Thomas, who was director of player development for the Cardinals in 1984 when Gilkey first signed with them as an amateur.

“I think he’s got enough left where he could be a productive player off the bench,” Thomas told the Post-Dispatch.

Gilkey was one of several free-agent outfielders signed by the Cardinals in January 2001 to compete for spots as reserves. Others included Bobby Bonilla and John Mabry.

Regarding his return to the Cardinals, Gilkey said, “When I got the opportunity, I thought the baseball gods were back on my side.”

Gilkey said he was motivated to keep playing because he wanted to regain respect he thought had been lost. “I’m playing for pride now,” he said.

No vacancy

The Cardinals gave Gilkey a long look at spring training in Florida. The emergence of rookie Albert Pujols provided more competition for the outfield spots on the roster.

Before opening the season in Denver, the Cardinals went to Oakland and Seattle to play exhibition games. Gilkey made the trip, along with Bonilla, Mabry and Pujols. The Cardinals figured to keep two of the four as outfielders on the Opening Day roster. Drew, Edmonds and Lankford had locks on the other outfield spots.

On April 2, the eve of the 2001 season opener, the Cardinals put Mabry and Pujols on the roster, placed Bonilla on the disabled list and released Gilkey. According to the Post-Dispatch, Gilkey batted .196 in spring training exhibition games, but hit the ball better than the average showed.

“Gilkey had a pretty good spring training,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “He just had some guys do better.”

Gilkey said, “It’s just the way the ball bounces. I don’t feel like I was deprived or deceived or anything like that.”

Still in the game

According to the Post-Dispatch, Gilkey had indicated he might retire if he didn’t get a spot on the Cardinals’ roster, but the Braves contacted him and made a convincing pitch. “They told me there was a very good chance things would work out,” Gilkey said.

On April 12, 2001, Gilkey signed a minor-league contract with the Braves. He went to their Richmond farm team and hit .271 in 13 games.

The Braves called up Gilkey on May 4 when they were in Atlanta for a series against the Cardinals. 

“I thought I had a pretty decent spring training,” Gilkey told the Atlanta Constitution, “but when I went down to Richmond I got a lot of at-bats, so that helped.”

In his Braves debut, Gilkey was sent into the May 4 game against the Cardinals in the ninth inning. Dave Veres struck him out on a split-fingered pitch to end the game. Boxscore

The next night, manager Bobby Cox started Gilkey in left field and batted him seventh in the order. Gilkey responded with two hits, including a two-run home run, against starter Rick Ankiel in a 6-5 victory for the Braves. Boxscore

“Without that home run, we wouldn’t be quite so happy right now,” Cox said.

Gilkey hit .274 in 69 games for the 2001 Braves, who qualified for the playoffs and reached the National League Championship Series before being defeated by the Diamondbacks.

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Cardinals shredded all foes with spark from Nick Punto

Posted in Games, Hitters on January 14, 2021| 4 Comments »

Nick Punto fielded flawlessly at second base for the Cardinals in the 2011 postseason and helped them become World Series champions.

On Jan. 21, 2011, the Cardinals signed Punto, a free agent, to fill a utility role as the backup to Skip Schumaker at second, Ryan Theriot at short and David Freese at third.

When the Cardinals surged into a playoff spot in September, Punto was a key contributor. He helped with his glove and bat, and also with his hijinks. Punto got the nickname “Shredder” for playfully tearing off the uniform jerseys of teammates during impromptu victory celebrations.

Versatile player

A switch-hitter, Punto made his major-league debut with the Phillies in 2001. He got traded to the Twins two years later. With the Twins, Punto was the starter at second base in 2005, at third base in 2006 and 2007, and at shortstop in 2008 and 2009. He opened the 2010 season as the Twins’ starting third baseman before being shifted into a utility role.

Granted free agency after the 2010 season, Punto, 33, signed with the Cardinals for one year at $750,000.

Punto replaced Aaron Miles, who became a free agent after the 2010 season. The Cardinals showed little interest in retaining Miles, who went to the Dodgers.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak described Punto as a “much better than average defensive player,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

At spring training, Punto had surgery for a hernia and began the season on the disabled list. With Punto shelved, Daniel Descalso and Tyler Greene were the Cardinals’ utility infielders.

In and out

Punto healed faster than expected and was activated on April 19. Ten days later, his two-run triple with two outs in the 11th inning lifted the Cardinals to a victory over the Braves. Boxscore

On May 10, another triple by Punto drove in the go-ahead run in a win against the Cubs. Boxscore

A week later, Punto’s season skidded to a halt when he went back on the disabled list because of a right forearm strain that made it painful for him to throw.

Punto was out for six weeks. When he returned to the lineup on June 28, he went 2-for-4 with a RBI and run scored against the Orioles. His leadoff triple in the seventh led to a run. Boxscore

Soon after, Punto began to experience significant pain while throwing. It got so bad that on July 17, after Punto singled against the Reds, manager Tony La Russa didn’t let him go to the field, using catcher Tony Cruz to play second base instead. Boxscore

Cruz became the eighth player the Cardinals used at second base in 2011, joining Allen Craig, Daniel Descalso, Tyler Greene, Pete Kozma, Skip Schumaker, Ryan Theriot and Punto.

Punto told the Post-Dispatch the pain was “definitely affecting” his throws. “I can’t keep putting the team at risk by continuing to play like this,” Punto said.

On July 29, Punto was placed on the disabled list for the third time that season. The injury was diagnosed as a strained oblique muscle.

Welcome back

Punto stayed on the disabled list until September. When he returned, he made an immediate impact.

On Sept. 9, the Cardinals (76-67) opened a three-game series at home against the Braves (84-60). The Braves were the leaders for the wild-card spot in the playoffs, and the Cardinals needed a series sweep to enhance their chances of overtaking them.

In the ninth inning, Albert Pujols delivered a two-run single with two outs, tying the score. In the 10th, Punto, appearing in a Cardinals game for the first time since July 28, drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly. Boxscore

La Russa told the Post-Dispatch he was confident Punto would come through because he recalled how Punto tripled to beat the Braves in extra innings in April.

Punto’s teammates celebrated by shredding Punto’s jersey. Punto said the idea of shredding a jersey after a big win came from his wife, Natalie, when he was with the Twins.

“We clinched to get into the playoffs and we were celebrating and she ripped my shirt,” Punto recalled. “I kind of liked it. So I ripped everybody else’s shirts.”

The win propelled the Cardinals to the coveted series sweep of the Braves. A few days later, Punto hit a game-winning double against the Pirates. Video

The Cardinals went on to win 18 of 26 games in September and edged the Braves for the wild-card spot.

Punto hit .308 in September and had an on-base percentage of .424 for the month. He finished the regular season with a .278 batting mark in 63 games and an on-base percentage of .388. He hit .359 with runners in scoring position.

Making the plays

Punto played a prominent role in the Cardinals’ postseason. He started at second base in the decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Phillies and made terrific fielding plays to help gain a 1-0 victory for the Cardinals. “La Russa’s decision to start Punto paid off,” Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz noted. Boxscore

In the National League Championship Series versus the Brewers, Punto made four starts at second base and the Cardinals won all four games. He also started in five games at second in the World Series against the Rangers. He had five walks and three hits in 19 plate appearances for a World Series on-base percentage of .421.

“His penchant for doing the right things at bat and not the wrong things in the field have been notable,” the Post-Dispatch reported.

Punto played 85.2 innings in the 2011 postseason and committed no errors.

La Russa described him as “a very heady player” and “an extremely valuable defensive player.”

Punto became a free agent after the Cardinals won the 2011 World Series title. The Cardinals expressed interest in bringing back Punto, but he went with the Red Sox, who gave him a two-year contract worth $3 million.

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Pat Borders: From Opening Day catcher to Cardinals outcast

Posted in Games, Hitters on January 11, 2021| 5 Comments »

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.

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How Bobby Bonilla came full circle with Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters on January 5, 2021| 4 Comments »

Tony La Russa had a prominent role in the big-league career of Bobby Bonilla.

On Jan. 5, 2001, La Russa was the Cardinals’ manager when they signed Bonilla, a free agent, to be a utility player and pinch-hitter.

Bonilla, who turned 38 a month after joining St. Louis, was winding down an accomplished playing career. He debuted in the majors with the 1986 White Sox, when La Russa was their manager.

From Class A to majors

Born and raised in the Bronx, N.Y., Bonilla was 18 when he signed with the Pirates in July 1981 and entered their farm system.

At spring training with the Pirates in 1985, Bonilla suffered a severe ankle injury in a collision with teammate Bip Roberts while pursuing a pop fly. He was limited to playing 39 games at the Class A level in 1985. The White Sox selected him in the Rule 5 draft after the season.

A switch-hitter who played the outfield, first and third, Bonilla impressed La Russa with his talent and work ethic at White Sox spring training in 1986.

“He gives us a lot of flexibility,” La Russa told the Chicago Tribune. “He has a feel for the game. He can do a lot of creative stuff to win the game. It’s hard to find a player like that.”

Bonilla, 23, sealed a spot on the White Sox’s 1986 Opening Day roster after hitting a home run against the Twins’ Bert Blyleven late in spring training.

He took over at first base after starter Greg Walker fractured a wrist in mid-April. Bonilla’s first home run in the big leagues came against the Indians’ 47-year-old Phil Niekro. Boxscore

When Walker returned to the lineup, La Russa played Bonilla in left field. In June, La Russa was fired by general manager Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. A month later, Harrelson traded Bonilla to the Pirates.

Winning combination

Playing for Pirates manager Jim Leyland, a former coach on La Russa’s White Sox staff, Bonilla thrived. He led the National League in extra-base hits (78) in 1990 and in doubles (44) in 1991.

Bonilla went on to play for the Mets and Orioles before joining the Marlins. Reunited with Leyland, the Marlins’ manager, Bonilla played third base, contributed 96 RBI and helped the Marlins become 1997 World Series champions.

After that, Bonilla played for the Dodgers, the Mets again, and the Braves. After the Cardinals swept the Braves in the 2000 National League Division Series, Bonilla was released.

Still wanted

In 2000, Eric Davis had excelled for the Cardinals as a backup outfielder and pinch-hitter who tormented left-handers. Davis hit .390 against left-handers in 2000. After the season, he became a free agent and joined the Giants. The Cardinals sought someone who could do in 2001 what Davis did for them in 2000.

La Russa, the Cardinals’ manager, and Leyland, who had joined the Cardinals as a scout, advocated for Bonilla. As a utility player for the 2000 Braves, Bonilla hit .372 versus left-handers. He also batted .308 as a pinch-hitter. By comparison, Cardinals pinch-hitters batted .199 in 2000.

Bonilla accepted the Cardinals’ offer of a one-year contract for $900,000.

“Tony giving you a call like that really makes you feel good,” Bonilla said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

La Russa said he was considering platooning Ray Lankford and Bonilla in left field if Bonilla “is on his game.”

“Ray can do a good job against right-handers, but we’re looking for somebody against left-handers, who is respected, to hit behind Mark McGwire,” La Russa said. “Bobby Bonilla is respected. A lot of people are afraid of him. Now, for this to happen, he’s got to stay healthy.”

Astros manager Larry Dierker said his club also tried to sign Bonilla. “I know he’s not a great player any more,” Dierker told the Post-Dispatch, “but when he comes up in a close game, he’s scary.”

Listed at 240 pounds, skeptics cited Bonilla’s defensive limitations and lack of speed as liabilities.

“Will Bobby Bonilla report in tip-top shape to the Cardinals, or will the club have to weigh him with a livestock scale?” asked Jeff Gordon of the Post-Dispatch.

Good impression

Bonilla was one of the Cardinals’ best performers at spring training in 2001.

“He’s been good, very good,” general manager Walt Jocketty said. “He’s probably been the biggest surprise.”

La Russa responded, “If you know Bobby, it’s not a surprise. This guy has played on winning ballclubs. What has been really positive has been his conditioning. He’s put a lot of time into all parts of the game.”

Bonilla hit .389 with four home runs in spring training games. According to the Post-Dispatch, La Russa planned to start Bonilla in left field on Opening Day at Denver against left-hander Mike Hampton.

The plan changed on March 24 when Bonilla was removed from a spring training game because of a hamstring injury.

Instead of Bonilla in left field on Opening Day, it was rookie Albert Pujols. Bonilla began the season on the disabled list.

Ups and downs

On April 4, in the Cardinals’ second game of the season, Bonilla was ejected by plate umpire Greg Bonin for arguing balls and strikes from the bench. Bonilla was ejected before he played a game for the Cardinals. Boxscore

After sitting out the first six games of the season, Bonilla made his Cardinals debut as the right fielder in the home opener against Rockies left-hander Denny Neagle. In the ninth, Bonilla’s leadoff double versus left-handed reliever Gabe White started the rally that led to the winning run. Boxscore

A week later, the Cardinals were trailing, 15-4, at home against the Diamondbacks when La Russa asked Bonilla to pitch the ninth inning. Bonilla, who hadn’t pitched since high school, gave up a home run to the first Diamondbacks batter he faced, Erubiel Durazo. Bonilla completed the inning, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He also was called for a balk. Boxscore

“It wasn’t a great situation, or a fun situation,” Bonilla said.

The next night, Bonilla started at first base and had a home run, a double and two RBI against Diamondbacks left-hander Randy Johnson. Bonilla hit .375 in his career against the future Hall of Famer. Boxscore

Another highlight for Bonilla came on June 15 when he hit a grand slam, the ninth of his career, versus White Sox left-hander Kelly Wunsch. Boxscore

A month later, Bonilla got his 2,000th career hit, a single against Roy Oswalt, an Astros right-hander. Boxscore

Bonilla hit .370 in July, but then slumped. He had one hit in his last 16 at-bats. For the season, he hit .213 with five home runs. As a pinch-hitter, he batted .167. His batting average versus left-handers was .232.

Though granted free agency after the season, his playing career was done. He finished with 2,010 hits, including 408 doubles, and 1,173 RBI.

Bonilla reached the postseason with six different clubs: Pirates, Orioles, Marlins, Mets, Braves and Cardinals.

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How catcher Alex Trevino contributed to Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Managers, Opponents on January 1, 2021| 2 Comments »

Joe Torre guided Alex Trevino into the majors and was with him again 13 years later when he left.

On Jan. 2, 1991, the Cardinals signed Trevino, a free agent, as backup catcher.

The deal reunited Trevino with Torre, the Cardinals’ manager and former catcher. Torre was manager of the Mets when Trevino, 21, made his major-league debut with them in September 1978. Trevino and Torre were together with the Mets for four seasons (1978-81). Trevino also played for Torre in 1984 when Torre was managing the Braves.

Torre and the Cardinals projected Trevino to back up starting catcher Tom Pagnozzi in 1991, but it didn’t work out. Instead, Trevino got released near the end of spring training. The next season, Trevino was back in the Cardinals’ organization and, though he played in the minors, he made a major contribution in helping a top pitching prospect get acclimated to baseball in the United States.

From Mexico to Mets

A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Trevino was 7 and playing youth baseball when he saw the World Series on television for the first time in 1964, the Cardinals versus the Yankees. “I was impressed so much by Bob Gibson because I was a pitcher then,” Trevino told United Press International.

Trevino was 16 when the Mets signed him in May 1974 with the intention of making him a shortstop. Assigned to a rookie league club in Marion, Va., Trevino became a catcher for manager Chuck Hiller, a future Cardinals coach.

Four years later, Trevino got called up to the Mets and he and Torre bonded.

“To me, he’s like my second father,” Trevino told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “He took me under his wing when I came to the big leagues. I owe him a lot. He gradually gave me playing time and let me build my confidence.”

Torre said, “He had such great hands. I always like the way he caught.”

Trevino was a backup to John Stearns with the Mets in 1978 and 1979. An agile catcher with a strong throwing arm, Trevino got more starts than Stearns in 1980, but went back to a reserve role in 1981 because Stearns was the better hitter.

Trevino led National League catchers in throwing out the highest percentage of runners attempting to steal in 1979 (47.7 percent) and 1980 (44.3 percent).

Torre said Trevino became the favorite player of his daughter, Tina. Also, Trevino got to be a teammate of his favorite player from the 1964 World Series, Bob Gibson, who became a coach on Torre’s staff with the 1981 Mets.

“Several clubs are interested in Trevino, but Torre won’t part with the kid,” The Sporting News reported.

On the move

After the 1981 season, Torre became manager of the Braves, and the Mets packaged Trevino in a trade to the Reds for slugger George Foster. Trevino took over for future Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, who no longer could catch regularly.

When the Reds opened the 1982 season, Trevino was the catcher and Bench was at third base. Boxscore

A contact hitter with little power, Trevino was no Bench, and he fell into disfavor with the Reds.

“They expected me to hit .300 and throw out every baserunner,” Trevino told The Sporting News. “It was a bad time … They played with my head there.”

In April 1984, the Reds sent Trevino to the Braves to be the backup to Bruce Benedict. Torre was the manager and he “treasured Trevino’s skills,” The Sporting News reported. Also, Bob Gibson was on the coaching staff.

After the 1984 season, Torre was fired and Trevino was traded to the Giants. Trevino went from the Giants (1985) to the Dodgers (1986-87) and to the Astros (1988-90).

On June 13, 1986, Trevino and Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela formed what is believed to be the first all-Mexican battery in the majors, according to the Los Angeles Times. Boxscore

One of Trevino’s best games came on May 22, 1988, at St. Louis when he got four hits and scored the winning run in the Astros’ 2-1 victory over the Cardinals. Boxscore

Ups and downs

In 1990, Trevino was the backup to Astros catcher Craig Biggio, but in July he was released and replaced by Rich Gedman, who was acquired from the Red Sox.

The Mets signed Trevino in August 1990, but the reunion started badly. In his first start for the Mets, on Aug. 5, 1990, against the Cardinals at St. Louis, Trevino was hitless, committed two errors and allowed two passed balls. Boxscore

“It was the worst game of my career,” Trevino told the Post-Dispatch. “I’ve never had a day like that.”

A month later, the Reds selected Trevino off waivers. Trevino got three hits in seven at-bats for the Reds, who went on to become 1990 World Series champions.

Change in plans

Trevino became a free agent in December 1990 and the Cardinals arranged for him to reunite with Torre again. The Cardinals had decided to move Todd Zeile from catcher to third base, and were seeking a veteran backup to Tom Pagnozzi, who became the starting catcher.

The Cardinals also had considered Gary Carter (36) and Ernie Whitt (38) as the backup catcher but took Trevino (33) because he was younger, the Post-Dispatch reported. Carter signed with the Dodgers and Whitt went with the Orioles.

Cardinals general manager Dal Maxvill, who had been a coach on Torre’s staffs with the Mets (1978) and Braves (1984) when Trevino was there, said, “We’re not trying to look beyond this year, but, if the guy is still catching decently and throwing decently, it could be something beyond a year. I’m not ruling out he could be here four or five years.”

A month later, the Cardinals signed Rich Gedman, the catcher who in 1990 had replaced Trevino on the Astros, to a minor-league contract. “Gedman figures to be Louisville’s starting catcher this season unless he beats out Alex Trevino for the backup catching job” with the Cardinals, the Post-Dispatch reported.

At Cardinals spring training in 1991, Trevino was “erratic on defense,” according to the Post-Dispatch. Gedman, a left-handed batter, hit .375. Trevino, a right-handed batter, hit .353.

Torre liked having a catcher who batted left-handed to back up Pagnozzi, who hit from the right side. On March 31, 1991, Torre told Trevino he was being placed on waivers for the purpose of giving him his release. “It was hard, really hard,” Torre said of his talk with Trevino.

A stoic Trevino said, “Gedman had a good spring. It was obvious.”

Keep on going

Trevino signed a minor-league contract with the Angels and was assigned to their Class AA club at Midland, Texas, where he was reunited with Fernando Valenzuela, who was attempting a comeback.

After playing in 14 games for Midland, Trevino joined his hometown team, Monterrey, in the Mexican League.

In February 1992, the Cardinals invited Trevino to spring training as a non-roster player, and he earned a spot with their Louisville farm club.

The Cardinals had signed a promising pitching prospect, Cuban defector Rene Arocha, and assigned him to Louisville. Trevino caught most of Arocha’s games, served as his interpreter and mentored him. 

In September 1992, after the end of Louisville’s season, Trevino was rewarded for his effort. He was called up to the Cardinals, though not activated, and spent the final month of the season in the big leagues.

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Phil Linz hit sweet and sour notes versus Cardinals

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents on December 26, 2020| 4 Comments »

(Updated July 6, 2024)

In the 1964 World Series, Phil Linz was in and out of tune against the Cardinals.

A utility player during the regular season, Linz started all seven games of the Series for the Yankees as their shortstop and leadoff batter.

Linz was in the Yankees’ starting lineup against the 1964 Cardinals because shortstop Tony Kubek had a severely sprained wrist and couldn’t play.

A right-handed batter, Linz had seven hits, including two home runs, and scored five times in that Series. He also made two errors, including a Game 7 miscue that enabled the Cardinals to take the lead, and was involved in a costly misplay in Game 4.

Music man

Linz was 22 when he debuted with the Yankees in 1962. Because he played all four infield positions and the outfield, Linz became a valuable backup.

After the 1962 season, the Cardinals, seeking a shortstop, wanted Linz. According to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Linz was “a No. 1 target” of general manager Bing Devine, but a deal couldn’t be worked out. (The Cardinals got Dick Groat from the Pirates instead.)

In 1964, Linz made 50 starts at shortstop, 38 at third base and three at second base for an injury-plagued Yankees team trying to stay in contention with the White Sox and Orioles for the American League pennant.

After the Yankees were swept by the White Sox in a four-game series at Chicago in August, dropping them 4.5 games out of first place, they boarded a bus for the airport. In his book “The Mick,” Yankees slugger Mickey Mantle said, “I had sneaked a couple of beers on the bus. Probably a few other guys did the same.”

Linz, seated near the back, took out a new harmonica he was learning to play and began an amateurish rendition of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

From the front of the bus, manager Yogi Berra hollered out for Linz to stop playing. Unsure what Berra said, Linz asked Mantle what he heard. In his book, Mantle, a prankster, said he replied, “Play it fast.”

As Linz tooted the tune, Berra confronted him and they argued. In the heat of the moment, Linz flipped the harmonica to Berra, who slapped at the instrument, The Sporting News reported. The harmonica struck teammate Joe Pepitone on the knee, fell to the floor and broke apart.

Linz apologized to Berra the next day and was fined $200, according to The Sporting News. Later, a harmonica company gave Linz $10,000 to endorse its product, the New York Times reported. Not a bad return for Linz on his investment in the $2.50 harmonica.

Though some initially thought the incident was an indication the Yankees were cracking under pennant pressure, the opposite occurred.

The Yankees played the incident for laughs, relaxed and surged, winning 22 of 28 games in September and finishing a game ahead of the second-place White Sox.

Borrowed bat

Linz helped the Yankees beat Bob Gibson and the Cardinals in Game 2 of the 1964 World Series. Using a bat borrowed from Mantle, Linz had three hits, a walk, a RBI and scored two runs in the Yankees’ 8-3 victory at St. Louis.

“He could play regularly on a lot of ballclubs,” Cardinals third baseman Ken Boyer told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

With the Yankees ahead, 2-1, Linz led off the seventh inning with a single against Gibson and advanced from first to third on a wild pitch. Bobby Richardson followed with a single, scoring Linz.

In the ninth, Barney Schultz, who allowed one home run in 30 appearances during the season, relieved Gibson and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, Linz.

Linz fouled off several pitches before connecting for the home run on a fastball from the knuckleball specialist. “I guess he wasn’t afraid of me,” Linz told the Post-Dispatch. Boxscore

Botched chance

The Yankees won two of the first three games of the Series and were leading, 3-0, in the sixth inning of Game 4 when the Cardinals put runners on first and second with one out.

Dick Groat hit a grounder that had the makings of an inning-ending double play. Second baseman Bobby Richardson went to his right, gloved the ball and intended to toss it to Linz, who was moving toward the bag at second, but the ball stuck in the webbing of Richardson’s glove.

After a moment of hesitation, Richardson managed to flip the ball with his glove hand to Linz, but their timing was off.

As the ball reached Linz, baserunner Curt Flood slid into him hard and the ball fell to the ground. “On any other Sunday, Flood would have been penalized 15 yards for clipping,” Linz said to the Post-Dispatch.

All runners were safe, loading the bases, and Richardson was charged with an error. The next batter, Ken Boyer, hit a grand slam against Al Downing, erasing the Yankees’ lead and propelling the Cardinals to victory. Boxscore

“It was entirely my fault,” Richardson told The Sporting News. “Phil couldn’t possibly have handled (the throw).”

Linz said to the Post-Dispatch, “It was just as much my fault. I was a little late getting to the bag. I was on the bag, but I had to reach back for the ball. That’s when Flood hit me.”

Flood told the New York Daily News, “I was sure they had me when I saw Richardson get the ball. All I wanted to do was break up the double play. So I slid into Linz’s right leg to knock him off balance.”

Turning point

In the winner-take-all Game 7, Linz was involved in the play that turned the momentum in the Cardinals’ favor.

The game was scoreless in the fourth inning when the Cardinals put runners on first and second with no outs. Tim McCarver hit a grounder sharply to first baseman Joe Pepitone. The Yankees were expecting to turn a double play.

Pepitone threw to Linz, covering second, for the forceout, but the return throw from Linz to pitcher Mel Stottlemyre, covering first, was wild. The ball sailed wide of first base and bounced to the bunting draping the stands. Ken Boyer scored from second, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

“A good throw and we got him,” Yogi Berra told the Post-Dispatch.

Instead of two outs, none in and a runner on third, the Cardinals had one out, one in and a runner on first because of the Linz error.

Berra called Linz’s wild throw “the key play” in the game. The Cardinals went on to score three runs, including a McCarver steal of home, in the inning.

The Cardinals took a 7-3 lead into the ninth. Gibson struck out Tom Tresh before Clete Boyer hit a home run, making the score 7-4. Johnny Blanchard struck out for the second out.

Up next was Linz. He hit a Gibson fastball deep to left. Lou Brock raced back to the wall and leaped, but the ball went into the stands, where it was caught by a fan, for a home run.

Linz’s homer made the score 7-5. Cardinals manager Johnny Keane, saying he was committed to Gibson’s heart, left him in the game to face Bobby Richardson, who hat 13 hits in the Series. If Richardson reached base, slugger Roger Maris was up next, representing the potential tying run, and Keane told The Sporting News, “I would have had to get Gibson out.”

Instead, Gibson got Richardson to pop out to second baseman Dal Maxvill, and the Cardinals won the championship. Boxscore

 

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